Page 83 of War Within
“And where do you live?” Lily’s voice tore me from my reminiscence.
I spun around. “I live about forty minutes away in Long Island, but I'll be staying over here tonight, of course.” Taking several strides toward her, I lifted my hand to my jaw, stroking my bottom lip back and forth with my thumb.
“Are you sleepy?” She titled her head.
“I don't ever sleep.” I snorted.
“Do you want to hang out until his royal highness needs you?” She arched a brow.
“Sure, I can do that.” I nodded.
Digging her phone out of her bag, she sighed, clutching it against her chest.
“Still haven't heard from Tyler?” I held my true thoughts to myself.Asshole.
“Nope, I'm so angry.” She rolled her eyes, tossing her phone onto the bed.
Lily and I had spent a lot of time talking in Hawaii. I learned so much about her. She was a genuine person. It was sad that when we came back to New York, we would probably never hang out. She was funny, and I was utterly enthralled by her eyes. They were a shade of cornflower kissed with a hint of sapphire.
“Maybe I should distract you.”
Her gaze widened. “Carmine, I—”
“Relax.” I smirked. “I meant, let's play cards or something, woman.”
Closing her eyes, she exhaled slowly, before presenting a shy smile.
“I'm not that easy.” I winked.
She crossed her arms, lifting her eyebrows. “Neither am I.”
Pursing my lips, I tried my best to conceal a smile, however I failed. Chuckling, I turned to exit the room.
“Where are you going?”
“To get cards. I'll be right back.” Spinning to face her, I grinned at the way her head was titled as she watched me. “Get changed. That dress is pretty, but it can't be comfortable.”
I always kept a deck of cards in my bag. Poker was my vice. I was stellar at it and thrived on taking people’s money. Hurrying down to the foyer where I left my bags, I grabbed one. I unzipped it, taking out one of two from the side pocket. I hurried back up the stairs, skipping every other step to Lily’s door.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
“Come in!” She called out from behind the closed barrier.
Cautiously, I peeked in. My mouth almost fell open when I saw she was wearing a black and white crop-top tank-top with white upper thigh length shorts. Gulping, I shut the door quietly.
“You ready to lose?” I rolled my tongue across my bottom lip.
She squinted, smiling. “Not a chance.”
We sat on the floor in the middle of the rug next to the bed. I opened the deck of cards, plucking out the Jokers and blank card then slid them back in the box, tossing it to the side. Lowering my head, I cut the cards down the middle. I lifted only my eyes. “Want to make it interesting?”
Glancing back over her shoulder at the bed, she sighed. Her phone still laid untouched in the middle. “Tell me he’s not going to call me, so I can just be done with him.”
“I don’t know if he will or not, but my guess is no, he’s not going to call you.”
She remained focused on the bed.
“You know what I really think?” I stretched my arm out, tapping her knee.
