My home office was a mini replica of my corner office in town with everything we’d need. Away from distractions and Layla was grateful for the free basement carparking. All I needed to do was offer fresh bread and unlimited soda water.
Simple pleasures. Not that war hero Edison Alexander would understand. The man was obsessed with duty and glory. Or at least one-upping me in all physical challenges.
Quickly toweling off, I grabbed a bag of clothes and hunted around for my old hiking boots. I climbed mountains, not rocks. Different sports with different techniques. Trust Ed to pick one sport I’d never even bloody tried!
Ed: Forget coffee. Circling downstairs no car space.
“So, we’ve covered work and travel, how about love and romance?” Ed asked when we were only a couple of kilometres from The Eternity climb in the Blue Mountains.
“Nothing to tell.”
Bastard couldn’t pierce my poker face. Lacking subtlety and probably set up by our parents, Ed wanted intel on my last six months. He’d have better luck fishing in a desert.
“Not what I heard. Mate, at least when I get my heart shredded it doesn’t end up trending.”
“Leave it alone.” My tone should have been brotherly warning enough.
“You lost it that bad?” Genuine concern or scorn? It didn’t matter, Ed needed to back off.
“Like I said, the topic’s off limits.”
“You’ll always be the perfect son, even when you end up spending the night in jail. I assume the pretty scar giving your ugly face some character, is from the fight?”
Dropping the poker face, I let my clenched jaw and twitching fist be enough of a sign. All I offered Ed was a slight nod.
I’d tried to put the night behind me and after one-night sparring with GG, even thought I had.
“Lucky punch. He must have caught you off guard,” Ed joked. “You never let me get that close to your face.”
“I didn’t see him coming,” I said, thinking in more ways than one.
“At least tell me you got your own back, and you don’t need your baby brother to have a word with the guy?”
I’d kept my own counsel. If anyone wanted details, they could watch my life play out in the press. I’d heard the rumors swirling around the office. It would be good to put forward my side. Other than my parents, who’d Ed tell? No one.
“Met a girl, she worked in the office. We worked on a project together and when it was over, I thought we had a chance.”
“Friends with benefits?”
“Complicated by our working relationship.”
“But taking her to The Club? If that’s your idea of a first date, then you have serious game.”
“Have you even been there?” I didn’t need to ask the question to know the answer.
“Nah, I prefer to keep my screwing behind closed doors.”
“It’s all legal and consensual—I mean some like to dance and grind while others like to watch. She seemed to be having a good time, just letting her body go with the flow.” My voice trailed off with the memory. Fuck, she’d been beautiful dancing, her hips grinding in between my hands. Her full lips, bouncing curls, smiling and laughing. For me.
“And then her boyfriend showed up—how did you not know?”
“Doesn’t matter. He turned up and reacted to seeing us together.” The scar would be my constant reminder never to lose my shit over a woman who didn’t deserve it. “I’d have done the same. Anyway, lesson learned. The girl’s gone, and I lost my shit for a while.”
“Well, hold onto your panties, because I’m not gonna take it easy on you today. You might think you’re king of the bloody mountain, but you aint never been rock-climbing with me.”
“Bring it!”
Ed allowed me the luxury of silence for the rest of the drive. Allowed me to entertain my favorite pastime, fantasizing about GG. What she’d be wearing the next time we came up against each other. How I’d play her, if it was worth trying to seduce her. Could it hurt or help my game? Was she single?
A question I hadn’t even pondered when at the table. Of course, she couldn’t be single. A woman like GG deserved to be worshipped and adored.
GG.
I could spend a lifetime trying to understand her, predict her moves, work my way up those boots.
Damn, I needed to forget her.
I felt a momentary bout of fondness for my brother. Planned or unplanned, this trip was the perfect anecdote to my frustrations.
A year or so ago, Softli had organized a team bonding session at the local rock-climbing centre. Once I’d gotten the knack of belay, the younger guys hadn’t been able to keep up.
My only prior experience at rock-climbing, would it be enough?
“Ready?” Ed asked at the bottom of The Eternity. Barely nine o’clock and already other climbers were milling around, picking their route.
“Gonna take it easy on me?” From the bottom, it looked like a sheer rockface, ninety degrees of hell. The dark grey sandstone slabs offered little jugs—large holds—but at least Ed seemed well prepared, several pitches of rope and what seemed an infinite number of carbines.
“About as easy as you used to take it on me when we were crashing our BMX.”
“You broke a collar bone.”
“You left me to walk home.”
“It’s a bit of a walk back to Sydney, or is that the point?” I mean, it had been an hour and a half in the car.
“You still look fit. Climbing is more about technique. Just watch where and how I place my feet. Keep a good balance. Closer to the rock wall, the better. Keep your body over your feet.”
“Relaxed arms?”
“Only if you want them to cramp up halfway up the climb. Keep them straight. Use your legs, you still run, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“Then trust your body. Keep your centre of gravity close to the wall. Climbing is all mental. Overcome the rock and you can overcome anything.”
“I’ve pulled my shit together, I’m fine.” Had this been my brother’s idea of an intervention?
“We’ll see. See you at the top.”
I started slowly.
One hand following the other. Using my legs until I thought they’d disown me. Any time I thought about giving up, I looked around. Only two hours out of Sydney, and I’d never taken the time to appreciate the Blue Mountains.
The deep blue green of the native gum tree canopy stretched out for miles. The boring grey sandstone from the distance showed its character up close. Lines and layers told the Australian history of rock falls, rains, floods and ancient shifting of the earth’s plates.
I felt insignificant. My problems were nothing from up here. Board papers, my concerns about the rising debt book and the never-ending fights over budget with Darius Patera? Not as important as finding good jams and plenty of face holds on the way up the cliff.
I couldn’t even remember what I’d seen in Catherine. She’d been too young and too eager to wrap as many men around her heart as she could.
GG. Now that was a woman worth losing my shit over. A woman who could walk into a room and command it. Showing us what she wanted us to see, hiding all the good stuff. GG was like this rock face. Thin layer upon thin layer of secrets. Carved out by lived experience.
I wanted to know her layers. Why the three thin slices of lime in her sparkling water? Why the black nail polish against the red lipstick? Why the single diamanté?
Why did she play with an urgency of needing to win? Was it all about the money? Couldn’t be, no one who could afford to lose would turn up to Jarryd’s games. For most of us, gambling was our play money. Lose one night and we’d make it up with a new deal the next day.
I wanted GG.
“Watch it!” Ed yelled at me as I lost my footing and almost had to rely on Ed’s rope. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
My face must have given it away. Embarrassed to be caught out, “My bad, you okay?”
“Just get your ass to
the top so I can kick it.”
Head back in the game at hand, I focused. Watched how Ed placed each foot, looked and planned each reach. We followed the crack up, through a low crux, veering left to a small rest.
“Want to catch your breath?”
“Lost your fitness sitting behind a desk, captain?” I taunted. Knowing his recent promotion had come through.
“That’s Captain Eternity to you,” Ed didn’t bother correcting me. It was enough to keep going.
Fifty-two metres never felt so far. I could swim the length underwater without a struggle. Vertical, it was a bitch. A beautiful, challenging, fuck-me-dead and leave me at the top of the world, bitch.
As the crack thinned, each move became trickier. Novice that I was, I should have conserved my gear down lower, but not even gusts of wind could dampen my climb.
One metre to go.
Ed was waiting for me, his smug expression hiding any brotherly pride. Asshole, I muttered.
Feeling the lactic acid with my arms threatening to cramp up, I pushed through. Remembering to use my legs, although they weren’t much better. Half a fucking metre. One more push.
I could do this.
I could do this.
I could do this and anything else I wanted. Fuck Catherine. Fuck Darius and his never ending ask for more money. Fuck Jarryd and every motherfucker who thought they could take my money.
And fuck GG. Preferably handcuffed to a four-poster bed until she was screaming for me to never leave.
I made it.
“Argh!” Two feet on solid ground, I couldn’t help screaming. My cry was lost in the howling wind, but not on Ed who now sported a self-congratulatory smile.
“That was—” I yelled. Yeah, I wanted to hug my brother, but we’d never done the whole affection thing. A firm handshake and arm grip had to do. “I mean, fuckin’ A.”
“Thought you’d like it—but you put up more of a challenge than I expected.”
“Soldier hero’s ego dented?”
“Nothing another climb tomorrow can’t fix. Thought I’d have to move you to a beginner climb.”
“That wasn’t a beginner?”
“Nope, decided to see what you’re made of. Guess I’ll have to try harder tomorrow.”
“We staying overnight?”
“I’ve got a tent and gear in the back of the car—unless you can’t sleep without your bloody satin sheets?”
If only.
“Bring it.” I hadn’t been looking for a new addiction, but it found me.
Jarryd: Game Friday?
True to his word, Jarryd found me a new game almost every week.
Scott: Yeah.
Haze: Ready for Leura on Saturday?”
My brother had unleashed a demon. Before leaving The Eternity, I’d started chatting with other climbers. Within a week, I’d joined the Blue Mountains rock climbers who judged me on my ability, not age. Haze Chatfield had promised an invite next time they climbed Leura. Cards or climbing—what a choice and for once, I couldn’t lose!
Scott: Hell Y.
Overnight, I’d become an adrenalin junkie between new car, cards and climbing. Jarryd’s games weren’t enough for me. I needed the challenge of new players, strangers who were willing victims to my moves. These last weeks, I played the cards as hard as I trained in the gym and as fearless as I climbed.
Scott: Sorry, have to pass on Friday. Next time?
Jarryd would understand, or not.
Most men didn’t start rock-climbing in their forties. I refused to let age or lack of experience become a reason to be dropped from climbs. Within weeks, my body adapted to the new routine—not an ounce of fat to carry up the rock face, but my arms, abs and legs had never been as cut. A chin bar now installed between the bedroom and bathroom meant I did fifty chin-ups on entering, and the same before leaving. Two hundred sit ups and push-ups on top of an hour in the gym each day had its rewards.
For years, I’d been the invisible executive, ignored by female clients or colleagues. Yes, I had choice of women. Other corporate suits. Women who wanted my conversation or credit card. I’d never been the man to stop traffic. Now, even the men started treating me as more than just a boring accountant.
Stupid people who only respected looks and didn’t have a clue about substance.
The mutual respect of my rock-climbing friends had become more important than admiring looks. I’d worked hard to prove my old muscles were up to the challenge, and I could use height and strength to my advantage.
It didn’t hurt that I no longer feared death—or at least had confidence my body wouldn’t fail under pressure.
“Alexander the Great,” Haze had christened me after making a leap others wouldn’t dare. Impressing Haze had been the pinnacle of my rock-climbing career. Okay, not a career, but Haze was notorious for hazing newbies. Grabbing his respect by the balls wasn’t something I took lightly, or for granted.
For each impossible climb, I pushed to do more.
Willing to take short cuts to climb faster.
I knew good luck and good fortune couldn’t last, so pushed harder before it collapsed.
Three months since I’d gotten my life back on track.
Three months since my dreams were replaced with a brunette enigma. My obsession. I was well on the way to win back what I’d thrown away during my drunken days, but true redemption required more.
To beat the woman at the table.
To kiss the gloss from her lips.
To put away the last shards from my broken pride and move on.
Scott: Got a game for me?
Jarryd: Sure.
GG
“That Scott guy—don’t tell me I scared him away from the table?”
As usual, Jarryd had greeted me on arrival. It had been months since my first Sydney game. Most players now knew me by sight and name, but my first one-on-one victim had vanished.
Not that I missed Scott Alexander. My life had settled into a comfortable rhythm. The cards were paying their way. My initial loan now cleared, and all cash was profit. Consulting gigs were harder to come by, but it had only been three months. For the money I demanded, most firms needed time to realize how much they needed me.
Scott had been a challenge. Months later, I still wanted to know what happened to set him down the path of the bottle, and why he’d decided that night to play. Only one card could have beaten his hand. I’d been predictable, he’d seen me coming. It could have ended my time in Sydney.
It hadn’t.
I wanted to thank him.
I wanted to ask him if he was okay? Had the loss sent him spiraling, again?
“He’s been around. Apparently, I’m not the only game in town.”
“But you’re clearly the best!” I chanced a peck to Jarryd’s cheek. Nothing to hint rules were about to be broken, but enough to keep the other players at bay. The only man who held my interest had disappeared—typical!
“Are you going to leave them with their dignity tonight?” Jarryd warned. “I mean, there’s a list of guys with empty wallets who are willing to meet you anywhere but at the table.”
I understood. A woman strutting into town and leaving no one with either pride or money was going to get old. I’d hoped to last a little longer, but I’d been impatient. With no consulting gigs to distract me, cards had been my only entertainment.
“Let me double my stack tonight and I promise next time, I’ll let one of the minnows take me down.”
“Need the cash?”
“I’m almost there. One more night, and I promise I’ll behave.”
“I guess, I’ll owe you.”
“Then how about you pay up now. Scott Alexander, who is he?”
“You’re the one who reads players, what do you think?” Damn, I’d tried to be subtle about my interest in Scott, and my hidden talent. Perhaps, I’d asked about Scott too many times.
“Some corporate type,” I guessed. “Keeps his friends closer than he keeps his cards?”<
br />
“You got it in one. Look, I’m not going to talk about other players with you any more than I’ll give your secrets away—even when they ask! Repeatedly ask,” Jarryd stressed.
“Was married, ended badly but it doesn’t mean I hate men.” He deserved to know something, just not everything.
“Good to know.”
“It also doesn’t mean I’m looking for a replacement.”
“I think the guys have figured you for a volcel.” Jarryd laughed, brushing my arm to soften the insult. “It’s good to have you at the games, it has certainly made them work harder and there are a lot less free hands when you’re involved.”
I’d heard, but not appreciated, the sneering references to being voluntarily celibate. Who the hell did these men think they were? Did they really believe a woman only existed to find a man? The term was insulting, offensive, and if I hadn’t just agreed to play nicer after tonight, I’d be willing to burn the place down.
Destroy the joint. One man at a time, by their wallet.
Instead, I nodded towards Lachlan Morriset a new regular and Cam and Jason who treated my game with respect.
“It works both ways. Don’t tell them I said so, but it’s getting harder to win their money.” Embracing my poker smile, I added, “But I promise I’ll make tonight interesting first!”
“You always do,” Jarryd kissed my cheek before helping me to my seat. Yes, I’d struggled with my hair and instead of arriving early, the game was almost about to start.
Arriving late didn’t stop my fixation with the door. Looking for the missing Scott Alexander. The missing man couldn’t have gotten under my skin more if he tried.
“Congratulations, GG,” Carlos handed over the last of his chips. “I thought I had you there on the turn card.”
Taking heed from Jarryd’s warning, I’d flashed Carlos my dynamite smile, “This was a tough night all around.”
“Yet we still have an audience!”
Suppressing a yawn, I looked around to see the room still packed with onlookers. Jarryd had started to put on more decent food and drinks halfway through the night, to encourage people to stick around and keep the atmosphere going. Some of the guys cracked under the pressure of an audience, but not Carlos.
Reckless Gamble: a billionaire high stakes suspense romance (City Sinners Book 4) Page 4