Spade was watching as each men played their cards, some played well and others really didn't have much luck with cards, the bystanders around the table were either cheering or making disappointing sounds at who was losing or winning.

His eyes left the table as they landed on the young man beside him, who was keenly watching the game with all his rapt attention, as if his whole life depended on it.

He could see the amusement and curiosity in Nate's eyes as he watched the game unfold, like he was seeing this for the first time, he looked like a kid that was seeing a funfair for the very first time, the way his eyes lit up everytime the employee tossed the dice and the way his eyes moved from one player to another, watching their reaction.

Spade wasn't at all interested in the game, what interested him at the moment was the reaction of the young man beside him, the way he reacted to how everything unfolded, that was more than a sight for Spade, even more interesting than the game itself.

Truth be told, he really didn't even know why he brought Nate to this place, at first he wanted to take him to a private place and talk him into agreeing to work for him but after they both got into the car, he just started driving until he stopped at the casino.

And now watching him, he was more satisfied and felt more relaxed than he thought he'd be, now he just wanted to spend the rest of the evening just watching him like this, it kind of quenched the fire lit up in him all week by this same person standing in front of him, oblivious of the stare Spade was giving him.

He moved slightly and involuntarily his hands brushed up on Spade's fingers, making Spade's whole body tense up, the tingles he felt in his fingers, was enough to send him spiralling out of control but he just clenched his jaw and tried to control himself.

He quickly looked away, missing the slight and low gasp that left Nate's mouth at the contact, he sucked in a sharp breath the moment his hands brushed up again Spade's fingers.

Contrary to what he thought, Spade's hands weren't cold like his expression, they were actually warm and not so soft but tender. That singular touch which shouldn't even mean anything, already had his whole body tingling with a strange and sweet sensation.

He slowly turned his head to look at Spade and he wasn't even paying attention to him, he was looking somewhere else, with his jaws tightly clenched, maybe he didn't even notice Nate had touched him, of course he didn't notice, and he definitely didn't feel anything from the touch, obviously Nate was the only one getting these strange feelings.

His eyes lingered on Spade for a second longer before he finally looked away, and faced the table back, trying his very best to focus on the game again, but his mind was already a mess, and all it took was one barely noticeable touch from Spade to mess with his whole mind.

He sighed out discreetly and tried to watch the game again, put what just happened behind him but it was impossible, not when Spade was just a few inches away from him, just standing right beside him, and he could smell the scent of his musty cologne and feel his warmth engulf him.

He suddenly felt warmer, like Spade had shifted even closer to him if that was possible, he could feel his body heat, like literally very close, it felt like they were sharing the spot close to the table. "Come with me" Spade's hard, throaty and husky voice mutttered close to him, making him get sudden chills, not the bad kind but the kind that made all his senses tingle and a tightness in his stomach.

He sighed out and turned around but Spade was already walking away from the table to another table, he quickly withdrew himself from where he stood and followed Spade up close, he watched him from his steps, how long his strides were, to the way his thighs flexed inside his pants and how precise each step was, up to the way his shoulders moved as he took each step towards another table.

Soon they both stopped at the new table, unlike the first one, this was less crowded, and it felt totally different, this table screamed authority and even more dangerous than the previous one.

Men in sharp tailored suits, with huge cigars hanging from their lips, there were no women on this table, just one employee and three other men.

Nate's eyes moved from each one to the other, the first one was quite old, he had a huge brown cigar hanging from his lips, he wore a grey colored suit, he had white beard, and a semi white bald head. The next person Nate's eyes fell on was younger but not too young than the first man, he was wearing a black suit, he had a much more prominent pot belly than the first man, and when Nate's eyes raked through his body and stopped at his hands, he almost choked. The man was missing a finger, his pinky finger on his left hand was replaced by a silver mock pinky finger, he swallowed and looked away quickly from the man.

His eyes landed on the third guy and this one was much younger, more like Spade young, and he was the youngest on the table and the only one with a smile on his face, he also had a cigar dangling from his lips, it wasn't lit tho. Nate quickly recognized him as the same man he'd met in Spade's club a few weeks ago on his father's orders, the same one that gave him a brown envelope for his father. He had a deep blue tailored, expensive suit on, and like Spade he wasn't putting on a tie and the first two buttons on his white buttoned up shirt was open, his suit jacket button was also open from top to bottom.

He had shoulder length hair and a small beard on his chin, not too much like Spade and not as little as what could be considered a stubble. His eyes were a shade of hazel and pitch black, with thick long lashes, his eyes first landed on Nate, making him to suck in a breath, he raked his eyes through Nate's appearance, the smile never leaving his face. This didn't feel anything like the way his whole body felt when Spade would look at him like that, he didn't feel his whole body tense up and there was no fluttery feeling in the pit of his stomach, it all felt anticlimactic, even though he couldn't deny that the man across from him was in fact very handsome and attractive.

The man's eyes left his and dragged along the table until they landed on Spade who was standing just beside him on the table, Nate eyes also followed his line of vision and he could see Spade tense up, with his fists clenched on his side and the muscle in his jaw flexed tightly as he clenched them.

Nate looked back at the man as Spade's glare only hardened, the smile on his face only great wider, and this piqued Nate's interest, as his eyes kept moving from Spade to the man in front of them.

"Spade" the man almost squealed excitedly as his smile grew even bigger "so nice of you to join us this evening" the excitement in his voice only growing, but Spade didn't mirror his actions, instead it was the total opposite of it. Nate scrunched his brows together in confusion as he watched both men with keen interest.

"Van Horne" was all Spade grunted out as his glare only became harder on the man in front of him, but Instead of him to feel offended, he only hightened his excitement, his eyes moved from Spade and landed on Nate again.

"Nathan Miller, we meet again" he muttered looking him over from head to toe, Nate really didn't know what to say to this as he just looked away and had his eyes on Spade, remembering what he'd told him when they just entered, not to say anything to anyone in here.

For once in his life, he'd listen to Spade because clearly the man knows better and if he said Nate shouldn't speak to anyone here then he alone knew why, Nate was not about to counter that and put himself on someone's else to kill list, Spade was enough to deal with for him.

"What are you doing here"? Spade gritted out and Stefano just shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing.

"I'm here to gamble, like everyone else" he muttered looking around "might I remind you Spade, this isn't your club and you definitely do not call the shots here" he added tauntingly with that stupid smirk on his face, Spade wanted nothing than to wipe that smirk off his face at all cost.

He never liked nor trusted Stefano, not even for anything. There was just something about the man that annoyed him so much. He never conducted any business with him. And Stefano knew Spade didn't like him as he always tried to get under his skin, to taunt and mock him.

Spade grounded his teeth as he narrowed his eyes at Stefano

"Perhaps you can join us, we're short on one man" Stefano added with enthusiasm and a smile, he sounded just like Matteo, at least that was what Nate thought.

They both had the same personality, always so carefree and not bothered about anything, only Stefano seemed a little more chatty than Matteo.

"I didn't come to play Stefano" Spade grunted his eyes darting around the table

"Come on" Stefano whined before pouting "just one game, I promise I'm gonna go easy on you" he whispered with a smirk, Spade clenched his jaw as he watched Stefano.

He knew this was just one of his numerous plans to goad Spade and get on his nerves again, but it sounded tempting to actually play with Stefano and win, so he could rub it in his face.

His eyes moved from Stefano's to Nate, both their eyes met and he could see the curiosity and questions dancing in those eyes, Nate was expecting his answer, what would he say. He couldn't read the young man, he didn't know if those eyes wanted him to play or if they just wanted him to say no and move on to the next table.

After a while of just watching Nate, he finally decided and let out a deep sigh, with his eyes still glued to Nate "fine" he muttered, still there was no reaction from the young man in front of him. "Just one hand" he muttered turning to face Stefano and he just nodded with that smirk on his lips

"Sure thing Spade" he muttered before nodding his head at the employee to shuffle the cards "10 million" he muttered making the other men that had been silent suddenly gasp out as both of them looked at him with wide eyes, before they both stood up and walked away, obviously not wanting to risk that much money on a game

With an unwavering stare, Spade just nodded "Deal" he muttered "but I won't be the one playing" he added quickly making Stefano to raise his brows up in question as Spade slowly shifted his eyes and attention to the young man beside him who already had those brown, honey, innocent and alluring eyes on him. "He's gonna be my player" he finished as he watched Nate's eyes slowly but surely widen in shock and surprise

What the hell did he just hear? Did Spade just put out a ten million dollar bet on him on a poker game? He doesn't even know anything about poker, he's never even played before.

"What are you doing"? He whispered so only Spade could hear him

"Are you sure Spade"? Stefano's voice resounded again, with his eyes still on Nate, he nodded, totally ignoring Nate's question

Nate discreetly shook his head as Stefano's attention shifted from both of them and their conversation

"What are you doing"? He repeated the question again, this time louder than before

"Playing a game" he muttered nonchalantly as he watched Nate "only, I'm not playing, you are" he finished making Nate scoff out in disbelief

"In case you haven't noticed, I don't know how to play poker, I don't even know what the game is about" he rushed out

"It's very easy, all you have to do is just pick up the cards given to you, and lay them on the table, whatever cards you get will determine if you win or not, it's all about luck" he muttered lowly

"And you're betting ten million on me"? He asked obviously trying to understand how Spade thinks sometimes "what if I lose"? He asked and Spade just blinked slowly, that simple action alone suddenly made Nate almost lose his cool and turn into a hot mess in front of him

"You won't" he muttered before licking his lips with his tongue, Nate's eyes moved to his lips and he swallowed before quickly looking away and back up at his face

How was he so sure he wouldn't lose, he has never been on the good side of luck, and a game like this that is based off luck, he might lose even before the game starts.

"Don't think about it too much, just relax and let your luck do all the work, think of it as an already closed business deal" he muttered as he faced the table again, shoving his hands into his pocket, Nate followed suit and looked at the table, his eyes moving up to look at the man watching them both with a smile on his face.

This was nothing like a business, this was way harder and complex, what if he lost to this Van Horne guy? Would that mean he owed Spade 10 million? If that would be the case, he'd never be able to pay Spade back and he'd have more than enough reason to put a bullet in his head

He swallowed as he watched the worker drop their cards on each side of the table, counting five in total. His eyes were trained on the cards, but he could feel Spade's momentary gaze on him, and that did not help the ball of nerves inside of him already building up.

He looked up and his eyes came in contact with the man in front of him, with the smile on his face and the cigar on his lips, he just gave a Curt nod to Nate, indicating it was time to pick up their cards

He let out a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying not to freak out, until he heard the low and vibrating voice of Spade beside him

"Relax, you'd do just fine" he muttered and as if his words held some type of charm in them, Nate felt all his nerves leave him, his hands that were fisted tightly beside him suddenly freed themselves and his shoulder loosened themselves up as he let out another deep breath before opening his eyes.

"Here goes nothing" he muttered to himself before picking up the cards laid out on the table

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