Southern Charm

Pam had been waiting for Eli in the other room, where they detained the blonde from the poker table. Eli tapped on the mirror to call Pam outside. He wanted to get as much intel about the girl since Barry wasn't forthcoming about her at all.

"Have you warmed her up?" Eli asked Pam as soon as she closed the door behind her. It was a soundproof room, so they couldn't be overheard.

"She's not talking. I confiscated her purse and found this." Pam held up the blonde's driver's license.

Eli took it and read the information. "Brigail Havens?" he asked, half-amused. "What kind of name is that?"

"Apparently one they give their kids in the South," Pam deadpanned. "She's from Louisiana."

"A twenty-three-year-old hick hustling my table?" Eli asked as he lifted a brow. "This better be good."

Eli ran his fingers through his hair before he entered the interrogation room.

The blonde, who had her gaze fixed on the mirror in front of her, didn't even look up when Eli entered.

Poker face, lovely, Eli mused as he took the seat opposite her, positioning himself in her line of vision.

"Did they offer you some refreshments?" he asked.

The blonde was more striking up close: wavy locks framing a face with big brown eyes and fair complexion.

She looked at him with cold eyes. "Why am I here?"

Straight shooter. I like it.

"You're here because I invited you here," Eli answered smoothly, turning on his charm a notch higher. Surely a simpleton like her would squirm under his penetrating gaze.

The blonde crossed her arms over her chest. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but last time I checked, an invitation still offers an option. And I wasn't given one."

Feisty.

"Forgive my people, Miss Brigail, can I call you Brigail?"

"I prefer it if you don't. Only my friends call me Brigail, and so far, you haven't done anything friendly to me," Brigail snapped.

Eli was taken aback. No one had dared talk to him like that. He clenched his jaw before he schooled his features to look unaffected. "Alright. Miss Havens, then."

When she didn't reply, he decided to start badgering her. "Since you're in no mood to be nice, I will cut to the bull and ask you. What are you doing here with Mr. Carrolton? Don't even try to deny it. I've got eyes everywhere. I know you came here with him and you've been working my tables. Usually I don't give a damn when a fish like you decides to swim with the sharks, but I'm making an exception. Because you, Miss Havens, have been keeping bad company."

"I don't think it's any of your goddamn business," she snapped icily. Her southern drawl was becoming evident along with her irritation.

"Everything that happens under my roof is my business, Miss Havens."

"As far as I'm concerned, you have squat against me. I haven't done anything illegal."

"I know you're colluding with Mr. Carrolton. That constitutes as cheating. I don't know how you do things in the South, but in here we take cheating seriously."

"You can't prove anything. Not every hand is a playing hand. I'm just practicing modesty. It's called a strategy. You should look it up, because you're obviously lacking one," she said acidly.

Eli was on the verge of losing his patience with the woman. He leaned forward to intimidate her. "Do you have any idea who I am, Miss Havens?" His voice dropped to a threatening whisper.

Eli had seen grown men cry and crap in their pants when they heard that tone from him.

The girl, however, didn't even flinch.

"I don't know who you are, but if you say you own this place then that makes you Eli Michealson. Your name's in all the boring magazines in my dentist's office. You see, they also teach us how to read in Louisiana. I know my rights, Mr. Michealson. You have nothing to arrest me, so I demand to be released right now."

"You know who I am and yet you have the gall to demand something from me?" Eli laughed dryly. "Do you know that people have pissed in their pants just by my mere presence, Miss Havens?"

Brigail remained expressionless as she spoke. "Don't you worry about me, Mr. Michealson. I have good control of my bladder."

Eli couldn't help the chuckle that came out of him from her snarky comeback. She was really fierce. Whether it was from ignorance or sheer stupidity, he didn't know. But he was sure of one thing, though. She was interesting.

He heaved a big sigh as he leaned back in his chair. He knew Pam was watching and must be having a good fucking time watching this backwater girl talk back to him. He scowled at the mirror before he turned his attention back to Brigail.

"We're not getting anywhere here, so can we have a do-over?" Eli asked. He was changing tactics because clearly he couldn't treat this girl like an ordinary offender. She didn't fear him enough. Or at all.

Brigail looked at him conspicuously but kept mum.

"You're right. Technically, you haven't done anything illegal for us to detain you or hand you over to LVPD. But you have to excuse my behavior. There's too much bad blood between me and Mr. Carrolton. It's hard for me to overlook your relationship with him."

Eli stood up and made his way toward Brigail. He stopped beside her and sat on the table. He turned his charm all the way up as he looked at her with smoldering blue eyes. "So let me rectify my initial actions by offering you a complimentary suite."

Brigail looked up at him, bemused at the sudden turn of events. "That's very generous of you, Mr. Michealson, but no, thank you. I have a perfectly good apartment and a cat that will go hungry if I don't come home to feed him."

She stood up from her seat and instantly regretted the move because now she was face to face with the arrogant bastard.

Damn, he smells good, she thought.

She immediately stepped back to put some distance between Eli and her. But her foot tripped on the leg of her chair and she fell backward.

Eli, with his incredible reflex, caught her before she hit the floor.

Their faces were inches apart and Brigail was mesmerized by the intensity of his azure orbs. His lips were slightly parted and for a fleeting moment, she wanted to latch on to those wet lips.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head out of the trance. Using the heels of her hands, she pushed herself up.

Bad move, again.

Because Eli wasn't ready to get up yet that when she sprung up, her body pressed onto his. The contact sent electric waves through her as she felt Eli's erection throbbing against his pants on her stomach.

Eli, who was aware of his raging bulge for the blonde, was also shocked by their sudden closeness. He accidentally let go of her and she dropped on the floor with a thud.

"Ow!" Brigail yelped.

Eli stood up and straightened his blazer before he offered a hand to Brigail.

Brigail begrudgingly took it as she hoisted herself. What a freaking gentleman! she thought sardonically.

"I'd like to have my purse back, please," she demanded when Eli made no move to let go of her hand.

Eli, without loosening his grip on her, swung the door open. A smirking Pam came in with Brigail's purse and placed it on top of the table.

Brigail cleared her throat loudly as she looked pointedly at Eli's hand enveloping hers.

Eli, who just realized he was still holding her, dropped her hand and tucked both his hands inside his pockets.

"Pam, please have Miss Havens escorted out," he ordered in an even tone.

Pam waved her index finger at the mirror and a man wearing a sharp black and white suit with an earpiece came in and led Brigail out.

As soon as the door closed, Eli sat back on the table as he stared at his image on the mirror. What the fuck, Michealson?!

"What the fuck was that?" Pam echoed his thoughts, amused and irritated at the same time. "If I hadn't known better, I would have thought you're fucking smitten with that hick."

"Of course I'm not," he growled defensively. "But I'm not yet done with her. I know she's working with Carrolton. I just need to know why."

He wasn't sure if he were trying to convince himself or Pam that all he cared about was the girl's affiliation with Barry. Nevertheless, he would not stop until he knew everything.

"Find out everything about her. Where she lives. Where she works. Her family. Her friends. Even her fucking cat."

He didn't ask for her boyfriend or, heaven forbid, husband. He wasn't sure he wanted to know if she had one.