Chapter 528:
She reached out to sign, but Kellanâs firm hand caught her wrist.
âLet me sign this,â he said, his eyes locking with hers. âYou just focus on winning.â
The bright casino lights cast a glow over Kellan as he leaned forward, sleeves pushed up just enough to reveal strong forearms, radiating a composed strength.
Allison felt herself being drawn into the depths of his steady gaze, her heartbeat quickening with something she couldnât quite name.
âTsk, nowâs not the time for sweet talk,â Amor interjected with a sneer. âSave it for when youâre licking your wounds.â
Kellanâs eyes darkened with a chilling resolve. âBefore boasting, you should know I donât back down from a fight.â His presence suddenly grew dangerous and cold.
Allison tightened her fingers around his. âDonât worry, Mr. Lloyd. I wonât lose.â
Their hands lingered together, an unspoken promise hanging between them. For once, she didnât immediately release him. âItâs my responsibility. Iâll sign,â Allison stated, penning her name with quick strokes. Kellan followed, writing his name beside hers.
âI believe in you, so Iâll bet on us both.â
Days of shared danger made this moment feel familiar, just another trial in a long line of them.
Across the table, Melanyâs eyes welled up with frustration and jealousy. âIâm sorry, Allison, for what I said earlier. You donât hold it against me, do you?â
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But her words fell flat, and Allison didnât spare her a glance. Melany, unwilling to concede defeat, bit her lip and attempted to speak again. âPlease, donât be angry, Iâ¦â
Before she could finish, Kellan flicked a playing card that sliced sharply across the back of her hand.
Then, in an instantâ¦
âAh! Ah!â A cry of pain escaped Melany as she clutched her wounded hand, now marked with a thin, bleeding cut.
âSome people need to know when to keep their filthy hands to themselves, or next time, it wonât be just a scratch,â Kellan warned, his voice icy.
âYou!â Melany looked up, locking eyes with Kellanâs piercing stare.
At that moment, she froze.
The gaze that met hers was one of a predator, unrelenting and dangerous. Every instinct she had screamed that this was not a man she could afford to challenge.
Desperately, she turned her eyes to Colton, who sat among the spectators. âColtonâ¦â
But Colton, lost in his own thoughts, seemed oblivious to her distress. Realizing no one would come to her aid, Melany stepped back to Amorâs side, seething as she tried to stem the bleeding. Her mind churned with bitter thoughts. Soon, Allison and Kellan would be stripped of everything. When this gamble concluded, they would be beneath her forever.
Melany swallowed down her anger, concealing the deep resentment that darkened her eyes.
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