Charles hypnotically brings me back to the present as he dangles a necklace with a Swarovski pendant of a playing card, quite pretty.
“May I?” he asks.
I nod, unable to find words, as he gestures for me to turn around. I pivot slowly, pulling my hair up.
The warmth of the jacuzzi suddenly feels distant as his fingers brush against the nape of my neck and the cool metal chain settles against my skin. I feel a peculiar tightness in my chest as he fastens the clasp. His fingers linger a moment longer than necessary, and dread crawls up my spine.
“Perfect,” he murmurs as he steps back, admiring the necklace at my neck.
“It’s pretty,” I say hesitantly, turning to face him again. “But I can’t accept this.”
He laughs. “It’s not a gift, Sara. It’s an invitation.” His fingers touch the pendant briefly, making it glint. “For the real event.”
“The real event?” I repeat, feeling the pendant’s metaphoric burden against my skin.
“The poker party you’ve been so curious about. Your name is on the list. Is it a mistake?” He cocks his head to the side, his look sending a sudden flip through my stomach.
“Right, yes, the poker game. A friend of mine was really into playing, and it made me want—”
“Tonight is merely an introduction. We prefer to know our guests before they join us at the table.” His eyes hold mine, searching. “We form… connections. Establish trust. It’s essential.” He lowers himself into a crouch to get eye level with me. “The question is, do you know how to play?”
I touch the pendant again, the thought of what I’ve stepped into, nagging at me.
“I do, but I’m not as good as I’d like to be.” I lie, and it feels like exposing a weakness.
Charles’s smile doesn’t waver, but something shifts in his eyes with a glint of something predatory.
“I’m quite confident you’ll learn.” His voice drops to a near whisper as he leans slightly closer.
“I’ve watched you tonight, Sara. The way you observe, the way you navigate conversations. You’re calculating odds without even realizing it. I recognize a fast learner when I see one.” The certainty in his voice unnerves me.
“And who’s your friend, you mentioned?” His fingers brush against the pendant at my throat.
“His name is—”
Before I can respond, a shadow falls over us, and the air around me shifts with new tension.
“There you are babe.” The deep voice sends an electric current down my spine.
I don’t need to turn to know who it belongs to, but I do anyway, my heart hammering in my ribs. Liam stands at the edge of the jacuzzi area. His face is a mask of composure, but I see the storm in his eyes and fixed on Charles with an intensity that makes me shiver.
He looks devastatingly handsome in dark jeans and a fitted black button-down with the sleeves of his leather jacket rolled up, revealing intricate tattoos wrapping around his forearms, and a bullet vest?What the fuck.
Charles straightens slowly, taking a step back from me, and extends his hand toward Liam. It seems he’s not fearful, but he hesitates for a fraction of a second before completing the gesture.
“I’m Charles, nice to meet you…?”
Liam watches him intently but does not engage, something in his eyes flickering when the boat alarm blares and makes me jump.
“Will you excuse me,” Charles mutters and rushes off to see what is going on.
I watch him disappear into the crowd as the alarm continues. The sound pierces through the ambient music, creating tension among the guests, who remain elegantly unfazed. I reach down for my purse, slinging it over my shoulder while crew members in crisp uniforms appear on the deck.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a crew member announces. “We need everyone to make it off the boat. This is a precautionary measure and concludes our evening.”
People around me abandon their drinks and conversations with fake goodbyes and see-you-soon. I start to follow suit, myfeet still damp from the jacuzzi, when Liam’s hand closes firmly around my wrist, his eyes boring into mine with an intensity that roots me to the spot.
He is positively, undeniably furious with me.
