The Billionaire's Gambit Play-Act

AUBREY'S POV

There was no way I could do this, no matter how much the girls chanted near my ears. The reserved side of me probably revelled in this thought. But I wouldn’t let myself be pulled back for this one time. One night. That was all. It was my day, my twenty-sixth birthday, so the good-girl-me had to be chained.

People might laugh, knowing I’d kept myself away from all things girls my age had experienced as soon as puberty hits them. Tonight I would get drunk, be reckless like never before, but maybe with a bit of precaution first.

No guys. No drugs. And no drunk driving. I should be fine.

Kimberly, the one with a thick black perm, honey-brown skin, and obscure eyes, held the beer bottle near her lips and wiggled her brows at me as if asking me if I was really up for this. My lips thinned, and I bobbed my head, because even if I said no, she would keep me tethered to the VIP lounge we were currently at.

“So, two truths and a dare you said?” Joyce asked, getting comfortable beside me with a leg crossed over the other. Sweeping her blonde waves to one side, she gave me an encouraging yet commiserating smile.

Joy, being my oldest and my best friend, was the only one who understood how uncomfortable this was for me. Kimberly and the brunette beside her, Lola, had known it too since they had known me from high school, but they didn’t care. Maybe it was for the good. How long was I supposed to be confined to my shell of insecurities?

“Yes.” I eyed Kim and said, “But just so you know, because I agreed to this stupid game, doesn’t mean I’ll go first.”

“Fine. I’ll go first then,” she responded with a grin, taking a long gulp of the beer. We were only on our third round and I could already feel my insides heating, my skin sweating, even though the place was air-conditioned.

The dance floor in the middle of the room was overcrowded with people grooving to the insane beats, and the bar across barely had a seat left open. Of course, Kim had to choose the busiest bar in the whole of Manhattan. The only thing that separated the dance floor from us was the three-staired dais the VIP section was built on.

“Since you’re the birthday girl, you ask me two truths and give me a dare.”

I leaned in and asked, “So, for the first truth, tell me about Harry Marsh.”

Kim rolled her eyes at the mention of the name. “You know exactly what happened. He broke my heart. That dick broke up with me via text, like a pussy.”

“He was always one. Didn’t you notice?” Joy snorted.

Kim shook her head. “I guess I wasn’t as paranoid as the two of you when it comes to men. Sue me.”

“Hey, we’re not paranoid,” I protested in mine and Joy’s defence. “We’re just too focused on our careers.” Before she could snap something back, I asked, “Tell me when you’re going to submit your next big manuscript.”

Kim tensed. If there was something that could zap her carefree aura right out of her, it was her ambition. “Joy rejected it.”

“That’s crass,” Joy said. “I rejected it and gave you full feedback on the things you need to change, and I’m not even the editor. I’m part of the acquisition team. Besides, even if I had said yes, the editor would’ve put it in the slump on the first page. As your friend, I wanted you to come back with a better version of the book.”

I looked back at Kim. “Please tell me you’ve edited it.”

“I don’t have the time. There’s always one or another event in my schedule.”

Joy scoffed. “I think you’re procrastinating.”

“Can we just get to the dare, please?” Pushing Kim too much could’ve turned on us, so I nodded.

But before I could give a dare, Lola chimed in. She’d been too busy eyeing a man by the bar all this time, but at least we had her attention now. “Can I give a dare, please?” She didn’t wait for me to respond and jumped on the opportunity, not that I would’ve stopped her, anyway. “Okay, go walk to the black shirt guy at the bar and get his number.”

“Are you serious right now?” I arched a brow.

Lola swayed her hand over her face and said, “He has been eye-fucking Kimberly since the moment she walked in. One of us should get a dick tonight. Since you and Joy are opposed to the idea, it better be Kim.”

I laughed. Kim stood up and took a deep breath. Giving us all a brief look and regaining her confidence, she made her way to the man in a black shirt and grey jeans, his hair pushed back and the top few buttons of his shirt open. His eyes moved down to Kim’s hips as she swayed them like the expert she was.

“How the heck does she do that?” Joy murmured, leaning her back on my shoulder while all three of us watched. “Damn, she’s got some mad skills.”

“Sometimes, I wonder if I’m a lesbian,” Lola said, and I sniggered. “I would definitely make out with her if she walked to me like that.”

“Yeah, this is probably the millionth time you’ve said this,” I commented, and she gave a head shrug.

Joy whipped around to me. “Okay, I know this is supposed to be a girls’ night out thing. But screw the no-dick rule.” She pointed a finger at me. “You’re getting laid tonight.”

My eyes widened. “What?” She nodded. “No, I’m not. I’m not ready to let anyone into that territory yet.”

“You may never be if you keep acting like a grandma,” Joy spat back.

Lola nodded along. “She’s right. It’s your birthday. You’ve been so hung up on work that you’ve ditched every guy who’s ever been interested in you.”

“It’s not my fault that they can’t wait for me to be ready,” I tried to reason, but I knew it was a failure.

“Ready for what? Marriage?” Joy pressed her forefinger on my chest and seethed, “You don’t have to be ready for marriage and neither do you need to open your heart. Just open your legs for one night.”

“Are you drunk, Joy?”

Joy groaned loudly and then said, “Do not change the topic.”

“Okay,” Lola put a hand between mine and Joy’s face, breaking our eye contact. “At least open your mouth for the night.”

“Open my mouth?” I asked. “Do you mean to say—”

“Kiss, Aubs. I mean, kiss, not blowjob.” Lola chuckled.

“Generally, everything you guys spew is R-rated.”

Joy cupped my cheeks and pulled my face closer to hers. My face scrunched, and she whispered, “Stop overthinking and just pick a guy and kiss him. You promised me you wouldn’t hold back for the night.”

“But we also agreed on no guys.”

“Did I shake hands on it?” I frowned, and she sighed with victory. “Then there was no agreement.”

“Now, kissing a random guy. And then what? Snorting cocaine?”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Lola rejoiced and I stared at her, my jaw wide.

“I’m not taking drugs.”

“Then how about we go to a strip club right now? Just imagine. Naked men bouncing their dicks all over and around you,” Lola said with a sly grin. Joy burst out laughing and I only shook my head, closing my eyes. Arguing with these two was a losing game, anyway.

“Fine, who do I have to kiss?” I asked, my jaw twitching at them.

My eyes shifted to Kim, who was still talking to her admirer. He’d offered her a drink, so I doubted she’d be back here anytime soon. Joy and Lola high-fived and turned to the crowd. After a quick inspection, they looked back at me again.

“Do you notice the light near the main entrance?” I peered at where Joy had pointed. At the long entryway of the club, there was a long dangling yellow light. I nodded and Joy went on. “The first one to stand under it will be your candidate.”

I tilted my head. “What if it’s an old man? Or a woman?”

“The older the man, the better the kiss . . . Hopefully,” Joy drawled. “And if it’s a girl, at least you wouldn’t feel that weird. We’ve kissed before.”

Yeah, because of a dare. I hated dares.

“But,” Lola squealed. “But you cannot kiss this candidate the way you’ve kissed Joy or me. A peck won’t do. You’re going to walk out there and use your fucking tongue like the French-kiss master I hope you are.”

I wasn’t even sure if I was a terrible kisser. The only man I had kissed was my high school boyfriend and he and I had called it off about three years ago. Since then, I hadn’t sexually laid a hand on anyone.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I murmured under my breath as I made my way to the entryway.

I stood at a safe distance from the light, my heart drubbing in my chest. This was stupidity, and I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off. But I had to do this. One reckless night couldn’t hurt, could it? Maybe this would help me leave my compact life and make me bold enough to walk out of my bubble.

The door opened and a group of men walked in. They seemed busy talking or perhaps quarrelling with each other, giving me enough time to rethink my steps. I glanced back at the VIP section where Lola and Joy watched me, impatient and excited.

But something in Joy’s eyes shifted. She tilted her head and furrowed her brows. I looked back at the men. Only one of them had paused under the light. His broad back was turned to me. He was in a formal uniform . . . at a club, which had to be the oddest thing about him.

I moved toward him and tapped on his shoulder. As soon as he turned around, I closed my eyes, gripped the lapel of his blazer, and pulled him down. His height was so tall that I had to tip-toe, despite having him bent at my force. My lips collided with his, and for a second, both of us froze.

I was kissing a stranger right now. Without consent, which made my gut churn.

But I shoved the thought aside and poked my tongue out. His lips tasted of strong scotch. He didn’t open his lips or reciprocate while I tried my best to earn some kind of reaction from him. Even though my eyes were closed, I could feel his eyes wide at me. Not just his, but his friends’ as well.

When nothing worked, I pulled back. He wouldn’t kiss me back, which was quite clear by now.

Slowly, I opened my eyes, only to be startled by the most beautiful pair of blue eyes I’d ever seen. Under the garish yellow light, they seemed green, but I could tell how vibrantly blue they were. His eyebrows were on fleek and his jaw was strongly cut. His nose was slightly crooked at the bridge and his lips were thin pink. Trimmed stubble covered his jaw and chin, giving his sharp eyes an intelligent, focused manoeuvre.

A bead of sweat trickled down the side of my forehead and my throat dried at the look of confusion marking his face. That was when reality dawned on me. What if he was committed? What if he was married? He had to have children. He looked old enough to have one. Or two.

I cursed myself at the back of my mind and stepped back. What the fuck have I done? Why the hell did I give into this stupid game? Before I knew it, I had already whirled around on my feet. My steps felt heavy as I stormed toward the direction of our lounge.

I was so fucking screwed.