Gambler's Folly (Bookstrand Publishing Romance)

by Mellie E. Miller

  Gambler's Folly

  While vacationing on Gambler’s Folly with her husband, Trae, Karianna O’Brien’s life is ripped apart when he loses her to Damiano Leone in a game of chance. Within two days, she is divorced, widowed, and married to Damiano, the darkly desirable, powerful, and dangerous lord of the underworld.

  Irresistibly drawn to Damiano, Karianna enters a world of wealth and glamour in his casinos, while he teaches her the meaning of pleasure and sensuality in his bed. Though married to Trae for four years, she’s never experienced true seduction, or sex so exquisite it could become an addiction. Is he really human, or something else?

  As Damiano’s enemies threaten Karianna to leverage his vote in the syndicate, he gambles all he’s worth in a dangerous game of skill. Will his plans pay off in time to save Karianna? Or will he lose both his business and his soul mate?

  Note: This book is written in one point of view.

  Genre: Futuristic, Paranormal, Shape-shifter

  Length: 86,313 words

  GAMBLER’S FOLLY

  Mellie E. Miller

  ROMANCE

  www.BookStrand.com

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  A SIREN-BOOKSTRAND TITLE

  IMPRINT: Romance

  GAMBLER’S FOLLY

  Copyright © 2013 by Mellie E. Miller

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-62740-165-4

  First E-book Publication: July 2013

  Cover design by Christine Kirchoff

  All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  www.BookStrand.com

  DEDICATION

  First, I must thank my husband, Steve, for the patience he has in living with a writer, and for his support on this journey. Second, I thank our daughter, Dawn, for her love, encouragement, and help in editing the manuscript before it went to the publisher. I also thank my friends, Cindy, Syllviea, and Vanessa, for encouraging me to follow my heart and give writing a chance. And thanks to Bavarlee Bernstein for featuring Gambler’s Folly on his Facebook series, Let Me Tell Your Story.

  My love and thanks to all of you.

  GAMBLER’S FOLLY

  MELLIE E. MILLER

  Copyright © 2013

  Chapter 1

  “I’ll give you one more chance, Mr. O’Brien. Your whole debt, free and clear on the next hand. One more bet, one more game of chance. You win, everything is wiped clean,” the man in the shadows offered.

  Trae was in a very bad way, just now. Running his hands through his short, sandy hair made it stick up worse than it already had. Blue eyes troubled, sweat trickling down his back, he was desperate to have anything go his way, but his luck just wouldn’t turn. Now heavily indebted to one of the most dangerous men on the pleasure paradise Gambler’s Folly, he had to do something.

  “But I have nothing else to put on the table,” Trae insisted. “You’ve already won everything I’ve got.”

  “Not quite. You have one more possession.”

  “What?”

  “The lovely Karianna. If you win, you keep her and leave debt-free. If you lose, Mr. Leone keeps the lady, and everything else is cleared? Agreed?”

  “Kari, my wife? No, no deal!”

  “That’s a shame, Mr. O’Brien. If that’s the way you want it, you have thirty days to come up with the 1,000,000 Marks you owe. If you fail, your life is forfeit.”

  “Where am I going to get M1,000,000 in thirty days?” a frantic Trae asked. The voice in the shadows was completely neutral as it offered him his wife or his life.

  “Choose, Mr. O’Brien. You are wasting my time and goodwill.”

  Trae thought hard for a few minutes. His marriage was on the rocks anyway. Karianna’s biggest complaint was his gambling. It was a weird twist of fate, risking her to pay off his debts. But what else did he have? With no money, no house, no vehicle, and no job, she’d never stay with him after this. What did he really have to lose?

  “Mr. O’Brien, I’m awaiting your answer.”

  “OK, if I gamble Kari, Mr. Leone will cancel all other debts, either way?”

  “Yes, Mr. O’Brien. All of your debts and your wife on the table, win or lose on one hand.”

  “Deal the cards.”

  Slowly, deliberately, the dealer laid the cards on the table. As Trae looked at his hand, he had a fleeting moment of hope. He had a Queen-high straight. Not a certain hand, but good. That hope was dashed as the man in the shadows showed his cards—a royal flush.

  Careful to keep his hands in view, Trae pushed his chair away from the table. “So, that’s it I guess. All debts cleared?”

  “Yes, once Karianna has been turned over to Mr. Leone’s representatives, all debts are cleared. I’ll need you to sign a document transferring all interest in her to Mr. Damiano Leone, from today forward. Understood?”

  “Yes, I understand.”

  “Good. Then my men will accompany you to your suite and take possession of the lady in question. By the time you return, I’ll have the paperwork ready.”

  * * * *

  Karianna brushed her dark brown hair as she tried to decide what to do. She was angry, green eyes snapping at her reflection in the mirror. She had been promised a vacation, someplace exotic, two weeks just for the two of them. Hoping for a nice, romantic getaway, in her heart of hearts she knew she would be disappointed.

  With one last shred of hope, she’d agreed to a vacation and they’d wound up here, the gambling center of the star system. Of course it was paradise for Trae. He lived to gamble. He would bet on anything and usually lost. Heaven only knew what he would lose this go-around.

  She’d dreamed, like all girls, of someone strong, handsome, and mysterious. Someone who took your breath away. And like most of the women she knew, she’d eventually realized she would never meet Prince Charming and settled for what was she could find—Trae. At least she was married, and that’s what counted, wasn’t it?

  Alright, Trae wasn’t breathtakingly handsome, but he wasn’t bad. There was no mystery or romance. Their sex life was nearly nonexistent anymore. She was frustrated at every turn. Why couldn’t she have met a real man’s man and been swept off her f
eet? Or at least have met someone who cared for her more than he did a deck of cards.

  Attacking her hair with the brush, hot tears filling her eyes, her disappointment was overwhelming. Why had she believed his lies once again? She had spent all but their first day here alone, and there was over a week left before returning home. Today, she’d gone swimming, and then taken a trip to the spa to get her nails done. What the hell? He was losing it all anyway, so she had a pedicure to go with it. Lunch was dismal as she sat alone, picking over the elegant meal included in the vacation package.

  Later in the afternoon, she’d taken a nap and awakened with the uneasy feeling that something was very wrong. Trae wasn’t back yet and it was past time for dinner. Where was he? She slammed the brush down on the dressing table and dried her eyes, as anger overcame disappointment.

  Wondering what to do, she heard the sound of his key card in the lock. “Where in the hell…” she began as Trae entered the room, followed by two well-built men in expensively tailored suits. “Trae, what’s going on? Who are these guys?”

  “Hi, sweetheart. These men are associates of Mr. Leone. They’ve come to take you to him.”

  “Take me to—Mr. Leone? The biggest mob boss on the planet?”

  “Um, yeah. I kind of lost a bet. Sorry.”

  “You lost a bet? What kind of bet? What have you done, Trae O’Brien?”

  “Well, you won’t have to worry about the house anymore, or the car, or really anything. I lost all of it. Then, in order to get out from under that and a M1,000,000 debt, he insisted I put you on the table, as it were. Win or lose, one hand, and all my debts were gone. Just if I lost, he got you. And I lost. Sorry.”

  “Sorry? Sorry?! You’re more than sorry, Trae. What the hell?” she shouted, as one of the impeccably dressed men took her arm.

  “Come along, Mrs. O’Brien. Mr. Leone is waiting.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you. Get your hands off me!”

  As she struggled with one man, the other one found her purse, and checked for her passport and papers. Speaking into what must have been a wrist transceiver, man number two said, “We have the lady. Mr. O’Brien will be right down to sign the papers.”

  “Papers? What papers, Trae?”

  The older of the two men smiled and said, “The ones signing away his rights to you, love. Come along.”

  “Trae? Trae!”

  Downstairs, watching her husband sign away his debts, Karianna was numb. How could this even be legal? Did it matter when you were dealing with the mob?

  Pushing the signed papers across the table, Trae said, “Well, that’s that I guess. You’re sure we’re good?”

  “Mr. Leone was very clear about it. One hand, win or lose, all debts forgiven.”

  “What about me?” Kari asked, in shock. “What am I supposed to do?”

  The man in the shadows was quiet for a moment, and then said, “Go ahead and take her downstairs, to one of the special guest rooms. Mr. Leone will see her there and decide what to do with her.”

  Entering the elevator, one of her escorts used a pass card to select a private underground floor. From what she’d heard about the place, the lower-level suites were exclusive and outrageously expensive.

  The suite they opened for her certainly bore that out. Stepping onto the lush carpet was like stepping onto a cloud. Hidden mood lighting around the perimeter of the ceiling lit the area evenly, while the trickling water in a small fountain created a gentle background sound. Live plants grew under specialized lights and the scent in the air was soothing.

  “Just relax, have a drink if you wish. Mr. Leone will be here shortly,” one of the men told her. And then they were gone.

  Turning back toward the door, Karianna tried the latch, just for the sake of trying. Locked. For all the creature comforts and beauty in the room, it was really just a cushy cell. But she didn’t intend to stay here any longer than she had to. Chances were good that, if she could reach the elevator, she could get back to the lobby. Usually pass cards were needed only to enter a floor, not to leave it. Now, what could she use as a weapon?

  As the door opened, she tensed, ready to make her escape. Unfortunately, Mr. Leone had come prepared. The first bodyguard easily caught the floor lamp she swung at him and set it on the floor beside the door.

  “Restraints,” she heard someone say. After a struggle with both bodyguards, Karianna found she was snugly restrained between two poles, clothes torn and disheveled. While she’d been looking over the room, she’d thought they were for in-room entertainment. She now saw they were equipped for hand and ankle restraints. Soft and cushioned, the restraints were nevertheless effective. Adjustable stops kept her from sliding the restraints up and down, holding her firmly in place, exactly as she was.

  “Thank you, gentlemen,” she heard the voice say. It was a deep, dark, sensual voice which made her spine tingle. “We’ll be fine now.”

  “Yes, Mr. Leone. Have a pleasant evening,” she heard one of the bodyguards answer. The door opened, closed, and she was alone with a man many had reason to fear.

  Chapter 2

  For the first time, Karianna got a look at Damiano Leone, said to be the most powerful, dangerous man in the underworld. Tall and dark, in a Mediterranean way, he was dressed impeccably. Dark gray jacket and trousers were paired with a black silk shirt, gray tie, and ruby tie pin. His hair, nearly black, was moderately short and wavy, but his eyes captured her attention. Instead of dark brown, or maybe blue, they were a dark, stormy gray, the color of the Great Lakes just before a storm.

  Then there was the apple. As he came into view, he was polishing a large, red apple on his lapel. Without a word to her, he took a bite of the apple, as his eyes swept up and down her body.

  Munching his apple, he walked slowly around her, about two meters away, his eyes taking in every detail, as she stood immobilized by the restraints. Finally, to break the silence, she asked, “What are you doing?” After which she thought it a really dumb question.

  Finishing his bite of apple, he simply replied, “Admiring my new acquisition.”

  As he continued his survey, all Kari could think about was how dowdy she must look compared to everyone else around him. The plain red dress she wore had been one of her best. Made of synthetic silk, the dress was blousy in the bust and gathered at her waist by a wide, black belt, with a large silver-tone buckle, now ruined and hanging by the belt loops. The dress had been ripped down the front during the previous struggles, exposing her body down to the waist. The side slit had torn most of the way to her waist, too, so it covered next to nothing.

  “Not bad. Not bad at all,” she heard him say. Finished with his walk-around and his apple, he threw the apple core in the bin, carefully wiped his hands on a small white towel, and turned back toward Kari.

  As she watched, he took something from his trousers pocket. With a small click, a long, slim blade appeared in his hand. His eyes held hers as he slowly advanced toward her.

  “What are you doing?” she asked in a panic. “I haven’t done anything to you. Just let me go, and I swear, I’ll never say a word about any of this. Please!”

  Without a word, he studied her face for a moment, and then chuckled. “Your clothes are in ribbons, cara, and I would like to get a good look at you,” he said. “Do you mind?”

  Looking down at what remained of her dress, she decided he could see nearly all of her anyway. She glared angrily at the man in front of her. “That was my best dress!” she exclaimed. “What am I going to wear now, you bastard?” she shouted at him, as panic was replaced by anger. “Why not? It’s already trashed.”

  His left hand removed her belt and tossed it aside. The knife reached out and sliced through the bits of fabric which still held the dress together. As it slumped into a heap on the floor, she continued to glare at him, angrily.

  The knife resheathed, Mr. Leone began his examination again. “Could you at least say something?” Kari asked. “Hello…?”

 
; “That confirms my first opinion,” he finally answered, his eyes admiring her body.

  “And what was that?” Kari asked, too amazed by events to be afraid.

  Instead of answering, he walked behind her and placed his hands on her hips. “May I?” he asked, as his hands gently swept up her body, over her abdomen, rib cage, and weighed her breasts in his hands, before coming up and over her shoulders, and down her spine to her hips again.

  Something about his touch was electrifying, though she didn’t think it was meant to be sexual. Just Mr. Leone examining his merchandise. Why she found it exciting, she really couldn’t say.

  “Nearly perfect. Nothing a few weeks with a private trainer won’t put right,” was his final word on the matter.

  “Private trainer? Why do I need a private trainer?”

  “Because I demand perfection, or as close to it as is humanly possible. You’re a beautiful woman, but with just a little toning and reshaping, you’ll be an Aphrodite, the epitome of the female form. I’ll have a dietician come up, too, to specify your nutritional requirements.”

  “I beg your pardon. Who are you to tell me what to do with my body? I’m fine, thank you very much.”

  “You now belong to me, and you will do as I command.”

  “I belong to no one. And I’ll do as I please,” she stated firmly.

  “That may have been true before, but no longer. You need some decent clothing. I’ll send a tailor to get your measurements. Ciao, cara,” he said, as he walked toward the door.

  “How about getting me out of these things?” she asked.