by Ivy Nelson
The subject of her thoughts stalked in still looking pissed off.
“Where is everyone?” he asked with a scowl.
Rylee gave a shrug. “I think there was talk of a run through a pool party while they waited for you.”
He rounded the table and gripped her arm, taking her by surprise.
“Excuse me,” she protested as he steered her toward the bedroom.
Inside, he shut the door and backed her against it.
“I want you,” he murmured.
“You don’t even know me.” Her heart slammed into her chest as she inhaled his masculine scent.
“Maybe that’s why I want you so bad.”
“I think I should be offended,” she said with a swallow.
“Probably,” he admitted. “But I have a proposition for you.”
“This oughta be good.” Her heartrate slowed as she forced herself to take a deep breath.
“There’s a party tonight at a villa. Come with me. If I haven’t convinced you to go to bed with me by the end of the night, I’ll double your compensation for the poker lessons.”
“And what do you get if I give in and sleep with you?”
“Other than the privilege of fucking you? What more do I need?”
She shrugged. “I’m always game for a bet. I’ll take it. What kind of party is it? Wait…” she paused. “Is this one of Hunter’s parties?”
He gave a slow nod. “You’ve heard of them?”
“Heard of them? I spent my first big win on a ticket to one.”
His lips curled up into a grin. “I might have a chance at winning this bet after all.”
So much for calming her heart rate. The speed of her pulse made it feel like her heart was trying to run away from her.
“You don’t even know if I’m a top or a bottom,” she managed to say in a trembling voice.
He chuckled. “I’m fairly sure I know. Your blush in the hallway gave you away, and I’m sure my suspicions would be confirmed if I slipped my hands into your hair and pulled.”
Her traitorous cheeks turned warm with embarrassment as he trailed a finger down one.
“That’s delightful,” he murmured. “You do know you’re going to lose, don’t you, Ace?”
‘I know no such thing,” she said ducking under his arm to step further into his room and put some space between them.
“Don’t lie. It’s not becoming.”
“I make a living by lying. We should really get back out there before the others come back.”
He opened the door. “Party is at nine, and I’m moving to the villa for the rest of my stay. Your accommodations will be moved there as well. Don’t worry, I won’t move you into my room even if I do get you into my bed.”
“You’re very presumptive, Mr. Foster. I’m happy with my accommodations here.”
“I’m afraid I insist. I know you have a tournament this week. I’ll move you back to the strip in time for that. But as long as I’m paying for your instruction, you’re staying with me.”
She rolled her eyes. They were paying her enough she wasn’t really going to argue.
“Fine.”
“Fine,” he echoed with a smug expression on his face. So smug, in fact, that she decided then and there that she wouldn’t sleep with him. No matter what.
They stepped back into the living room as the front door to the penthouse opened and his friends ambled in.
“We ready to get started?” Rylee asked as she walked to the large poker table and sat in the dealer’s seat.
“Hell yeah,” one man said, clapping his hands together.
Rylee shuffled a deck of cards while she waited for them to get settled.
For the next twenty minutes, she went through the basics of a round of Texas Hold’Em. It was a fairly simple game at its core, but there was a lot of strategy one had to know to be an effective player. These men would want to learn some of that strategy. As she walked them through a full round of betting, she got the feeling Memphis wasn’t a newbie to the game, but she knew he’d never competed on any circuit she’d been on.
It felt like Memphis was staring at her the entire time they played. Every time she paused to walk them through a piece of strategy, his attention was on her and he asked questions even if he already knew the answer.
She found herself reaching for her water bottle often as they went through the deck. He unnerved her but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from him either.
As the fifth hand was wrapping up, Memphis got a phone call and excused himself. Rylee watched as he walked away. He seemed stiff, much the way he’d seemed when he got the phone call earlier.
“Poor guy can’t even relax for my bachelor weekend,” Collin said.
“We all know the mess he’s in is bullshit though,” Evan said as he studied the community cards.
“I do feel bad for bringing Miller in and starting this mess,” Collin said.
“I thought Miller came to us,” Evan said as he fiddled with his chips.
Collin shifted in his seat. “It’s complicated. Like you said, a mess. Just do me a favor and don’t bring it up to Kimberly. I haven’t told her what’s going on and I don’t want her dragged into all of this.”
“What mess?” Rylee asked as she laid out the last card and watched Collin’s expression go sour. He needed to work on his poker face.
“Seriously?” he asked, tossing his cards on the table. “You must not know who Memphis Foster is.”
She shrugged as she waited for the others to make their moves. “Unless he’s from Avondale or plays on the professional poker circuit, I have no reason to know who he is.”
Evan shrugged. “Avondale is in his backyard, but I thought the entire world knew who Memphis was.”
“Thankfully, you’re wrong,” Memphis said as he returned from his phone call. “And I’ll thank you to let Miss Colton get to know me on her own, gentlemen,” he said, tossing a wink at Rylee. “That was Hunter on the phone. We’re moving locations. We get early access to the party tonight.”
Collin laughed. “And that’s where I’m out. I’ll be in the casino practicing my new skills.”
“Prude,” one of the men said with a snicker.
“Not a prude, just someone who isn’t a pervert and also I’m getting married in a week,” Collin shot back.
Rylee smirked. She considered herself neither a prude or a pervert, but she was definitely kinky and would enjoy Hunter’s party tonight even if it meant going as Memphis Foster’s guest. There was no way she could afford the ticket on her own right now.
“Speaking of your wedding,” Memphis said, clearing his throat. “How would Kimberly feel about changing the location of the wedding?”
Collin raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? I’m assuming there’s a reason.”
Memphis nodded. “Let’s talk tomorrow.”
Collin agreed and promised to call him in the morning.
“Ride with me,” Memphis said as the others stood to leave. “We can stop for an outfit on the way.”
“You assume I don’t have one.”
“Do you?”
“No but I don’t care for the assumption.”
Memphis just stared at her. “I don’t understand that. It wasn’t an unfounded assumption. You came with a carryon suitcase only, you have a tournament in three days, and you didn’t have a ticket to the party. Why would you have an outfit with you?”
She blew out a breath. OK, he wasn’t wrong.
It still irked her though.
“Fine, but you’re buying,” she said.
“I wouldn’t dream of anything less,” he said with a smirk.
On the way, her e-mail and text message alerts sounded in quick succession.
“Fuck,” she blurted as she read her screen.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he drove away from the strip.
“My tournament just got canceled. Something about a malfunctioning sprinkler system,” she said as she scanned the email.
His hand rested on her knee and she stiffened. “Anything I can do?” he asked in a soft voice.
She relaxed and looked his direction. “I’m not sure what there is to do. It was a tournament decision. I doubt they could move it this close to the day of. It takes a lot to put on an official sanctioned tournament. They’re refunding our buy-ins and they’ll reschedule in a few weeks.
He nodded. “OK. Our bet still on?”
She grinned and shook her head. “I don’t see why not. Though I feel like you have the upper hand now.”
He quirked an eyebrow up at her as he changed lanes. “How’s that?”
“I don’t have to focus on being tournament ready now. I’ll let my guard down.”
He hummed and patted her knee again. “You were always going to lose, so don’t feel too bad.”
She crossed her arms and gave him a scowl.
Cocky bastard.
4
♠♠♠
Memphis watched Rylee move about the party in what was now technically his villa. Hunter’s team was still running the show, though, and he wouldn’t have the run of the place until tomorrow.
A teal blue corset and black miniskirt had replaced her jeans and t-shirt, and she tottered about in five-inch heels like it was something she did every day. A far cry different from her sneakers and her hair stuffed into a ball cap.
“You can’t take your eyes off her.”
Memphis turned to grin at Hunter Novak. “It’s true. I’m plotting how to lure her into my bed.”
“You sound like a creeper right now. Don’t make me kick you out of your own house.”
Memphis chuckled. Parties like these lived and died by how well they enforced consent practices, and Hunter was a stickler for making sure everyone followed the rules. Creepers, as he put it, were not welcome.
“Speaking of Rylee, I have a bone to pick with you. You knew damn good and well she would say yes if I asked her to come. Why did you act like she wasn’t one of us?”
His friend shrugged. “It’s not my place to out someone. You know that. What do you think of your new place?” he asked, changing the subject.
Memphis looked around. Starting Monday, he would officially be on lockdown until the trial started in four weeks. He didn’t relish the idea of being alone for the next month. Sure, he could bring in a friend or demand that his assistant fly to Vegas to work from his house, but that wasn’t enough.
His eyes shifted to Rylee, who was laughing with a group of people. He wanted her.
“I think it will do nicely,” he muttered as he watched her. Among the group of people she was talking to, were two Doms he knew would try to talk her into playing with them. He ordered a scotch from the nearby bar and strode with purpose toward the group.
“You look serious, Foster. We’re at a party,” one of the Doms said as he approached.
Memphis ignored him and focused on Rylee. “I wondered if we could talk,” he said low in her ear.
She shuddered as if his hot breath on her soft skin affected her. But she smiled and gave him a subtle nod. He took her by the elbow and steered her to the corner of the spacious room. It was the social area. Where he really wanted to take her was upstairs to one of the playrooms or maybe a private bedroom.
“A million,” he said, staring down at her.
“For what? To sleep with you?”
He nodded, not ready to broach the subject of a month-long stay at his place. “To give me a chance. A night of fun between two consenting adults who are drawn to each other.”
“Why me?”
He shook his head. “I can’t explain it. I’m drawn to you and I have to have you.”
She looked around. “There are at least a dozen women here who would jump at what you’re offering.”
“I’m only offering it to you, Rylee. Believe me, I don’t make a habit of offering women money to have sex with me.”
She hummed and glanced toward the stairs. “What’s your poison?” she asked.
He had a feeling she wasn’t asking about his drink.
“You first,” he said, lifting his glass to his lips.
“I have a lot of… curiosities. A few I’ve tried, a few I’ve just fantasized about.”
“Tell me one you’ve fantasized about.”
Her blush traveled from her cheeks to her neck and across her chest above the line of her corset.
“Tell me, Rylee. You know you want to.”
“I like impact play.”
“But that’s not what you’re fantasizing about.”
She slowly shook her head. “Total surrender,” she murmured after a moment of heated silence passed between them.
“You mean TPE?”
“Total surrender, total power exchange,” she shrugged. “Whatever you want to call it. But yeah, that’s a big one. It’s scary though.”
“Fear can be fun to play with, Ace,” he murmured. “I can give you a taste if you just give in.”
She swallowed. “Why do you think I play high stakes poker?”
He gave a low chuckle. “Now that actually make sense. What does total surrender look like to you?”
Around them, conversation buzzed as people drank and socialized. Upstairs, he could hear the faint sounds of pleasure drifting from the various play areas.
“I’m not sure. Maybe that’s why I’ve never tried.”
He trailed a finger down her cheek. “Solid answer. What are the things you won’t do for the man who gets your surrender?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Is it really total surrender if there are things I won’t do?”
He let a hand settle on her waist. “Absolutely. Surrender means trusting that you’re not going to have your limits violated while giving in to whatever else I want.”
She sucked in a breath when he pulled her closer to him.
“The only thing I can think of right now is that I won’t walk away from my career. And I’m not going to like ask for permission to use the bathroom or be told how to dress or anything like that.”
“Only a bastard would ask you to give up your career. As for bathroom privileges, I’m not into micromanaging you. Your clothes, though. We would have to negotiate on that one. If you were mine, you would be naked as much as humanly possible.”
She blushed and he brought a hand to rest beneath her chin. “So, if you were mine and I brought three friends home and told you they could fuck you however they wanted, that would be OK?”
She bit her lip as she stared up at him. “Hypothetically, yes.”
He pressed his cheek to hers so he could speak right in her ear. “I rarely share my prized possessions, Rylee. If you surrender to me, it’s only to me.”
She swallowed.
“Pardon me,” she said, stepping out of his one-armed embrace. “I um. I need to go check my phone.”
♥♦♣♠
Rylee leaned against the bathroom wall, trying to catch her breath. Memphis Foster was smothering.
After their little chat in the corner he’d let her leave with her lame phone excuse. But she still felt his presence. His breath on her ear, the way his finger trailed down her cheek.
Sucking in a final deep breath, she pushed off the wall and stepped back into the party room. She had to avoid Memphis, or she was going to lose the bet. Though he was offering a million just for her to spend a night with him—no bet needed.
When she left the bathroom, she stopped by the cellphone room and checked her phone for any updates on why the tournament had been canceled. The cellphone room was a special place where guests put their phones in lockers that had been brought in just for the party. There was an attendant who watched over the lockers, so everyone knew their phones were safe. It was a security measure to prevent people from taking pictures and posting them online.
Guests were free to check in with their phones any time, but they couldn’t be taken outside of the designated cellphone area.
There were no updates except for a few so
cial media posts and one text from a friend asking why it had been canceled. Tucking the phone back into the locker, she made her way back to the party.
“Rylee, what’s wrong? You look distracted,” Hunter Novak said when she nearly ran into him.
“Sorry, Hunter. They canceled my tournament earlier today and I can’t get any information about why.”
He frowned. “That was over at Caesar’s, right?”
“I’ll make some calls,” he said when she nodded.
“Thanks,” she muttered. “I’m gonna go find a drink.”
“Hey, Rylee,” Hunter said, stopping her in her tracks. “Be careful with Memphis. He’s a wonderful friend, but he’s got a lot on his plate right now and I’m not convinced he’s thinking straight.”
She gave a terse nod. “Thanks for the heads up.”
Turning, she went in the bar’s direction, hoping a drink would take the edge off.
After downing two fingers of expensive whiskey—the only kind offered at this party—she made her way upstairs to the play areas.
Memphis was leaned against the bannister, looking down into the social area when she reached the top.
“You look stressed,” he said. “You drank that whiskey like you’re trying to forget something.”
“Just upset about the tournament.”
“My offer still stands. No bets, just a million straight for a night with you.”
She leaned back and eyed him. “Hunter told me you weren’t thinking straight. I don’t know how seriously I should take you.”
He scowled. “Hunter should mind his own business.”
“Lucky for you I don’t always listen to the warnings people give me and I have a counteroffer.”
He folded his arms and she swallowed as she watched his shirt pull tight across his muscular shoulders.
“I’m listening.”
“A game of heads up, no limit Hold‘Em. Ten grand buy-in. You and me. You win and you have my submission for twenty-four hours and I get what you were going to pay me to begin with for the poker lessons. I win and you give me triple that and I go home tomorrow.”
His wheels seemed to turn as he contemplated her offer.