Page 17 of Royal Shark
I lean forward. “Why do you care what I do?”
He leans close, and my breath catches. “Why do you think?”
I gulp and lean back. “I have no idea. We barely know each other.”
“Okay, let’s get to know each other again.” He lifts a hand. “Ask me anything, and then I’ll ask you what I want to know, until we’ve reached friendship level again and then…” His voice drops to a fierce low tone that makes me go damp between the legs. “You tell me what the hell you’re up to with this game that you won’t even let me watch.”
“I love your voice,” I blurt. He didnotsound like this at twelve.
He straightens. “You do?”
I nod.
He lifts a brow. “This is the voice that makes me a bad manager.”
“I’m sure it’s their issue, not yours.”
He studies me for a long moment. “You should go back with me to Villroy to check out the casino. I’d love your opinion on it. I’ll wait until after your game on Thursday, and you can take the jet with me. I’ll have you back in time for your Tuesday game.”
The jet.Maybe one day I’ll be casually saying stuff like that. With the right people at my game, it’s a possibility. But Villroy is a no-go. I don’t want to be pulled under by grief again, don’t want to chance losing control to panic attacks. I’m in a good place now. “Tempting, but I have to deal with the money the next day.”
“What do you mean?”
I wave a hand airily. “You know, pay everyone up. Collect from the losers and give to the winners.”
His eyes narrow. “You do that.”
“Yes.”
“By yourself.”
I square my shoulders. “Well, yeah. It’s my game. I’m not going to send someone else out. They might take a cut.”
He slaps a palm on the table. “That’s it. I’m going with you to the game, and the next day too. Are you financing these games yourself?”
“It’s a risk, I know, but so far it’s worked out.”
“And what if they don’t pay up the next day?”
“They always do.”
His eyes bore into mine, his jaw set tight. “And, if they don’t, you’re on the hook to pay up the winners.”
I meet his eyes and say evenly, “It’s fine.”
“It isnotfine,” he growls.
My nipples harden to points, my breasts aching and full. It’s his voice, and also he sounds like he really cares about me. I don’t know why he cares after all this time, but it’s clear he’s looking out for me.My hero.
“Whatever,” I say with a casualness I’m far from feeling. “You can go to the game as an alternate and watch me do my job, but I’m sure you’ll be bored out of your mind. It’s all very mundane business.”
“Great,” he says in a cheerful voice that doesn’t make me throb.Much better.
Of course, now I have to risk the guys revolting against an unknown. I’d better text everyone and talk Adrian up ahead of time. Prince of Villroy should do it. We don’t have any celebrities at our game. Just wealthy business guys. I don’t know what business they’re all in, and I don’t need to know. I screened them ahead of time to be sure no one was involved with drugs, human trafficking, or shit like that. My job is simply to make it fun for everyone—great food, great drink, quality chips and cards, nice table. This isn’t the kind of game most guys have in the basement of some crap apartment building. I’m the key to making it great. I’ve even got a waiting list of players now, but I’m picky, looking for just the right people.
The rest of dinner goes smoothly. Adrian drops the poker game inquisition and tells me all about his casino and the challenges of running it. His big concern is being a good manager, but guess what? Just the fact that he gives a shit about being a good manager automatically makes him one in my book. In my experience, most bosses don’t care. He just needs to have a good team of people in place.
“I’m sure things will smooth out soon,” I tell him. “You’ve just opened. Give it time for everyone to settle in and know their place.”
