"Merde!", frustrated, Aurore gave her brother a push to the shoulder as the roulette ball fell on black again.

Your lucky colour.

Smiling contentedly, you leaned against the edge of the table, Kurt behind you. His hand was on your bare back the whole time, which was even lower than the neckline of your dress. His thumb gently caressed the soft skin.

You leaned forward and he had to swallow hard to hold himself back. The flowing fabric hugged your curves so perfectly that you basically presented your ass to him.

Taking a deep breath, he slid his hand to your waist and gripped it a little tighter. Smirking over your shoulder, you shifted your weight and pushed your hips towards him, your soft behind casually brushing against his crotch.

His shoulders stiffened. And something else too.

The Cassel twins took no notice of the amusement on your face. Instead, they fought over the lost money.

"Another drink for good luck?", you asked.

Aurore snorted.

"A bottle, if it's no trouble.", she returned with a shrug.

With a snap of his fingers, Kurt called for a waiter.

"It seems that luck is on the owners' side.", Aymeric remarked almost casually.

You tilted your head with a charming grin.

"Is that an accusation?", you asked, your metal fingers drumming on the wood of the table.

"It was an observation.", he replied with French indifference, and this time went for black.

With a smile, you hand this game over to Kurt. He chose red, 23, and the little ball started rolling.

"We have no intention of ruining the evening.", he said, smiling charmingly at the two red heads.

Raising an eyebrow, Aurore smiled.

"Hm~ I could imagine how that could be made up for.", she purred, smiling at the two of you.

The gleam in your (E/C) eyes darkened.

"Don't cross the line.", you warned.

The smile faded immediately.

"Pardon.", she murmured, pretending to suddenly take a keen interest in Aymeric's choice of colour.

The sphere came to a halt. Money was posted to the Cassel twins' account.

Kurt's hand slid from your hip to your bum and squeezed it playfully, demanding. He was starting to get shaky. Amused by his impatience, you leaned back so that your bare back nestled against his chest and looked up to wink at him.

"I think we have something to discuss.", you whispered and grabbed his hand to pull him away from the table.

"Hm, music to my ears.", without paying attention to your guests you led him away from the table, swaying your hips so he had something nice to look at, past barriers and behind the VIP area into a storeroom.

A deep chuckle made his chest quiver as the door closed. He locked it. And immediately you found yourself on top of some boxes, Kurt between your legs and his lips on your neck.

A fire burned inside you, making you exhale heavily. Your arms wrapped around his neck and you spread your legs, allowing him to come even closer.

"My Lady Sapphire...", he breathed against your skin.

You leaned your head back so that he could kiss the particularly sensitive areas.

"Actually, that wasn't my plan.", you admitted with a grin, your eyes already heavy.

Kurt laughed against your neck.

"Oh yes?", he asked teasingly, took your face in both hands and kissed you. "And what else would be more important?"

You gently bit his lower lip, forcing him to take a break. A red imprint of your teeth stood out against your rosy skin. He just smiled.

"We need to talk.", you said.

He pressed his forehead against yours and sighed deeply.

"Really?", he asked in a raspy voice. "And for that you had to... make my life hard."

Chuckling, you slipped a hand between his legs and grabbed it firmly. The bulge of his cock pressed into the palm. He wasn't quite hard yet, but he reacted to your touch with a wince.

"I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunities to take care of you.", you breathed. "But not now."

A growl caught in his throat. He kissed you again, hungry and impatient.

"I proposed a deal to So Mi.", those words made him pause.

He looked at you through narrowed eyebrows.

"Explain.", he asked.

You pressed your forehead to his, both hands on his face so that he was forced to meet your gaze.

"She'll leave Cynosure to me.", you said.

"You said she would try to steal it.", he argued.

"That's what she was going to do. Maybe still plans on doing. But I gave her an alternative."

Leaning back slightly, Kurt put his hands on your thighs and looked at you.

"Promises will have consequences.", scepticism wavered in his voice.

You shrugged.

"If she doesn't keep her end of the deal, we can still kill her. But I have to admit, I don't see the point. The deal is that she leaves Cynosure to me. And in return, we'll send her to the moon, finance her possible cure."

His eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Do you have any idea how much eddies that will cost?", he asked.

You wave it off with a gesture.

"Don't worry about the funding, I have my own money."

His eyebrows drew together.

"How much? And where from?"

Guilt poked you in the chest for a second.

"Let's just say I... took a cut of every profit and told you the bigger cut was the original price.", you admitted. "I was entitled to a share, wasn't I?"

Kurt frowned in confusion.

"But why would you do that?", he came closer to your face with his.

A glint of hurt sparkled in the white of his eyes. He didn't see this as a betrayal but was hurt that you were only now talking about your secret finances.

So far you've always shared everything from the beginning, the apartment, the black Sapphire. Even the Barghest. Let alone earnings from the smuggling.

There was no reason to have your own money. Everything that was his was also yours and vice versa.

Taking a deep breath, you close your eyes.

"Years ago I thought it would be a good idea to have some money in case I felt like leaving one day.", you admit. "As I always did before."

"How long have you been hoarding this money?", his grip on your thighs tightened.

"Ever since it all began."