Page 135 of The Bluffing Game

“We’re not in the land of the poor anymore, Rosie.”

“Do you think we made the right decision?” she asks me, and I can hear the doubt in her voice.

It was a huge risk, moving here, using almost our entire savings to put down a deposit for a studio rental and this rental car.

“I think we made the right decision.”

The GPS tells me we are five minutes away from our final destination, and I can’t wait. As I drive, I notice a cute bar called Kettle King, and I swerve into the parking lot. A few sports cars are parked there, sparkling like diamonds. All of them costing more money than I can count in a day, and the facade of the bar screams selective, rich, and fun.

“What are you doing, Sage?” Rosie peers over at me in surprise, her warm brown eyes surveying me cautiously. “We’re not moving into a place above a bar, are we?” She sounds nervous. “I like hanging out, but when I’m done for the night, I want peace and quiet.”

“No, goof. Of course we’re not moving above a bar, but I thought we’d grab a quick drink to celebrate our new move. The first official night of the rest of our lives.”

“The good life,” she sings loudly as we exit the vehicle.

A Mercedes sedan pulls in next to us, and two tall men wearing suits and dark expressions exit the vehicle. They don’t even look at us as they make their way to the entrance, and yet I’m mesmerized by the way they carry themselves … with the cool, calm, collected air that wealth affords men. Rosie and I walk slowly behind them, and I think the entire moment will pass with them not even realizing we’re there, but then the taller of the men suddenly turns, looks me right in the eyes, stares at me for a maximum of three seconds, and then heads into the bar. No smile. No word. No nothing. And yet my heart can’t stop pounding. The look was nothing to him, but to me, it felt like he was looking into my soul. I’ve never seen a man quite so handsome. So intimidating. So feral. Not that he’d make an easy mark though. I need a man to be putty in my hands. And that stranger was very unlikely to succumb to my charms.

“Come on. Let me buy you a drink.” I hurry toward the entrance, more than ready to see what the Kettle King is all about. I stop by the door, waiting for Rosie to catch up, and I’m surprised when it swings open from the inside. “Oh.” The sound is almost a whisper as I look up into the eyes of the man from the parking lot. They’re the most striking gray-blue I’ve ever seen. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. I haven’t even taken you on a date,” he responds smoothly, though he doesn’t even smile.

“I don’t have to go on a date with you to be polite.”

“Though you do wish to go on a date with me?”

“Huh?” I blink in confusion as Rosie finally catches up and we head inside. “Thank you for opening the door.”

“You already thanked me.” His eyes are teasing as he glances at me and then at Rosie. “New in town?”

“Why do you ask?” I’m taken aback yet again. Who is this man?

“I’ve never seen you here before.” He lightly taps his foot in time to the music in the background. I wonder if he even realizes he’s doing it.

“You never get new people here?” I cock my head to the side and smile. “At a bar?”

“We don’t.” He shakes his head, and his lips curl a smidgen before he takes a step back. “But welcome.”

“I can’t say you sound particularly welcoming.” I shrug as I take a step farther into the bar and look around.

It’s full of a lot of men. Wealthy-looking men. There’s a woman, holding a beer in her hand, staring at us, and I can tell from her expression that she’s bemused.

“I opened the door for you. Wasn’t that welcoming enough?”

“Not really.” I shake my head and try to internally displace the feeling of oddness that has crept inside of me. “But I suppose you can make it up to me?” I gravitate back to my normal flirting. Not because I want him, but because I hate feeling so unnerved.

“And how would I do that?”

“A drink for my sister and me?”

“Your sister?” He looks over at Rosie and offers her his hand, like he’s some sort of gentleman. I don’t even know the man, and I know he’s not one.

“Hi, I’m Rosie. Nice to meet you.” Rosie’s practically beaming, and he smirks as he looks back at me, like he’s won a game I didn’t even know we were playing.

“Nice to meet you as well. Have a seat, ladies. Your drinks are on me.” He nods his head in a bow and walks away while Rosie and I head over to a booth.

“He’s cute.” Rosie leans forward and whispers in my ear, “Like Adonis cute.”

“He’s okay,” I say, but I can’t stop myself from watching him as he whispers something to the bartender, who looks back over at us and nods.