I stared at Ryan's impassive face, trying to read any hint of emotion or intention. His eyes remained steady and unreadable, his dark hair slightly disheveled. His gaze flicked to his own cards, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something in his eyes—recognition, perhaps, or maybe a hint of doubt. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"I need a drink," Spencer said abruptly, breaking the tension. He rose from his seat on the couch, leaving behind a deep dent in the cushion. As he walked away, I noticed Thea's leg bobbing up and down nervously. She played with her nails, her eyes burning holes into the cards faced down on the table. Her anxiety for me was almost comical.

"The Divo," Ryan said suddenly, his voice cutting through the room like a knife. He looked me straight in the eye, leaning back in his seat across from me. I raised my eyebrows, both surprised and confused by his words.

"You can't be serious," Miles interjected from beside me. He had his arm around a sleepy Elise, who suddenly seemed more alert, her eyes widening at Ryan's bet. About an hour into the game, the girls had retired and volunteered to watch instead. It was then that we upped the stakes and returned to our usual way of gambling—property. So far, Spencer and Trevor had lost one beach house each to Miles, and Miles had lost his favorite revolver to Ryan. I was in a no-loss, no-gain stage, playing it safe, contrary to my usual approach. But that was partly due to Thea being present. Losing in front of her would be a hit to my pride. I wanted her to see me as a successful and competent man, not a reckless hoodlum.

"I am. What do you say, Conrad?" Ryan asked, smirking as he leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. "Check or fold?"

I tapped my finger on my knee, pondering his question. The pair of queens I had in my hand urged me to play on, but the three spade cards in the center threatened my chances against a potential flush.

I turned my head and looked at Thea. Her big brown eyes were fixated on mine, and her lush lips parted as she took a deep breath. It was clear she wasn't used to such high stakes. She thought the beach houses were a joke until the calls were made. She was visibly tense, biting the inner part of her lower lip.

God she was so hot.

"All right," I said, still looking at Thea. Her eyes widened as I shifted my focus off her beautiful face and onto Ryan's amused one. He'd expected me to fold, to shy away from his dare like a coward. Surely he didn't expect me to give away the Bugatti Divo, one of the forty made in the world. It was one of my prized possessions, a main attraction in my collection.

Spencer choked on his drink, and Trevor laughed, stretching his arms, both enjoying the scene unfolding.

"Alright then," Trevor said, reaching for the pile of cards to replace Spencer as the dealer. "Here you go."

Just as Trevor was about to flip the cards, Spencer stepped on Zeus' squeaky toy, making all of us panic.

"Fuck," I groaned as I heard Zeus' paws hit the floor, sprinting down the stairs to join us in the main room. His lean body leaped towards us the moment he was close enough and landed straight onto the coffee table, scattering all the cards, some flying into the air. He made a second leap onto me.

The room erupted in laughter and chaos as we tried to gather the scattered cards and calm Zeus down. Ryan's smirk never left his face, and I couldn't help but wonder if this was part of his plan all along. But as I held onto Zeus, I had realized one thing- the people in this room meant the most to me, especially the girl beside me.

"You're so cute!" Thea exclaimed as Zeus left my lap to plop himself on hers. His tongue hung out panting after all the gymnastics he did as Thea ruffled his ears. "Such a good boy." She said in a baby voice kissing his forehead.

"Zeus, down." I commanded as he made himself comfortable. I couldn't help but look at the top of her cleavage where he laid his head. Her curves caught the light and the soft, alluring lines drew my attention effortlessly. It was a captivating sight, a very interesting feature of hers. My eyes snapped to hers when she held Zeus tighter without any intention of letting go.

"He's not going anywhere." She said coddling him and massaging his head. I sighed and pat his bottom half which was sprawled onto my lap as he repositioned himself on her.

"Let's see what you say after he gets his drool all over you." I snickered as I saw him hanging his wet tongue out.

"I don't give a fuck."

The oak doors to the main hall opened with a resounding thud, and my mother's lean frame occupied the entrance. Her presence was like a force of nature, and I couldn't help but straighten up on the couch. Zeus leaped off and bounded toward his favorite person. Mum patted his head absently, her sharp eyes glaring at me, clearly displeased with my lack of participation in the gathering.

Her gaze lingered on me for a long minute, filled with unspoken expectations and silent rebuke. Then, with a sharp intake of breath, she redirected her attention, scanning the room hurriedly.

"Ah, Thea! There you are," Mum exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air, much to Zeus's dislike. He had been enjoying the soft strokes of her hand and now trotted behind her, hopeful for more attention. Thea, who had been sitting beside me, rose to her feet, and I immediately hated the vacancy she left behind.

"I've been looking for you for an hour!" Mum's voice carried a mix of exasperation and urgency as she grasped Thea's hand, pulling her towards the door with a speed that left no room for argument. "Girls, I need you to come with me as well," she added, looking at Elise and Valerie with the same commanding tone.

I groaned, knowing what was coming. The weight of responsibility hung heavy in the air, a silent pressure that demanded compliance. Earlier, she had pleaded with me to stay put at the party, and yet, here I was, sneaking out for a game of poker.

"I will deal with you three later." Her words held promise as she squinted her eyes at the boys. They were huddled in the corner, mischief written all over their faces. "And Conrad," she said, looking back at me, "Paige is here."

The room's energy shifted almost immediately. I straightened up on the couch and locked eyes with Miles. His eyes mirrored my resolve and he gave me an affirmative nod. Paige Wilson had finally arrived after three years of absence. The mere mention of her name sent a ripple of anticipation through the air.

"I'll be there in five," I assured my mother as she left with the girls, her footsteps echoing down the hallway. I hadn't seen Paige for a while. Three years to be exact. She hadn't been present for any of our gatherings or events. Nor had she participated in clan meetings. Her absence had been a topic of much speculation, but no one dared to confront the reason behind it.

I was surprised she showed up after I summoned her, especially following her fallout with Devin. The incident had left a mark on the clans, a wound that time had yet to heal. I sobered up and reached for my coat that hung over the couch. The weight of the moment settled over me as I shrugged it on, the familiar fabric a comfort against the unknown.

Miles was already up, his tall frame blocking the doorway as he waited for me. Together, we navigated through the house, past clusters of guests lost in their own conversations and laughter. The party was in full swing, but for us, the night was about to take a serious turn.

When we rejoined the party, the atmosphere had changed. The room was abuzz with muted conversations and curious glances. Paige's reappearance only added to the tension.

Paige stood near the staircase, her back to us, her figure partially obscured by the passing waiters. She was talking to someone, her voice low and indistinct.

"Conrad," Miles began, his voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think she's ready for this? After everything that happened?"

I hesitated, considering his question. "She has to be. We don't have a choice."

As we approached, Paige turned to face us. Her once familiar features were now marked with subtle changes, hints of the time that had passed. Her green eyes, however, still held that piercing intensity I remembered so well.

"Conrad," she greeted, a slight smile playing on her lips. "It's been a long time."

"Too long," I replied, studying her closely. "Thank you for coming."

She nodded, her expression growing serious. "You said it was urgent."

"It is," I confirmed, glancing around to ensure we weren't overheard. "But not here. Let's go somewhere private."

We moved to a secluded corner of the hallway, away from the prying eyes and curious ears. Miles stood guard, ensuring our conversation remained undisturbed. I turned to Paige, the gravity of the situation reflected in my tone.

"Call Devin back."

Her eyes widened slightly, squinted into thin lines, and then relaxed. "No." She crossed her arms across her chest.

"That wasn't an option," I clarified, my voice firm.

"Unless you want to end up dead, I suggest you don't get involved." She started walking away, but I grabbed her wrist before she got too far.

"Don't make me pull rank," I warned her, pulling her back until she was close enough to hear me.

She yanked her hand out of mine and stared at me angrily. Her chest heaved as she spoke. "What are you gonna do? Fight me?"

"If I have to." I took a threatening step closer.

"I'd like to see you try." She poked a finger in my chest.

"Stop it." I ordered when I realized that she wasn't backing down. Although I could easily take her in a fight, that's the last thing I wanted. "This ain't the time, Paige. I need you to call him back. Things are going to get real messy now."

"Why don't you call him yourself?"

"Don't you think I've tried? He only listens to you. We both know that."

"I can't. I'm sorry."

"Why?" I stopped her again as she began to walk away.

"He insulted me in front of my clan, killed Aaron with no fucking remorse and for only God knows what reason. Then he proceeds to make arrangements to hide it from me and worst of all, everyone I trusted sided with him. Including my parents." She said teary-eyed.

My mind refused to believe the facts Paige spit out. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make sense out of it. Aaron was Devin consigliere to be. He was Devin's best friend, the person he trusted the most. He was to become his right hand man when Devin took over the Hudson clan.

"So you tell me Conrad, do you really want to call him back after he killed his second in command and ram away? Because honestly, I don't know where his loyalties lie anymore." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke.

The tension between Paige and me was palpable. The hallway already dimly lit, seemed to grow darker with every word exchanged. She wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I really am. But I don't want to associated with anything that has to do with that man." I didn't stop her again as she walked away from me, grabbing a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.

"What are you doing Devin?" I said to myself.

END OF CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE LOYALTY GAME
2085 words

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