Call My Bluff: A Las Vegas Themed Anthology

by Elizabeth Knox

  Opening the door to the rooms Grace and I share just after 3:00 a.m. I realized how tired I was.

  The flickering of the television showed me that Grace and Honor had both fallen asleep on the couch watching a movie. But they had made me a chocolate cake, set out in the tiny kitchen, with the logo of our casino almost legible in sprinkles on the top. Everything else was forgotten as I realized this was what I wanted most.

  Walking closer I tried to figure out how I could wake Honor without getting shot. I attempted to clear my throat, but neither of them stirred. Taking my chances, I called her name as I touched the side of her face again. She smiled, even before she opened her eyes. As she stood before me, I leaned in—kissing her the only thing I could think about.

  Her hand shoved me square in the center of my chest. “Go disappoint the next bitch. I’m busy.”

  Before I could even figure out what she meant she was gone, the door closing with a thud behind her.

  Chapter Seven

  HONOR

  Damn.

  Shit.

  Fuck.

  I left my phone in Sawyer and Grace’s room. Waking up to him and walking away from his kiss messed with my head, and I left it behind in my scramble to leave. Now I have to go back. Urgh. I knock on his door then I knock again, this time a cop-type knock. I’ve been knocking and waiting for more than four minutes.

  “C’mon Sawyer, I know you’re in there. I am sick of being in the hall outside your door at nearly four in the morning.” I can’t call him, so I knocked one last time even louder.

  Suddenly, he was standing in front of me with only a towel wrapped around him and dripping wet in the open doorway. It made me want to touch him. All. Over.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” His question was a pure growl.

  “I forgot my phone.”

  Sawyer stepped away from the door and pushed it open wider in an invitation to enter. As I walked past him it was all I could do not to run my fingers over his muscled chest. He caught me looking, though.

  “I can’t do this,” I heard him say as I stood before him, feeling my nipples harden under his heavy gaze.

  “Yes, we can.” I could easily see him hard under his towel. “This is between consenting adults.” I didn’t want to feel guilt—I was taking my power back.

  The slow burn that had been building inside me for days caught fire, and I practically climbed onto him. My shirt was off before he closed the door. Sawyer moved us both over to the couch before he was tugging off my jeans and mouthing my nipple through the lace of my bra.

  Everything else faded away, including the rest of my clothes.

  Sawyer took my nipple back into his mouth, as his tongue hit the sensitive nerves that made my toes curl and my mouth fall open in anticipation. It felt almost too good, but I wasn’t about to stop him. I couldn’t because he had pinned my arms behind me while he held me to the couch. His hard-damp body was so warm against mine, the heated friction threatened to swallow me whole.

  His mouth continued to travel downward, tracing slow, wet circles against my stomach, my hip then moving slowly inward to my thigh with such intense concentration like he had never wanted anyone but me.

  “Sawyer,” I whispered, quickly drowned out by a long moan when he pulled my thighs open and stayed kneeling between them. He pulled me to him, practically spread-eagled in front of him, leaving him totally in control.

  “You are so fucking beautiful,” he murmured, just before he used his tongue to touch me in all the places I needed, buried his face against me where I was hot and wet and so ready for him. I whimpered as he pushed his tongue inside of me, mimicking the way he was going to take me later. At first, long and slow, and then, hard and fast enough to make me see stars.

  I was nearly out of my mind when I came against his face, but he didn’t stop licking, sucking, teasing.

  He slowed all the motions, but stayed there, bringing me through my post-orgasm haze, then gradually increasing his movements, adding his fingers until I felt my body begin to clamp down again and contract.

  By the time he had kissed his way up my body, I had managed to control my panting somewhat, but the desire that had started with his first kiss hadn’t been sated.

  There was no place I would rather be, no man I would rather be with.

  Sawyer had been watching me carefully as he got off his knees and steadied me with his hands on my hips until I put my arms around him. I ran my fingers through his hair, then touched his jaw, letting the day’s growth scrape my fingertips.

  “You’re shaking,” he said roughly as if he wasn’t used to caring. Then he wrapped his arms around me, and with a small shove, expertly rolled us onto the couch cushions without breaking our embrace.

  I landed half on top of him, and so I used that to my advantage, sucking one of his nipples into a pebble. My hand traced a path to the strong male part of him, stroking him the way I had done in my fantasies, the way that made him roll his eyes back and moan my name the way no other man ever had.

  He reached over to the drawer in the coffee table finding a condom and opened the package with his teeth.

  “Always prepared?” I asked.

  “It should be my motto.”

  I took the condom from him and slid it down over his hard length slowly because I could see it was making him crazy. My hand lingered, teasing, and stroking between his legs.

  “Put me inside of you…” he told me. “I need to be inside you now.”

  I loved knowing that I was in control at that moment. As I spread my legs, I paused for a moment, moving back and forth rubbing gently over him, just enough to push him to the edge. Finally, when I couldn’t stand it anymore, I slid him inside me, and we both groaned at the same time.

  “You’re so wet, so warm. All for me,” he ground out as he thrust inside me.

  His words made me push my hips up and down, taking him deep, then slowly grinding against him. My skin began to feel electric, and my belly tightened with that beautiful sensation as I arched my back and came in a shudder over him.

  He orgasmed closely after mine, moaning my name again, as I collapsed on top of him. We stayed like that for a while, as I tried to catch my breath, my cheek to his chest listening to the steady beat of his heart.

  He shifted under me, moved slightly so he freed himself, and I wondered if this was when he would voice his regret. I really, really, hoped not, because I had none. Especially after this.

  “Um… Honor?”

  “Yeah, Sawyer?” My gaze met his, and the way he was looking at me, his eyes caressing my body all the way up and down, well, I guessed he wasn’t going to ask me to leave.

  “I still have a problem.”

  I bit my bottom lip, I wanted to keep my tone light. “Only one?”

  He smiled at me again. “I didn’t finish showering.”

  Before I could respond, he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder and started walking with me down the hall so easily. And the thrill that fluttered in my belly earlier started again, it reached down to my toes from my bare skin rubbing his.

  He didn’t put me down until he had started the shower and stepped in. He eased me gently off his shoulder but still held me tightly, and I closed my eyes and let the water wash over me.

  When I opened my eyes, he was still looking at me. “Want me to wash your back?” I asked.

  “Mmm, you owe me more than that for interrupting me in the first place,” he said. “But don’t you worry, I will let you make it up to me.”

  “I am sure you will,” I murmured as he leaned in and kissed me again.

  I knew I wasn’t ready to stop anytime soon.

  Chapter Eight

  SAWYER

  I didn’t want to let her out of the shower too soon, but when the water began to run cold, I wrapped her in a large towel and loved her again on the tiled floor.

  Now, we were back out on the couch, I was half-sated half ready to go again.

  Honor had pull
ed on one of the t-shirts from the zombie place. She was so pretty. I was really impressed that she had managed to hold it all together after everything. Honor had continued on with her work, and she was excellent at it. It took a lot to move me, but I put it down to seeing someone doing a job they loved to do.

  It’s because you are falling for her.

  Holding her against me, I remembered the tears in her eyes, and asked, “What did you see yesterday?”

  She stilled, and for a bit I thought she wasn’t going to answer then it came on a whispered breath. “It was a lot like the last time I was in Afghanistan. We ended up blocked in. Most of the team were shot or didn’t make it.”

  I had seen the scars, the puckering across her side, and wondered if she had more scars inside than I could see.

  “Why did you start the agency?”

  Her eyes met mine, then quickly darted away. I stayed still knowing if she answered, if she shared this with me, there was no going back. For better or worse she would be a part of me now.

  “My children were kidnapped, the driver was knocked out, and the school didn’t notice. No one did. They were taken and within twenty-four hours a ransom was demanded.” Her voice sounded flat, like she was far away, so I waited for her to continue.

  “Ben, my husband, he didn’t want to pay the ransom. He listened to the Feds, and they froze all our assets. He had more than ten times what they were demanding. I wanted him to pay. He wanted to do what he saw as right… to not give in to the kidnappers demands. I screamed more at him about that than I ever have in my life. Until I had no more voice, no more tears. I wanted to pay the ransom, arrange for it to be collected, and go in all guns blazing to rescue our babies. I needed to fight for them, not sit and wait.”

  A single tear ran down her cheek, and her voice was thick with emotion as she said, “They dumped their bodies three days later, in the park, near our house. Kylie was seven, and my baby, Ben, had just turned six.”

  She pulled a hoodie on over her head and yanked the sleeves down to cover her wrists. “The day of Kylie and Ben’s funeral, everyone came back to the house. He walked straight into his study and shot himself. I think he couldn’t bear the thought that he could have saved them and didn’t even try.”

  Reaching over to gently wipe away the tears from her cheeks, I saw her draw a deep shuddering breath.

  “This agency is my way to right some of the wrongs. To fight back. It’s too late for Kylie and Ben. But for Grace and others like her, we can make a difference. We have to train, and use our military skills, but there are too many soldiers, too many Marines coming back and not being able to use their skills. And as women we have a strong urge to protect, to fight.” She struggled to lighten the mood. “Besides, what else was I going to do with all the money I inherited?”

  I pulled her into me. And as I held her, I felt her tears slow. When I knew she was ready I said, “The crash that killed my father also killed Grace’s mom. My dad was drunk, she had gone to pick him up, and he insisted on driving. Witnesses say he was a real belligerent asshole. Grace only survived because of her baby seat. The hospital kept him alive for two days before he passed away. I hated him those two days more than I had ever hated anyone in my life and almost every day since.”

  Her arm wrapped around me, and I felt comfort for the first time in a long time.

  “Will you stay? I can only offer you the couch with me…” I suddenly realized that I still had the photographs that had arrived, the new threat against Grace, and I hadn’t even mentioned them.

  Honor looked so tired, so exhausted. She needed sleep.

  Grace was safe, sleeping.

  I would let Honor have some rest, it could all wait until the morning.

  Chapter Nine

  HONOR

  My cell mocked me from the coffee table where it had been all night. I sneaked to the door, and my body was tender in places I had no right to be. Smiling, I replayed the night in my mind.

  Grace and I had a blast making the cake for Sawyer. She was smart, funny, and easy to spend time with. It took her the better part of the movie to finish cutting out the logo to create a sprinkle decoration for her dad. We decided to watch another romantic comedy because she was desperate to hear all about the evening straight from her father.

  Tomorrow night was the big concert, and I knew she was desperate to go. Ravi and I were trying to come up with a plan. So far, the only safe way would be to watch from the side of the stage.

  If I hurried, I could grab a quick shower and check in with Ravi before breakfast with Sawyer and Grace.

  Getting dressed after my shower, I thought about what Grace needed to be safe at the concert. I couldn’t see how I could take her unless I knew she was as safe as everyone else would be there.

  I heard my cell ringing from across the room, and realized I was hoping it was Sawyer before I spoke to Ravi.

  “Okay, boss, what’s the plan?”

  “Morning, Ravi, I was hoping you could tell me.”

  “You’re going to have to be more specific. Are we talking about Grace and getting her to the concert, or… the… kiss?” Ravi’s instincts served her well, but she could be exceedingly difficult to keep secrets from.

  “I think the best thing for the concert tonight is to keep her to the right of the stage, the band doesn’t go on and off so much on the right. And it looks like the second curtain back is the hardest to see, either from the front or above, because they store all the curtains in the walks above. So, that’s my call on that.”

  I could hear the smile in her voice as she said, “And about the kiss? I think you should say ‘fuck it.’”

  “Thanks, but I’m not sure I can do that. I am way too involved now. I am worried about freezing up.”

  “No, if you say ‘fuck it,’ you’re saying, you know, whatever happens, happens. If it’s not perfect, then, so what? I’m gonna try my hardest, give it my all, and if I fail, then “fuck it.’”

  I laughed. It was so good to have a reality check with Ravi. She was the most dangerous, kind-hearted, funny person I had ever met. “Well, if I take your advice, I may need you to stick around and pick up the pieces.”

  “Damn, woman. You know even if I could, I am not going anywhere. Now, go get ‘em. Message me when you’ve had a look backstage. Security footage shows the band is setting up their instruments and lights now.”

  Because it was Saturday, Grace and I decided to go and make use of the salon and the shops downstairs. The thought that we didn’t have to set foot outside of the casino to get our nails done, or have our hair styled, or get new jeans blew my mind. But I really wanted today to be fun for Grace.

  The fact that it was two years to the day that I had to bury Kylie and Ben had almost nothing to do with it. For the past two years I’d had nothing to do, no one to make smile, just emptiness. Now I was filling my entire day by bringing another girl joy.

  Today, that was enough.

  Ravi had been correct, it was the perfect spot, between the curtains backstage to see the show. Well, mostly the back of the show, but Grace was a good sport about it. We decided to get pizzas and have them brought up to the room while we waited for Sawyer to come back. We were told it would be a while because of all the extra concert-goers, and neither of us minded much, as we walked slowly past the other storefronts, the main casino floor and the cocktail bars to get back to Grace and Sawyer’s rooms.

  While we waited, we decided to re-watch the movie we had fallen asleep during and missed last night. Grace and I had put out blankets and curled up on one at each end of the couch. I couldn’t stop thinking of the way Sawyer had touched me, and I felt content.

  I was waiting to hear a knock at the door, and when an hour later the pizzas still hadn’t arrived, Grace and I decided to call down to check.

  We both got up and went to Sawyer’s room, where the connected phone was located. Strangely being in his room didn’t feel as intimate or as close to him as being on the couch had.r />
  Everything seemed odd because I smelt the pizzas before I actually became aware of someone else being in the room with us. They had entered the room silently. Turning quickly to face the open door, I pulled Grace behind me, so she was shielded, and I was firmly between her and whatever was coming for us.

  We were far away from the panic buttons I’d installed at the other end of the suite, near Grace’s room.

  We were going to have to face whoever was here on our own.

  Chapter Ten

  SAWYER

  Sitting in my office I realized it was nearly six o’clock, and Grace at least would be expecting me for dinner. I hope Honor would be there, but we had made no plans. All day I had been smiling, happy, and relaxed. As a teenager I would have credited it to having gotten laid, but I knew that it was more.

  Grace was so happy this morning, planning her day with Honor.

  And yeah, the sex had been a big part of my relaxed happy attitude today.

  But I had more than my fair share of one-night stands in the past, and none had ever left me feeling this content. It was Honor. She was what I was missing in my life.

  As I signed the final documents, I felt a huge surge of relief.

  The construction was finished—I could breathe more easily now.

  Shit! I had forgotten to talk to Honor about the grainy pictures and the threat written on the back of the photograph of Grace sleeping.

  Dammit! I would head out now, and we could talk things through before anything got worse. I wanted to hand over everything we had to the FBI and get Grace out of here. I needed her to be alright now until they had time to catch him. Actually, he didn’t matter at all anymore, what I needed was to keep Grace safe.

  I hadn’t told Rylan yet, but I wanted to sell the casino and buy him out of the business. Not being able to trust him had made the opening a hollow victory. I knew as motivated by money as he is, he would be happy with his cut, he always was.