Shona “ums” and “ahhs” a little.
“Brent has got in as the dealer. I am the star player. And I just need another player who I can lose to on the last hand,” I explain, in fast detail.
“And you just happen to have the cash to do this?” Shona asks.
I smile and give Shona my sad, puppy eyes. “Alex, don’t you dare look at me like that, stop it,” Shona says.
“I promise you, it will not fail. I can pay you and Beau back, and then I can be with Brooke at the new club,” I say, without thinking before I speak.
“Who would you have to play with you?” Shona asks.
Bell and Brent point at Brooke together. “Her,” they say.
Everyone turns to face Brooke.
“What do I know about cards?” she says.
“You won at strip poker with me,” Bell says.
Everyone turns to Bell. She lifts her hand and waves.
“Poker is not like strip poker,” I say.
Bell interrupts, “Brent here is sure that Brooke can do this. I know Brooke can do this.”
Shona coughs. “I hate to admit it, but I think she can do it as well.”
“Have you all gone mad?” I say.
“I did win on the roulette table in Jamaica,” Brooke says.
“And you won here as well,” Bell says.
I look at Brooke. “I was just proving a theory,” she says.
“So, how do we test this theory?” I ask.
“I think we have to play strip poker,” Bell says.
“Just play it but don’t remove any clothes,” Shona says. She rolls her eyes.
“The way we played last night was, Brooke was not able to look at her cards,” Bell says. “If we do that, but she just folds if she has a bad hand.”
“All this without looking?” I ask.
“Yes.”
Brent deals seven cards to each of us. We all look, and Brooke puts her hand on her cards. I was expecting her to go into a trance or something, but she just touches them briefly.
“I have won,” Brooke says.
We all turn our cards. One by one I reveal Brooke’s hand. It must have been a lucky guess.
Again, Brent deals seven cards, Brooke folds. Two out of two, she is maybe… just lucky?
“I can see a bit of a problem in your theory,” Shona says.
“What is that?” I ask.
“It is evident that Brooke can somehow see the cards, but if you want her to win the last hand, how do you get her to have a good one?” Shona asks.
“Brent, this is your department,” I say.
Brent shuffles and cuts the pack. Shona takes a card and looks at it. She puts the card back in the pack. Brent cuts and shuffles. He turns a card and holds it against the pack facing us. Without looking at the card he speaks.
“Five of diamonds,” he says.
Shona shakes her head. “Wrong.”
Brent flicks his finger against the card. “Five of diamonds,” he says.
“How did you do that?” Shona asks.
“We all have our secrets,” Brent says, smiling.
“Alex, so far I am convinced, but I want to be watching that game,” Shona says.
“So do I,” Bell adds.
I grin to them, “That part is easy and suits you down to the ground,” I explain.
“This sounds ominous,” Shona replies.
“They have hookers hanging around in there, two more won’t make a difference,” I say smiling.
“I thought I had finished with being a high-class hooker,” Shona says.
Bell starts talking. “I wish I were a hooker, I might get a date then,” she says.
“You don’t get many dates?” Brent asks.
“None at all.”
“I am shocked, you are quite stunning,” Brent says to Bell.
“You are not so bad yourself.”
Shona turns to me. “Oh no, it’s happening all over again,” she says, laughing loudly.
“What? Have you been in this situation before?” I ask.
“More times than you will believe,” Shona says.
“So, are we all in agreement for tomorrow, or not?” I ask.
“Alex, if I give you the final go ahead, you better promise me it will work,” Shona says. She folds her arms in front of her chest.
“I promise you, I will do all in my power to make everything alright,” I say.
“God forgive me,” Shona says.
“I am not sure he will help,” Brooke says.
“Why not?” Shona asks.
“He never helps me when I ask him,” Brooke says.
“Perhaps you didn’t ask him correctly,” Shona adds.
“I have asked him every way possible, and he still never did anything,” Brooke replies.
“Why are you so sure he doesn’t listen?”
“He let my mom and dad die when I asked him not to,” Brooke says tearfully.
“You know how we think when we are kids,” Shona replies.
Brooke shakes her head. “You don’t understand, I wasn’t a kid,” Brooke says, as tears finally fall from her eyes.
“When did this happen?”
Brooke wipes her eyes on her sleeves. “It was about three months ago.”
Shona puts her arm around Brooke’s shoulder. “I am sorry for your loss, but you know not everything will happen as we want.”
“Yes, but it should, it should work for me. I spent years giving myself to God,” Brooke says.
“What do you mean you spent years giving yourself to God?” Shona asks.
“Have none of you realized? I used to be a nun,” Brooke says.
“Fuck!” I say. “I mean Christ. Oh, shit what can I say?” I say.
“God chooses who he listens to, it can seem unfair when it is not you.”
Brooke
“A brief introduction is often all that is needed.”
It was just after eight thirty and nearly time for Alex to go to his third game. He had said tonight was just the build up for tomorrow.
What I had to do was dress up (as if I was wealthy) and go to the warehouse and make my presence known to Mikey. That, and wait for some players to drop out when they had lost all their money.
The hardest part for me was to try and learn how to play poker in twenty-four hours.
“Now, just get to the warehouse for around eleven or eleven thirty,” Alex says.
“Okay, and I have to dress up posh,” I reply.
“The works, it’s not very often a woman gets to play in a game like this, so you have to be convincing,” Alex says.
“I hid the fact I was a nun, so I think I have that under control,” I reply.
“You sure fooled me,” Alex replies.
“I was rebelling against religion, perhaps that life was not really for me after all those years,” I say.
“It has made you who you are, you are very special, or at least you are special to me,” Alex says. He gives me a big hug and kisses me firmly on the lips.
“When this guy outside has gone, leave and get ready,” he says.
“I will, I have the address,” I say.
Alex turns and walks through the door. He walks straight past the blowjob guy and nods and hails a cab. I glance from behind the curtain and watch as the car pulls onto the street and follows Alex to the warehouse.
“That is our time, I have to go and get ready,” I say. “Do you have any really posh clothes Bell?”
“I have a couple of killer dresses, I never made a HABIT of wearing them,” Bell says laughing.
“Very funny. Now get your ass into gear,” I say.
Shona stands and picks up the bags of money. “I hope we are all doing the right thing,” she says.
We head toward the door of Brent’s apartment. I turn. “We will see you sometime tomorrow,” I say. Brent nods and closes his door after we leave.
We arrive back at Bell’s place and quickly get inside. Walking around with two bags of
cash is not something that should be advertised.
“So, Bell, where are these dresses?” I ask.
“In the closet, choose what you think is best.”
I open the closet and pull out the one or two dresses Bell had told me she had. It was actually seven. I lay them on the bed so we can look at which one is the best.
“I think that black one will be better for tomorrow, showing that much skin will put half of the guys off,” Bell says.
“You are better wearing that as a hooker,” I reply.
“Maybe you are right, I will have that one.”
“The silver one for tomorrow, that is classy,” Shona says.
“And tonight?” I ask.
“The figure-hugging red one, that and black shoes, you will look a million dollars, or half a million,” Shona says as she chuckles.
“Accessories Bell please,” I say.
“Go for simple, let the dress tell the story,” Bell says. “And keep your cross on, you never know, he might just listen.”
I look at the time. A shower and makeup and it will be time for me to head off to lay my claim on a seat for the last table.
Time flies, and I soon find myself on the way to the warehouse. I was nervous as hell and just have to make sure that I give nothing away about knowing Alex. I have to avoid any lingering looks or acknowledgment that I know him. That’s easier said than done.
The guy on the door greets me and lets me in. I can see the bar area and the game are already in process. Dim lights shine around the warehouse, and thick plumes of cigar smoke rise up toward the roof.
I head to the bar and order a drink. A stocky guy walks up to the side of me. From the smell of him, I can guess he is Mikey, but I have to wait for him to make the introduction.
“I haven’t seen you around before?” Mikey asks.
“Passing through, and I heard about your game,” I reply plainly.
“News travels fast,” he replies.
“What’s the chances of getting a seat?”
“Can you afford it?” Mikey asks, as he looks me up and down.
“I can tomorrow once the bank is open, half a million. Cash.”
“Are you good enough?” he asks.
“You want to test me?”
“Yeah, let’s stand closer, and see how you do,” Mikey says.
I have to touch the table to be able to see the cards. Alex, please help me.
I walk and stand behind Alex. I put my hand on his chair. “Sorry, I hope you don’t mind me resting my hand here,” I say.
“Not at all,” Alex replies.
I push my hand down the back of Alex’s chair. He leans back against my hand. I watch the dealer on the next hand. I lean to Mikey after the dealer has turned the next three cards.
“Player one has a pair at best. I reckon sevens,” I say.
“We will see,” Mikey says.
“Player two has nothing, nor player three. Player four is up for a flush and will go all in from looking at his stack,” I explain.
“Aha.”
“This dude in front of me, I have no idea, I can’t see his face,” I say.
I do know Alex has four of a kind, but it is not good enough.
I hear him about to raise, and I push my fingers into his back. He folds. The dealer turns the final card, and as I explained to Mikey, player four went all in.
He scoops the pot and wipes out two other players in the process.
“I see you have just lost two, does that mean I am in tomorrow?” I ask Mikey.
“Yeah, why the fuck not. If not anything else, it will make it a memorable night.”
“You going to stick around?” Mikey asks.
“I might give it an hour, a girl needs her beauty sleep,” I say.
“And it looks like you have had plenty of beauty sleep,” Mikey replies, overly-smiling.
Oh God don’t make a pass at me. Yuck!!
“Excuse me, someone wants me,” Mikey says.
“A brief introduction is often all that is needed.”
Alex
“Paradise is just around the corner, but getting there can be hell.”
The morning had been busy preparing for the final game. Shona and Bell had gone off to buy new hooker dresses for their part. Brent was busy honing his dealing skills, and I spent hours giving Brooke a crash course in poker.
Winning or folding was easy for her, but it was knowing what hands were actually winning hands. It was not long before she finally got the hang of it, and looked good enough to pass as a real player.
“Just don’t win, fold, win, fold. I mean, mix it up a little, stay in the game, and lose a few hands,” I explain.
“I can do that, just keep enough chips to play for the last hand,” Brooke says.
I lean forward and kiss her hard on the lips. “You got it, you’re a natural,” I say.
“Maybe I have a good teacher,” she replies.
I laugh and shrug my shoulders. “I may be a good teacher, but I am not a good role model,” I reply.
The time passes by, and it is nearly time for the final event. We had planned it so that Shona and Bell would arrive the same time as the other hookers. Brent was to arrive next and prepare the table. Brooke was after him, and I was the final person to arrive.
None of us had to know each other that was the crucial part. Brooke sent a message to say they had left and would arrive in separate cabs. She had the two bags full of cash which would have to be counted by Mikey.
Brent left his apartment in his uniform and diverted at the end of the street. The guy watching wouldn’t know any different, he was busy flicking through the daily paper.
Now it is my turn. I have to act as if nothing is amiss.
My cab arrives at the warehouse. The doorman opens the door, and I step inside. I see Shona is already outshining the Vegas hookers and is catching quite a bit of attention. I see Bell in her half cut-out dress, her dragon tattoo attracting praise and touching fingers from a few of the guys.
Brent has his head down readying the table, and Brooke is in Mikey’s office as he greedily empties the bags of cash and counts it all.
I lean on the bar and order my usual. Mikey and Brooke walk up and stand beside me. I smell Brooke, and the scent of her womanly charm makes me think of holding her in my arms again. How I just love her touch.
Mikey walks over to me. “Alex, your time is running out, you got my money?” he asks.
“I have it in good faith, it will be here before the morning,” I reply.
“It fucking better be, or your next conversation will be with Ronny,” he says.
“I have no intention of ever talking to that cunt ever again,” I say.
Damn, Mikey has my passport.
I sidle up to Brooke. “Mikey has my passport in his desk. Ask him if you can use his bathroom,” I whisper. Brooke nods.
“Mikey,” she says.
“What do you want doll?” he replies.
“Any chance I can use your bathroom?” Brooke asks.
“Sure, you know where my office is unless you want me to come with you?”
“I will manage thanks,” she replies.
Brooke walks off, and I try to keep Mikey occupied while she slips out and retrieves my passport. Once it is all over, the last thing I want to do is hang around.
Brent rings the bell. Ten minutes and the game to the death will begin. The Russians take their seats and look eager to commence. Their stacks of chips have Mikey’s eyes firmly fixed on them.
We all sit. Brooke is at the far end of the table and sits patiently rubbing her silver cross. Brent deals the first hand. Nerves are tense from everyone. There is no going back from any of this, so it is time to be on the ball.
The second and third hands go various ways, and no one has the advantage. It is the last hand before the break… and time for someone to make their mark. Brooke knows she has to stay in the game. The Russians want to take first blood. I am safe with my stack of chips.
I sense we are going to lose two or three players on this hand.
I watch Brent’s hands as he deals. He knows he has to start influencing the game. I feel Mikey looking over my shoulder to make sure I do nothing stupid.
Bets are placed, and they are huge. It is time for everyone to move in for the kill. There has to be a couple of million in the pot already. Brent deals the three cards. I see fingers getting itchy. The guys to the left of me have hardly any chips and go all in. Brent has given them good enough hands to keep them interested.
He turns the turn card. I am safe. I glance over at the lead Russian, he is safe, and Brooke is safe, but she folds.
Good girl.
Brent deals the river. And as I expected three players are out of it. After the break will be the decider.
I stand from the table and walk to the bar. “Alex, you better fucking pull this off, I am dead in the water if you lose.”
“Relax Mikey, what can go wrong?” I say.
“The Russian, look at his stack,” he says.
“Don’t panic, just get me another tray ready in case,” I say.
“That will be all I have,” he says.
“Bet big to win big, I am still here after three days,” I explain.
“Just fucking watch it,” he replies.
The bell rings, and the remaining five players sit back at the table.
Come on Alex, keep calm.
I glance around the table. I see Brooke. She looks rather well composed for someone in her position. I have to admire the guts it has taken for her to do this. Brent deals. He has to get rid of the final two players, so there is only the Russian, Brooke and me.
The first hand goes to Brooke. She has nearly wiped out the guy next to her. The guy next to the Russian has nowhere to go. This hand and they will be gone.
I breathe deeply. Brent deals. The two guys are all in and have to sit it out. My stack is high, and I am safe, Brooke is safe, and the Russian is sitting pretty. Win or lose this hand, it doesn’t matter.
I fold just to get these guys out of the way. It’s Brooke and the Russian. The Russian bets are big. Brooke puts her hands on her cards and thinks.
I watch as she goes to slide her cards. She stops and calls the Russian. She turns her cards. The Russian says something quite intangible, and his stack is halved.
Fantasy Friday (The Billionaires Temptations Book 5) Page 18
