by TJ Dallas
“Vodka martini,” I said, and Jess nodded again. Her pen appeared to run out, so she bent forward and leaned the notepad on the table, slipping a deck of cards into my waiting hand underneath.
“Anything else?” she asked as she stood back up. Everyone shook their heads. “I’ll be right back.”
Louis gathered up the cards scattered on the table, tidied them up into a neat stack, and handed them to me, still deep in debate with the man who sat on his right. That other player was called Barney, and I’d had to withhold my amusement at the name.
It was my turn to deal, but I had to switch the decks first. The one in my hand was set up to force the game.
In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it move, I lowered my hand to pull my chair forward, and before anyone took a second breath, my deck was in full view on the table. I began to shuffle.
This was the most difficult part of the hustle, and I applied my centuries’ worth of shuffling practice to make certain that when I stopped, the deck would be in the same order as when it started. I made a show of presenting the deck to Louis, who glanced down, cut the deck, and slid it back to me. He’d known exactly where to cut it, thanks to one slightly protruding card.
I smiled around the table as Jess returned. She handed us our various beverages, and I took a lengthy sip before starting to deal.
I had to be careful. If the cards dealt were too low, the players would fold, but too high, and they’d get suspicious. I needed it just right, so they’d bet big without an inkling of anything deceitful taking place.
Once everyone had their two starting cards, I lifted the barest corners of my own before flinging them face down into the centre of the table. Fold.
One of the other players folded as well, leaving Louis, James, and Barney. I knew what cards they had.
James had obvious tells, and I recognised the surge of excitement welling up in his chest as he glanced down upon those two aces. His tell was trying too hard to keep his excitement hidden. He’d try to disguise his strong hand as a weak one, acting the passive player, and trying to fly under the radar. As predicted, he nonchalantly tossed a few chips in, averting eye contact.
Barney had a more well-hidden tell, but he did the same thing. He continued to talk and make jokes as he threw in his bet, bringing the total prize money up to thirty thousand pounds. Louis matched the bet. There were still five cards to see, and the stakes were high.
They’ve taken the bait.
Looking around to make sure everyone was ready, I dealt the first three dealer’s cards: the nine of spades, the queen of diamonds, and the ace of spades. Perfect.
All three players had strong hands, which would add to the money pot. One had three aces, another was close to either a straight or a flush of spades, which were two of the best hands in poker, and Louis had three queens. The stakes increased by another thirty thousand pounds, and I felt myself getting wet with the thrill. I crossed my legs tighter and leaned closer.
Another dealer’s card; the two of spades.
Barney now had his flush, and he struggled to keep his face steady. I narrowed my eyes. How do you ever win? I thought. You’re so obvious.
He went all in, and a breath caught in my throat. Both Louis and James followed, and my heart raced as I looked at the value of chips lying in the middle of the table.
Everyone hesitated for a moment before turning over their cards. They sat, glimpsing at each other’s cards, undecided at this stage who had won. It was too close to call. Everything was riding on the final dealer’s card, and I flipped it over.
A six of spades.
Louis made of a show of pretending he hadn’t known that would happen, and he thumped his fist on the table with a cheer. He had the highest flush thanks to his queen, which outranked Barney’s jack.
My stomach knotted, and I tried not to bite my bottom lip too hard as Louis arched over the table, sweeping the chips towards him. An even split of a hundred and fifty thousand pounds; not bad for a day’s work.
“Shit,” Barney grumbled, dropping his head back and looking at the ceiling. “The wife is going to kill me.”
“For fuck’s sake,” James spat, pushing from the table and storming away. I briefly wondered if Emilia would coincidentally bump into him on his way out. The anger of mortals could attract Wrath from a few miles away.
I shook Louis’s hand, congratulating him on his triumphant win. The final player, who had folded at the same time as me, breathed out a huge sigh of relief as he pocketed the rest of his chips.
“It’s been a pleasure to meet you all,” I said. “But I must get back. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
I smirked as I stepped away from the table, heading towards my office and keeping my eyes down, lest I ran into James again. He’d have something to say if he knew I owned the casino, and he would suspect something had taken place, but he wouldn’t be able to prove it. I knew where every security camera was, and even if he insisted on viewing it, it would show me shuffling, Louis cutting, and a fair deal, but it wouldn’t detect the point I’d swapped the decks over, nor when Jessica had slipped it into my hand.
That hadn’t been my first hustle.
I unlocked my office door and darted inside. Louis would be on his way soon, but for now, he had to keep his distance, sustaining the pretence that we hadn’t met each other before tonight. I grinned again, feeling the satisfying weight of my own chips in my pocket. I looked around, my heart beating faster, contemplating my next move.
I looked at my watch. Althea? I thought. Fancy a fuck?
For someone who thrives on bluffing for a living, it still surprises me how honest you are sometimes, she replied, chuckling. Big win, was it?
Obviously. I grinned. Come on, you know I’ll take you out for dinner any day, but I’m not hungry.
I can tell. Come on up, toots. Harry, are you joining us?
I wish I could, ladies, but some of us have actual work to do, Harry replied. Don’t have too much fun without me.
My pussy tightened as I locked my office again, heading towards the lift. I pressed the illuminated number 6 and waited as patiently as I could until the doors opened.
I greeted the security guard and nudged open the door to the playroom. It was lively, and I chewed my lip as I roamed through the dim corridors, eyeing up the varied sexual activities. There was no shame here, and people stopped and fucked wherever they fancied, regardless of whether they were in a secluded chamber or not.
I stepped over a pair of legs sprawled on the floor, glancing towards the man on his back and the woman grinding on top of him. She caught my eye as I walked past, and I winked.
Around the next corner, there was a full-blown orgy taking place. Five, maybe six people, were in a pile, distinct voices, shrieks, orgasms, and swear words emerging. I stopped to observe, fascinated by a woman on her knees, her tits bouncing on her chest as a man fucked her hard from behind. He was thrusting inside her, not only buried deep in her pussy, but with a thick dildo, lost inside her other opening. Her face contorted in pleasure as she tried to suck off another man standing in front of her, but she was struggling to concentrate. I grinned, tilting my head.
Keep walking, toots, Althea muttered. I’m in the far corner, unless you’d rather stay there.
I dragged my eyes away. I’m coming.
You will be.
My chest constricted, and I felt my pussy soak as I made my way towards the back of the playroom. My pulse was alarmingly high by the time I found Althea.
She wore a black lace baby-doll bodysuit that clung to her like a second skin. It emphasised her breasts, ending at the top of her slender thighs, hugging her arse. I growled.
“If I’d known that’s what you were wearing, I’d have been here sooner.”
“You shouldn’t have loitered in the first place,” she quipped, and I couldn’t disagree.
&nbs
p; She pulled me into one of the secluded chambers, straightening the OCCUPIED sign on the door. We were the same height, so neither towered over the other as I drew her into a passionate kiss with my arms around her neck.
She let out a moan, her tongue dancing with my own, her lips soft and wet. I grabbed her hips, driving her backward until she fell onto the bed.
“Are you packing?” she asked, arching her brow.
“No, but I will be. Stay there.”
She watched me rifle through the drawers. I found what I was looking for and removed my shoes, socks, and jeans, tugging the black leather harness up to take their place. Adjusting the strap-on, I coated its length in lube and returned to the bed.
I twirled my finger around, and Althea moved onto her knees at the edge. She rested on her forearms, but soon reached back, grabbing her arse cheek with one hand. She opened herself wider for me and observed me over her shoulder.
I pushed the strap-on inside carefully, her arousal clear as it pooled at her entrance. I pulled back out, but she groaned as I suddenly launched my hips forward, burying my length inside her. She pulled her knees together, tightening her insides, causing a powerful friction for me.
The base of the strap-on rested against my clit, and each thrust caused it to press against me. I’d specifically chosen a strap-on with a base designed for my own clitoral stimulation, and the back was currently vibrating, little ridges massaging the tiny bundle of nerves linked to my core. I held the base closer to my body, arching over her, picking up speed.
Mmm, that’s it, toots, Althea thought with a gasp. I can’t remember the last time you fucked me this way. I’d forgotten how good it feels.
I smirked. You need to tell Harry how to do it properly.
I know it fine well, pet, thank you, Harry interrupted.
Althea drew my attention back in with another groan, deep in her throat. She gripped her arse cheek harder, her nails causing red marks on her pale skin, but her eyes had closed, her mouth opening, the climax starting to build. I sped up.
I cried out as my orgasm suddenly overwhelmed me, and my pussy clenched. The sound I made brought Althea to the edge, and she screamed as her own orgasm ripped through her, her pussy tightening and forcing more friction against me with every movement of my hips.
I rode her for several delicious minutes, her screams turning me on more, and my uncontrollable groans returning the favour. We were both soaking wet, panting, and shuddering when I stopped pounding inside her for long enough to catch a breath. I pulled out, turning off the vibrations, and she rolled to one side. I slumped down next to her, my chest heaving.
“Did you need that, toots?” she asked breathlessly, and I nodded, incapable of answering.
“Good. Now that you’re no longer frustrated, we can start again. It’s my turn.”
My eyes flew open, my heart still thudding in my chest as desire flashed in her eyes. I lifted my hips, fumbling with the buckles on the harness.
“Don’t bother. I don’t have the patience to wait. Get on your knees.”
I rolled over, pushing myself up onto all fours. I still needed time to recover, but Althea was raring to go again, and I didn’t want to keep her waiting.
I don’t know when she found her own strap-on, but she forced it inside me before I was barely in position, and it hit my G-spot, sending a wave of pleasure through me. I only just held myself upright.
She reached around, switching the vibrations back on and holding the silicone base against me, those wonderful sensations tight against my clitoris. And now, with her seven inches deep, I forgot about the win, the game, the poker, and the cash. All I could focus on was the feel of her as she manipulated my body into doing anything she asked.
A guttural groan escaped from my chest, and I pushed back. It didn’t take long before I was screaming her name. “Fuck, Althea!”
She pushed me right over the brink, and I squealed, whimpered, and moaned, while she pulled more and more of that orgasm from my centre. I felt my breasts bouncing, my nipple rings rubbing against the inside of my T-shirt, sending sparks through my torso. I bit down on a blanket, trying to smother my screams.
I finally gasped, unable to take any more, and held my hand out to stop her. I collapsed forward, panting and seeing stars behind my eyelids.
After a few minutes, she chuckled, slapping my arse. “You better get back to work, toots. Those millions won’t win themselves.”
10
Bella
I squinted, trying to see my alarm clock in the dark, and quickly bolted upright. Shit. I was supposed to have been in the casino an hour ago.
I jumped up, hissing in pain as I stepped on something sharp. I switched the light on, shielding my eyes against the sudden bright light. I hopped on one foot and rubbed the sole of the other with a grimace. I’d left my hair dryer lying out and the pins of the plug had stabbed into my heel. I grunted, limping towards the wardrobe.
I threw on an outfit, not troubling to check if it coordinated. I didn’t have time. I bolted downstairs, marched towards my office, and was barely inside before Harry appeared behind me.
“Ready for your audit, Bella?”
No! “Yep, I just need to—” I froze as my eyes settled on the mess in my office. Everything came back to me at once.
I’d given Jess an early finish last night, and she’d persuaded me to have a few glasses of wine. My head throbbed as I spotted the empty desk and remembered sweeping everything to the floor in my haste to get her bent over it, her delighted squeals echoing in my ears. “Um ...”
“I told you about this audit three weeks ago,” Harry grumbled, squeezing past me. I couldn’t even move aside, my eyes flickering around the room. My stomach plummeted.
“What’s this?” She held up a small pink bottle.
“Strawberry syrup,” I mumbled. “I told Georgia we were eating ice cream, and she let me borrow it.”
“We?”
“Jessica.”
“Who?”
“It doesn’t matter. I can tidy up, and you can come back later.”
I held the door open behind me, praying she’d take the bait. I knew if I didn’t get the extra time, I’d fail the audit. I didn’t want to attend one of her business management workshops again. I’d been three times in the past five years already.
Harry rolled her eyes. “Let’s just get this over with.”
I nodded, and she watched me as I started picking up the various items littered around the floor. An entire tub of paper clips had scattered over a five-foot radius underneath my desk. She sighed, but I kept my gaze averted until she started rifling through my drawers, plucking out various folders and making notes on her clipboard.
By the time I’d finished tidying up, there were already too many red crosses on her paperwork, and I groaned. Those workshops lasted for five days and included everything from seminars about organisation to discussions about best practices in the workplace. I knew the lectures off by heart.
“Where’s your profit-and-loss statement for this year?” Harry asked, frowning as she hunted through the drawer a second time.
“It should be there ...” I came around to her side of the desk, peering into the drawer. A crumpled-up piece of paper on the floor caught my eye. Damn it.
Harry rolled her eyes again, leaning down to retrieve it. She straightened it out, and I prayed she wouldn’t comment on the circular stains from my wine glass. I held my breath.
“Bella, you’re causing my blood pressure to rise.” She scanned her eyes over the statement, marking a few more crosses on her notes. “Can’t you be prepared for once?”
“Sorry.”
Harry struggled to hide her frustration. “Just because you’re the youngest doesn’t mean I can let you off.”
I looked at the floor. “It won’t happen again,” I muttered. “I had too mu
ch to drink, and lost track of time, and ...” I trailed off, reluctant to admit how much my brain switched off when Jess was around.
“I don’t want to hear it.” Harry held up her hands, and I sensed her patience wearing thin.
“Sorry,” I repeated quietly, looking at the floor. She’d been annoyed with me before, but this time, I was in substantial trouble. I shuffled my feet restlessly, the tension building.
“I’m sending you to a different workshop,” she said. “It’s a week-long course in Inverness. I’ll book travel and a hotel for you. It’s next month, and so help me God, you better not fail again.” I swallowed hard, my stomach sinking.
Harry stood up, rattling the drawer shut. I couldn’t look at her as she strode past, and I cringed as she slammed the door. Jeez, she’s really pissed.
I sank into my chair, my hangover rising to the surface. I squeezed my eyes shut, rubbing my temples, and foraged in the drawer, grateful to find some extra-strength paracetamol hidden at the back. I forced two pills down with a bottle of water. It’s going to be a long day.
I didn’t feel any better after a shower. I patted my neck dry, trying not to move too fast. I dressed again, taking more time deciding on an outfit. There was only one thing I wanted to do to cheer myself up.
Thirty minutes later, I descended in the lift. The casino I had in mind was half an hour away, and I hoped the walk would clear my headache. I could have played in my own casino, but it wasn’t the same; whether I won or not, the money ended up in my pocket, so it didn’t offer the same risk that created a flutter in my heart.
When I reached my destination, I headed straight towards the cage. “Twenty-five thousand,” I said, plucking out my credit card.
The cashier nodded, counting out my chips. He handed them over after I’d punched in my pin number, and I swept them into my pocket.
Looking around, I tried to decide on my game of choice. My eyes landed on a roulette wheel in the far corner. I headed towards the bar first, drinking a full cocktail and ordering another before I sat down. Paracetamol isn’t working, so I might as well try a hair of the dog.
