Page 46 of Royal Shark
“Hey, you all should come to my casino on Villroy Island. I’m leaving tomorrow by private jet. Join me. I’ll set you up with comps—free drinks, meals, and you can stay at the palace. You could jet over to nearby Monte Carlo to check out the casino there too. Lot of celebrities hang in both places. Ever hear of Jackson Walker? He performs at my casino.”
The guys are psyched, talking over each other in their excitement.
“Jackson Walker!”
“He’s a rock god.”
“Legend.”
Yuri even plays air guitar and rocks out, thrashing his head.
Adrian glances over at me. “Sara, you should come too, set everything up there for a cool poker game in a private room.”
I nod once, my lips pressed tightly together. He forced my hand. I have to go. The guys will expect to see me there, and I need them to think I’m key to the fun, not some random casino person. I can’t lose this game. Hell. Me on Villroy, the one place I hoped never to see again.
Adrian turns back to the group. “I’ll have you back Sunday night.”
“Hell yes!” Ivan exclaims. “I’ve always wanted to try my hand in Monte Carlo, and I’d like to see your place too.”
“Great,” Adrian says. “You’re going to love it. There’s a spa next door if you want a massage. That’s comped too.” He gives them his cell phone number and the address of the private airport in New Jersey, telling them the flight leaves at ten a.m. tomorrow. “We can get in a few hours of play Friday night in Villroy. You can stay in the palace guest rooms, spend Saturday on Villroy, and then jet over to Monte Carlo to play Saturday night.”
The guys are thrilled, and I force myself to join in their enthusiasm. They take their leave in good spirits, clapping Adrian on the shoulder and thanking him. They tip me better than the last game.
As soon as everyone has cleared out, I sit on the sofa, lean forward, and drop my head in my hands. Part of me is thankful that Adrian salvaged a night that was rapidly going downhill after a series of less-than-stellar games. The other part is angry and scared. Ihaveto go. I have to face the past I’ve tried so hard to move away from.
And what if the guys don’t want to go back to my local game after having a taste of sophisticated European casinos?
Adrian sits next to me and rubs my back. “Are you angry I invited them?”
I lift my head. “I’m not sure.”
“Then you’re not.”
I straighten. “You forced my hand. And are you really going to have them stay at the palace? I thought that was just for the royal family.”
“We have guest rooms from when we were taking guests for honeymoons and ladies’ weeks before the spa opened. We only let in people we’re friends with. It’s no problem. You’ll be with me in my suite in the west wing. They’ll be in the east wing.”
I clench my hands tightly together. “I feel like I have to go. I don’t like feeling forced into it.”
“You don’t have to go.”
“Yes I do! If I want to keep my players, I have to go. They have to see me as key to the fun.”
His hazel eyes are intent on mine. “And what about me? Do you want to keep me too?”
I look away, unable to hold his gaze. “I told you before I don’t do relationships.”
“That’s because you were waiting for me.”
I groan. “Why don’t you just save us some time and have both parts of this conversation? Tell me how I feel since you seem to know so much.”
“Okay. You’re scared of Villroy and the family memories it holds.”
I stare at him, surprised he knew that.
“You want me to be your hero, and I want that too. You care for me just as much as I care for you, and you’re worried that means risking your heart. You’re not sure if we’re a good bet. And I’m going to save you the time figuring that out because the answer is yes. We are a good bet.”
I’m speechless, my gaze shifting away. Things are good between us now, but there’s still an ocean separating us. I know he’d never abandon his casino, and I can’t abandon my sister or my life here. Chloe doesn’t think she needs me now, but she could at any moment. I want to be close enough to go to her when she calls. I don’t say any of that, though. I can only deal with one emotional thing at a time, and the big thing for me right now is what Villroy represents—the loss of the happiest times my family had. My parents—I can’t catch my breath, my heart racing. Panic attack. It’s been years.No.I willnotfall apart.Breathe in, breathe out.
