Page 102 of Love or Leave

"Bro, you can't do that?" Hoodie guy said.

"A chip laid is a chip played," Grisled guy said.

"Oh, sorry, friends," Antonio said.

When she finally looked up, he was staring right at her.

"Can we start over?" Antonio asked her.

Cara pursed her lips when a smile threatened to show. She had no intention of starting anything over with him, but she had to admit—it was a clever approach, disguising it as part of the game.

A game within a game.Dammit.Why did he have to be so… likeable?

Cara sharpened her voice. "No."

He deflated as the rest of the table erupted into various accusations and name calling.

The dealer got everyone back under control before explaining to Antonio, as if he were a small child, that he couldn't renege a bet.

"Fine," Antonio said, staring at Cara as he tossed his chip back into the center of the table. "But I'm still in this."

Cara ignored him while the dealer rolled his eyes.

"You have no choice but to be in it," he said.

"Exactly," Antonio said with a snap of his fingers. "It's like fate or something."

"Or bad decision making," Biker guy said.

Cara snorted but covered it just as quickly.

The bet went around the table and everyone called, then the dealer flipped over the flop. A two, another king, and a three. Cara had a pair of kings. A great hand. But the two and three were concerning. Someone could've been sitting on the makings of a straight.

"Ooo…" Antonio said, as he picked up five chips and threw them in the pot.

The other guys narrowed their eyes at him, but she knew he had to be bluffing.

Hoodie and Biker folded, but Grisled stayed in.

She grabbed five chips and tossed them on the pile, avoiding eye contact with Antonio. The dealer flipped the next card.

Six of diamonds.

Shit.

Antonio smiled and grabbed a big handful of chips. He tossed them into the center, but Grisled hesitated. Obviously, Antonio had a straight. Or at least that's what he wanted everyone to believe. It was a perfect hand to bluff on.

After a few seconds of staring Antonio down, Grisled called.

Now it was her turn to call, raise, or fold.

Grisled probably had a pocket pair, but unless they were aces, he couldn't beat her, and the likelihood of getting pocket aces was low.

Antonio was the real threat.

Was he bluffing?

She stared at him until he met her eyes, and his fake smile dropped. He blinked and gave her a sincere look, and she promptly blinked away.

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