Chapter 12: The Art of the Poker Face

LUCA

Luca sat behind a heavy oak desk, a cigar in hand, waiting for the begging, the lies, and the groveling from Jackson to commence. Shame, but with Hayley downstairs, he hadn’t the time nor the patience.

As Jackson sat opposite him, Luca studied every move the man made—watched as he leaned back in his chair with casual arrogance, watched as he confidently puffed on the expensive cigar Luca had given him.

“Look, Luca,” he drawled. “I’m not saying ~I~ don’t trust you, I’m saying my ~father~ has his doubts.”

Luca stiffened slightly, and Nic, who had been leaning against a filing cabinet, facing Luca and behind Jackson, stood up straight.

“Funny, your padre hasn’t mentioned any doubts.” Luca put his cigar out in the marble ashtray and poured himself a scotch.

“My father wanted to see the goods you supplied, but we came up short.”

Nic shook his head behind Jackson, and Luca sighed and got up from his chair, then sat on the desk edge right in front of Jackson.

“Bullshit.” Luca pulled out a knife from his hip pocket and began to play with it.

Jackson frowned, pretending he had no idea what was going on. He was a terrible actor.

“You see, Will. I counted the consignment myself.” Luca pointed to Nic over Jackson’s shoulder. “My cousin, my most loyal and trustworthy family member, took the delivery all the way to Texas himself.

“You and your padre are lying.”

Ah, ~there~ it was. The fear. It was in Jackson’s eyes, in the sweat rolling down his face.

“And it’s not the first time,” he continued. “The first time you said the gear was short, I apologized and returned your money and killed the men who I believed had stolen from me.

“The second time you said you were short, I had my doubts, but I sent you back some money and killed no one.”

Luca could practically hear the man’s heartbeat as his eyes flicked between Nic and Jackson.

“This time,” he said darkly, “I can assure you, you were not short.”

Jackson swallowed nervously. “Perhaps… my father made a mistake?”

Luca laughed and looked at Nic, who was shaking his head. Just how stupid did Jackson and his father think he was?

“I know he did. Lots of them. But the biggest mistake your father made was sending you here.

“You see, I sent your family an invitation in the hope your stupid father would show. But he must have guessed what I was planning, so he sent you.

“I’m glad he sent someone, though, because I hate traveling anywhere outside of Italy and New York.”

“Wh…what…” Jackson was blubbering now. He must have worked out that his father had conned him, that he was sent here as a sacrifice.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be sending you home. Your father will have you back—in pieces, of course. That way he’ll know not to cross me again.”

He pulled out a gun that had a silencer on the end, then fired—one bullet and Jackson slumped to the floor.

The dark devil in Luca danced with delight as he looked at Jackson’s lifeless body. Killing was easy for him, something his father had taught him. He’d also taught him to listen to his inner demons.

Kill or be killed. Life was just that simple.

“You sure know how to throw a party,” Nic said as Luca removed the silencer and placed the gun back in the holster under his arm.

Luca just smirked.

The door flew open, and Frankie walked in. When he saw the body on the floor, he groaned. “Can’t we go to one party where I don’t have to clean up after you, Boss?”

Nic laughed.

“Anyways,” Frankie continued. “You have to come and see this, Luca—Hayley is in the highest-stakes game of poker I have ever seen.”

Luca got up from the desk and stepped over the body.

“She’s pretty impressive,” Frankie admitted.

Luca already knew this, but he had to see it for himself.

Nic sighed. “I’ll take care of this one. And I’ll make sure he”—Nic waved his hand toward Jackson’s body—“gets sent back to Texas.”

Luca and Frankie walked back out to where a crowd was forming around the poker table. They were all watching Hayley, who sat there looking cool as a cucumber.

HAYLEY

Hayley flicked her hair over her shoulder as she looked at her hand.

She was careful not to show it, but internally she was grinning like a Cheshire cat—and thanking her dad and Ivan for teaching her how to play poker when she was younger.

She had a royal flush, but she also had a poker face even her dad couldn’t break.

When she looked up, her eyes caught Luca’s. He was watching the game now—a fact that didn’t do her heart rate any favors.

“You sweating, baby?” the businessman to her right said, puffing on his cigar.

She shrugged, then said teasingly, “You’ve not managed to call me out yet.”

She could feel Luca’s eyes burning into her, so she reminded herself that she was a poker goddess: cool, calm, and totally in control.

“I’m trying to find your trigger,” the lawyer sitting opposite her said—he’d told her his name was Bill. “But you seem to have mastered the art of the poker face.”

“Sometimes, having a poker face is the best way to protect yourself,” Hayley said, glancing over at Luca.

The gent to her left threw his hand in. “Fuck! I’m done.”

As she’d learned from Frankie, that man was a member of the Marcello family and a hardcore gambler. He’d spent the entire set of games trying to figure her out, which meant he hadn’t concentrated on his own hands and lost.

“You see, boys,” she said. “I was raised to play poker. My dad and uncle were big players. And you, Mr. Lawyer, have at most two pairs.”

Bill laughed, and everyone gasped as he threw in his hand.

Hayley smiled and shook her head. In every game, all he’d done was bet high and try to con people into thinking he had a better hand than he did.

She turned to the man on her right. “As for you, you’re a businessman through and through. So far you haven’t risked anything on something that hasn’t been worth it. So I would say you have a straight flush.”

The businessman placed his hand down, looking smug, and everyone cheered when they saw it was a flush. But when he went for the chips, she gently touched his hand.

“Not so fast.” She turned her cards around, revealing her royal flush in red diamonds.

The room went silent. But when Bill and the Marcello man began to clap, the crowd joined in. The businessman shook Hayley’s hand, and she could tell he was impressed.

Her heart raced as Luca made his way toward her, holding out his hand to help her out of the chair. “That was very impressive,” he murmured in her ear as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

Frankie came up on her other side. “You just beat three of the best gamblers I know, Hayley. You’re Lady Luck tonight.”

The music began to change to a slow, melodic number. And when Evelyn’s beautiful voice joined the orchestra, couples began to pair off for dancing.

“Would you like to dance?” Luca asked her.

She raised an eyebrow at the hardened Mafia man. “You dance, Mr. Marcello?” She laughed in delight as he took her hand and led her to the dance floor at the foot of the stage.

“I have many talents, Ms. Tate.”

Luca lightly rested his hand on her waist, and she put hers over his as he began leading her through the steps. Her heart sang. She adored dancing, and it had been ages since she’d danced with a partner like this.

She loved this, loved being held this way by Luca. She was falling for him, and though a part of her hated it, a part of her reveled in it.

When the music stopped, everyone clapped. Hayley beamed at Evelyn, and the singer winked at her in return.

A waitress approached with her coat, and Hayley turned to Luca. “Are we leaving?”

Luca nodded, then took the coat and helped her into it like a gentleman. She blushed when he gently kissed her cheek.

He tucked her into his side and led her up the staircase to the exit, where Tony was waiting, then stopped and took her gently by her shoulders.

“Do you want to come back to my place?” he asked, gazing into her eyes. “Or I can take you home if you’d like.”

She took a deep, shaky breath. Despite her nerves, something inside her craved him. “I’d like to go back with you—to your place.”

He smiled at her reply, then took her face in his hands. Her eyes fluttered closed at his touch, and she felt his lips brush hers. She never would have expected such a hard man to be so soft and gentle.

He pulled away and took her hand, letting her slip into the car before he did.

She was approaching the point of no return, and she had no idea if she was ready or not. But she had no desire to turn back.