A Summer With Snow (Frosted Seasons #1) (15 page)

“It’s a text off Chase… Very funny,” she says, clicking her tongue. “Seems the joke was on me.” She prods her elbow into my arm.

“What’s he want?”

“Said they’re in the casino and Rayne’s had a skin full; he got them kicked out of Fletchers.”

I strum my fingers on the steering wheel.
Fucking moron, he’s never been able to handle his liquor
. He’s the last person I want anywhere near Darcy when he’s been drinking; I know how loose his mouth becomes when he’s had a few. It makes me wonder if he’s said anything to Chase, but mate or not, everyone’s expendable, and in any case, chauffeurs are ten a penny. Just not her, not my Darcy.

“What say we go back to the hotel, have an early night?” I say, lightly brushing her leg.

“You’re joking, aren’t you?”

I wasn’t; with her between my legs I could fuck for the entire night.

“You bought me this dress…”

“Yes, but the dress was for you to wear and for me to enjoy, and I think it’s about time that dress came off.”

“I’m not wearing something as stunning as this to spend the night in our hotel room with it thrown over a chair. I don’t know, but tonight I have an inkling that lady luck is on my side. Come on, Snow, let’s have some fun; I’ve never been to a casino.”

I hit out at the steering wheel.

“It’s a mug’s game, Darc, there are no winners; the only winner where gambling’s concerned is the casino.”

“I’ll only bet what I can afford to lose.”

I hear the jangle of loose change as she shakes her handbag on her lap.

“It’s not a penny arcade. People bet big, they’ve got money.” I laugh loudly at her naivety, though her naivety is a gift.

She’s unlike any girl I’ve ever known, unspoilt and all mine. If she asks for the world, then the world she will have. My eyes settle, and no longer have a need to wander.

“So why are they gambling then?”

Darcy’s question pulls me from my thoughts.

“Seriously?” I say, with a brief glance into her eyes. “Rayne’s loaded; being the eldest, he’s got the majority share in the hotels.” I shake my head. “It’s not just that, he invests well. The man’s got more money than sense, and Chase is on a bloody good wage too. Stupid prick spends most of his on skirt or in the casino in Mexico.”

I hear her unzip her bag, from which she pulls out a long-toothed comb; I guess I haven’t put her off. She knows her mind and I like that about her; apart from her amazing body, it’s the one thing that really turns me on. I’m not up for it myself, but whatever.

“Think we’d best go back to the hotel first, as I need to get out of this uniform.”

Flicking on the siren and with blue lights flashing, I slam my foot down on the accelerator.

Holding my phone to my ear, I ask, “Which table you at, mate?”

Chase tells me they’ve left the black jack table; he’s ten grand up, and they’ve just sat down to play. We will find them at the table to the far left of the bar. I don’t need to ask which game they’re playing, I already know. As we pass through the casino, I gaze at grey-haired old ladies feeding money into brightly lit slot machines.

“They’re over there,” Darcy pipes up, pointing.

I smirk; it would be impossible to miss Chase in that fucking white top. She clutches my hand, pulling me between the roulette tables. I can almost feel her excitement as we near their table. There’s so much of life she hasn’t seen and so much I can’t wait to show her. I squeeze her fingers, slowing her down.

“They’re mid-game,” I whisper into her neck.

We take a couple of steps forward, both standing to the right of the croupier. Rayne’s chips look like a bloody tower block, but that’s no surprise; when doesn’t that man do well? Chase flips the last couple of chips in his hand; I can only begin to imagine how much he’s spent.

“Fold,” a young blonde-haired woman to my right calls out.

I can see by her age and the fur coat and diamond wedding band she wears that she married for money. She flicks her cards into the middle of the table, uncrosses her legs and gets up from her chair. I follow her with my eyes and see her walk into the arms of a well-dressed elderly gentleman. He looks my way, and I gather he senses my stare. I pick up on his insecurities, the lines on his face seeming to set as his expression hardens.
Fucking douche bag; is he really that deluded that he thinks she loves him? A fool and his money
. I look her up and down as she steps out of his arms; not a bad figure, not a bad face. If I wanted her on my arm, all I would have to do is click my fingers. He still has his eyes on me, so to piss him off further I wink and mouth her a kiss. I see her blush and lower her eyes, and watch how quickly the old man takes her by the elbow and manoeuvres her towards the bar. I smile to myself.
One up.

With nothing else to amuse me, I look down at the table. I know that inconspicuous smile Chase wears on his face, thinking he’s on to a winner. My eyes shift to his left, to Rayne, whose expression is blank; he’s an impossible one to read. The game is a perfect fit for his character as he sits there poker-faced.

There’s an overriding silence around the table as bets are placed. It’s time for Chase to turn over his cards. I glance to the middle of the table.

“Four of a kind … good hand,” I whisper to Darcy, picking up the sweet scent of her hair as she nods.

Chase is smiling from ear to ear, like a cat that’s got the cream.

“Now you’re witnessing Chase’s happy face; it’s not surprising he doesn’t get laid.”

She bursts into laughter, but I nudge her side and she quickly silences herself with her hand.

A bald guy wearing dark shades throws in his cards, shaking his head.

“He only had a flush, what was he thinking? Obviously got more money than sense.”

Chase puts his thumb up, and Darcy stands on the tips of her toes, leaning into my ear.

“I think he’s won,” she says, shaking my arm.

I glance at Rayne.

“Don’t bet on it,” I tell her, rolling my eyes.

Without even the slightest facial expression, Rayne turns over both of his cards.

“Fuck me, the jammy cunt, he’s only gone and got himself a royal flush.”

She nods at me, though I don’t think she knows the rules. The croupier raises his eyebrows towards Rayne, who leans forwards and scoops the colourful chips into his arms, dragging them towards him. He must have at least seven hundred thousand in winnings. To think that not long ago he was pissed, how quickly and conveniently he’s managed to sober up.

What I’d do to wipe that condescending grin off his face.
I put my palm on the small of Darcy’s back and walk her around the table. Then, pulling out the chair the blonde lady was sat at, I sit myself down and leave her standing behind me. I look towards the croupier, raising my hand.

“Seven hundred thousand,” I tell him. “Actually, make it a clear million. Oh, and credit it to my account.”

He turns, waving to get the floor man’s attention, who nods back. They all know Snow round here. I feel a hand nudging my shoulder.

“I didn’t think you gambled.” Darcy’s voice trickles into my ear.

“It’s not that I don’t gamble, I’ve just got a conscience; I don’t like taking money off people I know can’t afford it.”

I look across the table to Chase, who’s just been wiped out.
Fucking dick, will he ever learn?
Knowing him he’s probably bet more than a year’s salary. His chin is balanced in his hands, his face pale, almost matching the colour of his top.

The floor man comes up from behind, placing the multicoloured chips and blue plaques down before me. I don’t give the croupier a chance to deal the next hand.

“All in,” I say.

The other players, including Chase, get up from their chairs. This game is for the big boys. I stare at Rayne, whose eyes narrow as he stares back.

“Game on then, brother,” he says, pushing his chips forward.

I lift the edge of both of my cards and smile inwardly to myself. Now let’s see who lady luck favours.

“Snow, that’s stupid money. I can’t watch,” Darcy says.

I look up at her.

“Don’t go,” I plead, circling my fingers around her wrist. “Here…”

I grab my wallet.

“Go, have yourself some fun.”

I catch Chase’s eyes as he walks round to join us.

“Oh and, Darc, take that miserable bastard with you.”

A thousand pounds, all tipping money; that will keep them busy for a while. Where they head I can’t be sure, for my eyes are back on the game.

W
e pass a road sign for Croydon. Moving her hand from my lap, Darcy edges forward in her seat.

“Chase, it’s the next right,” she says, pushing her hand between the headrests and bending her arm in front of his face.

“Bloody hell, Darc,” he blurts out, pushing her hand from in front of his eyes. “I’m driving. Don’t want to crash this baby; it’s a rental, and I’ve got no money left.”

I roll my eyes at the emphasis he makes on being skint.

“Fuck’s sake, Chase, that was over a week ago; stop bitching, will ya?” I snap, pulling Darcy back so she rests in my arms.

“It’s okay for you, you rich prick.” Chase’s brows crease together as he shoots me an unfavourable stare through the rear-view mirror. “It’s just pocket money for the likes of you.”

Cheeky fucker, who the hell does he think he is? I’ve got Darcy with me and he has the nerve to speak to me like that.
I pause, silently counting to ten, and swallow the terse words I’m about to let fly. But words aren’t needed, as he catches my narrow stare and knows just how I feel.

Grinding my teeth, I tell him, “I’ve already put the seventy-five grand you lost back in your account, but believe me, that’s the last time.”

I can feel Darcy’s approval as she squeezes my hand that little bit tighter; crushing her against me, I place a soft kiss on top of her head. I knew putting the money back into Chase’s account would have the desired effect.

“Snow—” Chase pipes up.

“No need to thank me,” I say, holding up my hand. “Remember, you owe me one, you ginger prick.”

The serious expression has gone and his eyes smile back at me. I feel the movement of Darcy’s head against my cheek as she glances up at me.

“Something I’ve been meaning to ask … why do you keep calling him a ginger prick? Got something against redheads?”

“You’re joking, aren’t you? Redheads are a blast, beautiful top and bottom! Take it from an expert; I should know, coz I’ve fucked plenty…”

Chase lifts his head, and I see his lips pucker.

“That’s one redhead I haven’t fucked,” I’m quick to tell Darcy, sticking up my middle finger.

I laugh, but she fidgets beside me and I have to bite my lips to silence myself. I’d almost forgotten that I was in the company of a woman.

“I’m strawberry blonde, I’ll have you know,” Chase pipes up, thankfully taking the focus off me.

He lets go of the steering wheel with one hand and pulls up some strands of hair for us to see.

“So you want to know why I call him a ginger prick… You want to see him stripped bare.”

Her eyes widen. “Excuse me?”

“Some girl he was nobbing got the wink he was cheating on her, so she purposely got him pissed, took him up to her hotel room and shaved every last hair off his bollocks!”

I feel her body rock as she sniggers.

“The bitch was psycho. God knows how she got in the kitchen, but the staff went mad; when the guests came down for breakfast the next morning, the croissants, fruit, crusty bread, even the bacon had been spiked with Chase’s ginger pubes. Fucking hell, Darc, I was in hysterics. She was thrown out, screaming
ginger prick
at the top of her voice… He’s never lived it down, and I’ve called it him ever since.”

The car jumps as Chase misses a gear.

“I’ve made sure no woman ever catches me out like that again,” he says, turning slightly. “Zoe pays me a visit every six weeks.”

“Zoe?” Darcy asks.

“She’s the hotel beautician, and the new bit of skirt he’s nobbing,” I tell her.

“Nobbing?” She screws up her nose. “What do you mean?”

“Shagging. You not heard that?”

“You make sex sound so cheap and nasty.” She shakes her head. “Charming, the pair of ya.”

Her knees that rested so comfortably against my own now face away, and her eyes that looked up into mine gaze out of the window. An uncomfortable silence descends in the car, and I catch Chase’s eyes. I guess from the cool atmosphere that the word nobbing was going a bit too far and may not have been appropriate for Darcy’s ears.

“It’s Flat 1B Rosewood Court, at the far end of the road.”

I read the name plaques, my eyes flitting from one block of flats to another. There are no driveways for us to park on, so we pull up at the side of the curb. I turn my wrist, glancing down at my Rolex. We’re half an hour early, but Darcy seems keen to go in.

I see Chase looking round.

“Where do you suggest I park? I’m dying for a cuppa and a shit.”

I raise my brows, quite surprised by Darcy’s giggles; it seems where he’s concerned anything goes, yet one word out of place from me and she plummets into a full-blown mood. Guess some people have just got it, whatever
it
is.

“Think the footy’s on,” Chase continues.

The way he speaks you’d think he’d been invited and they were his relatives; he’s certainly not backwards in coming forwards. Chase doesn’t need an invite; cheeky git only has to be in someone’s home for a couple of minutes and his mitts are in the fridge and he’s got the TV remote.

“It’s okay, you can park here, there are no restrictions,” Darcy tells him.

I look down as he unbuckles his seat belt.

“Where the fuck do you think
you’re
going?”

Leaning forward, I press my hand on his shoulder.

“We passed a drive-thru not ten minutes back; fuck off there.”

Chase turns, narrowing his eyes.

“Oh, and while you’re at it use the shitta… I’ll text you when we want picking up.”

I expected Darcy to jump to his defence and invite him in, but she’s already slipped out of the car. I slam the door shut.
One up
, I think. Putting my hand behind my back, I gesture the wanker sign. He may be pissed off, but when he sees I know, he’ll be smiling. Dropping my hands to my side, I join her. She presses her finger on the intercom.