Blaine, Destiny - Lying Eyes (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Lying Eyes

  The ripple of laughter rang out and Max looked all too proud and…uneasy. The reason for his discomfort, Audra imagined, had nothing to do with his short stack. Because she had reason to believe he didn’t have the first clue what a short stack meant—in any capacity.

  * * * *

  Minutes clicked away, but not fast enough. She wanted to play but with ridiculous raising going on before the flop and poor hands, she made up her mind to only play the top starting hands. With pocket tens dealt to her, she decided to make her move and go.

  Max folded and her neighbor raised the bet.

  “Five hundred thousand to call,” the dealer informed.

  The idiot next to her had a habit of raising pre-flop. Four times, he raised the bet without the first three cards spread across the board. He was bluffing in a big way but no one called him out on it and he’d become the bully with his chip stack rising. She guessed Max hadn’t had anything worth playing or it would’ve stopped before he gained too many chips and far too much confidence.

  “Call.” She didn’t look over at him but she pushed her chips inward.

  The flop came down with an Ace of Hearts, an Ace of Diamonds, and an Ace of Clubs.

  “I’m all-in.” He pushed his chips forward and stood up, fully expecting Audra to call.

  “Sh—” she almost cursed loudly. “You’re bluffing.” She glared at him. “Representing the Ace, are ya?” She was irritated and Max’s flushed cheeks told her he wasn’t much happier but he was irked she was showing her hand, in a sense, by letting the guy get to her.

  She rippled the chips faster, kneading them in a damning maneuver. If a man paid close enough attention, he would consider it a true outright disturbance. She knew of one in particular far too focused on what her hands and fingers were able to do.

  “Audra, can you leave your stack alone long enough to play your hand?” Max suggested, his eyes peering over the top of his dark glasses.

  She didn’t need to listen to him too. She pursed her lips and gave him a quick answer. “Oh, I don’t know, Max. It seems you can’t leave my stack alone, so why should I?”

  The boys around the table rolled like a chuckle of thunder. Naturally, everyone checked out her boobs at the same time.

  Max wasn’t happy about it either. “Call him or fold.”

  Audra glared at him and then the guy seated next to her. “Gonna bluff all the way to the final table, are you?”

  “I’m playing poker, baby. I can bluff with the best of them,” he replied.

  She looked up at the ceiling. She wanted to make the call. Damn did she ever but she knew he probably held that one last Ace, or did he? Max leaned forward. He seemed to want her to make the call. She narrowed her eyes and stared at the board, she studied the guy next to her. Cocky—way too arrogant and forcing it, if she had to guess.

  Quickly, she studied the blank, solemn faces around the table. She tried to get a good read on Max. She tried to remember the first time the young pistol next to her went all-in. What had he had in his hand? Two jacks, she thought. Maybe two queens.

  “How much you got there?”

  “Ten million,” he replied.

  “Ten million.” It would be a hit if she lost.

  “Call,” he told her.

  “I should, but I won’t.” She folded. She tossed her cards with nothing but disgust roaming through her veins. “I should’ve made the call.” And she should’ve kept her mouth shut too, but for some reason even a tight upper lip presented various challenges.

  The arrogant ass turned his cards face up sporting the worst hand in poker. Seven-two off-suit never looked so beautiful. She smiled at Max. Sure she folded the hand, but now the little prick just showed them everything they needed to know, and between Max and herself, he could kiss his dreams of a final table showing good-bye. They knew how to read him.

  * * * *

  What a dumb motherfucker. Max was dying to tell him what a true idiot he proved he was. He might have too, if the announcer wasn’t chirping with the standings and updates. They were down to four hundred and eight players and the last man to go home took a few dollars short of thirty-five thousand dollars with him. Not bad, but not anywhere near what he wanted to win or the amount he wanted in Audra’s tight hip pocket.

  With two kings, he raised a million.

  “I’m all-in.” The jerk next to Audra was going for it again. He stood up as soon as he stated his intentions.

  Max glared at him. “Call.” Hell, it was worth the try to get the kid out of there. He moved his chips in and turned up his top pair before he stood. Only one pair beat him and the player at the other end didn’t have it, but he had the Ace and the Queen, both of which came down on the flop, along with a nine.

  Audra folded her hands under her chin. Max didn’t look at the board, he preferred to watch her.

  The dealer patted the felt on Max’s side and flipped the turn card—a King.

  “Ace!” The guy next to Audra shouted at the table, glaring at the felt. He needed the Ace or another Queen for a full house.

  The dealer took a deep breath and then turned over the final card.

  * * * *

  Audra taunted the player next to her. She knew Max didn’t just have skill but he’d charmed Lady Luck into taking his side on more than one occasion. He felt confident. She saw it in his face and even if he didn’t win this one, he was so far in the lead now, a hit from this guy wasn’t going to hurt him outside of his pride.

  “Time to say good-bye.” It was truly mean to voice her expectation but it carried an even crueler punch when the fourth King came down on the river.

  “Holy shit.” The young gun’s disgust was more than a little apparent. “Damn!” He said the word fast as he turned away from the grueling reminder on the table. Yes, the one man he probably didn’t want to lose to this time just sent him packing.

  Max’s million dollar smile matched his billion dollar good looks. The crowd went wild and the cameras moved closer. This was why Max Reynolds often sat at the featured table. He worked the crowd—they loved and admired him. He was their star. The man could’ve been in movies with the fan base he entertained. He tossed up his hand and sat down. He had cause to celebrate. He removed the competition and the way he was looking at her now made her very uncomfortable.

  * * * *

  He shook hands and played crowd favorite to the hilt after the day came to a close. She didn’t try to outrun him or beat him to the elevator because he proved more than once, it was impossible. Besides, outside of signing a few autographs herself, she truly enjoyed the Max Reynolds show. He loved the spotlight and she had to admit, he knew how to dazzle those who watched him.

  “Shall we?” After the crowd thinned out a little, he walked over to her and quickly placed his palm on her lower back while leading the way with his arm extended to move them through the thick layers of people. Once they were outside The Amazon Room, he stopped in his tracks.

  “Damn.” Her head snapped to attention as she looked up to see Franco headed their way. All smiles, he planned to impose on whatever plans were set in stone.

  “Darling cousin.” He approached fast. “I see you made it through another day.”

  “No thanks to you,” Max informed with a grunt.

  Franco ignored him and spoke to Audra. “How about dinner?”

  Max stepped forward and as swiftly as he did, slipped his fingers through hers. “She has solid plans this evening.” Choice of wording was everything.

  “Audra?” he questioned.

  “Celebrating.” She smiled.

  “Really?” He sounded pissed. “With him?”

  “Seems like the best choice since we’re the chip leaders.” Only a few dollars separated them even though he was in second and she was in fifth.

  “Well then, I’ll join you,” he offered, and he seemed determined to make the intrusion.

  “The hell you will,” Max evidently was still pissed over the Bunny Ranch revelation. “T
his is a private party. I know you understand precisely what we have in mind.” He folded his dark sunglasses over and calmly placed them in his shirt pocket.

  Darn it all. Why did men always have to use sex to one-up someone? It irked her and she moved away from both of them.

  “Audra, wait!” Franco caught up to her and grabbed her arm. Max stood off to the side.

  “You’re with him?” He glared at Max. “After everything I’ve told you?”

  “I really hope you aren’t giving me an ultimatum. Are you?” she questioned, because it sounded like it.

  “Would it help you if I did?”

  “No. In fact, it’s too late. You’re two years too late,” she said thoughtfully.

  “Huh?”

  Max moved closer to her then and took her hand again, this time bringing it to his lips. “We met in Tunica two years ago.”

  “You never mentioned it to me.” Maybe he thought acknowledgement of a true fact would offer a power punch to Max’s ego.

  It didn’t.

  “Why would I mention it? I’m generally on one continent and he’s typically on another.” She played a lot of poker in Australia because she found Melbourne offered a lot of appeal. Max played in the US more than anywhere else.

  After an uncomfortable silence, he conceded. “Well, I guess you’re a big girl. I can’t worry about you anymore.”

  She hoped like hell he meant it.

  “No, you can pass the torch my way and I’ll take it from here.” Max shot her a twisted smile before he focused on Franco again.

  Franco looked around the lobby like he was waiting for someone. Even though he still tried very hard to avoid Max, it was tough. He wasn’t a man easily ignored.

  Max slid his key in her hand and nodded. “Audra, I’ll be up in a minute. I’ve already ordered us some dinner. Go on. I want to talk to Franco.”

  “I don’t think…” she stopped herself. Thinking was way over-rated with Max or Franco around anyway. In fact, it was a grotesque understatement of the year. She glared at both of them. “This is not a good idea.”

  Franco dismissed her. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He nodded toward Max. “I’m all yours.”

  Since Max turned his back to her, she didn’t have much choice except to go upstairs and wait. As she started up to the room alone, she giggled to herself. Franco’s reputation for swinging both ways was well understood around the circuit, which was one reason she found it amusing that he was sticking his neck out to judge her or the company she kept.

  He had about the worst reputation around. He enjoyed sex with anyone, no gender preference necessary and he wouldn’t be above flirting with Max, which would inevitably piss the living legend off.

  After visiting with fellow players, Audra grabbed a few sodas from the gift shop and headed upstairs. She walked inside and fell on the bed. It wasn’t easy staying behind because she knew Franco and Max and if she had to guess, she was missing the pick of all shows in a city known for putting on the best of them.

  Chapter Ten

  Max stepped into the limousine with Franco right on his heels. “Do you have something against the bars here?” he questioned, somewhat nervously. “Audra may come looking for you.”

  “The bars are fine. The company I’m keeping is the problem. I know everyone and you’ve earned quite an infamous standing in your own right, perhaps even gaining more notoriety than I have or ever will, so I thought it was best if we had some privacy.” He watched Franco squirm.

  Max reached in the ice chest and pulled out a beer. “Would you like one?”

  “No, thank you.”

  Twisting off the cap, he didn’t waste time. After all, he had a beautiful young woman waiting on him and tonight he didn’t plan to disappoint. “Franco, I am going to be blunt here. I’m planning to pursue a relationship with Audra. I’m not sure, because I haven’t had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with her, but I think we may enjoy something more than a mutual admiration.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning, I may be around for awhile.” His gaze narrowed. “I want to see where this relationship leads.”

  “Here’s an idea…nowhere.”

  “If I’m going there, she’s going with me.”

  Shifting toward the ice chest, Franco reached in. “I think I’ll have that beer now.”

  “This bothers you?”

  “Yeah, it does.”

  “I’d like to know why.” He didn’t take his gaze off of Franco and he kept his voice as calm as cool waters on a hot summer day.

  “Oh, please. Reynolds, you’re out of your league with her and you know it.”

  “Really?” He pressed his lips together and considered the possibility.

  Franco’s expression changed then. “You have no idea what that girl has been through.”

  Max’s throat tightened then. “I’m listening.” And hurting at the thought of something—anything or anyone—causing Audra pain.

  “It’s not my story to tell.”

  “I don’t give a damn. I want to hear it.”

  Franco shook his head. “I’m not betraying Audra by telling her secrets but I can’t believe for one minute that you’re good for her. She doesn’t need a man to strip her of everything she’s worked so hard to build. She already had a father who did that for her.”

  “You think I want to strip her of everything?” He took a sip of his beer. The only disrobing he had in mind was one where he gave and gave until she wanted for nothing more. He didn’t share his thoughts with her cousin.

  “Don’t you? Isn’t that what you do?” He paused for a second and then continued. “I think she’s too good for you. I think she deserves a man who isn’t like we are, you’re damn straight about that. I hope to hell she finds one who has a career in anything but gambling.”

  “I don’t know, I’m pretty well set, Franco, and she’s certainly not feeling the hurt of financial hardships.” He knew she owed her father’s bookies but Audra was smart and she kept the money churning. “Besides, from what I hear, you haven’t hurt for much either so tell me, where’s the problem exactly? Why don’t you want her with a gambler?”

  “You want a straight forward answer?”

  “I expect nothing less and nothing more.”

  “Fine. I don’t want her with you, Reynolds. Audra isn’t like every other woman. She’s a good person and she deserves a true chance at happiness, not a man who just sees a fast ride and an even better time.”

  The limousine made its way down

  Las Vegas Boulevard

  toward the downtown area and then turned to head back, just as Max had originally instructed the driver. He decided he wasn’t going to convince Franco and he wasn’t going to waste his breath trying. “I’m not using her, if that’s what you think. But I will have her, in all the ways that matter to a man.”

  “That’s exactly what I expected you to say. It’s what you do best, isn’t it? You strip people of what they need, what they want, and what they can only have if you allow it. You’re a pro at it from what I hear. I was hoping you would see a treasure in Audra and consider making an exception.”

  “You obviously don’t understand,” Max said.

  “Try me.”

  “I care about Audra.”

  “Care about her?” Franco looked out the window and then abruptly glared back at him. “Please, spare me the forced sentiments. Men like me and you, we don’t care about women like Audra. We use them for our own self-satisfaction and then discard them when we don’t need them to warm our beds or make us feel better about ourselves. That’s what we do. It’s who we are. I’ve had time to find out enough about you to make the statement so don’t deny it.”

  “I’m not denying anything. I’m just telling you, Audra is different and I want to assure you that I will not hurt her.”

  “Hmmm…that’s interesting. Does she know you won’t hurt her?”

  “She is starting to trust me.”

  “Ha! If
you believe that then you are most definitely with the wrong woman.” Amusement danced across Franco’s face. “Maybe I was wrong…maybe she’s not the prey after all.”

  “Meaning?”

  Franco looked far too satisfied. “Maybe you don’t know Audra as well as you think.”

  * * * *

  She heard his lock give and jumped up immediately. She didn’t know why but she’d sat in his room waiting for him with too much nervous energy. A lot of things with Franco often ended badly. Before he was all the way inside, she leaped beyond a huge display of roses and wrapped her legs around his middle with one fine leap of faith.

  “Sweet.” He latched onto her and a groan scraped by her neck.

  She closed her eyes and breathed him in. “Yum...You’re intoxicating.” With her arms around his neck, she braced herself with his strength and stretched to the side to smell the multitude of fragrances. “The white ones smell the best.” She grinned.

  “They all smell the same,” he informed.

  “Are these for me?” she quipped.

  “No, I bought ‘em for Franco but I didn’t know where to have them delivered.” He chuckled.

  She wiggled her way out of his arms and took the flowers from him. Popping a kiss on his lips, she carried them into her room. “Thank you. They’re beautiful.” She was back before he had time to change clothes but it appeared he didn’t mind doing it in front of her. He took off his shirt and sported those six-pack abs she wanted to feel ripple right next to her bare skin.

  “Now, I’ll have to show you my appreciation.” She was certain her mouth watered from the eye sugar he provided.

  “I hope so.” His body language held her at bay as he looked through his luggage for a pair of sweatpants. When he spotted them, he asked her a question deliberately, loaded with sex in mind. “Are you going to watch, honey?”

  “I’m not turning around.” She cackled her infectious laugh.

  “Suit yourself. I’m anything but embarrassed around you. Look and love, sweetheart.” He dropped his pants and boxers. And it was like a mighty spring flexed forward. “I gave you a chance to turn away and before you get any ideas, we’re talking first so this is off limits.” He fisted his cock before he moved it behind the material.