And then she enters the room, sucking up all the oxygen just with her presence, so beautiful it fucking hurts to look at her. Shep starts laughing hysterically and I move closer to him so I can hit the back of his head.

“Ow.” He rubs his head, sending me a glare but I ignore him.

I’m so pissed, so freaking ruined over who I have to fuck in order to win this stupid bet, I’m certain I’m gonna fail.

What are my odds now?

The room is cavernous, full of gaming tables though most of them are empty. The place is pretty dead for a Friday night.

“Not very busy,” Steven says, as if he read my mind.

“Well, that means you have your pick of what to play,” I tell him with a smile, glancing around the room, my gaze snagging—and stopping—on Shep Prescott.

He’s grinning at me like I’m the best thing he’s seen in days.

I wave at him and he rises to his feet, striding toward me and greeting me like a long lost friend.

“Alex.” He pulls me into an enthusiastic hug, pressing me so close I can feel the hard, muscular wall of his chest. If Jade saw this hug she might want to scratch my eyes out. “So good to see you. Glad you’re here at our humble little business,” he says when he pulls away from me. He turns his friendly smile onto Steven while I stand there in semi-shock. Shep runs the gambling house? I had no idea. “Who’s your friend?”

I introduce them and they shake hands, Shep looking at me yet again and shaking his head, the grin permanently etched into his face. “You are the last person I expected to see tonight.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“Oh, it’s an interesting thing. Let’s put it that way.” His eyes sparkle and he slaps Steven on the back, almost knocking him forward. “You here to play?”

“Definitely,” Steven says firmly, reaching for his wallet. Shep puts out a hand, stalling him.

“Don’t bust out the money yet. Keep your cool,” he advises, his voice low. “What are you in the mood for tonight?”

“Poker.”

Shep turns his attention on me. “Alex. You want something to drink?”

I nod, my gaze meeting Steven’s. “You want something?”

“A beer would be good. Thanks,” Steven says, already eyeing the poker table nearby. “I’ll be over there,” he says with a nod as he heads for the table.

Huh. I watch him go, my gaze meeting Shep’s, who’s still watching me like he’s in on some joke and I missed the punch line. “You two are seeing each other?”

“This is our first date.”

“Ah.” He nods. “I’ve seen him in here before. He always loses his ass. Every single time.”

Of course. Most everyone who walks into this place does, I’m sure. “So this is yours?”

“Well, mine along with my partners.”

“Who are your partners?” I’m almost afraid to ask.

“Your boy is in trouble tonight. My dealer’s on fire,” Shep says, changing the subject.

Hmm.

“Go easy on him,” I say softly.

“Not up to me.” He flicks his head toward the dealer who’s taking Steven’s one hundred dollar bill and cashing it in for chips. “Want me to grab you that drink? What do you prefer?”

“Please. Um, two beers. Whatever you’ve got.”

“One for you and your friend?” Shep raises his brows.

“Yeah,” I say slowly. Shep is actually wiggling his brows now, like some sort of demented cartoon character. “What is your deal anyway?”

“Tonight’s been pretty fucking funny.” He twists his mouth into a wry smile. “Sorry.”

Oo-kay. “No biggie.” I wave a hand. “Why’s it so funny?”

“Just weird stuff happening. I’ll go get your beers. Be right back.” He leaves before I can say anything else. I watch him go, shaking my head.

Guys are so strange. Shep was acting odd. I hope he’s not doing anything he shouldn’t be. I don’t want to know if he’s like, possibly cheating on Jade? They seemed so into each other at the Halloween party but hell, I don’t really know him.

I don’t know anyone here. Not Shep, not Steven, not Jade or Lucy or Gabe. Kelli is the only person I’m close to and she’s not here tonight. She went out with the rest of the girls—they invited me but I already agreed to go out with Steven so I had to pass.

Sort of a bummer I couldn’t go. It would’ve been nice, getting to know them better.

Deciding I need to use the restroom before I crack open a beer, I head down the darkened hall, spotting a sliver of light shining from beneath a closed door. I lift my hand, about to knock to see if anyone’s inside when I feel a big, warm hand clasp my shoulder. A shriek escapes me and I whirl around to find none other than Tristan in front of me, his gaze dark, standing so close to me I can hear him breathe.

“Alexandria,” he drawls like the arrogant bastard that he is. “What are you doing here?”

My heart is beating so hard I swear he can probably see it pounding beneath my sweater. “I could say the same to you.” I sound breathless and God, I hate that. He doesn’t make me breathless.

So why am I excited to see him? Because I am. I so am and there is no way I can admit that because he’ll just become even more arrogant, to the point of insufferable.

Fine. He’s already insufferable. I was just being nice.

He grins and moves closer, leaving me no choice but to back up until my butt hits the wall. “I own this place.” He pauses, tilting his head toward me. “And don’t try and tell me you didn’t know that.”

“I didn’t know it,” I immediately say. No wonder Shep didn’t want to tell me who his partners were.

“This is Gabe’s house. The three of us, we’re partners.” He props his hand on the wall, right beside my head, drawing himself even closer. “What are you doing here, Alexandria?”

I make a face. “Only my grandmother calls me Alexandria.” It’s true. She’s been dead for ten years but seriously. No one calls me by my full name unless I’m at an appointment or it’s the first day of class.

“I refuse to call you Alex.” He touches my chin, slips his finger beneath it and forces me to look up and meet his gaze. “How about Ali?”

My skin tingles where he touches me. The nickname is cute. Much more feminine. I refuse to let him call me something intimate and sweet. I’ll find more meaning in it than there really is and who wants that?

“I need to go find my date,” I tell him.

His smile is all knowing as he leans in close, his mouth right at my ear. “I guarantee he doesn’t even know you’re gone. That asshole doesn’t appreciate you and you know it.”

“Right, like you appreciate me?” I raise my hand to stop him, fingers splayed, palm flat against his chest. His heart is racing, I can feel it go boom, boom, boom against my hand and as if I have no control over my fingers I curl them into the fabric of his shirt. Pulling him closer…

“You know you want the big D,” he whispers as he tilts his head, his mouth just above mine. “Just give in to your urges, baby. I’ll be whatever you need.”

His words are like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head, snapping me out of the Tristan-induced haze I was falling under. I release his shirt and give him a shove, then duck underneath his arm so I can get away from him as fast as possible. “Stay away from me,” I demand as I start to leave.

Tristan grabs hold of my arm, swinging me around so I face him once more. “Where the hell are you going?”

I jerk out of his hold, rubbing my arm where he touched me. It’s like his fingers imprint themselves on my skin. “Do you really think you can win me over by telling me I want the big D?” I’m yelling but I don’t care. Let everyone hear me. He’s the ass who said it not me. “Despite what every other female tells you, I’m not interested in your dick, Tristan.”