Page 21 of Forbidden Empire

The possibilities were limitless.

I took a deep breath, the cool air rushing into my lungs. I caught the faint, floral scent of her perfume, jasmine and amber. It was a familiar fragrance that tickled my memory and set my nerves on edge.

This woman was going to be the death of me if I wasn’t careful. Just the sight of her, with her elegant posture and confident smile, left my heart pounding and my hands trembling. I prayed that nobody else noticed the turmoil within me.

Ares’s man sidled up beside me, his presence a steadying force. His neatly pressed suit and sharp gaze marked him as a professional.

"Can I do anything for you, sir?" he asked, eyes scanning the room.

"Do you have any chips on you?"

He chuckled, reaching into his pocket. "I do. Was trying to blend in earlier." The chips clinked as they cascaded into my palm, cool and smooth against my skin.

"Thanks," I nodded, flexing my fingers around them.

"Anything else?"

"No, I can take it from here." I clapped his shoulder. "Good job."

"Of course," he said, melting back into the crowd.

I took another deep breath, feeling the tension coil in my muscles, and moved in the direction of the poker table.

There was an empty seat beside her, its red velvet cushion beckoning. I grasped the back of the chair and pulled it out swiftly, the legs scraping lightly against the polished wood floor.

“Mind if I join?” I asked, my voice cool and calm, a complete contrast to the storm brewing inside me.

Esme lifted her pretty green eyes, her gaze flickering with alarm for the slightest fraction of a second before the walls went back up. She lifted her chin, the perfect picture of power and control.

I almost laughed at the display.

She and I were anything but cool and calm, and we both knew it. But we mirrored each other, neither of us willing to let our guard down.

I threw the chips in the middle of the table and nodded to the dealer. My thigh brushed hers as I sat.

She didn’t flinch, but her back straightened, her body stiffened, and her shoulders grew rigid and stoic.

When I glanced down, her knuckles had gone white around her cards, the veins in her wrists prominent.

I nodded to her, a gesture laden with unspoken tension and history.

"Good to see you again," I said, grabbing the cards the dealer slid toward me.

"Wish I could say the same," she muttered with a venom that cut sharper than a knife. "You always liked to make things as difficult as possible, didn’t you, Aidon?"

A smile tugged at my lips, but I remained silent.

I could have thrown the accusation right back at her, for running off, for the betrayal, for this tangled web of deceit we now found ourselves ensnared within.

If it weren't for her treacherous ways, we wouldn't be locked in this relentless game of cat and mouse, each move more dangerous than the last.

We’d probably be in my bed fucking each other’s brains out.

Instead, we were here, caught in a game with stakes higher than any poker match could ever hold.

My cards were strong, promising victory. I discarded one and raised the stakes, locking eyes with her.

Esme arched an eyebrow, silently accepting my challenge, her gaze a storm of defiance.