Call My Bluff: A Las Vegas Themed Anthology

by Elizabeth Knox

  “Okay, I’d like that. Can you excuse me?” Braxton stands, and helps me up from my seat. “I’ll be right back.”

  Chapter Four

  Lara

  I grab my clutch and make my way toward the restroom. Once I’m inside I suck in a breath and blow it out slowly. I quickly fix my makeup while I suck on an Altoid. After I use the bathroom I wash my hands and then dry them.

  I let out a little squeak because Braxton is standing in the doorway. “What are y . . .” He cuts me off when he slams his lips down on mine. My brain immediately short-circuits as he brushes his tongue against my lips. I open to him, moaning into his mouth as his tongue brushes against mine.

  All too soon the kiss is over, both of us are breathing heavily, and when I look deep into his dark eyes I feel that pull. I close my eyes to break the connection. Braxton threads his fingers in my hair. “I want you so fucking bad right now.” He whispers against my lips. “I bet your pussy tastes so fucking sweet.”

  My knees are weak, but I conjure up as much strength as I can to ward him off because right now I want him to lick my pussy and that absolutely cannot happen. I just need to ditch him and go fuck someone.

  Before I can do anything, he grabs my hand and pulls me down the hall and out of the restaurant. He wraps his arm around my waist and leads me toward the nightclub, Fantasy, and of course he’s ushered right in and set up in his own private little VIP section.

  We’re able to see the dancefloor packed with writhing bodies as the bass thumps through the speakers. I swear I can feel myself get wet just from the music alone.

  A bottle of Grey Goose VX and two highball glasses with ice and lemon twists are set in front of us. She pours some of the vodka into each glass before walking away.

  I pick it up and take a sip— I’m surprised how delicious it is. I’m surprised his arm stays around my waist, keeping me close. It’s so loud I’m surprised I can hear myself think.

  Braxton holds court while all of his minions come and bow to their master. Women all vie for his attention, and they can have him. I sip my vodka as I watch the people dance. I’ve always loved dancing. When all of us girls are home, we always crank the tunes and we have a dance party with Emilie.

  I lean into Braxton. “I’ll be right back.”

  He nods and lets go of me. I slide out of the booth and make my way down the little stairs to the dancefloor. As soon as the next song starts I start moving my hips, closing my eyes and just move to the beat.

  Song after song I dance, completely forgetting what I’m supposed to be doing but right now I don’t care. Hands slide around my waist. I freeze, turning to tell whoever is touching me to get lost, but I look up into Braxton’s dark eyes.

  He leans in to whisper in my ear. “At first I thought you were out here trying to tempt me with that sexy fucking body of yours, but then I could tell you were just feeling the music. I honestly think you forgot I was even here.”

  Braxton and I begin moving to the music— fuck he’s a good dancer. I wind my arms around his neck, my body plastered to his, and we move. One of his hands slides down my back and over my ass.

  I don’t miss his large erection pressing against my stomach. He grips my chin, “kiss me.” Braxton doesn’t wait for me to make a move. The moment our lips touch it’s like I’m transported back to the first time he kissed me— it had been after our third date, but he’s such a better kisser than he used to be.

  He dominates my mouth and paired with the hand on my ass I’m putty in his hands. Before I can think better of it I cup his cheeks with my hands. When Braxton pulls away I can see the fire in his eyes.

  Without a word he grabs my hand and pulls me toward the exit. He says nothing as he drags me along except to his men that come walking toward us. “I don’t want to be bothered the rest of the night.”

  They nod and follow us to a separate set of elevators I’ve never seen before. He pulls a keycard out and when he swipes it the door opens, and he leads us inside. His two men try to follow us, but Braxton shakes his head.

  I watch as they step out and as the door slides closed. Braxton moves fast and he’s got me up against the side of the elevator. He wraps his arm around my leg, bringing it up and over his hip.

  A moan bubbles up from my chest as he attacks my mouth like before. He immediately thrusts his tongue into my mouth. I grab him by his suit jacket to pull him even closer.

  The ding of the doors opening causes him to pull away from me, but then he scoops me up in his arms and carries me toward a set of double doors. He sets me down long enough to open the doors and lead me inside.

  The doors slam shut and then Braxton wraps his arms around me from behind. He brushes my hair off of my neck right before I feel his lips press against my neck as his arm wraps around my waist.

  “You’ve got my cock so fucking hard. You’re perfection.” He licks up the side of my neck with the tip of his tongue and then nips my earlobe when he reaches it. “If you’re going to back out, do it now.”

  There’s my out, there’s my chance to leave, but fuck, my legs won’t move. My chest rises and falls. When my legs finally start to move they carry me a few feet away. He shoves his hands in the pockets of his pants and just watches me.

  My eyes stay locked on his as I reach behind me and slide the zipper down. I know I’m making the biggest mistake right now, but I can’t stop myself. I slide one strap down and then the other, holding it at my breasts. Braxton bites his lower lip as he watches the sequined material slide down my body, pooling at my feet.

  I leave my arms hanging down at my sides and I’m standing in front of him in only black lace panties and my stilettos.

  Braxton stalks toward me like a predator. He walks around me in a slow circle, and it’s taking me a lot of inner strength to keep relaxed. Then he stops in front of me and holds out his hand.

  I take his offered hand and he leads me through his penthouse to his room. He turns a light on but dims the light until the huge space is lit by a soft glow. A huge California King bed sits in the middle of the room covered in dark sheets and down comforter.

  Of course, all of the furniture in his bedroom is black. I can’t look too much longer before Braxton is back in front of me. He pulls his shirt from his dress pants and unbuttons it. Fuck me, he’s lean, but ripped.

  I step up to him, raking my nails down his chest. I press my lips against his chest and follow the path of my nails with my lips. When I get down on my knees I reach for his belt buckle, quickly undoing it. His cock is so hard it’s testing the strength of the stitching of his boxer briefs.

  He moans as I rub my hand up and down his cotton covered cock. I grab the waistband and pull it out and down. His cock is as beautiful as I remember. I lean forward and swipe my tongue across the head, but before I can suck his cock into my mouth he picks me up and tosses me on his bed.

  Braxton crawls on the bed and over me until we’re chest to chest. He grabs both of my wrists and shackles them in one of his hands. “One thing you need to learn about me is I like to be the one in control. If I want you to suck my dick, I’ll tell you.”

  Before I can even respond he bends down and sucks a nipple into his mouth. I arch my neck, moaning. While he sucks on one nipple he pinches and twists the other. He switches back and forth between both nipples until my panties are so wet.

  He releases my nipple with a pop and begins kissing down my stomach. When he reaches the apex of my thighs I hear him inhale. “Fuck, you smell like heaven.” Braxton licks me through the lace. I cry out, gripping his hair in my fists.

  With a quick tug he rips my panties off. He holds my gaze as he bends down licking me from bottom to top. Braxton sucks my clit into his mouth and I grind against him.

  He pushes two fingers inside of me and begins rubbing my G spot. “Oh God yes, right there.” The desire to pee hits me and I know what comes next. Braxton sucks my clit hard and then I explode, coming harder than I ever have before.

  Stars bur
st behind my closed eyelids as I moan loud and long. I pant as I feel him crawl up and over me, spreading my legs and settling between them. He sucks and nips at the skin of my neck, causing goosebumps to pop up all over my body.

  Braxton kisses me deep, I taste my arousal on his tongue, and I feel him move his cock over my slick pussy. He reaches out and I hear a drawer open. Once he puts the condom on he doesn’t give me any time to prepare before he’s thrusting his cock inside me.

  I cry out into his mouth as he starts to fuck me slow, but hard. “Fuck baby you’ve got the tightest cunt.” He whispers hoarsely. “Put your hands above your head and hold on.”

  Doing as he says I reach back and grab the slats of his headboard. “Hang on.” Is all he says before he starts hammering his cock into me. Fuck, I forgot how huge he is. On each thrust he bottoms out and it borders on pain, but the delicious kind.

  Braxton grabs my thigh, lifting it so he can sink deeper inside of me. He gets up on his knees, spreading his legs as he opens mine farther and begins fucking me with abandon. With every thrust I feel him hit my clit and the desire to come again hits me hard.

  “I’m gonna come.” I moan just as the pressure builds and then I explode— coming and coming. I’m barely aware of him being close to coming before he buries his face in my neck, groaning against my sweat-slickened flesh.

  I whimper as he pulls out of me. “I’ll be right back.”

  He walks naked into his master bath and I take that as my cue to leave as quickly as possible. On quick feet I run into the living room, grabbing my dress, and slipping it on. I’m thankful he kept my heels on. I grab my clutch from where I dropped it and am out the door quickly.

  I press the button for the elevator and the doors open immediately. It’s not until I climb on and the doors slide shut that I’m able to relax. I catch my reflection in the mirror on the elevator and I look like someone who has been thoroughly fucked.

  When the doors open downstairs, I walk on quick feet toward the exit where my Uber should be waiting. It’s not until I’m reaching for my front door that I realize I didn’t even look for the offices.

  Chapter Five

  Lara

  Everyone is asleep when I get home. I quietly head upstairs and quickly take a shower, washing Braxton off of me. Under the hot spray I let my tears fall when I remember the day I realized he hadn’t been in love with me— I was nothing but a joke.

  I check myself one more time before I head out to meet Braxton for our date. Who would’ve thought that the one boy who loved torturing me and picking on me throughout school would turn out to be the love of my life.

  My cheeks heat up when I think about all of the times I’ve been with him sexually. I was a virgin before him, and the first time we made love he was so sweet and tender with me. I didn’t know what to expect, but he’d taken such good care of me and had made me feel so special and above all else, loved.

  I touch the diamond pendent around my neck and smile. He’d given it to me last week and I had cried like a baby. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. He’d only gotten it for me because he’d been out, saw it, and couldn’t imagine anyone else wearing it.

  Mom pulls into the driveway and I cringe when I see her. Her hair is a ratted mess, her makeup is smeared, and she wobbles on the stripper heels she’s wearing. I open the door before she reaches it. “Hey Momma.”

  “Hi my beautiful baby girl. Don’t you look pretty.” She kisses my cheek and I hold my breath. Between the scent of BO, cigarettes, and booze she reeks.

  “Thank you.” I look at the clock on the wall. “I need to go, but are you gonna be okay?”

  She smiles and I don’t miss that one of her front teeth is starting to turn a greyish color. “Of course, baby. Don’t worry about me.”

  I watch her ping pong down the hall toward the bathroom. Sadness washes over me because she never used to be like this. Sure, we were always poor, but she took care of herself and me. Our clothes may have been from Goodwill, or churches when they had clothing drives, but she always made sure we were clean and presentable.

  Now she bounces from one dirt bag to another and I swear I think she’s a prostitute. I don’t ask though because I don’t know how I’d react to that news. I only hope and pray that someday Braxton will take us away from here so we can start a new life together.

  Mom and I share the car so I grab the keys from her purse that she left in the hallway. “Mom I’m leaving.” I call through the bathroom door.

  I hear her muffled goodbye and head out into the unbearable Vegas heat. Our car doesn’t have air conditioning but luckily she left the windows down. I grab my bottle of Febreze from under the seat and give the interior a quick spray, hoping to mask the smell from my mother.

  Nerves assail me as I make my way toward Galaxy. The restaurant Braxton took me to for our first date. I know we’re only eighteen, but I swear I feel like something special is going to happen. He asked me to meet him there instead of picking me up.

  That stinker is going to surprise me, I know it. When I pull into the parking lot I opt to park myself instead of using the valet. I’m always embarrassed of our piece of crap car.

  That’s okay though because I got accepted with a full ride to Nevada State College where I’ll be going to become a radiation therapist. Once I graduate I’ll be able to get a good job somewhere far away from here. My only hope is Braxton will come with me.

  I know his father expects him to take over running the Silver Zephyr, but he told me that’s not what he wants. He told me one night lying in my bed as he held me— that he wanted to go into law enforcement, but his dad wouldn’t pay for school if that’s what he went for.

  My mom may be a mess but at least she believes in me enough to make my own decisions. I check myself in my rearview mirror. I kept my makeup light— Braxton likes it that way and have a light pink gloss on my lips.

  My chestnut brown hair is down in loose curls just the way he likes it. I’m wearing the fanciest dress I own— a lavender and pink swirly designed maxi dress— it makes me look not so chubby even though Braxton says he loves my curves.

  I make my way inside and stop at the hostess stand. “Hi, I’m meeting my boyfriend here. Braxton Banks.”

  “Oh yes, they’re in the party room. It’s toward the back and through the double doors.”

  They’re? I thought it was just going to be us. His friends don’t like him being with me so we spend a lot of time alone. I hate it because they are his friends, but they were always mean to me. Especially before Braxton and I started dating.

  I slowly push open the door and step inside. The second the door closes behind me I feel tears fill my eyes. There’s a picture of me up on the wall, one that Braxton took of me. I’m lying on my stomach smiling at the camera. It’s very obvious I’m naked.

  In red marker are the words whore and slut. A speech bubble is by my mouth and it says, “moo.”

  “Did you really think that I was in love with you?” I bite my lip to keep it from wobbling. “No one could love a fat, bucked tooth, loser like you.” Braxton comes toward me. His eyes are so cold and I back up as he comes closer. He reaches out grabbing the necklace, pulling it from my neck, and causing me to gasp. “Get out of here Larissa. Go back to that fucking pathetic excuse for a mother.”

  He grabs me by my upper arm. “Please B-Braxton. Why a-are you doing this?” A sob escapes my lips. “I-I love you.”

  “Fuck, you’re pathetic.” He leans in close. “Did you really ever think I could love you? Shit, you’re so gross I’m surprised I could even get my dick hard.” His laugh causes my heart to shatter and the next thing I know he’s pushing me through the open door.

  I cover my mouth to muffle my crying as the hot water runs over my body. Once my tears stop I turn the water temperature to as hot as I can stand it and proceed to rub my skin raw, washing every bit of him off of me.

  I rinse off I climb out and wrap my towel around my body. In my room I chan
ge into a pair of cotton sleep shorts and a tank top. I quietly step across the hall and climb into bed with Emilie.

  I reach out and brush her hair out of her face. My daughter saved my life— after Braxton had humiliated me, I had been in such a dark place but becoming her momma gave me purpose.

  I roll her little body until her back is against my chest. I kiss the top of her head and smile. Her hair smells like strawberries. In no time I, thankfully, feel my eyes get heavy.

  * * *

  It’s been a week since I made the mistake of sleeping with Braxton and thankfully he doesn’t know who I am so he can’t find me. I told Asia I needed a little break from everything, but I didn’t share why.

  Emilie and I are heading to stay at Planet Hollywood and then going to see Gwen Stefani at the Zappo’s Theater tonight. I need this time with my girl and I’m looking forward to us getting pampered tomorrow.

  “Mommy?” My daughter asks from the back seat.

  “Yes, baby?”

  “Can we have steak tonight?” Emilie loves steak. She’s a total meat and potatoes girl.

  “Of course.”

  When we reach the hotel I hand my keys to the valet and help my girl out of the car. Hand in hand we walk into the hotel. Our room faces the strip and Emilie presses her face against the window, checking it out. “Mommy come look.” Her voice is laced with wonder.

  I step up behind her and look outside. I don’t dare tell her that the thrill of Vegas never appealed to me. The Silver Zephyr is in the distance and my stomach turns. Sleeping with Braxton has awoken those feelings that have long since been buried, but luckily my hatred for him overrides every bit of love I have ever felt for him.

  “Okay, let’s get ready.”

  She pumps her little fist in the air, making me laugh.

  We ride the elevator downstairs and I smile at our reflection in the mirror. She wanted us to look like twinzies so that’s what she got. I put both of our hair up into buns on top of our heads.