Page 158 of Fallen Stars
Elara waved a hand at the piano, turning it back into a table reluctantly as she sat opposite Enzo. She glanced at him, seeing the tell-tale sign that he was tipsy, his eyes a little darker than usual. The last time she had seen him like that had been at the revel by the Helion palace’s waterfall, and her heart ached for those simpler times when they were just two enemies in denial of their feelings for one another.
“Ready to play Bare Cards, my love?” He gave her a rakish smile as Adrian shuffled the cards expertly and divided them between the group.
“Areyouready to play?” she retorted. “Because remember, if I lose, you’re going to have to stay sat across the table as I slowly undress.”
A spark of fire lit Enzo’s eyes. “I hardly think a table is going to stop me if you begin to undress,” he murmured.
Elara smirked. “I guess we’ll have to see how good your self-discipline is,Lorenzo.”
He pressed his lips together, smirking as he shook his head.
“Good lords,” Adrian muttered, horrified.
“Now I have to point out,” Leo stated, “this is hardly fair. We now have a god amongst us who can read minds. Not to mention that Isra is literally a seer, and Enzo can tell if we’re lying or not. I always lose.”
“Hence the stark-bollock-nakedness,” Isra explained, nodding sadly. “I saw far too much cock that day. My eyes…Why-oh-why were there not more beautiful women present in that tavern?”
“I’m pretty sure Isra rinsed her eyes out with white spirits afterwards.” Enzo was trying not to laugh.
“That man’s…” she grimaced, pulling out her little finger, “that looked green? Scarred me for life.”
Everyone groaned.
“Anyway,” Isra added. “We didn’t even cheat that time.”
“So did.”
Enzo rolled his eyes. “It’s as though we’re thirteen again.”
“Except Leo’s not crying,” Isra snickered.
“I didn’t cry,” Leo hissed. “You cheatedand took my sword from me that day.”
“You definitely shed a tear at having to part with that.” Isra smirked, picking up her cards. “Enzo and I won’t use our magick, we promise.”
“Eli?” Merissa asked. The god put his cards down, raising a brow at her.
“You wound me, Merissa. I’m not a cheat.”
The demi-Star snorted. “Spoken like the god of trickery.”
Eli gave a wolfish grin. “Elara has played cards with me, and she won.”
“True!” Elara replied. “Now less sniping, let’s play Bare Cards.”
In the first round, Isra lost a shoe, Adrian his hat, and Eli a belt. The turn fell to Enzo.
“What do you have?” Adrian asked.
Enzo sighed, throwing his card on the table. “Two chalices.”
“One item of clothing please!” Adrian crooned, extending a hand.
Enzo stood, grinning as he lifted his shirt and pulled it over his head. There were howls around the table as he revealed his bare torso, throwing the shirt at Adrian. He flexed his muscles, winking at Elara. “Still grateful for the table?” he purred.
Elara may as well have been salivating, every nerve ending standing to attention as she saw his beautiful, carved chest in the candlelight—although why she expected anything less from Enzo, she didn’t know.
“You areinsufferable,” Isra moaned, pushing him away from her.