Page 38 of Restless Hawke

Everyone else to his left folds, leaving only the two of us.

A showdown that feels awfully familiar. Only unlike in Monaco, this game is just beginning, and we have a long way to go before the final hand will be dealt.

Hours and hours ofthis.

Me toying with him.

Him pretending it isn’t happening and doesn’t affect him.

It will be a sheer battle of self-control and wits—something that is going to make this gamefarmore interesting.

I flip over my cards—a pair of queens to go with the one in the community cards, along with the pair of threes on the felt.

Coen grins, flipping over his pair of kings to go with the king pulled as the river.

He’s beaten me.

And despite doing my best to distract him, I never noticed any tell that would have alerted me to the fact that the river gave him a very strong hand.

Impressive.

It just means I’ll have to try harder.

I squeeze his thigh, sliding my hand up and in farther, my knuckles grazing his cock. And I have to hand it to the man—he doesn’t twitch this time, doesn’t move, remains as stoic as ever.

Even as I can feel the tension in his body starting to coil…he manages to maintain.

It’s a game of chicken.

Who will give first, Coen Hawke or me?

I know it won’t be me.

So, this is going to be fun.

It could be hours before everyone at this table is eliminated, before a winner finally comes out on top. But given the way I can feel his cock rising against his pants, only a few millimeters from my touch, I know I’ve already won in every way that matters.

6

ALLEGRA

I’m fucked.

The moment his eyes met mine across the restaurant, it was certain.

Oh, hell…

I made a huge mistake not leaving immediately after the tournament. As soon as I confirmed my winnings were deposited into my account, I could have made a break for the limo, climbed in, ridden away, and left Coen Hawke in the rearview where he needs to stay.

That would have been thewisedecision.

That would have been thesmartthing to do.

That would have been what wasexpectedof me.

But my feet didn’t take me in that direction.

I couldn’t bring myself to just walk away—again.