Ignoring the sizzle that shoots up my leg, I scoot away from him as best I can but he stops me in my tracks.
“You leave, he loses,” Shep murmurs, so low I’m sure no one can hear him but me. “Don’t forget that.”
“Considering you won’t let me, I don’t think you need to worry,” I say with a little snort that I immediately regret. Way to impress him.
But you don’t want to impress him. You think he’s an asshole.
Yeah. I need to remember that.
* * *
Shep
* * *
The girl with the sarcastic mouth just made the night infinitely more interesting. I’d been bored out of my skull knowing I was going to win. The pot was small, maybe five hundred bucks. Big fucking deal. The last dude sitting at the table was a nervous little freshman who hadn’t backed down which surprised me. I figured he either had a better hand than me—almost impossible—or he was an excellent bluffer.
Also fairly impossible.
Then the girlfriend had to go and gesture behind me. She saw my hand. The little fucker brought his hot girlfriend to cheat and I hadn’t even noticed. And I always notice that crap. Instead of making sure she was on the up and up while I stared at her in the mirror I put up for the sole purpose of catching cheaters, I caught myself checking her out.
Nice tits. Good skin, if a little on the pale side. Long red hair pulled up into a ponytail and freckles scattered across her cheeks and nose. Freckles pretty much scattered everywhere. Not my normal type but what did me in—besides her tits, because they look damn good in that black tank top she’s wearing—was her mouth. Bee stung lips. I can only imagine those lips wrapped tight around my…
“Are you going to deal or spend the entire night staring at me?”
I blink her into focus. She’s a feisty little thing too. What’s she doing with this freshman loser sitting across from me, looking ready to pass out at any given moment? I like her voice, despite all the shitty things she’s been saying about me.
And I’ve heard every single comment since she settled in behind me.
Ignoring her, I deal our hands and check my cards, careful to keep my expression neutral. A pair of queens and three junk cards. I won’t discard until he does first. I’m the dealer so that’s protocol and I don’t want him to know that I only have a pair.
“What’s your name?” I ask the girl.
She crosses her arms in front of her, plumping up her chest. I catch a glimpse of lime green lacy bra peeking above the neckline of her tank. Interesting. “Bitch Face,” she answers serenely.
I laugh. This chick is something else. “Fitting. I’m Shep. Though you already know.” I lower my voice. “Since Mommy has a treat for me and all that.”
Her cheeks go crimson. Busted. But she doesn’t say a word in her defense, which I find admirable.
I turn my focus on her boyfriend. “Hey. Asshole.” He lifts his gaze, pale blue eyes staring into mine. He looks petrified. He should be. “What’s your name?”
“J-Joel.” He clears his throat, his gaze falling to his cards once again. He shifts them around, moving two from one side to the other. Then he plucks one from the five and tosses it out face down. “I need one more please.”
Hell. What kind of hand does he have? I’m pretty sure I’m fucked. “You gonna raise the pot or what?”
He meets my gaze once more, trying to school his expression but I see the flash of triumph. He has a good hand. Fucker thinks he’s gonna win. “Uh, I’ll raise you fifty.” He tosses in the last of his chips.
“Fifty?” I cock a brow and toss in a matching fifty then deal him a single card. “That’s all you got?” I rapidly exchange out my cards, discarding the three junk ones and taking three new ones. I don’t turn them over. Not yet. The anticipation is half the fun especially when I’m fairly sure I’ll lose this round.
Damn it.
“Clearly.” The kid waves a hand in front of him, where zero chips remain.
“Hmm.” I lift my cards, cupping them in my hand so Bitch Face won’t see them. She’s as still as a stone sitting next to me but I can hear her breathing, can feel the tension radiating off her in heavy waves. She doesn’t like this. She’s nervous for her boyfriend especially because she can’t look at him. Her body is angled toward mine and I chance a glance at her before I study what I have.
Holy hell. I dealt myself two more queens. Four of a kind.
Beat that fuck stick.
“Let’s make this interesting,” I say, staring at Joel once more. His expression lights up. Everyone who’d heard of, or who’d come to our little gambling venture in the past know that’s the game changer statement. It’s the cue that the round is about to take a wild turn.
More like it’s one of us—my friend Gabe, my cousin Tristan—bored out of our minds and ready for an adventure. We like to win big. But by winning big, you need to lose big too. That fifty-fifty chance is what always gives me a thrill. I’ve lost more than I’ve won but that doesn’t really bother me.
“What do you have in mind?” Joel asks, impressing me. He’s played this game before. That’s the pat question we want them to ask. I don't recognize him but I’m guessing he might’ve played a night I wasn’t here, or at someone else’s table.
It doesn’t matter. He understands what’s about to happen and that’s all that matters.
“Let’s see.” I set my cards down and drum my fingers on the green felted table. We run a semi-professional operation here. Gabe owns the house. Well, his family owns the house. We converted it a little less than two years ago, turning the living and dining room into a mini casino a few miles off campus. Blackjack tables, poker tables, hell we even have a roulette table though I hate playing it. Roulette is a game of total chance. The odds are shit.
At least with poker and my preferred game of choice, blackjack, we use some sort of skill.
“Don’t do it Joel.” I lift my head at first sound of her voice. She’s not looking at Joel though. She’s staring straight at me, her mouth hard, her eyes flat. “Show your cards and end the game. Don’t let this asshole get you in any deeper than you already are.”
“Ouch. So mean with the name calling.” I rub my chest, pretending she hurt me. I’ve been called worse. “You going to let her tell you what to do, Joel?” I say it because I know the question will piss her off. And it does. She’s practically got steam coming out of her ears but she says nothing to me. I can’t help but be faintly disappointed.
“Shut up, Jade,” Joel mutters, shocking the both of us. “Let me do this.”
I turn to her. “Joel just grew some balls, Jade. Or should I still call you Bitch Face?”
She grimaces. “I’d rather you call me nothing at all.”
“Jade,” Joel says, his voice firmer. I can tell he really wants her to shut up. I’m taking this as a sign that he also wants to carry forth on the bet. Meaning his hand is fucking stellar.
Well, guess what? So is mine.
“What kind of name is that anyway? Jade?” I make a face, trying to hold back the laughter that wants to escape because I know for a fact that I’m irritating the shit out of her.
“Like you have any room to talk. What the hell is a Shep?”
“I’ll have you know it’s an old family name.” I try my best to remain dignified but I’m failing. This chick amuses me like no other. Her smart mouth is kind of hot. “My mother is a Shepard. I come from a long line of Shepards.”
“Well goody for her. My mom happens to like the color green.” She flashes me a smile and tosses her head, her ponytail swishing, tempting me to grab it, yank her close and wipe that shitty little smile off her face.
With my lips.
“You two done flirting so we can do this, or what?” Joel asks, sounding furious. And he looks furious too. Interesting. I’m enjoying this more and more.
“We were not flirting,” Jade says as she starts to turn her head in Joel’s direction.
“Ah, ah, ah
. Better watch it,” I warn and she returns her attention back to me, earning a fierce frown from her for my efforts. “I don’t want to have to kick Joel’s ass, you know.”
“He could probably take you,” she mutters halfheartedly.
“Ha. I’d demolish him and you know it.”
“I’m sitting right here, you know,” Joel pipes up.
“Okay.” I look away from Bitch Face Jade and study Joel, who appears much more confident than he did a few minutes ago. This would normally make me nervous. And I normally don’t mind feeling nervous during these situations because it amps up the adrenaline and makes everything that much more intense. Life is what you make it, right? I’m all for crazy bets and tense moments. At least I’m actually feeling something while it’s unfolding. “Let’s bet on Jade. If I lose, I’ll pay you some ungodly amount of money.”
“What sort of ungodly amount?” Joel asks, never missing a beat.
I ignore his question. “And if I win…I get your girl.”
“Joel, if you agree to this asshole’s stupid bet, I will kick you in the nuts so hard, you will never have children. And that’s a promise,” Jade threatens, her voice like ice.
Hell, even my nuts shriveled up a little at her words.
“It’s a sure thing,” he says, never once looking at her. “Don’t worry about it. What sort of ungodly amount are you talking about, Shep?”
The kid wants money. No problem. I can more than deliver. “Fifty.”
He rolls his eyes. “Big fucking deal.”
“Thousand,” I add, and those rolling eyes are now bugging out of his head.
Low murmurs erupt from the observers watching the game, startling me. I forgot they were there. Glancing up, I see Gabe standing near the doorway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed in front of him and an amused expression on his face. He loves this shit as much as I do, maybe even more so. He gives me one of those shit-eating grins of his and I nod once before I resume my focus on Joel.
“What do you say?” I ask nonchalantly, clutching the cards in my hand. I could win this. Not much else can beat four queens, unless the schmuck has four kings or four aces. What are the odds though? Really?
They’re in my favor. They have to be.
“I’m not up for barter, you assholes,” Jade spits out, her voice laced with venom. “I don’t know who the hell either of you think you are, but you just can’t bet on me. I’m a freaking human being.” She pauses. I’m guessing she’s realizing her words are having little effect on either of us. “What would you do with me anyway if you won?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I slide my gaze over her, imagining the many ways I could have her if she was mine. Though it would be brief. I don’t keep girls, never have. Girlfriends want too much. Have high expectations that I can never, ever deliver. I don’t even want to deliver, because women? They are demanding as fuck.
And this one I know would give me nothing but endless shit.
“I hate you,” she whispers, shooting daggers at me with her…hmm. Hazel eyes? Yeah, they’re a mix of colors, green and gray and a hint of brown, so I’m calling her eyes hazel. “Don’t think I won’t stomp on your balls if you go through with this, because I so will.”
“Maybe I like that sort of kink,” I say, sitting up straight. “So what’ll it be, Joel? You in?”
“I’m fucking definitely in!” He shouts, then high fives the jackass who’s sitting behind him.
“All right then. An extra fifty-k if you win, Jade Bitch Face if I win.” I throw a hundred dollar chip into the center of the table, adding it to the pot as a goodwill gesture. “Call.”
“Here you go.” The smugness in Joel’s voice is unmistakable. “Read ‘em and weep.” He spreads his cards out in front of him. Three aces and two kings.
A fucking nice hand for sure.
“A full house,” I murmur, keeping my voice even while deep inside, I’m ready to offer up my own triumphant shout. Hot damn, I’ve got this fucker. “Aces and kings high.”
“Fuck yeah, dude.” Joel starts to reach for the pile of chips, coins and dollar bills, looking like a greedy kid who just busted the piñata and has no plans on sharing any of the candy that fell from it.
“Hold it.” Joel pauses in his gathering. “I haven’t showed my hand yet. There’s a protocol to this procedure you know.”
“Right, right, dude. Go for it.” He releases his hold on the pile of winnings, though his greedy gaze never strays from it. He’s not even looking at his girl, who just happens to be staring at me. She hates my guts. I can feel the waves of anger coming at me, heavier and heavier as each minute passes.
She’s really going to hate me when I share my cards.
“Ready?” I cock a brow, drawing out the suspense. I’m relishing this moment because it’s going to be a good one. There’s a vibration beneath my skin, a buzzing that grows and grows until it’s a dull roar in my ears and I blow out a long exhale, crinkle the cards between my fingers before I slowly drop them onto the table, one by one.
Six of hearts—the trash card.
Queen of spades.
Queen of hearts.
Queen of diamonds.
And—dramatic pause—the queen of clubs.
The entire room erupts into cheers, choruses of ‘no way’ and the occasional ‘he fucking beat you man!’. Gabe rushes me, shaking my shoulders from behind and offering up his congratulations. Others follow suit and clap me on the back, some chick drapes herself over me and kisses my cheek. A defeated Joel pushes away from the table so fast his chair falls backward with a clatter. He leaves the room in a huff, never once saying a word to anyone, not even his freaking girlfriend.
What a jackass.
And speaking of his girlfriend…
“You don’t really think you’ve won me or anything, right?” She rests her hand on my thigh—Jesus that feels good—and digs her fingernails in so hard, I can feel them even through the thick denim of my jeans.
That doesn’t feel so good. At all.
“A bet is a bet,” I remind her, wrapping my fingers around her wrist and disengaging her from my flesh. I drop her hand back into her lap, ignoring the tingle I feel in my fingertips from touching her.
“It was all for show,” she says, sounding the slightest bit worried. While all hell breaks loose around us, we’re having this conversation. Funny how I’m able to tune everyone else out and only focus on her. “You didn’t lose your fifty thousand, so everything’s good right? You get all that as your prize.” She waves her hand toward the pile of chips that Joel so recently abandoned.
“I hate to break it to you, Jade. But you’re my prize. And I plan on collecting.” I lean in close to her, so close I can feel her warm breath waft across my face, see the way her eyes widen the slightest bit. Her lips part, her tongue appears, touching the very center of her upper lip and my skin tightens. “How about a victory kiss for starters?”
“Fuck you,” she spits out.
Just before she slaps my face and storms off without another word.
Chapter 2
Jade
* * *
Stop texting me. I broke up with you. Deal with it.
I toss my phone beside me on the bed and flop back against the pillows with a dramatic sigh. “I hate men.”
“You and me both, sister,” Kelli agrees though I know she really doesn’t mean it. She never came back to our dorm room last night and finally texted me at one in the morning to let me know she was staying the night with Dane.
As a matter of fact, she has that after-sex-glow thing going on since she arrived fifteen minutes ago. They must’ve been doing it all morning. Her hair is a mess, her cheeks are flushed and she moves like her limbs are made of rubber, all languid and easy.
Lucky bitch.
I, on the other hand, had to break up with my boyfriend last night—who was just okay in the sex department—and am now once again single.
If you don’t count on me al
so being the personal property of one Shepard Prescott, thanks to the ridiculous bet Joel agreed to.
God, I hate him so much. Both of them.
“Joel won’t leave me alone,” I say as I watch Kelli move about the small room. She’s gathering up clean clothes, probably going to take a shower and I realize she might still be all sticky sweaty from her sexual escapades.
Ew.
“You did just break up with him,” Kelli points out as she turns to face me. “I’m sure he’s pretty upset.”
“Are you saying I shouldn’t have broken up with him? He did offer me up as part of his bet.”
“He didn’t offer you up. Shepard Prescott took over the entire situation. You know this.” Kelli starts laughing. “You should’ve seen the look of shock on his face after you slapped him. It was priceless. There was a red handprint on his cheek, Jade. You hit the boy hard.”
“Whatever. He deserved it.” I glance at my buzzing phone. Another text from Joel.
It’s not my fault. Come on Jade.
Please forgive me.
“Ha.” I start texting.
I never want to see you again. Quit making an ass of yourself.
“He makes me crazy,” I mutter as I discard the phone, wishing he would just leave me alone. I’m probably being a total bitch but I can’t help it. He never ran to my defense, he never told Shep to back off, nothing. He let it all unfold and then left me having to deal with the aftermath.
I’m feeling pretty justified in breaking up with him. We’d been growing apart anyway. This was just the final layer of frosting on the gigantic shit cake our relationship had turned into.
“You’re so mean,” Kelli says, shaking her head. “What was Joel supposed to do? Shep Prescott is a big deal. Very intimidating. Joel didn’t have a chance.”
“So? He should’ve defended me, not run away.” I shrug, but what she says makes sense and guilt swamps me. “Besides, you’re mean too. You treat Dane terribly.”
Kelli waves her hand, dismissing my lame accusation. “We’re not talking about Dane. And really, I’m not as mean as you. Poor Joel. He thought he had that game won. Did you see his hand?”
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