Page 2 of Ripping the Odds

“Tell me, why do you want to work at The Four Kings?”

The interview went on for over an hour, much longer than the previous three. She was clearly nervous, but instead of cowering, she pushed through her obvious discomfort to answer each of my questions thoroughly and honestly. Even Kas appeared impressed, which spoke volumes. Ms. Turner was exactly what I was looking for in an assistant. Only one final question stood between her and being hired.

“I see that you were at your last position for barely two weeks. Would you mind explaining?”

She drew in a deep breath and folded her hands in her lap. I watched for any signs of deception as she answered.

“My previous employer liked to touch without permission.”

Surprisingly, it was Kas who growled, “What’s his name?”

“Excuse me?”

“Ignore him. I think we have what we need. Thank you, Ms. Turner. We’ll be in touch.”

While my second-in-command showed her to the lobby, I paced the floor. The decision was easy, my attraction to her was the only thing holding me back. Would I be able to brush it aside? Did I want to? Mixing business with pleasure wasn’t smart. Hell, it'd been years since I’d taken a woman to my bed. They called me the King of Spades for a reason. I was cool under pressure, always a step ahead of my opponents. Some might go so far as to say I was emotionally detached. But the truth was, in our world, if you trusted the wrong person you could end up six feet under. While a quick entanglement would satisfy my needs temporarily, my right hand was just as capable and a helluva lot safer.

Kas returned with Mak and Dimi in tow. They each made a quick drink at the mini bar and took their usual places. Mak sprawled out on the sofa recently vacated by Pru. Dimi and I relaxed in matching wingbacks, while Kas leaned against the bar, twirling a poker chip between his fingers.

“I’ll have the agency send another candidate,” Kas stated, taking a sip of Stoli.

“You’ll do no such thing.”

All three burst out laughing at my quick response, but it was Mak who asked, “Did the King of Spades lose his head over a woman?”

My cold, dead heart began to beat again the second I laid eyes on her. But he was wrong. She wasn’t just a woman.

She was my motherfucking queen.

Chapter 1

A Trade

Prudence

Six months later

Present Day

I’d known for a while my boss and his three best friends were more than simple business owners. Rumors about him being the head of a powerful Russian Bratva family weren’t just back-alley chatter being spread to gain loyalty through fear. Unfortunately for me, I discovered his truths too late to protect my heart.

Zak often burned the midnight oil, and as his assistant, it was my job to—well—assist, so leaving The Four Kings after dark was not an unusual occurrence. He’d commented on more than one occasion that he could have one of his men follow me home.

I should’ve agreed.

Getting out of my car at my apartment complex, I clicked the lock on my key fob to set the anti-theft system. Within seconds, a sickeningly sweet cloth was pressed over my mouth. Struggling was futile. Whoever had me in their grip wasn’t about to relinquish, and it didn’t take long before whatever drug I’d been forced to inhale did its job. Darkness swept over my vision within moments.

I had no clue how long I was out, but when I came to, my arms were stretched high above my head and my shoulders screamed in agony from holding my weight. My body swayed from left to right as I tried to get my feet underneath me, hoping to relieve the burn. But it was no use. The tip of my bare toes only skimmed the floor.

A faint chuckle sounded in front of me. That’s when I realized I wasn’t alone.

“Ahh, you’re awake,” a male voice said. His Russian accent was easily recognizable.

“Who are you? What do you want from me?” The words flew from my lips.

“Who I am is none of your concern. As for what I want… Well, let’s just say you chose the wrong employer, Ms. Turner.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”