Page 53 of Double or Nothing

It’s so tempting to fill the void and just spill the truth of it. Blurt it out and be done with it. But Jack seems to read me on that as well. He holds up a finger, smiling bright.

“Don’t disturb the game of Cluedo, please. I’m in the flow.”

“That’s what this is to you, is it? A game?” I get another stab in the guts. “It doesn’t feel like one from where I’m sitting.”

Jack’s smile doesn’t waver, neither does his nonchalance.

“Life itself is a game, Soul Girl. If more people realised it, the world would be much more chilled.” He raises his brows. “Much more fun. Like last night was.”

“I doubt Bryce is feeling the fun of it right now, somehow.”

“No, probably not. But he’ll remember pretty damn soon. Once he realises the whole entire universe isn’t collapsing around him, and his dick gets hard again.” Jack pauses. “Like I said earlier. He’ll be back.”

“I’ll be twenty grand richer when he isn’t. The clock’s ticking fast.”

Jack laughs. “You’d far rather paint me a masterpiece than bank twenty grand and win that bet.”

If only Jack knew the truth. I’d paint three hundred canvases straight and thank my lucky stars if Bryce were to walk back through the door right now.

But somehow I suspect Jack does know the truth about that. He nods, just a touch, his smile still intoxicating.

“Time for a fresh cup of coffee,” he says, and gets to his feet. “Stay right there, Soul Girl, and I’ll get you a refill.”

He squeezes my knee when he passes on the way to the kitchen. His grin is one of his suave, dirty ones. Even now, in this state, it still gives me goosebumps.

“Coffee isn’t the only thing on offer, of course. I have plenty of other refills on the menu.” He winks. “I suspect you’ll be out of action until Bryce is set to join in though, so we’ll stick with the Cluedo for now.”

“Wow. Thanks for letting me in on the menu choices.”

“You’re welcome. Can’t wait for another round of cheffing when BT gets his ass back over here.”

Fucking hell. Jack’s ego is stoked to the heavens, it’s so powerful. But so warranted. The guy is a mind-reading God, with a body worthy of being sculpted in bronze. I’d be taking a top up of everything he had on offer, if it weren’t for the crushing pang of loss in my chest.

I only wish I shared even a scrap of Jack’s optimism at the outcome.

I’m sure it will be a long fucking game of Cluedo before Bryce ever shows his face around me again.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

JACK

Ishould have ended this game of Cluedo before it ever started. Why the hell I give a toss about the circumstances of this pair of lovebirds is beyond me. Well, besides the obvious. The filth fest last night was off the charts, but Alice is right. Emotional baggage really isn’t my bag.

I could tell her something’s come up and turf her out to fight her internal demons. But, bizarrely, I don’t want to.

As the coffee machine works its magic, I shoot a glance her way, and I feel sorry for her. I actually feel sorry for her. She’s so hung up on her past failures that her vision is completely shafted.

It’s always great to be the voyeur staring in. Things are so much more obvious when you’re on the outside of the drama. I don’t know why people get so chewed up by this thing called love that they can’t see what’s blatantly in front of them. It’s obvious what’s going down in that sorry setup.

It only reinforces my stance on life. Love can go fuck itself. It’s too much aggro. It’s only the fucking I’m interested in, period.

Except I get another one of those gut lurches when I present Soul Girl with a fresh mug of coffee. She’s been crying again, I can see the tracks down her cheeks. I teeter on the edge of pulling her in for a bloody hug and consoling her, but catch myself before I go that far. Instead, I flash her a joker smirk.

“You’re going to feel like such a tit when he comes back later.”

She shakes her head.

“You’re going to feel like such a tit when he doesn’t come back later, and you owe me twenty grand.”