Sorin didn’t miss the female’s pleased reaction as his chips were swept away. “I assume that answers your question about the integrity of my House.”
She turned a frosty look on him. “Not especially. After all, what have you actually lost here? You’ve only transferred Ebarron’s treasure from one pocket to the other.”
He grunted. “True enough, but losing at anything isn’t something I enjoy. I’m not in the habit of giving up what’s mine.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“Have you. From whom?” Damn, the woman was practically hostile toward him now. “Do you know me? I asked your name earlier, but you didn’t tell me.”
When she stood in stony silence, Korda answered for her. “Told me her name’s Asha.”
“Asha,” Sorin said, testing it on his tongue. “Asha, what? And where are you from?”
She swallowed, but her dark blue eyes were locked on him in defiance. “Asha…Messenger,” she said, her reply too measured to be truthful. She licked her lips. “I came here from New York.”
Sorin studied her. They most certainly had never met, and untrue or not, there was something vaguely familiar about her name.
Although she was withholding something more than that from him and he knew it. As a gambling man, he watched for tells and he easily recognized when someone was keeping their cards close to their chest.
And Asha Messenger from New York had a chest he very much wanted to explore.
He wanted to discover all of her tells, explore every last creamy inch of her. In scorchingly intimate detail.
Which meant it was time to get rid of Korda Marakel.
Sorin glanced at the croupier and gave a subtle nod of his head, an unspoken command that sent the roulette wheel spinning. As the ball was let loose, Sorin leaned around Asha to look at the other male. He gestured to his enormous pile of chips, which dwarfed his opponent’s. “All or nothing. Are you in?”
Korda stared at him, hesitant. Skeptical. But as anticipated, the Incubus’s greed got the better of him. He called his number and slid his entire holdings onto the table.
Sorin did likewise, putting all of his chips on the same red square that Asha had picked a moment ago.
She slid him a questioning look. “That number already lost once.”
He cocked his head. “Worried for me?”
She snorted. “Not in the least.”
Instead of watching the ball as it clattered and bounced from pocket to pocket on the slowing wheel, Sorin watched Asha, utterly transfixed. She held her breath, her lower lip caught between her teeth. Her dark blue eyes followed the ball, a frown creasing her delicate brow.
“Come on, black,” she whispered. “Keep going…keep going.”
She slanted an arch glance at Sorin, and he chuckled.
When was the last time he’d met any woman with courage enough to not only bet against him at something, but to openly taunt him as well? And this defiance was coming from a Nephilim who knew damned well he was not some lowly Incubus cousin from the Ebarron line, but Master of the House.
He should have been annoyed at her lack of deference for his rank. Instead he was fascinated.
“Number five, red,” the croupier announced.
Asha exhaled a disappointed sigh. Korda Marakel was far more vocal. He cursed harshly and pushed away from the table, raking a hand through his dark hair. “That spin was rigged. It had to be.”
“There’s only one cheat in this room, and it’s not me. You took your shot. You lost.” Sorin gave an idle shrug and met his rival’s glare. “And this table is now closed for the night.”
Fury exploded from Korda. “You son of a bitch! I demand another chance to win back my money.”
His outburst drew plenty of attention from the other tables in the roulette room. Several of Ebarron’s grim-faced Watchmen moved in from their posts before the situation could escalate any further. Milo led the pack of lethal Incubus guards.
At Sorin’s nod, the captain of the Watchmen dropped a firm hand on Korda’s shoulder. “It’s time for you to leave now.”
“Gladly,” he grumbled. “Asha. Let’s go.”
She didn’t move.
Sorin looked at her, waiting for her to fall in with her so-called date. He arched a brow in question. Her hesitation seemed conflicted, as if part of her couldn’t get away from him fast enough, yet another part of her could not compel her feet to move.
Sorin was more than happy to handle the indecision for her. “Show Marakel out. The lady will be staying for as long as she likes. As my personal guest.”
Milo and the other Watchmen obeyed at once, escorting the sputtering, bewildered Incubus from the roulette room and out of the casino.
When it was just the two of them standing at the table, Sorin turned his full attention on Asha. Leaning an elbow on the tall table, he held her midnight blue gaze. He couldn’t help but smile that he had the intriguing female all to himself. “So it seems you are interested in playing after all.”