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2
COCKY JADE
“There we have it.”Neri splayed out his hands, grinning wide. He settled his cigar on the ashtray.
The rest of the players weren’t nearly as blasé. They sat, stunned, until Neri’s gentle warning of “play, play,” had them throwing their chips into the center.
I was given two tens—the ten of clubs and the ten of hearts.
The men placed their bets, and I did as well.
The flop came down: a ten of spades, ace of spades, and king of diamonds. I inwardly grinned—not daring to do anything outwardly. This made me ahead in the hand, since I now had three tens.
Another round of betting commenced, four men folding, and another turn came. The four of hearts, a meaningless card for this hand.
The remaining men folded, all except for Neri. I didn’t have to put anything in the pot, since figuratively, I was in there. I didn’t fold. A light sheen of sweat coated my brow, but I refused to draw any attention, instead remaining impassive, bored. I had a strong hand. My chances of taking the pot was high. I shouldn’t be nervous. I had all of this handled.
The final card turned.
Five of spades.
My heart plummeted. The urge to brace against the table and vomit was strong, the desperation to heave even more so. But placidly, delicately, I showed my hand.
Calculations streamed through my mind, probabilities of the cards Neri could hold, the hand he could have.
Neri wasn’t one to brag or smile. Ivory flashed between his lips, the quickest showcase from a winner I’d ever seen. He had the king and queen of spades.
A flush.
“So.”
I looked up from my spread and into Neri’s sharp gaze. My mouth was too dry to swallow.
He smiled. “It looks like you’re mine.”
I couldn’t believe what I’d done. I’d just played myself.Literally.
“You may leave,” Neri said, wagging his fingers my way. “I will call you when I would like to begin your services.”
I stood on shaky legs, the heavy lace of my gown swinging against my ankles. There wasn’t any point in giving this man more information as to where I could be found. Before I’d entered this room, he’d have known where I was staying, how much I had in my bank account, my passport number, and my social security information. He was in charge of this room, this hotel. This city.
“Yes,” I said, demure, avoiding the piteous gazes of the men around him. They were probably thinking this little girl actually wanted to take on the don. And win. At the very least, he took my pride. At worst, my body.
But there was no taking involved. I gave it all to him.
I walked away, head high, though my fingers rubbed too hard at the scar beneath my bodice, and I almost flinched. But I made it out of that room and through the gala without a pitch in pace, and with blurred vision I rode the elevator to my floor and silently padded through the carpeted hallway, my heels spearing nothing but cotton.
Digging around my boobs, I found my room key, swiped my door open, and entered into the darkness.
“You arefuckingout of your mind.”
I startled. Might as well have clutched my figurative pearls when the voice spoke from my bed, his form in muted glow from the floor-length windows that allowed Los Angeles to enter the room.
I covered up my surprise by pulling off my heels. “Next time, don’t elbow me in the neck when you pretend to trip over my chair.”
“You refused to wear your earpiece.” Kai flicked on the bedside light. “It was my last-ditch warning to get you to realize your moron bet and get out of there.”
“Well, here I am instead.” I peeled off my dress, clad only in my underwear as I strode to the bathroom to wash off my make-up. I left the door open because I assumed Kai would just break it down if I tried to lock it.
