Cards on the Table

di Aesia Lrae (Autore)

WHITEHEAD AESIA LRAE, 2025

—Mr. Reed, our cameras have located the Barracuda on table three, next to the slot machines. Nate smiled. Annie had fallen right into his trap. She hadn't been able to resist attending the big tournament, even if it meant returning to the scene of the crime. As owner and director of the Desert Sapphire Casino, he'd instructed his security team to alert him as soon as she arrived. "He's playing with Mr. Nakimori and Mr. Kline," reported Gabriel Hansen, his head of security, after listening to what was being said through the earpiece connecting him to the floor agents. "Typical of her," Nate said, and headed down to the tables. The Japanese businessman and the aging Texas oil tycoon were going to lose their entire fortune if he didn't take her soon. They called her the Barracuda for a reason. "Do you want me to walk you?" Gabe asked. Nate sighed. Besides being his head of security, Gabe was one of his best friends, and he knew he didn't think highly of Annie after what she'd done to him. —No, I'll take care of it myself. Straightening his tie, Nate took the elevator down the twenty-five floors between his suite and the casino's main lobby. After so many years, he was finally going to get revenge on her. However, he couldn't muster all the excitement he'd anticipated. His mouth was dry and his pulse was racing. How could he, Nathan Reed, one of the most successful businessmen in Las Vegas, be nervous around a woman? The truth was, Annie had always been his weakness. From the doorway, he saw her at once. She was sitting with her back to him, her legs crossed, her long black hair falling over her shoulders. On the other hand, Mr. Nakimori leaned back in his chair, throwing his cards on the table in disgust. When Nate stopped behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder, Annie didn't even flinch. She'd been waiting for his arrival. "Gentlemen," Nate greeted, smiling at the other players. "It's nice to have you back at the Shappire. Is everything okay?" Jackson smiled broadly. —It was going well, until this beauty showed up. "Then I'm sure they won't mind if I deprive them of your company," Nate replied with a smile. —We're in the middle of a game. They were the first words she'd spoken to him since he'd left. She hadn't said hello. All she could think of was to complain that he was interrupting the game, he thought. Leaning down, Nate brought his lips to her soft ear. She smelled of jasmine shampoo, a scent that reminded him of how delicious she tasted between the sheets. However, he wasn't going to let her fool him anymore. "We need to talk. Leave the game," he ordered sharply. "Well, gentlemen, I guess I'm done," she said with a sighed. She put her cards on the table and removed Nate's hand from her shoulder before standing. "Good afternoon," the other two men replied. Both seemed relieved to be rid of her presence. Annie grabbed her red leather bag and headed for the exit. Nate soon caught up with her and firmly grasped her elbow, guiding her to the elevator. "Take your hands off me," she snapped, her jaw clenched, trying unsuccessfully to wriggle free. "Nothing like that," he replied with a smile. "We both know what happened the last time I did that. If you prefer, I can have a security guard escort you upstairs." Annie stopped dead in her tracks and turned to him. —You won't dare. Gosh, she was beautiful, Nate thought, feeling a surge of desire once again at the sight of her. Though it irritated him that his body still reacted this way to the sight of her, despite everything she'd done to him. "What do you mean, no?" he retorted. Annie didn't know him at all. She leaned her head down until she was just millimeters from his face. "Do you want to see it?" she challenged, gripping her tighter.

• Autore: Aesia Lrae
• Anno edizione: 2025
• Editore: WHITEHEAD AESIA LRAE
• Formato: EPUB2 con DRMFREE
• Compatibilità: Tutti i dispositivi (eccetto Kindle)
• Layout: Reflowable
• EAN: 9798232725228

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