“You could never get a girl like Amelia, so dream on,” he states, sardonically executing the words. “I already beat two men for treating her any less than she is; don’t think I’ll make an exception for you right now.”
It’s now that I notice how agitated my father looks. I also notice it’s not with Zane he’s angry, but his death glare is solely on Andrew for objectifying me in front of a roomful of men. I knew coming into the room as the only woman would cause distractions, but I never knew it would end up like this.
There’s a silence so strong you could hear a pin drop before it’s murdered by a round of applause from Costello himself.
“Salvatore, I dare say it, but I think you’re got yourself a champion here.”
My father practically beams at the idea. “Trust me; I knew he wouldn’t be one to give up at the first hurdle.”
Andrew, slipping his hand away from the knife, tests his luck. “He might be, but I still say we play strip poker. Amelia could be the best form of entertainment we’ve had all night. Maybe get some of the girls from upstairs down here, too.”
I really wonder why someone like Costello – who commands a room much like my father – keeps him around.
“She’ll be playing hard to get. I think we need the challenge,” Zane comments, pulling his knife out of the tabletop. “No girl you bring down here will match her. She’s got a fine piece of ass under that dress,” he continues, giving me a wink as he pushes the blade away into the hilt to his knife. “But it’ll be a way to end the evening, for sure. Females versus males.”
“You seem sorely mistaken. If it’s this we’re playing at, you’ll find that you get to sit around naked while I get to stay wrapped in this dress,” I mock, tilting my head to the side and smiling gleefully. “You really don’t want to try this, Maverick. I’ll have you down to nothing but your socks within twenty minutes.”
“I think we can leave the young ones to play this game,” Costello comments, putting his hands out on the table as if his sign of admitting defeat. “Gentlemen, who wants to join me upstairs for a drink?” he asks, a few nodding their head. “Salvatore, I want to pick your brain over your newest protégé, join us.”
When Costello and my father leave, they take with them a few of the lesser known men and II remain with Zane, my brothers, Andrew, another of Costello’s men, David, and the two Stinson brothers who barely ever say a word.
Giovanni excuses the dealer and takes over control of the deck. “I’m only joining in for my sister’s total embarrassment. She might think she’s good, but I sure as hell won’t lose the chance to have her totally humiliated.”
“Fine,” I say and allow him to deal us all two cards each. I make sure I watch him to see if he deals a dodgy hand. As my two cards sit before me, I drag them across the table and find myself relieved to not see a bad hand, but it all comes down to the five cards we’re still yet to be presented.
“Anyone ready to fold?” Giovanni asks and grins wickedly as no one does.
He puts three cards out and flips them over. Immediately, I see I have struck lucky with a pair of jacks. Giovanni dares anyone to back out, but no one does and he lays a fourth card. He repeats this move and I find myself sitting with two pairs. I’m sure I’m safe from stripping down to my bra and panties.
“Show,” Giovanni instructs and puts down a queen and a two, immediately showing a pair of twos. I smirk a little as I show off two pairs and notice how no one has trumped that – especially Giovanni. Giovanni notices and rolls his eyes. “Amelia Abbiati wins. Everyone choose an item of clothing to remove.”
They all remove their jackets – the obvious choice, of course! What do I get the honor of removing first when I’m dealt a dodgy hand? Shoes, jewelry, underwear, or go for the most obvious, take my dress off and sit in my underwear while for the next few moves I take an earring off one by one, the same with my shoes.
Giovanni does the right thing by giving the pack of cards to Andrew, allowing him to be dealer. If we’re playing right, we’ll all be the dealer at some point. As the game carries on, I wonder just how long it’ll take for Giovanni to see that I’m not easily embarrassed.
Especially after almost ten rounds in and I’ve only managed to lose my heels, my necklace, and my bra. I know if I lose the next round, either my dress or panties have to go. And either I would hate to lose.