Never Look Back
An
Enemies-to-Lovers, Close-Proximity, Second-Chance Romance from A.L. Jackson
Coming August 29th
Tension bound
the room, and few words had been said, everyone’s attention rapt on the duel
going down.
Jarek tried to
keep his expression neutral, the pompous prick with his slicked back black hair
and his careless confidence that had been given to him through his name rather
than earned.
Like he was
confident I would let him reach out and take what was mine.
Not ever again.
Even with the
pungent arrogance, I saw the tick of his jaw, the flinch of his eyes, the sheen
of sweat that hinted at the edges of his brow and glimmered beneath the dull
lights from the chandelier that hung from above.
He glanced at
his dwindling chips.
“Your
father-in-law would be proud. If only he could see you now.” I couldn’t help
but taunt it as I rocked back in my chair. I did my best to ignore the presence
that hovered over him from behind.
A presence that
fanned out and teased me like a sinful, decadent dream. A dream that had once
been so beautiful it’d coerced me into believing there just might be something
better in this life than depravity and greed.
I glanced up in
time to catch the worry that riddled those fire-agate eyes. The golden green
with flecks of red that were begging for something she didn’t deserve to be
given.
Mercy.
I tore my
attention from the lure of hers and watched as redness clawed at Jarek’s throat
before he started to push in the chips to meet the bet.
Aster gripped
him by the shoulder. “Jarek, don’t do this.”
I had to wonder
exactly what he had riding on the line. Why he was there. Why I could feel the
chinks in his armor coming apart.
Flinging off her
hand, he cut her a hard glare.
“Don’t,” he
warned.
The word was
coated with his humiliation. With desperation.
Ah.
There was the
chink.
Weakness wept
through the powerful persona.
Reluctantly, Aster
withdrew her hand, and her delicate throat trembled as she swallowed. She
lifted that stoic chin that I’d caressed more times than I could count.
Okay, fine.
That was a
goddamn lie because I remembered every fucking touch. Every glance. Every
broken promise she had made.
Jarek met my
stare as he pushed nearly the rest of his chips into the pot, raising me by a
thousand.
I raised him
another ten.
How far are
you going to go, asshole? Whatever you have, it’s mine.
A soft sound of
pain wheezed from Aster’s chest. A heave of distressed air.
My gaze followed
to where the black dress she wore dipped low between her tits. My heart fisted
when I saw what she wore around her neck. It was a star-shaped necklace,
dangling down to kiss her cleavage.
I nearly
cracked. Lost the control I was holding onto.
It had to be a
joke.
A taunt.
A fucking cruel,
sick twisted one, the girl coming down here and parading it like a slap to my
face.
It made my teeth
clench and the fury I was barely constraining flashfire through my veins.
I tore my
attention from her when Jarek spat, “Fuck,” under his breath.
He still
clutched his cards, refusing to give up the fight.
Haille laughed,
the sadistic fucker enjoying this far too much. He looked at Jarek. How the
hell he knew him, I didn’t have a clue, but I didn’t believe in a coincidence
quite this big. He pulled his cigar from his mouth and jabbed it Jarek’s
direction. “It seems you’re in a small predicament, Mr. Urso. Are you already
going to walk? And here I thought you were going to bring something interesting
to the table.”
Jarek all but
growled, and Aster’s gaze darted between the three of us. Nerves flew from her
soft, caramel flesh. That face carved of perfect lines and smooth skin tightened
in dread.
He’d brought
something interesting to the table, all right.
“Just cut your
losses, Jarek.” She begged it quietly, but I heard the strength behind it.
Jarek roughed
his hand down his pompous face, and he turned to look at the necklace around
Aster’s neck as if it could be a solution to his issues.
Aster gasped,
and her hand came up to protect it. Tears sprang to her eyes. She took a small
step back. “No,” she wheezed, like it would physically pain her to remove it.
I wanted to jump
to my feet.
Take hold of her
and demand answers.
Demand to know why.
Why had
she done it if she could stand there and look like there was a piece of her
that was broken.
Anger and
confusion had me in a stranglehold.
Old grief I’d
buried deep that was clawing to the surface.
“Give it to me,”
Jarek grated.
“No.” My voice
cut through the dense air.
A roll of
thunder.
The tolling of a
challenge.
Aster froze. Her
stare landed on me.
It was pain.
A plea.
Desperation.
It only made the
sickness thrum harder.
I looked to
Jarek.
“The girl.”
The stake came
out without thought to repercussions.
Without
rationale.
No sense.
Just revenge.
I wanted what
never should have been his.
A gasp rocked
from her, and she stumbled back farther.
Jarek’s eyes
sharpened to blades, and there was no question he wanted to reach over the
table and choke the life from me.
My fingers
itched.
I hoped he
tried.
I gave nothing.
No smile. No sneer. Just the quiet hatred that emanated from within. The fact I
intended to take everything from him.
I’d known one
day I would. I just hadn’t anticipated the opportunity would present itself so
soon.
He blinked then
jutted his chin at the dealer for the exotic chip.
The one that
signified he would hazard my proposition.
It wasn’t rare.
A bid made for a beach home. A family heirloom. Something that couldn’t be
replaced. Here, fortunes were won and lost.
“What are you
doing? I am not for sale.” Aster’s voice was aghast. Horrified and filled with
disgust.
“He’s bluffing,
Aster.” Jarek tossed in the chip.
It was the first
time I let myself fully look at her. To sit back and take her in like she was mine
to take. Sickened terror ridged her gorgeous face because I was pretty sure
she knew this wasn’t close to a bluff.
I couldn’t do
anything but crack a grin. “It seems you are tonight.”
Then I laid down
my cards.
A straight flush.
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"My heart in my throat for most
of the book and she just did NOT disappoint! At all!"
— The Masque Reader
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