Treachery

His eyes tip up to me. “It’s okay, Luca. I think we can tell him about our wild love affair. He hates you anyway.”

Eyes sliding right, Gabriel grins. “Isn’t that right, Ta

I look between the two of them, my brows tugging together at the sudden tension in the room. They stare at each other silently, although judging by the thin line of Ta

Eventually Ta

Since the time I saw him last, he’s lost the tie he wore and unbuttoned the top of his black shirt. It gives me a small peek at the hollow of his throat.

“You have nobody who will look for you,” he says, the cruel lines of his face even more stern than usual. “What makes you think I can’t keep you here?”

Sadly, he’s right. The only person I talk to anymore is Marjorie. “I have an attorney who will wonder where I am.”

He grins, the expression anything but friendly.

“An attorney who thinks you just fled the state. At least pursuant to the email she sent me, begging me to cancel the hearing. She won’t bother with you again until I do something on the case.”

Ta

My eyes close at the reminder, the walls closing in on me when I finally realize just how trapped I really am.

Gabriel shifts to sit up, the mattress dipping beneath me as he settles his weight on the side of the bed.

The room is disturbingly quiet, so much so that I swear both of these guys can hear my heart beating erratically, my thready pulse a flutter in my neck.

I open my eyes again to meet Ta

Fuck him. I absolutely refuse.

“Looks like I’ll be your guest for a while then. When do the fun and games begin?”

The arrogance that shines through his expression is enough to set my nerves on edge, our eyes locked in battle as we both prepare to wield our swords.

“They already have.”

The room drops into silence again, Ta

I won’t let him know it, though, won’t react to the way he’s staring at me with the same snide condescension he did at Yale.

He wants me to think I’m beneath him somehow.

That I’m the helpless prey.

That I don’t stand a chance against a man who doesn’t start playing a game until he knows his opponent has already lost.

Leave it to Gabriel to break the tense quiet.

“Damn, even I’m going to need a cigarette after all the eye fucking going on between you two. Seriously, get a room.”

Ta

Soft laughter shakes the bed. “Not a bad idea. There’s a bar downstairs calling my name.”

Gabriel nudges me with his elbow. “Anything I can get for you? It looks like you need it.”

With my eyes still pi

Another nudge. “Yeah, but you were damn cute when drunk. Take it as a compliment that someone wanted souvenirs.”

My teeth grind at the comment, anger shooting through my veins. Snapping my eyes to Gabriel, I narrow my gaze on him.

“Was it you?”

He smiles, a dimple indenting one cheek. “No. None of the guys would have been so dumb as to take those photos.”

My stare returns to Ta

Lips pulling into an aggravating smirk, his voice is rough when he answers.

“I told you back at Yale that I’d take care of the problem. It’s old news, Luca. And besides,” he shrugs, “it’s not like they were passed around all that much. Everybody has seen better.”

My jaw drops before slamming together again. How fucking dare he?

Not giving a damn about the insult he’d just tossed at me, Ta

“Keep an eye on her tonight, Gabriel. I’ll see you in the morning.”

As he walks to the door, I shove to my feet.

“Where in the hell are you going?”

Ta

“I have a date. Don’t wait up.”

With that he leaves, my body practically vibrating with anger. A few seconds pass before Gabriel stands up next to me to slip an arm around my shoulders.

“So about that drink.”

I turn to glare at him. He only smiles in response.

“What? How else am I supposed to whip your ass at poker if you’re not as drunk as I am?”

Poker?

Is he serious?

I’m being held hostage by an asshole who can’t even be bothered to stay home where he’s trapped me, and Gabriel wants me to play poker?

“Sorry, but I’ll have to sit the game out. I’m about as broke as they come because of your asshole for a best friend.”

Tightening his arm over my shoulder, Gabriel leads me to the door.

“Don’t you worry about that, beautiful. I’m sure we can find other ways to make the game enjoyable.”