The Seductress' Marriage Ploy

6. How Does it feel to be on the losing side?

"I see you managed to get yourself into this gaming hell again. Someone should just do me a favor and lock you up already, let me see how you would escape." Sebastian grunted out. Casting his eyes about to make sure nobody has seen anything fishy.

When he turned back to her, Julia was fuming with anger. Scratch that, rage. The way her eyes narrowed as if he had annoyed her, her chest heaving up and down beneath the greatcoat she was wearing. She had whiskers today. It had to be artificial, Sebastian mused, no way was that thing natural.

Julia was good, very good. What with the way she had fooled everyone around here, except him. Never him. She couldn't fool him easily. He took her hands from under the table and jerked her forward. A gasp escaped her, and she frowned.

"It wouldn't do to be caught possessing such feminine characteristics." Leaning closer, Sebastian said: "It could ruin your carefully thought out personality."

Julia tugged her hands backward, trying to release it from Sebastian's grasp.

"Release me at once, or I will...I will..."

"You will what?" Sebastian barked, his voice rising.

Julia couldn't think of anything annoying to say.

"I will...I will bite your hand off." That's it, this was all she could manage, she wanted to say something that will irk him, but somehow this was the only thing she could think of, she felt like a fool.

Quirking one brow up.

"Careful there, it wouldn't do to get ahead of ourselves, I am sure you would agree with me," he drawled out.

Julia glared at him and fought the urge to stamp her foot on the floor at this injustice. She had specifically come here for lord Hanton. She had wanted to use this opportunity to know him better, to see him in another light. Maybe, discover any information that will be beneficial to her. Now all her hopes would be crushed, together with her eagerness to understand Cole in a new light.

Julia exhaled and resigned herself to whatever Sebastian had in store for her.

"What say you to a game of faro," Sebastian muttered.

Surprised that he will play with her. Julia searched his face for any devious plan and found nothing.

"That would be nice," Julia said, agreeing quickly before he had time to change his mind.

Sebastian Signalled for a banker to be sent over to their table. In the meantime, he was content to watch Julia. For some reason he didn't know about. She seems nervous, edgy. Had she finally realized that this wasn't a place for a gently bred lady? Gentle? He mused, silently laughing at himself.

This was not a word that should be associated with Julia. There was nothing gentle about her, the way she rode, bareback, there was nothing gentle about it, or was it her walk, fast and with purpose, as if she already has in mind where she wants to be. The banker was already at their table, the board already facing them, with the 52 cards. The betting board laid out from the king to the Ace.

"What do you bet," Sebastian asked her.

"No, you first."

If you say so," he said, moving his chips to the king on the card rank.

Concentrating on her gameplay, her brows furrowed, as if she thought hard on what to play. Julia moved her chips to the ace on the card rank. The banker turned the first card over, it was a king, and the second card, an ace. She was on the winning side. Julia felt the first taste of victory. She smirked at Sebastian and smiled prettily at herself.