Chapter 121: Chapter 121 High Stakes and Higher Tension
Elara
We arrived quickly without hitting traffic.
The upscale restaurant had a warm, intimate atmosphere. Crystal chandeliers cast a soft glow over rich wood paneling.
Inside the private room, people were scattered in small groups. Some were drinking, others playing cards.
The room buzzed with conversation and laughter. I could smell expensive cologne mixed with whiskey and leather.
I spotted Yardley among them. This confirmed these were indeed Dominic’s close friends.
"Well, look who’s here. Alpha King himself. You’re quite hard to pin down these days," someone called out.
All eyes turned toward us. I felt suddenly self-conscious under their scrutiny, like I was being evaluated.
Dominic guided me with a light touch on my lower back as we walked over.
His touch was possessive yet gentle, and I found myself leaning slightly into his warmth despite my nerves.
One of the men playing cards immediately stood up. He offered his seat.
"Thank you," I said quietly, trying to project confidence I didn’t feel.
Dominic pressed gently on my shoulders. He was indicating I should sit down.
His hands lingered a moment longer than necessary, and I caught several knowing looks exchanged around the table.
"Put out those cigarettes," he said to the men at the table.
The command in his voice was unmistakable. Even among friends, his Alpha authority was clear.
"Since when do you care about smoke?" one of them asked. He looked confused. His eyebrows raised as he glanced between Dominic and me.
I had a terrible feeling about where this was going.
To my horror, Dominic answered casually: "My Luna and I are trying for a baby. She can’t be around smoke."
I nearly choked on my own breath. My eyes went wide with shock and embarrassment.
The three men froze. They looked stunned. Their jaws practically hit the floor.
"Dominic!" I hissed under my breath, my face burning.
But Dominic appeared completely at ease. He leaned close to me. His warm breath tickled my ear as he murmured, "Play with me. If we lose, it’s on me. If we win, the winnings are yours."
Xavier chuckled, "Your friend seems to be taking this seriously."
Yardley responded coolly, "They’re married. Of course he’s taking it seriously."
No one teased us directly, but I still felt uncomfortable. "I... I don’t know how to play."
"Don’t worry, Luna Wolfe," one of the men said with a grin. "D said losses are on him. Feel free to play however you want!"
Under pressure, I picked up my cards.
I turned my head toward Dominic for guidance.
I didn’t realize how close we were until my lips accidentally brushed against his cheek. My heart skipped a beat.
Trying to appear composed, I cleared my throat. "Which card should I play?"
Dominic had one arm resting on the back of my chair. From behind, it would look like he was holding me. The warmth of his presence so close made it hard to concentrate on the cards. With his other hand, he pointed to one of the cards. "Play this one."
His fingers brushed against mine as he guided my hand to the right card. I tried to ignore the flutter in my stomach.
I followed his instruction.
After about an hour of him teaching me as we played, someone finally complained.
"I’m done! Your mate has the devil’s own luck! Why don’t you two play a separate game?"
I could feel the tension rising around the table. The other players were exchanging glances, clearly annoyed by our winning streak.
Dominic deliberately turned both our phones face down on the table. He tapped his knuckles against the surface. A slow, confident smile spread across his face. "Marcus, are you just a sore loser?"
"My mate is smart," he continued. His tone was smug. He placed his hand possessively on my shoulder. "She’s learned the game now. She doesn’t need my help to beat you."
Marcus seemed to choke on his words, especially when Dominic deliberately showed off their matching phone cases. It was clearly getting under his skin.
I frantically shook my head at Dominic. I never claimed I could win on my own!
But they say beginners have all the luck. I watched in disbelief as the colorful chips in front of me kept multiplying. Each winning hand made me more nervous.
The pile of chips was getting embarrassingly large.
"This is insane," I whispered to Dominic. "I don’t even know what I’m doing."
"Just keep playing," he murmured back, his breath warm against my ear. "You’re doing perfectly."
Eventually, feeling uncomfortable with my substantial winnings, I suggested, "Maybe we should stop now."
I gestured helplessly at the mountain of chips. "This feels like too much."
"Fine," Dominic said. He counted the chips with obvious satisfaction.
His smile was practically predatory as he stacked them neatly. "My mate says she doesn’t want to take too much of your money. We’re done."
The other three men looked like they wanted to curse, but none of them would dare refuse to pay up.
