Title: Gambled On A Game of Cards
Summary: Joshua was rich, super rich. But he wasn’t like the others. Well, that’s what Zeke thought – until Joshua agreed to the terms of his money-hungry sister’s bet. The winner of the game of cards can have whatever, or whoever, they wanted. No objection! Could Joshua be using this chance to get Luchia, Zeke’s sister…or Zeke himself?
Claimer: I own the story plot and characters, any names related to those living or dead are purely coincidental. Do not use my characters without permission.
AN: …I’m sick, sore, suffering from writer’s block and is as bitter as hell. Please excuse any spelling errors or typos. I needed to take my frustrations out on something that isn’t living. So, here we are. This will be a three-shot, no more, no less. Other than that, enjoy.
…I’m going to go to bed and die now…
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Chapter 1: Zeke’s POV
Zeke Grayson hated his life. Of little of it as there was, he hated it. And it was because of his blood related family that he hated it so much. And he was pretty sure that they hated him. They only kept him around because they wouldn’t pay for a professional cleaner and needed him to do all the ‘dirty work’.
His family was by no means poor (well, compared to the other millionaires that littered their coastal town of Fassifern), but that didn’t mean they didn’t want more money. Oh, they did. They wanted to be classed as the richest in town and were trying to enter the fold of high society. By any means.
None, though, were more determined than that of his sister, Luchia, or Lucya as she was known by a select few.
Luchia had the taste of the high life and was frequently on the social scene, trying to get her claws into someone rich. Staying out all night, tottering around in high-heels at casinos wasn’t something was uncommon for her. In fact, their mother encouraged her to do so in order to bring their family more money. Although, Luchia didn’t want just any old rich guy (she had standards, you see). No, she wanted someone young, rich and handsome.
Someone exactly like Joshua Hensley of the famous Hensley family. This family was famous for their play-hard lifestyle. Money was no problem. They had plenty. And when Zeke said plenty, he meant they didn’t even know how much money they had. Billions!
Joshua Hensley was different to the other millionaires and billionaires in Fassifern, though. He wasn’t a playboy who’s only concern was his next conquest nor was he a womaniser who lusted after any pretty little thing like that of his brothers were rumoured to be. He was one of a few people that actually treated Zeke as a person and not as a mere servant for his family.
Zeke could even say that Joshua was his friend. Not that he would tell his family that. In fact, he wouldn’t tell them anything, especially not about Joshua. Or Josh, as he was allowed to call him.
Zeke was the youngest and the only son, so with three older sisters (Luchia the youngest and most…feisty) and a mother, he was the only male in the house. His father died several years ago, and the money of his life insurance was starting to run out, hence the need to snag someone rich. And quick!
And so, he was reduced to catering to their every need, chaperoning them to and fro between parties and other functions were the clientele were all rich. After all, a girl’s got a higher chance of snagging a rich husband than he of finding a rich wife (they don’t even know how right they were in that matter. He was gay and would, could never drag someone into a loveless marriage just for the money). His needs mean absolutely nothing in life and in general, and in their perspective, he shouldn’t have any needs in the first place. He was there to serve them, nothing more.
That was why Zeke had to warn Joshua about Luchia. If his family ever found out, they’ll probably arrange to have the shit kicked out of him (charm someone to do it, of course, as they’d never waste any money on him in anyway). But Luchia was planning something strange and most likely stupid. She wasn’t an idiot, though. She was actually quite cunning when she had to be. She could charm any old millionaire of his winnings at the casino and make it seem like he was the dirt bag.
And she had no problem bragging about what she had done, either.
Which was why Zeke found himself in the high-end casino, dressed in not the most fashionable or expensive clothes; a simple pair of black pants and a silky black, short sleeve shirt, looking for Joshua amongst the masses of the upper crust. His sky blue eyes easily glanced at his surroundings, running his hand through his bright red hand in a sign of nervousness. He received a few quizzical looks from those around him, some even appearing as though they’ve never seen him before (which was probably true) or surprised to see him willingly walk into a casino without having dropped his sisters and mother off first.
But he didn’t care. He needed to find Joshua. He couldn’t let Luchia get her claws into him. And not because he had a crush on him (who didn’t? He was gorgeous!) but because Joshua could -and should- do so much better than a money-hungry bitch like Luchia.
Finding Joshua wasn’t all that difficult. He had a very charismatic personality that drew people to him. He was charming and a bit of a high-roller, looking for something of interest to him. He wasn’t shallow though. He wasn’t looking for the next thing to amuse him. When he set his mind on something, nothing was going to deter him.
Pushing his way through the crowd around the enigmatic blond, Zeke immediately gained Joshua’s attention. Joshua grinned widely at him and appeared ready to call out his name when suddenly, the crowd on Joshua’s other side parted and Luchia stood there. Zeke inwardly cursed. He wasn’t able to get to Joshua in time.
Luchia had her hands on her hips in a bold manner and was wearing a short and tight blood red dress that was short and tight. Did he mention it was short and tight? Her hair was only a shade lighter than that of her dress, but her lips were the same seductive red. Her vivid blue eyes stood out greatly under her heavy and dark make-up.
Apparently, they looked similar, but Zeke couldn’t (or rather, didn’t want to) see the resemblance. He hoped against hope that he was adopted and had a real family out there somewhere looking for him.
Luchia gave him such a look that told him if he didn’t back away right now she was going to do whatever it took to make his life more of a living hell than it already was. And so, submissively, Zeke lowered his head, his chin to his chest and took a couple of steps back, away from the plush chair Joshua was confidently and casually occupying without looking at him. He always made sure not to look in Joshua’s direction whenever one of his family members’ exercised their control over him.
“Lucya, babe, what you want now?”
Funny, Joshua didn’t sound all that welcoming when he asked that.
As if a switch had been flicked, Luchia’s frown turned into a flirty smile and she fluttered her eyelashes at him. It was a sicking thing to witness. Surely, others could see through her act as well.
“I just thought you would like to engage in something fun for once,” Luchia practically purred at him, her voice sickly seductive. “Something dangerous…”
“Yeah?” Joshua uttered in mild interest. “What’s that?”
“How about a game of poker between the two of us?” Luchia queried. “But with the stakes a little bit…scandalous. The winner gets whatever and whoever she-”
“Or he,” Joshua cut in abruptly.
“-wants without complaint, and they must do everything she-”
“Or he.”
“-wants, again, without complaint,” Luchia finished, giving Joshua a come-hither look. “Everything.”
So that was what she was planning. As shocking and as scandalous as it was, Zeke wasn’t all that surprised. Only Luchia would think of pulling something as bold as this off. And from the look of his mother’s face in the crowd that had stopped to watch, she seemed proud of her little girl.
“Well, that certainly sounds…intriguing,” Joshua drawled from where he was sprawled out on the couch, his arms hanging casually over the back.
“Well?” Luchia purred with a predatory glint in her eyes. “What do you say? Afraid you’ll lose to a girl like me?”
Zeke wasn’t sure, but Joshua may have twitched at her words.
“Sure, sounds like fun!” Joshua suddenly replied cheerfully. “So I can get whatever, or rather whoever, I want, huh?”
“Only if you win, pretty boy,” Luchia immediately retorted as she sat across from him, her short, tight dress only getting shorter and tighter when she did and pulled out a deck of cards from her bag.
Joshua had actually agreed to her terms? Maybe he wasn’t any different from his brothers after all. Zeke was pretty sure that Joshua would have done something to reject Luchia’s proposal as it was well known amongst the upper crust that Luchia was a card shark.
But then again, Zeke had heard rumours that Joshua could be a killer at cards as well.
Zeke blinked and felt a sense of anticipation when Joshua sent a wink in his direction. What was he planning?