Chapter 123

How to Tame My Beastly Husband — Chapter 123. Gruti (8)

Annette was a bit startled to hear his voice so close to her ear. Despite all the noise about them, it was embarrassing that he was so close, his lips nearly touching her. And Railin’s smile was enigmatic, as if he knew it well.

“At any rate, even if we can catch him, we will be in a difficult position. It is necessary to keep our heads. Do you understand?”

Having never been in an illegal casino, Annette knew nothing, so she was willing to take advice from an expert. Biting her lower lip, she nodded, frustrated, and he flashed her a smile that complimented her patience.

“All right. Then what do we do now?”

Annette did not care for his praise. All she wanted to do was capture Ben March quickly and safely. In answer, he turned and lifted a nearby curtain in the side of the tent, then beckoned her inside.

“Is this…?”

Ducking inside, she looked around. It was a smaller tent about ten feet square, and dark inside, the air filled with the exotic scent of myrrh. It seemed Railin had prepared this place, like a rat trap.

The cozy interior was hung with red cloth, and the only furniture was a table only large enough for two, with two chairs. Snapping his fingers, Railin kindled the lamp on the table, taking advantage of the fact that Annette’s back was briefly to him. A mysterious golden light illuminated the small space.

With this light, she could see a crystal ball on the table.

Her face stiffened. She had a bad feeling about this.

“Railin, don’t tell me that…”

“Oh yes, it’s exactly what you think,” he said cheerfully.

Feeling as if she had just received her death sentence, Annette gazed at the crystal ball in silence. It seemed he planned to lure Ben March into this place, where she would have another ridiculous role to play.

Her eyes looked the question at Railin, and he shrugged.

“Why else would I hide my beautiful client’s face with a hood?”

But now she saw he had further mischief in mind. He must have decided early to cast her in the ridiculous role of a fortune teller.

“Hahaha! You are my most amusing customer,” Railin laughed, enjoying her quick wit. She looked so docile, but sometimes she had a very sharp tongue. It was an unexpected charm that he liked. The smile lingered on his handsome face as he whispered to her. “Shall we begin, then? You have some more drugs to sell.”

Annette did not want to sell any more drugs.

“But Ben March was my coachman for ten years!” She protested. “He’ll recognize me as soon as he hears my voice.”

Railin smiled cheekily, and Annette’s voice stopped short. She closed her eyes in resignation. A nun, a slave trader, and now a fortune teller. Her second life was proving much more challenging than she had expected.

* * *

Ben March looked at the cards in his hand with bloodshot eyes. He could have played almost any game in the casino, but today he had chosen blackjack.

Gamblers were creatures of superstition, relying on hunches to guide them to the game of the day. In Ben March’s case, he went to the first table he saw that had a blonde woman, as soon as he walked into the casino. Whatever game she was watching or playing was bound to be lucky.

That was why he was playing blackjack, but today, fortune was not smiling on him. Could it be that in the uncertain light, he had mistaken a brunette for a blonde? Ben frowned, totalling up the points on his cards.

Damn it. What do I do with this?