Bluffing the Devil(8)
I found my table and sat in my assigned seat. I put my hands on the felt and rubbed it softly. It was almost like introducing myself to the table, then I rubbed my hands on the rail, sat back in my chair, and zoned out.
I closed my eyes and pictured the water. I tuned every casino machine and person sound out of my mind and focused on how the waves sound when they crash on the shore. How the air tastes thick and salty closest to the beach, how my skin feels slightly sticky and damp when I am sitting on the beach, how the water and sand smell, and how much peace and stillness I feel when I’m there. I laid my head back and simply took in all that was my happy place.
I let the breeze drift lazily over me and tickle the fine hairs on my arms. I dug my feet into the sand. I took a deep breath and smelled bergamot and Darjeeling tea instead of the salty air I was expecting. My next inhale sent the scent of sandalwood, ginger, lavender, and amber straight to me. How odd for those things to be on my beach. It was different, but divine and I snuggled into the sand a bit deeper hoping to catch another whiff of the powerfully masculine scent. The aroma was so familiar and inviting, but warning flashes went shooting through my mind. Something wasn't right with my perfect place.
"If I didn't know better, I would say you are almost there, my pet," the vermin said as close to my ear as humanly possible without devouring that side of my face. I felt lucky to not have a line of slobber on my cheek and neck.
"Geesh, seriously?" I stood faster than I knew was possible, and side-stepped my would-be tongue-bather. "Don't you have any personal boundaries and home training, Rey? You don't just come into someone's happy bubble and interrupt them. Don't you have a game to get ready for?"
"Of course, speaking to you is what I like most to do before a game, dolce. If you were not aware of this, perhaps I am being too withheld in my affections," his brutish charm was a total failure on me, but I'm sure women everywhere swooned and lost their complete sense when he acted in the same manner.
"Seriously? Keep your affections over there. I'm allergic," I spat and took another step away from him.
His chuckle scratched across the back of my neck. Like when you see a Viper about to strike. You see them coil and just know it’s coming. In morbid fascination, you want to see what will happen, since it’s someone else, but at the same time you don't want to stick around and be "that guy" that didn't do something to stop the attack.
I knew Rey was trouble. I didn’t know how or why, but I could feel it every time. My gut had always been right. Even when I didn't know why or how I knew something, I always knew. I knew the first time I upset my father, before a "surprise" test, and before the accident that took Jamison from me. From that day on is when I truly started to listen to my gut, and refused to take "no" for an answer when my body spoke to me.
"I wonder if your friend Victoria has an aversion to me as well? She seemed quite taken with me. Perhaps I can go find her to keep me entertained while you’re so very busy?" His mock-threat was not lost on me. I knew he was baiting me and had something up his sleeve, but I wasn't sure what it was so I wasn't willing to feed my friend to the wolves, so to speak.
"Leave my friends alone. They are too good for you. Though, I probably should just let you talk to them and see how long you keep your intestines intact. Fun experiment!" I mocked and looked around nervously to make sure my friends were nowhere near his disgusting line of sight.
His gaze chafed its way down my body and back up to my face. "Have I ever told you how incredible your eyes are? I don't believe I've ever seen that color on a human before. It was an interesting mix of heaven, and the ocean. What does one call that shade?"
"It's called 'Dagger'. If you keep staring at me like that, it will happily slice you open," I said without a hint of smile to my face or voice. "Your eye color is interesting, too. What do you call that shade of black? Despair?"
"I call it 'Shadow'. That's where all the most deadly and beautiful things hide. Wouldn't you agree?" his voice edged me.
For once, he didn't shake me or make me question my abilities. I must be getting better at this whole bluffing thing. I knew I sounded much tougher than I felt inside. Rey had been the only opponent I had met, that threw me off of my game at all. As soon as I saw him at most of my previous games, I almost instantly withdrew to play a different game. One day, I just "put my big girl panties on" as Victoria always told me to, paid my entrance fee on the game I saw Rey registered for, and gave it my all. The game was only six players but it was intense and long. I managed to beat Rey however, so it was worth it. That was the first time he had ever spoken to me, and since had become my biggest nemesis in the game, and my most avid fan simultaneously. He was always saying sweet things to me, offering game advice, and being the complete opposite of most other poker players.
Usually poker players tended to stay to their circle and not associate with their opponents. They came, they played, they left. Just like that. But Rey, he would play, get knocked out, and watch me the rest of the night. I'm sure it was just to size up my skill to make sure he could always beat me, but it was still an annoying habit of his.
"No, I think I prefer the beautiful things in my life to be rainbow colored and well lit so nothing is hidden or secret," I looked down at my hands to make sure they appeared as steady as I felt inside.
"Ah, then you miss out, my sweet. Truly," he said as he stepped around my chair and began to head to his own table. "The game will begin soon. I truly do wish you only the best of luck. Hope to see you at the final table."
"Good luck to you as well. It will be a pleasure to beat you," I stated flatly without looking back up.
Chapter 7
The game started off much more quickly than any game I had been in before. This was the big leagues and this is where people earned their spot into the main event.
Lady Luck was on my side for the game and I had only been dealt three hands that were not worthy of playing, the others had all raked in huge pots each time. I was starting to get hatred from the other players, which was always a good sign. Emotion meant screwing up, which led to people losing their mind or playing like idiots. Then they tended to give away all their stack. Hopefully that stack was going to come to my side of the table.
During intermission, I checked to see if my friends were there and, as history dictated, they all were there indeed. All smiling and waving to me like the crazies they are.
I went over to ask if they wanted to get a drink and a snack. I was starving! Apparently playing poker like a boss really took it out of me.
Rhea, who had caught up to Carly and Victoria just fifteen minutes into the game, ran up to me and hugged me tightly, and then cupped my face for an inspection.
"How are you? How's the game going? I mean, I see you are kicking ass as usual, but do you feel okay?"
Her excitement was cute, as usual. "Well, I'm so glad you graced us with your presence, your Highness!"
Eye roll. Of course, she and Victoria were the eye rolling queens on the world. If there was a championship for it, they would have to find some sort of medieval tie-breaker because neither of them would ever admit defeat.
"I was just handling a little bit of business. Nothing unusual, and nothing for you to worry your pretty little head over, okay, miss? Are you going to avoid my questions any longer or do I need to put you over my knee?" She waggled her eyebrow at me, and then suddenly whipped around and dragged me by my hand toward the door. "Let's get you a snack, come on!"
"Where are we going in such a hurry!?" I said nearly losing my breath in her haste. "I am sure that spanking me in public would make for some interesting convo around the tables later, but I only have thirty minutes. You cannot kidnap me from the game. I crave sustenance!"
"Since when have I ever let you down? Especially, when there is a chance to feed you, chickadee?" She shot me a look over her shoulder and I knew to trust her. I always knew to trust my girls.
She snaked me between the innocent bystanders, and out the door before I realized what was even going on. Victoria and Carly were hot on our trail and I was pretty sure I saw Victoria body-check someone purposefully on the way out. I tried not to laugh. Rhea was dragging me so quickly, I got nervous that pausing mentally long enough to laugh might make me trip, injure myself, and cause a scene.
On the other side of the door, a taxi sat at the curb waiting and Rhea made a beeline for it.
"Rhea, I don't have long. I can't just leave I don't want to be late coming back."
She huffed, "I know you cannot leave, so I brought the yummies to you!" She opened the taxi door and pulled out a huge pizza box along with a bag. She handed the driver some money and thanked him for waiting. He grinned and let her know that he was available for her any time she needed him in the future, and handed her his business card. Yep, that's Rhea. She was always the charmer.