Lucy fished twenty dollars out of his pocket. Archie followed her over to the table and smiled at the woman dealing cards. He watched Lucy slip the twenty onto the table and remained quiet until he realized the dealer was watching him hawkishly. “Sir, if you aren’t playing, you must leave the table. House rules…we’ve had problems with card counters.”
“Of course.” Archie didn’t love the idea of leaving Lucy alone but he would be nearby if she needed him. Besides, the Black Jacks had no reason to believe a young married couple would be infiltrating their casino. For good measure, Archie bent and kissed Lucy chastely on the lips, “I’m going to take a lap, sweetheart. Call if you need something.” Archie kept his eyes trained on Lucy as he headed toward the bar. If anyone knew something about this place and was willing to take a bribe, Archie was betting on it being the bartender.
“Sure thing, honey…” Lucy found the exchange to be slightly awkward. Bedding Gabriel was one thing, playing the doting wife was quite another. Sighing softly, Lucy blushed and faced the dealer again. “How much to buy in?”
“Fifty. But the first one’s on me,” The dealer replied cordially. “Consider it a token of my congratulations. You are newly married, are you not?” Grey eyes slid over to where Archie was standing and she nodded appreciatively. “Young love is so very special…” There was a pause as the woman’s hands rapidly shuffled the deck. “I get the sense that you married in quite a hurry…”
Lucy was immediately at ease with the woman before her. It had been so long since she’d had another woman to discuss things with. Lucy couldn’t help herself. “I suppose you could say that. Gabe and I have known each other our whole lives but our wedding happened very suddenly.” Lucy noticed the woman’s eyes dip to her waist and she laughed. “I’m not pregnant.”
A knowing smile slid over the woman’s features. “You are worried his feelings are not genuine?” Clucking her tongue, she dealt the cards and set the deck back on its mark. “Have no fear, dear heart. A man does not look at a woman like that if there is no love in his heart.” The dealer smiled, her hands poised over the queen of hearts and six of clubs sitting in front of Lucy. The dealer had a hard nineteen; it would be very difficult to beat. “You need to decide if it is worth the risk…”
Lucy glanced over at Gabe. He was sipping a beer and chuckling with the bartender. The dealer was right; she had to decide if falling for Gabe was worth it or not. Things between them had been strained for some time…but at the end of the day, he was one risk she would always take. “Hit me.” The dealer flipped a card from the top of the deck, dropping a four of clubs onto the pile. “Twenty…”
“I’ll stay,” Lucy grinned broadly.
“Wise choice,” The dealer pushed several chips over to Lucy. “It’s very important to listen to your gut when it comes to cards…and to men.”
Picking up the chips, Lucy slipped them into her purse. “Thanks. I’m going to quit while I’m ahead and make sure my husband isn’t getting into any trouble.”
The woman bent her head in acknowledgement. “I’m Sofía Salma. I usually work in the back end, where the high rollers play. If you ever want to join us, mention my name to one of the dealers.” Flashing Lucy a sly smile, she packed up her deck, “Something tells me you can keep up.” Without another word, Sofía slipped behind a thick velvet curtain and disappeared from view.
Archie felt Lucy’s hand slide over his back as she leaned next to him at the bar. He smiled gently and turned to face her. “How’d it go?” He hoped she had something because he was getting nowhere with the tightlipped bartender.
“Doubled my money,” Lucy beamed. “And the dealer I met said I’d be welcome to play with the high rollers.”
The bartender gazed up from the streaky glass he was trying to wipe out. “You’re lucky Sofía took a shining to you. She doesn’t usually take to strangers so easily…I probably shouldn’t be telling you this but there’s a big blackjack tournament tomorrow. Booze and food are free for players and their guests. You folks should stop by.”
Lucy could already tell this was exactly what they needed to get a better look at how things ran here. Unfortunately, it was going to be a very expensive buy in. “How much to play?”
The bartender grinned at her knowingly. “Twenty…”
“Twenty dollars?” Archie scoffed, “That’s nothing!”
“Twenty thousand, Gabriel,” Lucy chuckled at his naïveté. “That’s a serious chunk of change.”
“And the payout would be many times that if you win,” The bartender shrugged. “Up to you, sweetheart. Blackjack ain’t a game for the faint of heart.”
“We’ll think about it.” Lucy was ready to get out of here and tear Gabriel out of that suit. “I’ve had enough gambling for today. Let’s go home.” She slipped her winnings to the bartender with a gracious smile. In this business, it paid to have friends.
Archie remained quiet during the cab ride but Lucy was thinking so loudly he swore his head was going to explode. He waited until they were back at the hotel but once they were alone, he could stand it no longer. “How the hell are we going to come up with twenty thousand dollars, Lucy? And even if we could, we don’t know what these people are up to!”
Lucy sighed heavily, “They have no idea who we are, Gabe! They just want make to money off unsuspecting idiots. This would be the perfect way to get in there without anyone realizing it. If we play our cards right, we can get an idea how the Black Jacks operate. It would be the best of all worlds.” She licked her lips. “You remember what Pip said? The Black Jacks accept all sorts of bets. We don’t need to have cash!”
“What exactly are you planning on leveraging?” Archie frowned.
Lucy paced the length of the room before she perched on the arm of the sofa. “Well, I have my bike…”
“You fucking love that bike, Lucy!” Normally, Lucy would never have been able to afford a Harley like the one she had. Danny’s bike had been purchased for him as a rite of passage when he turned eighteen and became a prospect—it was expected. Lucy would not have been given the same gift, of course, but when Lucy’s parents passed away, she received small sum from their estate. There was also an inheritance from Lucy’s grandmother that she hadn’t even known about until the lawyer showed her the bonds. It wasn’t a fortune but Lucy was able to purchase a cherry red Harley Davidson, pay off her parents’ funeral costs, and put aside a little bit for a rainy day. Since then, that bike was everything to her.
“I don’t plan on losing it!” Lucy countered. “I’ll bet smart and cut myself off if I start losing. It’s the best option I have. If the Black Jacks are willing to trade for exotic pets and jewels, I’m sure they’d take a bet on my bike.” Moving toward him again, she grasped the lapels of his suit. “You agreed this is our best shot!”
Archie had no idea how much he’d come to regret this decision later. When Lucy hands pressed against his chest, he sighed and rested his chin atop her head. It did seem like this was their best option despite the fact that Lucy would be the one doing all the legwork. “I don’t like it…but you’re right. We’ll try it your way.”
“Good,” Lucy grinned. She tilted her head back to gaze up at Archie. There was a spark of mischief in his eye that instantly lit her aflame. Before he had a chance to change his mind, she brushed her lips against his. “I’ve wanted you out of that suit since the minute I saw you in it,” She whispered. “You should dress fancy more often.”
“I could say the same thing about that dress,” Archie murmured. There was no hesitation as he moved behind her, easing the dress’s zipper down agonizingly slowly. He kissed every each of flesh he uncovered until he reached the small of her back. Archie wrapped his hands around Lucy’s waist, tracing the curves there. The dress slipped off and pooled at her feet. Lucy’s backside slid wickedly against the turgid length of him as she bent to pick the dress up. When she turned he could tell by her expression that she had done it on purpose to entice him. Archie growled
low in his throat, “You little minx…”
A wry smile tugged at the corner of Lucy’s lips as she turned to face him. One by one she undid the buttons on his shirt. She followed his example and she kissed down the taut muscles of his abdomen. Already Gabe’s gut was clenching in anticipation, eager to take control, but Lucy wasn’t going to let him. Not yet. “I get to be in charge this time,” She whispered. Lucy could feel him twitching him against the zipper of his dress pants. Pure, unadulterated need was etched across his features.
Archie’s breath came in harsh bursts as Lucy explored every inch of his body as if it were the first time. She tugged at the buckle of his belt so slowly; he wanted to bark at her to hurry up but her soft ministrations kept him in check. Archie had been sequestering his primal urges all afternoon and right now the beast inside him was winning over the part that wanted to savor this moment.
Tugging him toward the bed, Lucy plopped down on the mattress with a grin. She peeled his dress pants of and reveled in the sight of him bare before her. This man was all hers. Straddling him eagerly, Lucy kissed down the stubbled line of Gabe’s jaw and over the thick rope of muscles at his shoulders. The twisted scar across his collarbone gave Lucy pause. Archie had scars all over his body, seen and unseen. It wrenched something open inside of her, how deeply he’d suffered at the hands of others. Lucy took inordinate time seeking out each scar, laving her tongue over the evidence of his pain in an attempt to heal him. Gabe’s calloused, rough hands slid up her hips and she smiled against his lips. He begged for release and Lucy ached for it too. Finally she seated herself over him and her head tumbled back at the exquisite pleasure of taking him deep within her.
Bucking instinctively, Archie let out a harsh groan. He grasped her hips, holding her steady as she rocked against him. The angle was fantastic for both of them. It didn’t take long before he was swept away by need. Archie wasn’t sure why she chose tonight to explore his soul but he lost himself to her completely. Holding her tighter as he rode out the concussive force of his orgasm, he absolutely knew…the feelings he had for Lucy weren’t an infatuation.
He loved her.
It wasn’t just a teenage crush. The realization terrified him. Archie could never offer Lucy a real marriage, family, or a promise of forever. To do so would be setting them up for failure. Eventually, she’d realize he was a monster but it would be too late for her to run from him. The thought of hurting Lucy made Archie sick to his stomach. Carefully, he pushed her aside and sat at the edge of the bed, dragging his hands through his hair.
“What’s wrong?” Lucy was still breathless. She lay on her side, staring at him as he brooded. He looked tormented and angry; two emotions she was not expecting after the sensual moment they shared. As they made love, it felt different…like their two souls had intertwined. When he didn’t answer, Lucy sat up. “Gabe?” She inched closer and slipped her hands over his shoulders. She gasped in surprise when he tore away from her. “Gabriel!”
“This was a mistake.” Archie couldn’t bear to face her. Lucy was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen and he had let this get very out of hand. “Once we figure this Black Jack thing out, we’re going back to Errol and the first thing we’re going to do it get this marriage annulled.”
Lucy felt as if she’d been slapped. “Don’t you mean get a divorce?” A chill crept over her and she pulled the blanket from the bed around her naked form. They’d consummated the union; it wasn’t something that could just be undone. Lucy shivered. “What’s gotten into you? I thought we were having fun.” Her expression soured. “You can’t tell me you didn’t enjoy yourself.”
Archie couldn’t lie about that. This time with Lucy was the most pleasurable experience in his entire life. When he was with her, the darkness inside him seemed so far away…but he always knew it was there, lurking and waiting to strike. Archie shored up his defenses, putting on his most apathetic face. “We fucked, I feel better, and I don’t want to do it again. We’ve got more important things to do…” Disgust churned in his stomach from the bitterness of his pain. “I’m going to take a shower.” The more distance he put between them, the better off they’d both be.
Lucy had gone from absolute blissful euphoria to feeling like her heart had been torn in pieces. Just twenty minutes ago, he couldn’t keep his eyes or hands off her. Which meant he was purposely pushing her away…she just couldn’t figure out why. They were right back at square one. Lucy was furious. “You’re a coward, you know that?”
Archie was almost in the bathroom when Lucy’s defiant voice reached his ears. He turned to glare at her. “What the hell did you just say?”
“I said you’re a fucking coward!” Lucy pointed an accusatory finger at him. “Don’t forget I know you better than anyone else, Gabriel. I know when you’re happy, I know when you’re sad, and I know when you’re hurting.” She held the blanket tighter against her body as she confronted him. “You do not look like a man who’s decided he’s done fucking his wife!” Lucy paused. “We have something here. Why are you fighting it?”
“I’m done with you, Lucy. Drop it!” Archie felt his control slipping away.
“I don’t take orders from you, Gabriel Stephen Archer!”
That thin shred holding him together snapped violently as he turned to face her. “Don’t you fucking get it, Lucy? You can’t get sucked into my shit and end up a crumbling, broken, crying woman putting your child on an airplane to get him the fuck away from me! I won’t let you become a casualty of the Archer curse!”
Lucy’s head spun. “Gabe, you are not your father!” He didn’t move and judging from the expression on his face, he didn’t believe her. Lucy stalked to his side. “You are not Erik Archer, damn it!” She cried. “I’ve known you my entire life. You’d never lay a hand on me!” Lucy grasped Gabe’s shoulders, the blanket falling away to leave her naked and exposed to him. “How many times have I pissed you off, Gabriel? I don’t think we could count them if we wanted to.” She narrowed her eyes. “Did you ever once want to bash my face in?”
“No!” Archie cried raggedly, “Fuck no, Lucy. Never!” His response was automatic. Still, he gritted his teeth, remembering his actions with shame and regret after he learned she became a prospect. “But I beat the shit out of Monster…”
“You punched Monster once in the eye. It bruised. He didn’t up in the hospital on life support! He went home, cursed your name to his wife, cracked open a bottle of whiskey, and moved on!” Lucy wished she could grab Gabe and shake sense into him. “If anything, your leniency is even more a testament to the fact that you’re different from your father. Monster used your proxy vote knowing full well that you’d never have allowed me to prospect. He betrayed you and walked away unscathed.” She reached for him again.
Archie dodged Lucy’s embrace, desperate to keep her at bay. “Don’t make excuses for me. That’s how it starts! That’s how it was for my mother. I’m bad news, Lucy, and I won’t let you get caught up in my hell.” He needed to put distance between them before she broke through and he was unable to resist her. “It doesn’t matter what you say. You’re not going to change my mind.” Archie stalked into the bathroom, slamming the door closed and locking it. His forehead rested against the wood as the battle for sanity raged on.
Lucy’s throat felt tight and her blood boiled with anger. “You can’t fight this forever, Gabe,” She hollered at the closed door. Stomping over, she slammed her first against it, just once. Gabe was right on the other side of that door but they were hundreds of miles apart.
For her sake, he hoped that wasn’t true. Archie stepped away from the bathroom door, turning shower as hot as it would go. He needed to wash her scent off him, purge the desire from his heart, and find the strength to keep her at arm’s length. Stepping beneath the brutal spray, he gritted his teeth against the burning of his skin. Archie reminded himself that loneliness was a fate far preferable to hurting the woman he loved. If he stayed with Lucy, it would only end in heartbreak f
or both of them.
Chapter Eight
While Gabe hid in the shower, Lucy changed into a pair of jeans and t-shirt. Although she wanted to cry, scream, and curse but she felt paralyzed. What Lucy needed in this moment was comfort and stability and she knew of only one way to get it. Grabbing her cellphone, she stalked out onto the balcony and plopped down, letting her legs dangle over the railing. Dialing the familiar number for home, she closed her eyes and listened to it ring.
“Who is it?”
“Danny?” Lucy was so grateful to hear his voice that she nearly wept. Wrapping her arm tighter around herself, she swallowed past the lump in her throat. “How are you?”
Danny was quiet for a long moment. “Lucy, what’s wrong?”
“Why do you think something is wrong?” Lucy asked, wondering how he could have possibly figured that out. Maybe he had suddenly become attuned to her feelings?
“You never call here. Something must be up,” Danny replied.
“That’s not true,” Lucy snapped irritably. Leave it to Danny to start an argument over nothing—or maybe she was just looking for a fight tonight. “I haven’t been gone this long in a while and I wanted to make sure you were alright…”
“I’m fine. And no I didn’t throw any wild parties, mom,” Danny drawled. “Come on, Luce. Cut the shit. You may think I belong riding the short bus but I can tell when you’re upset. So either tell me what the fuck is wrong or I’m hanging up on you!”
Dealing with the Devil Page 7