Raising the Stakes (Risking It, #1) by Autumn Reed & Julia Clarke

Author:Autumn Reed & Julia Clarke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: reverse harem, romance, contemporary, love triangle, menage, nightclub owners
Publisher: Autumn Reed
Published: 2017-03-07T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

I shot Matt a dark look, although I had a feeling my glare really should be directed at my mother. Damn her meddling. “What are you doing here?”

He gave me a crooked smile. “Didn’t Cynthia tell you she invited me to dinner?”

“No, she didn’t,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Well? Are you going to let me in?” He held out a bakery box. “I brought your favorite cupcakes.”

Frozen in indecision, I didn’t move or speak. If I refused, my mother would throw a fit and accuse me of being childish and rude. If I caved, I would be forced to spend an evening with my ex-boyfriend and Shane. Either way, I couldn’t win.

I felt Shane before I saw him as he slipped behind me and placed a possessive arm around my waist.

“You’re letting cold air in, babe.”

His smooth voice and nearness made me shudder, and I tried to hide my reaction by rubbing my arms.

“You’re right, it’s freezing out.”

When I noticed the glower Matt was aiming at Shane, I knew what I needed to do to survive this wretched dinner. I snuggled up against his chest and gave Matt a smug grin. “Come on in.”

I took his coat, relieved when my mother called him into the kitchen. Seizing the brief moment alone, I waved Shane over to the coat closet. “As you probably guessed, Matt is my ex and I don’t want him here,” I whispered as I shoved the coat on a hanger. “So, you are going to be the best damn fake boyfriend ever for the next couple of hours. Got it?” I turned to face him.

“Absolutely. But,” he ran his thumb over my collarbone, “there’ll be no faking anything when it comes to us.”

I looked away, pretending that his words didn’t excite me. “You’re impossible.”

“Don’t you mean impossibly debonair?”

“Whatever, self-important Shane.”

He chuckled, but didn’t respond, and allowed me to guide him to the dining room. Everyone else was already seated, and I was thankful that at least Matt was across from my usual spot rather than next to it.

“Matthew,” my mother said, breaking the silence that had settled around the table once everyone filled their plates. “Is your family doing anything special tomorrow?”

“My sister and her kids will be over in the morning to open presents, then we’re going to my grandparents’ house for dinner.” He turned his gaze on me. “I was hoping that you would join us, Em. You haven’t missed a Christmas dinner in what . . .” He looked at the ceiling as he mentally counted. “The last five years? I’m sure Grandma already filled a stocking for you.”

My shoulders tensed at his familiarity and the reference to all the years we were together. What part of we’re done did he not understand? Did he honestly think he could just waltz in here on Christmas Eve, reminisce about old times—complete with a mention of his sweet grandmother, no less—and I’d take him back? And, hello, new boyfriend alert!

Forcing composure I didn’t feel, I said, “Thank you for the invitation, Matt, but I can’t make it. Please tell Grandma Sue I said hello.”

“I’m certain you have time to at least stop by and say hello, Emma,” my mother chastised. “You would hate to disappoint Matthew’s family, especially on Christmas.”

I gave my mother an incredulous look. Was Shane invisible to everyone at this table except me? I felt a reassuring squeeze on my thigh and took a deep breath.

My dad cleared his throat. “Shane, what is it that you do?” At least he wasn’t oblivious to how inappropriate Mom and Matt were being.

Shane, seeming completely relaxed despite the awkwardness, gave my dad a friendly smile. “I split my time between a couple of business ventures. My father runs a real estate investment company in Los Angeles, and now I help him with the Las Vegas arm of the company. And, I co-own and operate a nightclub.”

My mother’s face scrunched with displeasure, but before she could say anything, Chris piped up.

“That’s awesome! Can you get me in when I visit Emma over spring break?”

I put down my fork and took a long swig of wine. This was going to get ugly.

“Excuse me?” My mother looked like she was about to come unglued. “You can’t possibly think I’d allow your brother to visit Las Vegas,” she said to me, practically spitting the last few words.

“Why not?” Chris complained. “I’m already eighteen, and Emma wasn’t that much older than me when she moved there.”

“I planned on speaking to you about it before going back,” I told her. “It would be fun.”

Shane lifted his arm so that it rested on the back of my chair, providing unexpected comfort. “We promise to take good care of Chris, Mrs. Harris. Mr. Harris.”

I felt a prickle of warmth at Shane’s support. This was new for me; Matt had always been more likely to gang up on me with my mother than back me up.

Mom gave Shane a tight smile before saying to Chris and me, “We’ll discuss this later.”

“Aren't you kind of young to own a nightclub?” my dad asked, seeming more curious than anything.

Shane grinned. “Yes, although it's only been open for a few months. My business partners and I were very determined to accomplish our goal of opening a club before we turned twenty-five, so we made it happen.”

Matt snorted, and everyone looked at him. “I'm sorry,” he said, chuckling. “I just find it ironic that Emma is dating a club owner. She hates clubbing.”

Did he really want to go there? “Actually, that's not true. I stopped going because you didn't like me having fun without you.”

“Emma!” my mother cried, but I ignored her.

“And, no, clubbing isn't my favorite thing, but Loft25 is great.” Since my dad and Chris appeared to be genuinely interested in the topic, I directed my attention to them. “Shane and his partners converted this sad looking warehouse into a cool urban loft space. And, it has a kind of relaxed vibe that you don't usually find in Vegas clubs. I like it.”

Shane kissed my temple. “Thanks, babe.” His eyes shone with satisfaction, and I mentally scolded myself. What was I doing defending, and even complimenting, him?

My mother, clearly unhappy with the turn of dinner conversation, started chattering about the neighbor’s dreadful Christmas lights, Matt’s plans for his vacation, really anything that would keep me from causing more of a scene, I suspected. Thankfully, it worked, and the rest of the meal passed without additional drama. Matt was overly polite and Shane was charming.

After dessert, I offered to show Matt out, knowing he would linger if I didn’t literally push him out the door. Before we’d made it two steps, he latched onto my arm.

“At least come to the New Year’s Eve party,” he pleaded. “Everyone wants to see you.”

Impatient, I withdrew my arm and handed Matt his coat. “I can’t. I’m going back to Vegas before then.”

“What? You’re not even staying home for another week? What is going on with you, Em? Don’t you want to spend time with your friends and family?”

“Don’t call me Em!” I spat, opening the front door and pushing him onto the porch. “Not that I need to explain myself to you, but I’m spending time with my family right now, and I’m meeting up with a few of the girls on Saturday. I have a life outside of Indiana. Deal with it.”

His face twisted with anger. “Is this about that rich asshole? You’ve been sleeping with him all along, haven’t you?”

I crossed my arms and glared. “Are you kidding me? I didn’t even meet Shane until after we broke up!

Emphasis on broke up. We are not together anymore, Matt. Who I date is none of your damn business.”

He grabbed me by the waist. “You will always be my business.”

Before I could react, the door flew open and Shane stormed out. “Remove your hands. Now.” His voice was low and intimidating. It was freaking hot.

Matt whirled around, reflexively dropping his hands. “Don’t tell me what to do, fucker,” he growled.

Shane maneuvered around Matt until he was standing between us. “I think it’s time that you leave.”

“Yeah? You gonna make me?”

Shane’s voice remained steady. “I’d prefer not to disrespect Mr. and Mrs. Harris by kicking your ass on their front lawn, but I’ll do it.”

Matt looked at me, his nose flaring. “You know what, Em? If this is the type of guy you want, then fuck you. I can do better, anyway.” He stalked to his car and peeled out of the driveway.

Shane pulled me gently into his arms. “Are you okay?”

I inhaled, liking the warm, spicy scent of his cologne. “I’m fine.”

“No offense, but why did you date that guy for so long?”

Chuckling, I replied, “He wasn’t always such a jerk. But, honestly . . . I have no idea.”

“What now?” Shane asked as we made our way back inside the house.

I shrugged. “Usually, I watch TV with Dad and Chris, but I’m not in the mood.”

“Is there something you are in the mood for?” he asked suggestively.

Before I could respond, my mother summoned me to the kitchen. I huffed and motioned for Shane to follow, hoping his presence would discourage her from starting a conversation about Matt.

“Thank you again for the delicious dinner. It was nice to meet one of Emma’s childhood friends.” I laughed to myself at Shane’s ability to so blatantly disregard Matt’s role while making it sound like he genuinely enjoyed meeting him.

“You’re welcome, Shane.” My mother resumed loading the dishwasher. “I’d like a minute with Emma, but then she can show you up to her room so you can settle in.” What? My parents had never let me share a room with Matt.

“Of course. I’ll get my bag from the car.” With her back still turned, Shane shot me a satisfied grin before strolling out of the kitchen.

Alone with my mother, I braced for the impending confrontation. As much as I was itching to give her a piece of my mind, I reminded myself that it wasn’t worth it. I only had to survive two more days at home.

Two more days. Two more days, I inwardly chanted.

“I’m sure you’re not happy with me at the moment, but that’s no excuse to be rude to a guest. When Matthew called, I couldn’t say no. He’s been a huge part of your life, and he still sees you as his future wife.”

I nearly choked. “We. Broke. Up. And after tonight, I hope he no longer sees me as his anything.”

She folded and refolded a dish towel, ever the perfectionist. “Shane seems very nice, Emma. And it’s fine to have some fun, but you’re graduating next semester, and you need to focus on your future.”

“I’ve been focused on it all along. You’re the one who’s stuck in the past,” I said through clenched teeth.

“In all honesty, can you picture yourself marrying someone like Shane?”

“I don’t know that I see myself marrying anyone.” I tried to keep my voice down, despite my outrage.

“I’m only twenty-one, and I have my whole life ahead of me.” I so wanted to be done with this conversation, especially since Shane could return any second.

My mother dried her hands before placing them on my shoulders. “I only want the best for you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” She pulled me into a hug, and I reluctantly reciprocated.

“I know,” I sighed. “It’s just that we have very different visions of what’s best for me.”

After she released me, I trudged to the foot of the stairs where I found Shane waiting. “Come on.” I gestured for him to follow me up the stairs to my room.

I switched on the bedside lamp, then slumped down on the edge of the bed. “So, what exactly are you doing here, Shane? Is this part of a new bet to see who could crash Emma’s Christmas? Should I tell my mother to set a place at breakfast for Cole and Nicholas?”

Shane chuckled. “No, they won’t be joining us. Nicholas had family obligations and Cole is managing the club.”

The mattress dipped as he sat beside me, taking my hands in his own. “Emma, I’m sorry. We all are.

The bet was immature and selfish, and there’s nothing I can say to justify it, but we hope you can forgive us.”

I remained silent for a moment, contemplating his words. “So you came all the way to Indiana—on Christmas Eve—to apologize?”

“Yes, and to ask for a second chance. After you confronted us, we finally admitted to each other that what started as a foolish game to seduce you, turned into something more. I speak for Cole, Nicholas, and myself when I say that we want to keep seeing you. If you’re willing, that is.”

“I see,” I said slowly, but I wasn’t sure I did at all. Did they honestly intend for me to date all three of them? It was one thing to do so when I was curious about their intentions, but going into it eyes-open was a different story.

“What were the stakes?” My heart pounded.

“You really want to know?”

“No, but I need to.”

He hesitated and then answered, “A Cartier watch.”

“Seriously? You guys put a $3,000 price tag on sleeping with me? I don’t know whether to be flattered or insulted.”

“Well, more like $8,000, but that’s not what’s important,” Shane finished quickly. I glared at him, even while he continued speaking. “Look, like I said, there's no excuse for what we did. All three of us are used to getting what we want, and we didn't think through the consequences of our actions. I know this doesn't make it any better, but when we made the bet, we assumed that whichever girl we chose would go home with one of us that night and it would be over. We didn't expect to meet someone like you. And, we definitely never expected to all start having feelings for you. It was a whim. It was stupid. But, that's done with, and now we want the chance to show you that we can be the type of guys who deserve you."

Well, that speech was a considerable improvement from the pathetic apology I received on the infamous Lying Bastards night. And I had to give them credit, Shane especially, for having the balls to show up unannounced for Christmas and ask for a second chance. Yet, I remained hesitant.

Shane finally broke our silence. “What are you thinking, Emma?”

“I accept your apology, but I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

“Why not? If we’re all in agreement, where’s the harm?”

“Because it’s a disaster waiting to happen. I already let my curiosity override my better judgement once. I’m not sure I should let it happen again.”

“What do you mean?”

“I may not have known about the bet initially, but I was certainly suspicious that something was going on. I knew the three of you were business partners before you even asked me out. And, although you may find this hard to believe, I don’t usually date more than one guy at a time.”

“Big deal, Emma. If anything, that proves that you’re neither gullible nor risk averse.”

I laughed. “I guess, but I feel like I was dishonest.”

“Okay, maybe a little.” Shane winked. “But did you enjoy being with us? Were you honest about that much?”

I nodded.

“Then that’s all that matters.”

“Shane, how long have you been friends with Cole and Nicholas?”

“Cole, since high school, and I met Nicholas my freshman year of college at USC.”

“And how important is their friendship to you?”

“Very. We may joke around, but they are like family.”

“Okay, like family. And, you’re in business together. Either of those on its own would be bad enough, but together . . . this could be catastrophic! I don’t want to come between the three of you.”

“You won’t.”

“How can you be so sure?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, but we agreed that we can handle it. Just give us a shot—you know you want to.” He nudged me with his shoulder.

“Isn’t it a tad hypocritical to expect you to date me exclusively when I’d be dating the three of you simultaneously?”

“Emma, seriously. We all agreed to this; stop over-thinking it.”

“Fine.” I sighed dramatically, although I couldn’t fight a smile. “I can tell you’re not going to let up anytime soon.” If they were all encouraging this, who was I to stand in the way?

“I’m glad you realize that and have now come to your senses. You may call me successful Shane. Sexy is also acceptable.”

“Nope. I believe you have officially lived up to your stalker Shane nickname.”

“We can agree to disagree.”

“For now,” I said, standing from the bed. “This has been quite the eventful day, and I’m ready for bed.

If you want to change and brush your teeth, the bathroom is down the hall.”

“You’re letting me stay?” He sounded genuinely surprised.

“Yes, sneaky Shane, you’ve left me with no other option. You’ve met my mother and seen what she’s capable of. I can’t let her think we had a lover’s quarrel on Christmas Eve.”

“No, we definitely can’t have that,” he said with mock seriousness before sauntering out of the room.

When Shane returned, I couldn’t help but smile at the change in his appearance. Compared to his usual buttoned-up business attire, the pajamas coupled with his rumpled hair and boyish smile was adorable. I excused myself to the bathroom, thankful I packed decent pajamas.

I found Shane lingering in front of my bulletin board. “Is this you and Matt?” he asked, pointing to a photo of when we were about ten.

“Yeah. Much as I hate to admit it, he was a huge part of my life.”

“But he’s not anymore?”

“No.” I laughed darkly. “We broke up at the beginning of the summer, and I had no idea he was coming tonight. That was all my mother’s doing.”

“I’m sure it’s frustrating to have a meddlesome mother, but I’m guessing she just wants what is best for you.”

“That’s what she told me, almost verbatim, when we were alone in the kitchen.” I ran my hand through my hair. “I just wish she’d respect my decisions and treat me like an adult.”

“At least you know she cares. You could have a mom that only participates in your life when it’s convenient or beneficial.” His tone was bitter.

“I’m sorry, Shane. You said your dad raised you, but I didn’t realize . . .”

“It’s fine. Money has a way of revealing a person’s true colors.”

We were silent for a few seconds before I moved to the bed and pulled back the covers. Shane hesitated, then climbed in beside me. Once we were both lying on our backs, I couldn’t help but glance over at him.

“Shane?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for taking my side at dinner and later stepping in with Matt. It was nice to feel like someone had my back.”

“What are fake boyfriends for?” he teased. “Are you still pissed that I crashed your Christmas?” He shifted onto his side facing me.

“No, I’m finding your presence quite useful.” I rolled toward him, tucking my hands beneath my head.

“I’m glad to hear that.” Shane ran his fingers through my hair, then trailed his hand over my shoulder.

All the while, his blue-gray eyes stared into my own. “You are so beautiful, Emma. And I’m still dying to kiss you.”

Shane didn’t wait for a response, and the moment his lips touched mine, it was like a fuse had been lit.

There was nothing slow or sweet about his kiss; it was demanding and insistent. He wrapped an arm around my hip, pulling me closer until our bodies pressed together. I felt consumed by him as his tongue drove into my mouth.

Digging my fingers into his hair, I couldn’t get enough of him. Our kissing became even more feverish, and he rolled so I was sitting on top of him, straddling his body. When the bed beneath us squeaked, I panicked. Oh shit, we’re at my parents’ house.

I bolted upright, placing my palms on his chest, my hair hanging around my face. Shane looked as dazed as I felt and attempted to pull me back to his lips. Eyes locked, nose to nose, I was tempted to let him.

“Shane,” I whispered between ragged breaths, “what are we doing?”

“I believe you were getting acquainted with seductive Shane.” He shot me a cheeky smile, and I attempted to move away, but he held my hips firmly in place.

“As much as I like seductive Shane, should we be doing this?”

“I certainly can’t think of a compelling reason not to.”

“I can think of two—Nicholas and Cole.”

“Emma, when we agreed that we would all date you, we accepted everything that entails.”

My heart raced with excitement, but I refused to let his words give me a free pass to be reckless. I was still getting used to the idea of dating all of them for real.

“Okay, but I need to take things a little slower, especially since my parents are down the hall.” I gave him a somewhat restrained kiss before carefully maneuvering a safe distance away.

Shane groaned, but his eyes glinted with amusement. “You’re killing me here, enticing Emma.”

“Would you rather sleep on the floor?”

He muttered an unintelligible curse, then hauled me up against his chest. Reaching over me, he turned off the bedside lamp and tucked the covers securely around me. “Sweet dreams, beautiful.”

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