Played By Love

Chapter Four

   She'd lost. Elena stares at the cards in front of her. No, this couldn't be happening. The stranger in front of her leans back in his chair, staring at her. "I win." He said it in an observing sort of way, not being cruel, but not being kind either. A shadow emerges from the wall, one of the guards, and begins cleaning up their game. "Wait!" Elena launches out of her seat, standing upright, tense. "Please, can't we play again? To reverse it so the debt is gone?"

   The stranger sits still, silent in his seat. "There's no taking back that you now owe me." he says in a quiet, calm voice.

 "But" Elena begins. "Sit down," the man says, "people are looking." She didn't care. Leaning across the table, she plants her hands on it. "Please, I can pay you, or something else. I just," Elena hesitates. Suddenly, the man stands, pushing back from the table. Startled, Elena backs away as well. "You'll come here every evening until I decide what I wish the debt to be." the man says. "What!" Elena cries out. "I can't," "you will," says the man. Turning, he begins striding away, towards some doors in the back. Elena quickly ducks around the guard who was still at their table and follows after him.

   "Please," she implores. "Anything else, I just can't!" Whipping around the man steps close to Elena and glares at her. Taking a quick breath, Elena freezes. "A game, that's all this is to you, isn't it, princess? Up in your city, you can pay off anyone you like, buy anything you want? Well not here, this isn't your city anymore, it's mine. And you owe me, until I say otherwise. You'll be coming here every night until I think of what that debt will be because I'm not stepping foot in your grotesquely lavish prison you call home. Understand?"

   Elena stands, as still as a statue. His city? She didn't understand. Seeing the confusion in her eyes, he smirks. The guard from earlier comes up to them and stands off to the side, "sir?" he asks. The man in front of her watches Elena, a smirk playing across his lips. "Escort her back to the upper. Make sure she's safe. She has a debt owed to me." The guard answers him, nodding. "Of course, Mr. Adair." Elena's heart stops. Adair? She knew that name, everyone did. Aiden Adair was the owner of the largest string of gambling houses in the city. He had ties to everyone, anyone who crossed paths with him, walked away in debt. Even in the upper city, children knew not to gamble with anyone, especially him, if you did, you were in more trouble than you would be in a lion's den.

   In all honesty, thinks Elena, gulping, a lion's den would probably be safer. Aiden smiles, and steps closer, practically touching their chests together. He leans in close to whisper in her ear, "I look forward to our little get togethers, princess. For the first time in a long time, I'm looking forward to showing off the very worst, that the undercity has to offer!"

   Smirking, he pulls away and nods to the guard, who takes Elena's elbow and drags her out the door and into the cold night.

  So sorry this is so short, I wanted to leave this cliffhanger and then continue with another chapter! I promise that they'll usually be much longer! Thanks!