Page 20 of When He Plays

Two cards remained concealed.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Carmichael exploded. Patience had never been his strength. “Either you have something else great or you’re out. Flip over the cards, man!”

Harper leaned forward, trying to see. The heiress to a one of the world’s biggest hotel chains had no business swimming with sharks that night. Logan had invited her brother. He’d been the anticipated guest. Only Harper had shown up instead.

Oh, well. He’d deal with that problem, later.

For now…

Ares flipped over his fourth card. Ten of Clubs.

Pierre laughed.

The fifth card…Ten of Diamonds.

Pierre stopped laughing.

“Damn.” Carmichael reached over and slapped Pierre on his shoulder. Hard. “That’s a full house. That beats your straight. Sure hope you made some good memories in that villa because it is gone.”

Pierre’s face flushed dark red.

Ares quirked a brow at Logan. “Guess it’s just down to us.”

It had always been down to them. He’d known exactly what hand Pierre would reveal.

“This night turned out to be surprisingly interesting,” Freya declared. “Logan, you always provide me with the very best entertainment.”

“Glad to be of service.”

She chuckled.

Meanwhile, Charlotte barely seemed to be breathing.

Her fear needed to stop. The others would be able to practically smell it. Well, not Harper. But everyone else would detect her fear the way a shark could pick up blood in the water.

They are predators straight to their core.

And a CIA operative should have shown better control.

He brushed back a lock of her hair, tucking it behind her ear.

Her head swung toward him. Their gazes collided.

He winked at her.

Charlotte’s lips parted. “You…”

“Flip over the cards for me, sweetheart. One at a time. Nice and slow, if you please.” It would be far more fun that way.

Also, he really liked having her in his lap. A mental note for later.

Her hand reached out. He caught the faint quiver in her fingers. Was that real? Or for show?

She started on the left, as he’d suspected she would. The first card she flipped over…

Ten of Hearts.

No one spoke.