Call My Bluff

by Elizabeth Knox

  “I want you to hear us out before you say anything.” Asia says before sitting down across from me. “Braxton knows who you are. That throws a wrench in our plans. We need you to date him, let him get close to you and Emilie. That’s the only way you’re going to get close enough to him to find out more about those safes up in his offices.”

  I bite my lower lip and ball my hands into fists. “You guys want me to include my daughter in our plan?” I’m getting angry just thinking about it. “Do you have any idea what that could do? Braxton’s father once said he’d prove me to be unfit and then take my daughter. He’s a bastard and would still do it.”

  “Talk to Braxton. Tell him you want him to meet his daughter, but with the understanding that he can’t tell his father.” This comes from Amber.

  I close my eyes and steeple my fingers as I lean forward. “I need to think about this. I . . . we’ve all tried to protect her from everything we’ve done. What happens if this backfires? What if they try to take my girl from me?”

  “We won’t let that happen.” Holly says, her voice laced with conviction.

  I want to believe her, I want to believe they’d do whatever it takes to protect my daughter, but Braxton III is a powerful man. Braxton has always been under his father’s thumb— who is to say that it wouldn’t happen again, but my daughter would pay the price.

  “The minute I feel like my daughter is in danger I’m out and we’re gone.” I stomp up the stairs and go to my closet. What does one wear when she’s out to seduce the asshole who broke her heart, and also the father of her child? It can’t be too sexy because I don’t want sex to cloud my brain.

  I settle on black skinny jeans, a white tank top, and royal blue baggy, light cotton, three-quarter sleeve cardigan. I throw on some black toeless ankle booties. My makeup is more natural with the exception of my red lips.

  My blonde locks are in soft beach waves and hang down my back. I take a deep breath and grab my purse. “Holly, can you pick up Emilie?” I ask as I step down the stairs.

  “Of course.” She walks toward me. “I won’t let anything happen to our girl, you know that right?”

  I grab Holly and pull her into a hug. “I know.” I whisper. “Tell Emilie that if I can’t be here by bedtime I’ll call her.”

  “You’ve got it babe.”

  Out in my car I crank the air conditioner and pull out of the driveway. The whole drive to the Zephyr I pump myself up to do what I have to. I leave my car with the valet and head inside the casino. I’m on a mission as I move through the main floor and head to the elevator that leads up to Braxton’s.

  A man in a black suit stands in front of the elevator. He stops me when I reach for the button. “Can I help you?”

  “I need to speak to Braxton.” I try to keep my voice carefree sounding. “I’m a friend of his.”

  “He’s on his way down right now.”

  I step back and wait for the doors to open. A minute later a ding signals the arrival of the elevator— the doors slide open and I immediately feel sick. Braxton is standing there with a leggy brunette in a tiny dress. His arm is wrapped around her.

  When his eyes meet mine they widen. I shake my head then laugh, it’s a harsh sound, and I start walking away.

  “Larissa, wait up.” I hear Braxton shout, but I ignore him. There’s a big group up ahead and I use them to disappear.

  I hide out for a while in the gift shop before it’s finally safe for me to leave. Why did it hurt to see him with someone else? Fuck, it hurt bad. I knew this was a bad idea, but those three women have been there for me when I didn’t have anyone, and I owed it to them to help pull this job.

  My mom died shortly after Emilie was born. She never took care of herself, even for me, and her granddaughter. By the time we found out, she was already in end stage liver failure. She died within three months. I had to pawn most everything we had to pay for her to be cremated.

  I shake off thoughts of my mom, and drive home. When I get back I quickly climb out of my car. Inside I find my baby girl sitting at the kitchen table eating an apple. “Hi my beautiful girl. I thought maybe you and I could go for a hike. How does that sound?”

  “Hi Mommy. Yes, that sounds awesome.”

  I go upstairs to change and to grab some clothes for Emilie. I quickly throw on my Fleo shorts that are black with pink flamingos on them and a pink racerback tank top. On my feet I wear my black Nikes.

  In Emilie’s room I grab her some pink jogging shorts and a purple t-shirt. She comes up a moment later and I hang up her uniform after she takes it off. I quickly braid her hair and then we take off.

  When we’re halfway down the street a black sports car races by— I have a sneaking suspicion that it’s Braxton, but fuck him.

  With the skill of a Nascar driver I manage to get to a spot deep in another neighborhood where I can hide out for at least long enough for him to know that I’m not home.

  I wait ten minutes before I pull away and we head to Red Rock Canyon. “Mommy it’s so pretty here.”

  “It is isn’t it. Let’s go walking baby.”

  Hand in hand we walk the trail at a leisurely pace. We get to a spot that overlooks everything and we stop to enjoy the view. “Mom wants to talk to you about something.” I tell her. My stomach turns thinking about what to say to her.

  “What is it?” She looks up at me with eyes identical to her dad’s. “Are we going on a trip?”

  I smile and shake my head. “Not yet, but soon. I wanted to talk to you about your daddy.”

  “My daddy’s in heaven with Grandma.”

  I’m the worst parent ever. I never should’ve lied to her, but I never thought she’d meet him. Why get her hopes up about possibly having a daddy and then have him let her down— or worse— hurt her like he hurt me.

  “Your daddy isn’t in heaven. I found him and he wants to meet you. Do you want to meet him?” I squat down in front of her.

  “Does my daddy want to meet me?” Her eyes sparkle with so much joy and happiness I can’t take it.

  “He does, very much.”

  Emilie throws her arms around me and squeals right in my ear. “I have a daddy.” She whispers.

  My phone rings and I grab it, I don’t recognize the number, but I’m certain I know exactly who it is. “Hello?”

  “Where are you?”

  “Red Rock Canyon, Emilie and I decided to take a little hike. I just got done telling her that you’d like to meet her.”

  “Is that my daddy on the phone?” Emilie chirps in the background.

  “Was that her?” Braxton asks. The tone in his voice a lot gentler than any tone I’ve ever heard him use.

  I tilt my head back. “Yes, that’s her.”

  “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” He disconnects before I can say anything else. We head back down the trail and I grab our water and snacks.

  I watch her happily munch on her peanut butter crackers when that black Audi from earlier pulls up next to my car. Braxton climbs out in grey basketball shorts and a black t-shirt that molds to his lean muscled chest.

  Emilie sees him and jumps up, running over to him. “Hi. I’m Emilie.”

  My girl has never met a stranger and I approach them, worried about how he’s going to react to her. Instead he shocks me by getting down on his haunches in front of her. “That’s a beautiful name, for a beautiful girl. My name is Braxton, I’m your dad.”

  She throws herself into his arms and he hugs her tight to his chest. He looks at me, his eyes unreadable, and then he closes them— like he’s savoring this moment. I look away before my feelings get all jumbled up again.

  He doesn’t want me, he’s a man whore, and that’s fine— whatever, but I’m not going to be one of many, I can’t be, I deserve better than that. I let them have their moment and walk back over to the picnic table, grabbing my bottle of water.

  When Braxton stands up he’s got Emilie in his arms. He walks over to me. “Do you ladies have plans for the rest
of the evening?”

  I shake my head.

  “Good let’s go back to my place and we’ll order dinner.” He looks at Emilie. “Does that sound good?”

  “It’s a great idea.” My daughter can’t contain her excitement but nausea pools in my belly.

  “What about your dad?” I ask quietly. “He’s obviously going to know that she belongs to you. How long before he realizes who I really am? Is he going to make good on his threats from before?” Fuck me, I should’ve thought better of this. Plus, I still have a fucking job to do.

  “Don’t you worry about him. I’ll handle it if I need to.” He seems sincere, but I also know that he can be real convincing when he wants to be and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

  All I know is I’m going to have my guard up at all times, because if Braxton Banks II tries to pull any shit I’ll make him sorry he was born.

  Chapter Nine

  Larissa

  While my daughter talks Braxton’s ear off during her tour of his penthouse and his office I make mental notes of everything I see. One of the cronies brought our pizza up a half hour ago and while Emilie scarfed down two pieces of cheese, I picked at one piece and then rolled my eyes while Braxton ate his with a fork and knife.

  When they finished eating, Braxton wiped off Emilie’s face with a napkin and wouldn’t stop smiling about it. All I could think was, who was this man and what did he do with the devil himself?

  Now I follow sedately behind them, typing out messages to Holly about the lay out of the office and where the video cameras were. I delete the thread after Holly tells me she got the messages. I don’t need Braxton “accidentally” looking at my phone and seeing something that could bust me.

  “Mommy look at all the TVs.”

  I step into his office and when my eyes land on the chaise lounge, I feel my cheeks heat up. I remember what happened the last time I was right there. Ignoring it, I turn to the monitors on the wall.

  Asia appears on screen and I turn Emilie away before she sees her aunt and blows this for us, of course, it’s not her fault. I sit down on the end of the chaise lounge and watch Braxton take my daughter over to the safe.

  From the looks of it it’ll require his thumbprint, and that’s easy enough. I’ll just need to find something I can lift it with. When it opens, I try not to seem too eager to look inside.

  “Wow, that’s a lot of dollars.” Emilie smiles up at her dad and then looks at me. “Mommy look.”

  I pretend to be uninterested. “Yes, I see that baby.”

  Braxton pulls out a little box and opens it. “These were my mom’s.” He shows her whatever is in it.

  “Does that mean I have a grandma? Mommy’s mom went to heaven when I was a baby.” My eyes burn at the mention of my mom.

  “I didn’t know that.” Braxton says quietly. Of course, he wouldn’t, how could he when he cast me aside like I was garbage. “My mom went to heaven too.” His mom couldn’t take her husband’s mental abuse and his very public infidelity and committed suicide when Braxton was thirteen.

  “Oh, I’m sorry Daddy.” Fuck, I’m not ready for her to call him Daddy at all. I want to tell her to call him Braxton, but I don’t. My precious, kind-hearted girl throws her arms around him, hugging him tight.

  We need to get out of here. “Baby why don’t you say goodbye to Braxton and thank him for the pizza and the grand tour.” I stand up.

  “You’re leaving?” Braxton stands up, walking toward me with Emilie’s hand in his.

  I nod, “She’s got school in the morning and she takes her shower before bed. You’ll see her again.” Not if I can help it, I think to myself.

  “When can I see both of you again?”

  I shrug, “During the week she’s obviously got school, but I guess you could see her this weekend.”

  Braxton moves until our bodies are practically touching. “I want to see you again, too.”

  “Emilie why don’t you go press the button for the elevator and I’ll be right there.” She hugs Braxton around the waist and skips out of his office. “Listen, it was fun, but I don’t really share so let’s just call it quits and focus on you knowing your daughter.”

  He wraps his arm around me and grabs my hair at the base of my skull, forcing my head back. Braxton leans in so close his breath tickles my lips. “She’s nobody and I’ve never fucked her, or at least not recently. It’s nice to know that you’re jealous.” His cocky grin makes me want to stab him with something sharp.

  I laugh harshly and try to shove him away. “I’m definitely not jealous.”

  “Fine you’re not jealous, but we are going to fuck again because if I close my eyes I can still taste you on my tongue and I can still feel your tight cunt wrapped around my cock. Remember what I said I always get what I want.”

  Our kiss is hard and urgent, and I’ll never admit that this is all it takes for my pussy to be aching and wet. He pulls back, and I mutter, “Fine, I’ll be back at ten.”

  “Good. Wear something like this. It’s a good look on you.”

  I roll my eyes and turn to walk away, yelping when his hand smacks my ass. Ugh, why do I like that? He follows me to the elevators where Emilie is standing by the doors. “Are you ready to go?” I ask her when she sees us.

  “Yep, I can’t wait to tell Auntie Holly, Auntie Asia, and Auntie Amber that I finally have a daddy.” She runs back to Braxton and hugs him tight. “Can I sleepover?”

  He picks her up. “Maybe we can have a sleepover this weekend.”

  She throws her little arms up in the air and screams, “Yes!” After Emilie hugs him Braxton sets her down and the doors slide open. The three of us step onto the elevator and ride it downstairs. He leads us to where we parked and opens the door for our daughter who climbs in and buckles her seatbelt. “I’ll see you this weekend, okay. Your mom has my number so you can call me anytime.”

  “Okay, bye Daddy.” I smile as I shut her door.

  Braxton smiles at her and then turns to me. I step in close, whispering, “If you hurt her I will destroy you.” I walk around to my side. “I’ll see you later.”

  I ride the elevator up to the penthouse and I don’t know why but my heart is racing and I’m nervous.

  Earlier after Emilie’s bath she called Braxton and they talked for a few minutes before she started yawning. She told her dad she loved him and that she’d see him later. When she hung up I tucked her in, read her a story, and then crept out of her room.

  I took a quick shower and then put on another pair of Fleo shorts and a tank top. Instead of tennis shoes I opted for flip flops. I don’t know why he wants me to come looking like this— I don’t like being around him without my armor.

  When the elevator dings the doors slide open and Braxton is standing on the other side, looking as sinful as ever. He’s wearing jeans that are worn in all the right places. His signature black t-shirt stretches across his chest.

  He grabs my hand and pulls me close, kissing me deeply. Our tongues tangle and I moan into his mouth. His fingers sink into my hair and he grabs handfuls, holding me immobile.

  When we finally break apart, he leads me quietly toward his office. “What are we doing?” I ask.

  He leads me silently into the room. I move to sit down on the chaise lounge but Braxton stops me. He situates me in front of the monitors. I feel his lips against my ear. “Watch this.”

  My eyes are glued to the monitor as my image comes up on the screen. The first is from my first night scoping out the floor. I may or may not have lifted a wallet from an asshole who kept following me around.

  The second is one night I played poker with a group of college douche bags and took all their money and then let the hottest one take me up to his room and fuck me all night long. Braxton has video of us in front of his door and then disappearing inside.

  My heart starts hammering away in my chest. There are several more clips just like that. Plus the one from the night the married asshole and I had sex and then I s
tole money from his wallet.

  “W-Why are you showing me this?” I whisper.

  He kisses my neck as the other monitors kick on. Amber and Asia both appear on the screens. Braxton’s hands grab me by my hips and then slide around the front and up until he’s cupping my breast, pinching my nipples.

  I know he’s fucking with my head right now. He’s making me feel discombobulated. “B-Braxton what-what’s going on?”

  “Baby are you planning on stealing from me?” One hand stays on my breast and the other slides down, rubbing my clit through my shorts. “You know what’s going to happen now, don’t you?”

  Fear overwhelms me but mixed with the sexual desire flowing through me my body is short circuiting. I come with a sharp cry and he milks it from me until I sag in his arms.

  “W-What’s going to happen,” I whisper, I pull back and turn to face him. “Are you going to hurt me?”

  He shakes his head. “No.” Braxton stalks toward me as I back away. “But you’re going to pay.”

  Well shit.

  The End for now???

  Luck of the Draw

  Flora Burgos

  Chapter One

  Sunday

  “That’s it, Rico, I’m done. Over it. No more. I want out.”

  I announced this as I stomped into my boss’s office, yanking long dangly, shimmery earrings from my lobes and letting the door slam shut behind me.

  I shoved them into my handbag, and without looking up, I bent over and unbuckled the strap on first one outrageously high thin heel and then the other before turning back to open the door once more. I lobbed them back out the door and into the hallway.

  Slamming the door shut once more, I straightened and smoothed a hand down the skirt of my tight, tiny, blood-red dress. I hated wearing stuff like this to stand at the arm of some gross, rich man who thought he could buy whatever and whoever he wanted simply because he had the money.