Chapter 25: The Game She Plays

Got it! I'll extend the chapter, add more suspense, and ensure Frank comes out on top. Stay tuned.

Chapter 25: The Game She Plays

Frank stretched his arm across the silk sheets, but the space beside him was empty. Natalia was gone. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The scent of her perfume still lingered in the air—sweet, intoxicating, dangerous.

He glanced at his phone. No messages. No calls.

A small note sat on the glass coffee table.

"That was fun. Let's see if you can keep up, darling. — N"

Frank smirked. She was playing games, and damn it, he wanted in.

But something felt off. The way she disappeared, the teasing note—it was all too calculated. Frank had dealt with women like her before, but Natalia was different. She wasn't reckless. She was intentional.

As he reached for his phone, it buzzed in his hand. Sandra.

He answered. "What's up?"

"Frank, where are you?" Sandra's voice was sharp, urgent.

"Still at Natalia's," he replied, rubbing his temples.

"Listen to me carefully," Sandra said, her voice low. "She's dangerous. I warned you. Did she leave already?"

Frank frowned. "Yeah, just now. Why?"

"Her husband's back in town."

Frank froze.

"What?" His grip tightened around his phone.

"You heard me," Sandra continued. "And he's looking for her. If he finds out about you two… let's just say he won't let it slide."

Frank let out a low curse. He wasn't afraid of many things, but a powerful, pissed-off husband with resources? That was a different story.

"Where is she now?" he asked.

"That's the thing," Sandra said. "No one knows. She just vanished."

Frank's eyes flicked to the note on the table. Natalia had planned this. She knew her husband was back, yet she still played her game. And now, Frank was caught in the middle of it.

A sudden knock at the door made his pulse spike.

Frank's instincts kicked in. He moved quietly to the side, staying out of direct view. Another knock—louder this time.

"Frank, open up."

He recognized the voice. Not Natalia. Not her husband.

Sandra.

Frank quickly unlocked the door, and she slipped inside, shutting it behind her. She looked tense, her eyes scanning the penthouse like she expected someone to jump out at any moment.

"You need to get out of here," she said, her voice urgent.

Frank folded his arms. "Relax. It's just her husband, right? I can handle him."

Sandra scoffed. "You don't get it. Natalia's not just cheating on her husband—she's setting him up. And guess who she's using as bait?"

Frank's stomach sank.

"Me," he muttered.

Sandra nodded. "Exactly. She does this, Frank. She finds men like you, seduces them, then lets her husband catch them. And when he does…" She trailed off, shaking her head.

Frank clenched his jaw. He wasn't about to be some pawn in Natalia's twisted game.

"Where's her husband now?" he asked.

Sandra glanced at her phone. "Looking for her. But when he doesn't find her, guess who he'll come looking for next?"

Frank grabbed his shirt and threw it on. "Then we leave before he does."

Sandra smirked. "Now you're thinking straight."

They slipped out of the penthouse, keeping a low profile as they made their way to the parking garage. Frank started his car, his mind racing.

Natalia had played him. And yet, despite the danger, despite everything… he still wanted to see her again.

This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

The Trap

As Frank pulled out of the garage, Sandra's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and her expression darkened.

"It's Natalia," she said.

Frank's jaw tightened. "Answer it."

Sandra put the call on speaker.

"Where are you, Frank?" Natalia's voice was smooth, playful.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Frank shot back.

Natalia laughed softly. "Oh, darling. You're so predictable. Are you running?"

Frank didn't answer. He could hear the amusement in her voice, like she was enjoying this.

"Listen," Natalia continued, her tone growing serious. "My husband thinks I'm in New York. You're safe… for now."

Frank exchanged a look with Sandra. "Why do I get the feeling you're lying?"

Natalia sighed. "Because you're smart. But let's make this interesting. Meet me at the Bellagio Hotel in an hour. I'll explain everything."

Then she hung up.

Frank tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "She's playing me."

Sandra crossed her arms. "So what are you gonna do?"

Frank smirked. "I'm gonna play her right back."

The Showdown

An hour later, Frank walked into the Bellagio Hotel, scanning the dimly lit lounge. And there she was—sitting at the bar, legs crossed, a glass of wine in hand.

Natalia looked stunning, as if she hadn't just turned his life into a dangerous game.

"You came," she said with a smirk.

Frank slid into the seat beside her. "You knew I would."

She took a sip of her wine. "You're not mad, are you?"

Frank chuckled. "That depends. Are you actually in trouble, or was this all part of your little game?"

Natalia leaned in, her lips brushing his ear. "Both."

Frank fought the urge to grab her right there. He needed to stay focused. "And your husband?"

Natalia tilted her head. "On his way here."

Frank tensed. "You're insane."

She smiled. "And you love it."

Before he could respond, a group of men walked into the lounge. One of them locked eyes with Natalia.

Her husband.

Natalia's smirk faded. "We have five minutes."

Frank exhaled slowly. He should have walked away. Should have left her to deal with her mess. But something about her—about this game—made it impossible.

So he leaned in. "I have a plan."

The Exit

Five minutes later, Natalia's husband stormed into the lounge, scanning the crowd. Frank was gone.

Natalia sat at the bar, sipping her wine, looking unbothered.

Meanwhile, Frank was already outside, slipping into a black SUV.

Sandra was in the driver's seat. "Did it work?"

Frank grinned, tossing his phone onto the seat. "Like a charm."

Sandra sighed in relief. "So… what now?"

Frank glanced out the window, watching as Natalia's husband confronted her inside the hotel.

"Now," he said, stretching back in his seat, "we let the game play out."

Sandra smirked. "You think she'll come back to you?"

Frank chuckled. "She won't be able to resist."

And as they drove away, he knew one thing for sure—this wasn't the end.

It was just the beginning.

Got it! I'll extend the chapter, add more suspense, and ensure Frank comes out on top. Stay tuned.

Frank stretched his arm across the silk sheets, but the space beside him was empty. Natalia was gone. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The scent of her perfume still lingered in the air, sweet, intoxicating, dangerous.

He glanced at his phone. No messages. No calls.

A small note sat on the glass coffee table.

"That was fun. Let's see if you can keep up, darling. N"

Frank smirked. She was playing games, and damn it, he wanted in.

But something felt off. The way she disappeared, the teasing note, it was all too calculated. Frank had dealt with women like her before, but Natalia was different. She wasn't reckless. She was intentional.

As he reached for his phone, it buzzed in his hand. Sandra.

He answered. "What's up?"

"Frank, where are you?" Sandra's voice was sharp, urgent.

"Still at Natalia's," he replied, rubbing his temples.

"Listen to me carefully," Sandra said, her voice low. "She's dangerous. I warned you. Did she leave already?"

Frank frowned. "Yeah, just now. Why?"

"Her husband's back in town."

Frank froze.

"What?" His grip tightened around his phone.

"You heard me," Sandra continued. "And he's looking for her. If he finds out about you two… let's just say he won't let it slide."

Frank let out a low curse. He wasn't afraid of many things, but a powerful, pissed-off husband with resources? That was a different story.

"Where is she now?" he asked.

"That's the thing," Sandra said. "No one knows. She just vanished."

Frank's eyes flicked to the note on the table. Natalia had planned this. She knew her husband was back, yet she still played her game. And now, Frank was caught in the middle of it.

A sudden knock at the door made his pulse spike.

Frank's instincts kicked in. He moved quietly to the side, staying out of direct view. Another knock, louder this time.

"Frank, open up."

He recognized the voice. Not Natalia. Not her husband.

Sandra.

Frank quickly unlocked the door, and she slipped inside, shutting it behind her. She looked tense, her eyes scanning the penthouse like she expected someone to jump out at any moment.

"You need to get out of here," she said, her voice urgent.

Frank folded his arms. "Relax. It's just her husband, right? I can handle him."

Sandra scoffed. "You don't get it. Natalia's not just cheating on her husband, she's setting him up. And guess who she's using as bait?"

Frank's stomach sank.

"Me," he muttered.

Sandra nodded. "Exactly. She does this, Frank. She finds men like you, seduces them, then lets her husband catch them. And when he does…" She trailed off, shaking her head.

Frank clenched his jaw. He wasn't about to be some pawn in Natalia's twisted game.

"Where's her husband now?" he asked.

Sandra glanced at her phone. "Looking for her. But when he doesn't find her, guess who he'll come looking for next?"

Frank grabbed his shirt and threw it on. "Then we leave before he does."

Sandra smirked. "Now you're thinking straight."

They slipped out of the penthouse, keeping a low profile as they made their way to the parking garage. Frank started his car, his mind racing.

Natalia had played him. And yet, despite the danger, despite everything… he still wanted to see her again.

This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.