However, as my next two cards are tossed at me, I drag them forward to look at them and feel almost giddy as I get the queen and king of hearts. I look at my hand again, as if I’d read them wrong, but inside I’m doing cartwheels and fucking pitching a mad dance. On the outside, I force myself to frown. My eyes roll across the table until I’m looking at Zane. He winks at me and I just glower. He thinks he can be nice after objectifying me to be one of the lads. He’ll find out soon that won’t win him any points with me.
I watch eagerly as the cards are drawn and my head begins to race as I see an ace of hearts appear and I have to refrain from smiling hard as I see nine of hearts and six of clubs appears alongside it. All I need is a jack of hearts to appear and I can officially retire from the game for the evening. My breathing becomes shallow, my brain barely ticking over as the penultimate is laid and flipped for show. I feel a bit of disappointment gap open as I see it’s a measly six of spades and I can tell from Giovanni’s face that he likes having that. His poker face – while good – isn’t one that fools me. Much like mine doesn’t him. I always used to think we’d be a formidable force if we reconciled and teamed up, but even in my darkest and truly hateful moments, joining forces with him is the last thing I plan to do.
“One more card,” Andrew comments, drawing that fateful card from the pack, and I look nowhere else but at the slow movement of its reveal. “Jack of hearts.”
My heart enters freefall because I know there is no way Giovanni will beat this, and if he doesn’t, he’ll hate me just a little more. My pulse accelerates as we go around and reveal. As mine approaches, I ready myself.
“I got the family,” I say and lay out my cards, displaying how I managed to get a royal flush. “Nice dealing, Andrew.”
“You cheated!” Giovanni is quick to accuse.
“From across the table?” I ask, sneering my words at him. “Of course, Giovanni, I’m that fucking intelligent, aren’t I?” I watch him and just chuckle a little. “Sorry, you’re just a sore loser.” I start to stand, finally deciding to call it quits.
“Where the fuck are you going?” Giovanni asks as I start to move, throwing my cards at Andrew to sort them. “A whore like you should love the attention you’re getting in this room. One more loss and you can give them all the real show.”
“Hey now,” Enzo steps in, bristling with anger. “You don’t fucking talk to her like that, Gio. I tolerate you for so much because I know Amelia can handle you, but you are stepping way over the mark.”
“Well, she throws herself at anyone,” Giovanni states, leaning back in his chair. “Maverick is just a causality who got Stockholm syndrome and can’t leave her alone. She brought Lorenzo here, he fought for her, but after months of sex, she dropped him and he fled back to another country. He got lucky by getting out.”
“You’re a lowlife, big brother,” I mock, giving on the pursuit of a decent poker night. I stand up, reach onto the table and take my shoes, bra, and jewelry. “I cannot wait for you to get some of the karma you’re long overdue.”
“You’re the one who got dead man’s hand, princess, not me,” he speaks, sardonically executing every syllable and punctuating the use of a nickname to rile me.
While he waits for a response, I decide to just leave. It’s my best bet, and I will not ruin this evening and the opportunities it holds for my father and Zane. I stuff my bra into my bag, the same with my jewelry and begin to climb the stairs. I might bail and leave early and leave Zane to revel in the testosterone. He needs to and I need to think of a way to repay him for his comment just before we played strip poker.
“It seems Maverick’s driven by protecting your daughter,” Costello comments as I make it to the final step and see him alone with my father. “That’s going to be the death of him.”
“I’m not sure,” my father replies, causing me to still enough in the doorway to continue listening. “I like the fact he’s a guard dog for her. It means I don’t have to be the overprotective father. She hates me enough as it is without me adding fuel to that fire.” There’s a brief pause and I imagine it’s filled with regret – that’s my idea anyway. I’m sure my father will just be adding a dramatic push. “I’m glad she’s found someone who does protect her fiercely. It means I know she’s well looked after when I send them out on business. He’s pulled through multiple times now for me not to doubt him. Just tonight really showed me how much he’s willing to show his readiness to commit.”
“He really did scare Andrew, which is good because he needs to see that people aren’t scared to put him in his place,” Costello responds, a note of annoyance to his tone. “He seems to think he can get a free pass on being an annoyance.”
“Why do you keep him around?” my father asks as I watch as he takes a casual sip of his drink.