"Bound By The Wrong Brother"

Harper's heart hammered a frantic, painful rhythm against her ribs. Her palms were slick with cold sweat. She had no sleight of hand, only raw, desperate luck. Taking a deep breath, she pasted a look of absolute confidence on her face.

Slowly, dramatically, she peeled her hand away.

The silver eagle stared up at the ceiling.

Tails.

A cold weight dropped in Harper's stomach. She had lost. But she refused to let the panic show.

A proud, arrogant smile stretched across her face regardless. She lifted her chin, staring directly into his dark eyes, her mind racing.

"Best two out of three," she lied smoothly, her voice not shaking once.

The man didn't flinch. He lowered his gaze, his eyes sweeping over the silver coin. His expression remained completely blank, as if he had known the outcome before the coin even left her hand.

He slowly lifted his eyes back to her face, the dark amusement in them morphing into a chilling, bone-deep mockery.

He reached out with his massive right hand. As his fingers moved to pick up the coin, his rough, calloused thumb deliberately dragged across Harper's sensitive knuckles.

An electric shock of pure heat shot up her arm. She yanked her hand back instantly, her breath hitching.

He picked up the quarter, rolling it effortlessly across his knuckles.

Harper's stomach plummeted. A heavy, suffocating sense of dread washed over her.

He tossed the coin, snatched it from the air with lightning speed, and leaned in close, his broad chest almost brushing hers.

"Nice try at a bluff, sweetheart," he whispered, his voice a dark caress against her ear.

Harper's lungs seized. Her eyes widened in absolute, paralyzing horror.

He had seen it. He had seen straight through her desperate bravado like she was made of glass.

He didn't announce it to his men. He simply slid her quarter into the pocket of his dark trousers.

He stood up to his full height, the oppressive, lethal aura returning in full force. He looked down at her, his eyes cold and dead again.

"In my city, the house always wins," he stated, his voice devoid of emotion.

He leaned in one last time, the cold scent of ozone wrapping around her. "But you're lucky. Today, I'm just curious what Howard Bright's daughter is doing so far from home."

He turned his back on her and pushed open the heavy glass door. The guards swarmed around him, following him out into the blinding heat.

Harper stood frozen by the counter, her face burning with a humiliating, fiery shame.

Chloe ran over from the booth, looking wildly between Harper and the door. "What the hell just happened?" she demanded.

Harper stared out the window. The black SUVs tore out of the parking lot, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.

She clenched her trembling hands into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms. She had vastly underestimated him, but she wasn't done yet.