Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
“Thank you, Jameson, you’re always kind to me,” she responded as she took her chair. “Unless you’re pushing the bet.”
There was instant laughter again. Even Wallin smiled. She looked at him last. “Mr. Wallin, it’s lovely to see you again.”
He sat back in his chair, regarding her carefully. “I think we can dispense with the formalities, at least while we’re playing, Vienna. Call me Daniel.”
She remembered that same careful, shrewd examination from the day before, when he’d kept her talking after she’d won the tournament. Delaying her had been calculated. She was certain of it. He’d looked at his watch several times. Was he responsible for planting the cameras in her room? If so, why would he do it?
“Daniel, then.” She gave him another smile. She could be every bit as fake as he could. She planned on winning. That was why she was here. She wasn’t intimidated because he was undefeated or because he owned the hotel.
The dealer sat down and an excited hush fell over the room. Vienna allowed her gaze to sweep the security. Robert and Harold were among the security guards. Simon was present. There were at least five close to Daniel Wallin. Two had come in to escort her to the game. One had been a woman, Rachel, and her partner, a man by the name of Wilder. She had recognized that name. Surely there couldn’t be two Wilders, yet Zale had said they hadn’t embedded an agent in the security company because it was too risky. Wilder didn’t look at her, but rather around her, paying attention to the crowd as they walked her through the well-wishers to the private room to meet the other players. She avoided looking at him, just in case. Wilder and Rachel were directly behind her, presumably her security.
Leo opened with a hundred thousand bid. Everyone stayed, of course. Daniel didn’t look at his cards, but immediately bet a quarter of a million, sounding bored. He looked directly at Vienna as he did so. It was a common enough practice not to look at one’s cards until it was time to actually put one’s money in. Still, he didn’t look. She didn’t either. Daniel had the queen of spades and the ten of hearts. She had the ten and jack of diamonds.
Art lifted the edge of his cards to look at them. Vienna didn’t need to look at his expression or try to guess at what he had. The moment the dealer sat down and touched the deck, the familiar sweeping heat had rushed through her, connecting her to the cards. She “saw” them. Art had the seven and ace of clubs.
Vienna was more interested in Daniel’s reaction. What was he doing? Was he studying Art? Looking at his expression? His hands? His cards? He had to have watched him play a hundred times. It wasn’t the same as playing in person with someone. She ducked her head just enough that her hair fell across her face, but she kept her gaze fixed on Wallin.
Daniel was more interested in her than in Art. He wanted to see what she was doing, not Art. She fanned her lashes down and flicked Art a quick glance from under them. He made his bet. Daniel and Vienna matched it. Art had both of them beat. Leo folded.
The dealer burned a card and turned the next three cards over. The ace of diamonds, seven of diamonds and six of hearts. That gave her four diamonds. Art had two pair. Daniel had nothing. Vienna pushed the bet to half a million dollars. Art stayed with her. Daniel narrowed his eyes and looked the cards over. He folded. The turn was the eight of spades. Vienna bet another half-million dollars. Art stayed with her, although he gave her that little grin of his.
“Know better than to bet against you on the river, Vienna, especially when you want red.”
The dealer turned over a queen of diamonds. Art shook his head. “Every damn time. You have it, don’t you? A damn diamond flush.”
She pushed the equivalent of a million dollars in chips on the line. If Art—and Daniel—wanted to see if she was bluffing, Art would have to pay.
“Not a chance,” Art said as he quickly folded his cards.
Vienna took the chips and sent him a little enigmatic smile. As pots went, it set her up nicely. The next two hands, she didn’t like the look of her cards and folded. She caught a pair of aces, the club and spade, on the next hand, and she opened the betting. Leo, Daniel and Jameson stayed in as well. Art folded almost as soon as the real betting took place.
The flop revealed the ace of hearts, jack of hearts and nine of spades. Leo bet a half-million dollars. Daniel saw the bet and raised to a million. Jameson folded. Vienna saw the bet and raised it another million. Leo looked the cards over.