Page 57 of Russian Roulette
My heart skips a beat when Seven emerges from his bedroom. He fastens his dark, tailored suit jacket and turns to smile at me. The moment his gaze lands on me, it’s like the full wattage of the blazing California sun hitting me full force.
Whoa…damn. He is drop dead gorgeous.
“You look absolutely stunning,” he says, approaching me to take my hand. His touch heats me up from the inside. “Are you hungry? I’ve reserved a table at a private pop-up restaurant for us. We’ll have total privacy, so you’ll be safe. Do you like sushi? Please tell me you do.”
He’s speaking quickly, and I struggle to keep up with his questions. He seems nervous around me tonight. Why is he asking me about sushi? I’ve never had real sushi before because I couldn’t afford it, only the cheap California rolls with fake crabmeat sold in supermarket coolers.
Seven gently tugs on my hand and leads me toward the front door. The warmth of his hand entwined in mine makes me feel secure and protected.
“It’s chilly tonight,” he says. “I apologize. I should’ve bought a wrap or something for your shoulders. You can borrow my jacket if you’re cold in the limo. Or you can snuggle up close to me and I’ll keep you warm.”
He winks at me, and I melt inside. I’m in so much trouble where this man is concerned.
30
SEVEN
Grasping Jade’s slender hand firmly in mine, we stroll together out of the penthouse. Upon arriving at the parking garage, Leroy emerges from the limousine and walks around to the passenger side. He opens the door for us, and we slide inside the limo. The leather seats are cool to the touch while the faint sound of jazz plays through the speakers.
After he climbs into the driver’s seat, he turns around to glance over his shoulder. “Where are we headed?”
I furrow my brow, puzzled by his question. Earlier in the day, I had informed Leroy about the sushi restaurant. He despises raw fish and questioned my choice, but I selected it because of the privacy it offered.
“Umai,” I remind him. “Remember? We have reservations there in thirty minutes.”
“You got it,” he replies, as if he’s hearing this for the first time. “Be forewarned, it might take longer than that to get there with this traffic jam. I hate this damn Vegas traffic.”
The divider window between us rises once more. Leroy steers the limo away from the casino and joins the line of bumper-to-bumper traffic along the iconic Vegas strip. The sound of car horns fills the air, along with the excited laughter and chatter of tourists filling the sidewalks. The vibrant neon signs and billboards light up the limo’s interior in a kaleidoscope of colors.
“Are you cold?” I notice goosebumps on Jade’s arms. “You must be. Here, take my jacket to put around your shoulders.” I remove my suit jacket and drape it over her shoulders. She’s smaller than I remembered, and my jacket swallows her up. “Better?” I tug the jacket tighter around her.
“Much better,” she replies, flashing a brief smile. “Thanks. I didn’t bring a dressy jacket or sweater with me to Vegas. I didn’t plan on going out.”
Her smile is sincere, and I begin to unwind slightly.For some inexplicable reason, I want Jade to like me. “How did you spend your day?” I ask. “Leroy mentioned you were working on your computer in your room this morning. Then again, you could’ve been running laps around the building, and he wouldn’t have noticed.”
She shrugs, causing my jacket to slip off one shoulder. I reach over and pull it up, letting my hand linger at the back of her neck under her thick hair. Surprisingly, she doesn’t brush it away, so I leave it there. Her skin is soft and warm. I want to bury my mouth there now too, to taste every inch with my tongue. Her apparent obliviousness to her allure only intensifies my desire.
Gradually, the tension within me fades. Being here with Jade, in this very moment, feels as if everything is clicking into place. I grab the opened champagne bottle from the ice bucket and carefully remove the cork. I fill a glass for her with the bubbling golden liquid, then one for myself. The crystal catches the light when I hold up my flute.
“Shall we make a toast?” I suggest, leaning in closer.
“You’re always proposing toasts,” she remarks, her eyes sparkling in the city lights. “Not that I mind. To what do we toast this time?” she asks, raising her flute to meet mine.
“To a magical evening, of course.”
“I see what you did there,” she comments, laughing before clinking our flutes together.
31
JADE
Being with Seven pushes me far beyond my comfort zone. Even though he’s making a genuine effort to help me relax, I’ve never felt so out of place. Not only is Seven incredibly attractive, he’s also refined and exceedingly wealthy. His lifestyle revolves around upscale restaurants, stretched limousines and expensive champagne.
Whereas, my life is a never-ending struggle to make enough money hacking to pay my bills. Our two worlds would never cross streams in real life.
I also can’t shake the suspicion that Seven and the other guys might be toying with me as part of a cruel wager. Perhaps it’s one of those ‘who can fuck the geeky girl first’ bets. It’s difficult for me to accept that they’re all as drawn to me as I am to them, especially considering they could have their pick of women.
“Would you care for more champagne?” he inquires, inching closer to me on the leather seat. The heat of his body radiates toward me, and I catch the familiar faint scent of his cologne, a mix of woodsy and musky tones. “It would be a crime to let a bottle of fine French champagne go to waste,” he adds. “Once opened, the quality declines rapidly. It won’t keep, so we might as well finish it.” He flashes a confident grin, gripping the bottle and holding it hesitantly over my crystal flute.
