At His Desire: The Billionaire's Beck and Call, Part 7 (3 page)

Apparently
if there’s one thing rich men love more than drinking, it’s gambling grotesque
amounts of money. All of the most important people would be there, and I was to
be on the boss’ arm, at least for a hand or two. Then, I could make my escape,
and wait for him under the covers.

Mr.
Drake was already in his tux when I emerged from the bathroom in my short,
black cocktail dress. He gave the lock charm on my choker a gentle tug, and
kissed me.

“Aren’t
you going to wish me luck?”

“Do
you need it?” I raised an eyebrow at him, and grinned.

We
walked arm in arm to a private room in the back of the casino that looked like
something out of a spy movie. Lex Smith sat at the table sharing a laugh with a
pasty older man over some off-color joke. I hesitated, but Mr. Drake urged me
toward the table. I took my seat next to him, but kept my eyes averted. The
last thing I wanted was to do was gain Lex’s attention again.

Wives
and girlfriends came in, chatting together as the cards were dealt, some hanging
back at the bar, and a couple joining in on the wagering.

I
was only half paying attention when Mr. Drake slid a small pile of chips
forward.

“I’ll
raise you to twenty five.”

Lex
was one of the two who hadn’t folded yet. His eyes bored into Mr. Drake’s as
they stared one another down. Mr. Drake leaned back, and traced his bottom lip
casually with one finger, looking as cool as ice.

“Do
you call?”

“Come
on, Lex. You can’t let him beat you in the first hand,” the fat man next to him
said. He laughed, the sound ending with a guttural hack.

Lex
shot him a dark look before pushing his own chips forward. “Fine. I’ll call.”

The
other man folded, shaking his head.

“Show
them,” Lex said, leaning in.

Mr.
Drake laid down his hand. Three of a kind. Kings. Lex swore under his breath.
He only had a pair of nines.

While
the dealer shuffled, I leaned over and whispered in Mr. Drake’s ear. “Why was
he so mad about losing twenty five dollars?”

“Twenty
five thousand, Isa. The ante’s ten thousand per hand.”

He
grinned wickedly at me as the blood drained out of my face.

“Oh,”
I said, my voice no more than a squeak.

Everyone
ante’d up again, and all of a sudden, I felt rather faint. I squeezed Mr.
Drake’s arm and left his side, moving toward the bar with the other women.
After a stiff shot of whiskey, one of the wives put her hand on mine.

“First
time?”

I
nodded, giving her a shaky smile.

“You’ll
get used to it. Henry usually loses, but it’s never too bad. Usually no more
than two hundred thousand. Try not to worry.”

I
nodded again, lips shut tight, trying not to let my jaw drop to the floor.

“Besides,
honey,” she said. “Chase usually cleans everyone out, anyway.”

***

After
a few more hands, I felt like I’d stayed long enough, and worked my way back
around to Mr. Drake’s side. I whispered to him that I was heading upstairs and
he smiled and nodded.

“I’m
going to take this last hand from Lex, and I’ll be up soon,” he said.

“Sounds
good.”

I
looked up and saw Lex watching us, an inscrutable look in his eyes that made me
nervous. I excused myself, and worked my way toward the elevator bank. All of
the day’s drinking was catching up with me, and I concentrated hard on not
falling off my high heels as I walked. When I reached the elevators, I rested
my head against the cool marble above the buttons as I waited.

It
seemed to take forever, but then I realized I hadn’t pressed the button after
all.
Maybe I’m more tipsy than I thought
. Truthfully, my head was
starting to spin. That last shot definitely wasn’t my best decision.

“Are
you okay, Isabeau?”

I
turned around just as the elevator chimed, the doors rolling open. Lex stood
behind me, his brow furrowed.

“M’
good,” I said. “Going to bed.”

I
stumbled over the threshold of the elevator, catching myself against the back
wall. I could feel the blush creeping up my neck as Lex followed me in.

“Let
me make sure you get to your room in one piece. You look a little worse for
wear.”

I
tried to protest, but he put his arm around me to steady me and hit the button
for the top floor.

“No
arguments. How much have you had to drink anyway?”

I
noticed he seemed rock solid for someone who’d been keeping up with the
investors all day, cocktail for cocktail. Then again, he probably did this a
lot.

“Too
much,” I said, putting my hand to my forehead. The world was starting to move
around me in a very unpleasant fashion. I was definitely going to pay for this
in the morning.

“You
should be more careful,” he said.

I
stared up at him, wondering exactly why he still had his arm around me, and
tried to shy away.

“Don’t
worry, Isabeau. I’ll take good care of you.”

We
made it to the top floor, and he helped me out, then walked me in silence to
the door of the penthouse at the end of the hall, watching with mocking eyes as
I fumbled in my clutch for the key card.

When
I finally had it, he snatched it out of my hand.

“Let
me help you get into bed,” he said, his black eyes flashing. “You’re in no
condition to take care of yourself.”

Something
about the way he was eyeing me reminded me of a fox hunting a rabbit, but he
swam in my vision, and I looked away.

“I
don’t think so, Mr. Smith. I’ll take it from here.”

I
tried to pry my card out of his hand, but he held it out of reach, making me
move closer.

“Is
that any way to thank me for helping you?” He made a tsking sound. “That’s not
very polite.”

“C’mon,
Lex. Don’t mess with me,” I said. My head was pounding, and I just wanted to
lie down more than anything. “Thank you, okay?”

He
put his finger to his chin, feigning deep thought. “I’m not sure if that’s good
enough. How about a goodnight kiss for your hero?”

Somewhere
down the hall, I heard the elevator ping.

“What?
No!”

I
reached for the key, but he caught my wrist, pulling me close. Panic welled up
inside of me as I struggled to free myself. I didn’t want to hurt one of Mr.
Drake’s business associates, but so help me, I would knee him in the balls if I
had to. He leaned down, and I cocked my knee back to take aim. I wobbled on my
one leg, and that’s when Lex grabbed me. He pulled me to him and kissed me hard
on the mouth, forcing his tongue past my lips.

For
a moment, I was in total shock, but then my knee began it’s upward journey. I
missed, my knee hitting nothing but tuxedo jacket.
Fuck!

“Lex.”

The
sound of Mr. Drake’s voice sent a jolt of relief through me as Lex finally
removed his lips from mine.

“Just
what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Mr. Drake stood a couple of feet
away, staring at us in a way that made the relief fade as quickly as it had
come. His mouth was open in a snarl, his eyes full of rage.

“Sorry
you had to see that, Chase,” Lex said, still holding me tight. “We thought
you’d be longer.”

I
looked from Mr. Drake’s eyes to Lex’s and my heart sank. Just when I’d
discovered why I was so special to him, why he was able to trust me, Lex Smith
was trying to snatch it all away.

Chase
Drake took a step forward and pointed at his partner, his finger stabbing the
air.

“Let.
Her.
Go.
”

“Please,
Mr. Drake. It’s not what it looks like!”

My
eyes begged him to understand, to hear me out, as Lex finally let me free from
his grasp. But the look he returned told me everything I needed to know.

I’d
blown it with the only man I’d ever loved.

***

To Be
Continued…

The next installment of “The Billionaire’s
Beck and Call” Series by Delilah Fawkes is coming soon!

***

Don’t miss the other parts of this sizzling
series, available now!

 
At His Service: The Billionaire’s Beck and
Call, Part 1

Isabeau
Willcox is just the temp at the front desk, so when the mysterious, sexy and
notoriously ill-tempered CEO, Chase Drake asks her to be his executive
assistant, she's sure there's been some sort of mistake. However, Mr. Drake
wants her, and Mr. Drake always gets what he wants.

When she
enters his employ, she agrees to be at his beck and call, to be his, but what
exactly does that entail? When he punishes her for breaking his rules by
bending her over his desk, she realizes she may be in for more than she
bargained for.

At
His Mercy: The Billionaire’s Beck and Call, Part 2

When dashing
billionaire, Chase Drake, tells his assistant he won't lose control again and
punish her, she's determined to prove him wrong. But he remains true to his
word, frustrating her and making her wonder if the connection they had was all
in her head.

After she misses
the bus home, he offers to drive her, but a simple ride soon turns into an
evening of wining and dining that culminates on her spending the night in his
guest room.
 

When she hears him
up in the middle of the night, her curiosity gets the best of her and she spies
on him. Mr. Drake is hiding something, and discovering what it is may just
result in the night of her life.

At
His Command: The Billionaire’s Beck and Call, Part 3

Isabeau Willcox
feels like she's living in a dream. Brooding billionaire Chase Drake wants her,
and what's more, he wants to show her his world, his darker side that includes
a secret sex dungeon and deliciously naughty toys that spark her imagination
and make her knees weak.

When he shackles her and makes her his slave,
she's brought to heights she never imagined. But when he asks to make their
arrangement more permanent, she remembers how quickly he's dismissed previous
assistants.
 

Will he tire of her
and drop her like all the rest? Or is this the love she's been waiting for?

At
His Insistence: The Billionaire’s Beck and Call, Part
4

When Isabeau
reveals to Mr. Drake that she's not ready to be his slave, he refuses to share
his bed with her, giving her time to think about what she really wants. Will
she let fear get in the way of the best thing that's ever happened to her?

When she decides to
take a leap of faith, he's one step ahead of her, sending a car to bring her to
him as his date to an extravagant party, with one thing in mind: punishing her
for her lack of trust in a way that will make her squirm.
 

Will Isabeau succumb
to fear, or will she finally give Mr. Drake the control he desires?

At
His Instruction: The Billionaire’s Beck and Call, Part
5

Isabeau finally
spends the night in the bed of her mysterious boss, Mr. Drake, and wakes, ready
to begin her slave training at the office. When the bondage gear comes out,
she's ready and willing to have him show her the ropes.

But when a stranger
bursts into Mr. Drake's office, she's naked beneath the desk, trapped, and
forced to hear things she shouldn't. When trust is broken, can the relationship
survive?

At
His Word: The Billionaire’s Beck and Call, Part 6

When Isabeau hears
Mr. Drake's side of the story, she has two choices: to take him at his word, or
walk out of his life. She chooses to trust him and accompanies him to a dinner
party at his mother's house, only to have more secrets about Drake's mysterious
past whispered in her ear by his handsome business partner, Alexander Smith.
 

Can she give
herself fully to a man she's not sure can trust with her heart? Or should she
believe him when he says she's different from all the rest?

***

About the Author

A former kindergarten teacher, turned raunchy smut
slinger, Delilah Fawkes delights in bringing you only the naughtiest of stories
for your reading pleasure.