Chapter 10
Vanessa Vargas
"Jesus Ace." He groaned when I put the 12th book on the stack he held in his arms.
"Heavy?" I laughed when I couldn't see his nose.
"A bit." He said.
"You won the games." I sighed, sighting another book that looked good.
I was never able to afford this. Buying multiple books. Buying one was a splurge for myself.
Now he held like over $180 worth of books in his arms.
"You sure you want to pay for these?" I asked.
"Paying is the least of my worries right now." He followed me around.
I began holding some myself just so he could see.
"I'm beginning to wish I lost." He chuckled.
"Your ego couldn't take it, pretty boy." I pet the cover of a textured book, admiring the shine.
He let out a low laugh, but said nothing.
I was right.
"Just one more."
"Whatever you say, mia amata."
♠️♥️♣️♦️
"Done." I walked over to where he sat, his lap containing towers of pages taller than him.
"How many?" He asked knowing I kept count.
"Precisely 43. But it'll keep me busy a while." I smiled.
"How are we gonna get these up there?" He asked.
I picked up a stack of 12.
He evened the piled of the rest on his lap, removing his dress coat, he wore a short sleeve button up underneath that hugged above his bicep, his shoulder threatening to tear the fabric as his arm flexed, he stood, carrying the books, slightly leaning back so they didn't fall forward.
Never in a moment had he seemed so attractive to me.
Veins bulging just to get the things I wanted to the counter.
The girl laughed and he set them down with a huff.
"Sorry." I laughed.
"You have the money for this is my question." She laughed, pushing up her glasses on the bridge of her nose.
She was sweet.
"He has the money for this." I pointed to Spade.
"You two are literally every girls fiction smut dream aesthetic." She laughed and my face began burning.
He chuckled, grabbing the belt loop of my pants and pulling me closer to him when all I wanted to do was go further.
"Oh-I'm sorry are you not together-"
"We are." Spade smiled.
I elbowed him and he laughed.
"$873.45." She said after scanning all the books.
He used his card.
"Hey! The cash-"
"Hush amore mio." He interrupted.
My love.
I wanted him to not use the card.
We had perfectly good cash-
"Pick up what you had." He said and I did, he carried the rest, we got outside and his driver opened the trunk.
"Be gentle, don't bend any pages or covers." I said and he set them down so carefully, making sure none of them got squished.
When the trunk shut he opened the door for me and I got in, as he did as well.
"Why'd you use your card? We had-" he put two stacks of cash into my lap.
"No that's not-!" I began yelling but his jaw ticked as he leaned over me, buckling me in, reaching back and placing a book in my lap before kissing my temple.
"Hush."
And I was silent.
♠️♥️♣️♦️
I closed the book when I knew it was about to get steamy.
I couldn't be sat by him for that. Or anyone. And I was sitting in a Casino.
"Sir?" I asked and he looked over at me, his tongue swiping over his lip ring, a subconscious act he did and I noticed far too often.
"Can I... finish the book in my..." was it a house? An apartment? My room?
"Yes, but please be down when you're done." He said and I stood, speed walking out of the casino, into the elevator up to my place.
I was currently reading The Dark King by Gina L Maxwell.
And holy fuck.
I didn't like the plot, nor did I care for it, but she was about to beg for his dick and I needed that so bad.
I groaned, jumping and screaming at the book before settling on the couch, reading the scene.
After the smut, I DNF'd.
The plot was ass... in my opinion.
Never before have I received whiplash like this from a male MC.
I quickly returned to the casino.
"Any drinks gentlemen?" I asked, my hand on the back of Spades chair.
Whiskey, white man shit, yeah yeah.
"I want to have one of those coffee ones you made me." He looked up at me and I nodded.
"I'll be back with those."
I went behind the bar, seeing Daphne.
"Hey girl!" She smiled.
I nodded back with a polite smile, having a bad vibe from her lately.
I looked at Spade and he was pressing into the piece in his ear.
"What's wrong? Are you alright?" Daphne asked.
"Yeah, I've been good." I nodded, making the drinks.
"What's the problem? Come on Ness. I know you." She touched my hand and I removed the contact out of my personal discomfort.
"Nothing, I'm seriously good, I just don't... you're the off one." I was honest.
I began the White Russian when I finished the whiskeys over ice.
She grabbed my hand, pulling me into the back, then into the freezer.
"It's cold, but there's no cameras. I worked for Spade the entire time I worked with you. I was there to spy on you." She said.
"Why?"
"Well, your mother, because you know the saying 'like mother like daughter' and he didn't trust you but... please don't tell." She whispered.
"I won't." I was honest about that.
"He likes you. A lot. That's why you get off easier than anyone who's been around him. As long as you're in his life, you get everything and that's how it's been, but I've been paid to not say anything. But I love being your friend and I have none here." She blabbered and I laughed, it sounded like a dramatic movie scene.
"Okay Daphne." I nodded.
"You don't believe me?" She asked.
"Not really." I shrugged.
"Fine. Alright." She nodded.
"I want out, it's cold." I mumbled and we walked to the door, it opened and Spade was right there, arms crossed.
He grabbed my arm, moving us so guards could take her.
They didn't hurt her, she didn't fight.
"Was she paid to do that?" I asked.
He turned me so my back was to his front as I was stuck against him.
"I've got a little surprise for you. The truths already out, what's a little more right Ace?" He whispered in my ear before letting me go, his hand keeping pressure on the back of my neck as he directed me where he wanted me to walk.
"Daphne has a big fucking mouth." He grumbled.