Luck of the Devil (The Forge Trilogy #2)(55)

“Of course,” Indy replies, taking a sip of her coffee and then wincing when it hits her tongue. “Hell, I used to make flash cards of faces and write everything about them on the back. Details about their kids, wives, dogs, drinks, and obviously all their strengths and weaknesses at the table.”

“Play the man, not the game,” I reply as I lift my glass to my lips.

When Indy sets her coffee mug aside, I’m grateful she’s allowing it to cool, because I didn’t like seeing even that little discomfort on her face. Yep, that’s where I am. Well and truly fucked if I can’t win her back.

“Exactly. I’m not arrogant enough to think that I have this superior skill at poker that magically makes the right cards appear in front of me. If I had that, I wouldn’t need to know anything about the person across the table.”

The plane shudders briefly as it hits a patch of turbulence, and I lower my Scotch. “I know a lot of people. Try me.”

Indy tucks one leg beneath her and her teeth clamp down on the end of the pen in her hand. “Not yet. I’m going to work through this, and I’ll circle everyone I’m not familiar with. Then you can tell me what you know.”

“I’m at your disposal, Mrs. Forge.” I lean forward with the glass dangling from my fingertips. “Always.”

At least that gets me a sharp look before she dismisses me completely for the rest of the flight.





56





India





I’ve been to Prague before, but it was under much different circumstances. For starters, I didn’t arrive in a private jet that was met by a chauffeur-driven blacked-out SUV.

No, back then we struggled through the crowd after jumping off a packed train, and Mom immediately got lost because she didn’t speak Czech. Actually, she spoke English and German primarily at home, but both were shit compared to her Russian, which she only used if she was pissed.

Now it makes more sense. I don’t know why I didn’t question it as a kid. Probably because I was too busy worrying about where our next meal would come from.

Why did she run from my father? It’s a question that’s been plaguing me, but I’m not ready to ask it yet. The answer changes nothing now, and I have more important things to worry about—like the game ahead of me.

As we drive from the private airfield into the brightly lit streets of the city, the architecture is familiar. As a child, it seemed so ornate and royal to me because I didn’t know anything but a hand-to-mouth existence and was quickly learning to live by my wits.

Which is exactly what I plan to do this time too.

Forge sits in silence beside me, and I’m not sure if that’s for my benefit or his. Any trace of the easiness that existed between us before our fight is gone completely, and in its place is an awkward stiffness that I don’t know how to banish, or even if I want to.

I know if I start to let him in again, it won’t be partway. That’s not how he’s built. He’s an all-or-nothing kind of man, and quite frankly, that terrifies me. If I give him that kind of access, he’ll have the power to destroy me.

Marriage shouldn’t be a minefield, but that’s exactly what ours is.

“I secured us a penthouse at the event hotel. I thought you’d prefer convenience rather than staying somewhere more opulent.”

I glance at him on the left side of the vehicle. Goliath sits up front with Donnigan, and Koba and Bates follow behind us in a second SUV.

“Thank you. I appreciate that. I prefer to waste as little energy as possible when I play, so staying there makes my life easier.”

“If there’s anything else I can do to help you, all you have to do is ask.”

He sounds so . . . amenable, which puts me on guard. His face is cleanly shaven, and I wonder if that was for my benefit since I’ve never seen him like that before. He’s always had that swarthy piratical look about him, and I’d obviously grown too attached to it.

As I drag my attention away from things that shouldn’t matter, another question occurs to me. “What about your work and your schedule?”

“What’s the point of being CEO if you can’t have flexibility?”

It’s not exactly the nothing’s more important than you answer I was hoping for, but maybe that makes him a good CEO, as opposed to a shitty one who’s willing and eager to run from his duties.

He leans back in the seat and continues. “I’ve also delegated everything possible to free up my time to be at your disposal for this event. Whatever you need, I’ll take care of it.”

Okay, so maybe I jumped to conclusions too soon.

“You don’t need to trouble yourself. I’m here. You ensured my wardrobe will cause plenty of distraction at the table, and all I need to do is stay focused and play smart.”

“I have faith that you’ll do exactly that.”

I look away from his intense gaze and out the window. “I guess we’ll see,” I say, but my response is clipped.

The SUV slows in front of a grand-looking hotel, and Forge leans toward me. I catch a hint of his sandalwood cologne, and my body is altogether too aware of his proximity and his scent. And by too aware, I mean I like it too damned much.

I don’t know whether to trust this new version of the man I married. Until I have a better handle on it, I’m determined to protect my bruised heart.