Chapter Twenty One: The Poker game.

Kimia's POV 🖤.

" Will you be joining us ma'am?" The dealer asked and I smiled.

" Not now." I replied taking a sip out of my mocktail.

" But I'll be joining in the next round."

" Alright."

I got a text from Damien telling me to get Lorenzo more drinks. Apparently he was a light weight.

The game started and I observed. There were 5 other players apart from Lorenzo.

I noted each one of them and their weaknesses and I even got some information about them after being generous to the waiters.

The man with the bright orange hair was reckless. He always went all in even if he had bad cards.

#Orange: Reckless.

The man in the Armani suit had a huge ego. He was always trying to prove his status jumping into the traps set out for him.

#Armani: Huge ego.

The man with the glasses was a terrible liar. He was horrible at bluffing. But he was lucky enough not to get caught on different occasions.

Whenever he bluffed, his eye twitched a little and his nostrils flared up. He always took a swing from his drink when he had good cards and he smiled when he had bad cards. He was trying to play mind games but he wasn't good at it.

#Glasses: Body language, bad liar.

The bald guy was a newbie, just like me and he was also emotionally unstable. And that is a terrible trait to have as a poker player.

A poker player has to be patient, intelligent, analytical, determined and be emotionally stable.

He flared up easily and was easy to confuse. And that would work well to my advantage.

#Bald Eagle : Newbie, emotions.

The last guy was a shark, the best player in the room. He was calculating and analytical. He was an amazing player, he was going to be tough to beat.

#Shark: Major threat.

Lorenzo was a fish. A fish in poker is the worst player. Even though there were terrible players in the game, they still managed to beat him.

" Can I play?" I asked flipping my hair over my shoulders.

" Are you sure?, We wouldn't want you crying if you lose." Armani said smirking and I smiled.

" I'll be fine."

He looked at the other men for confirmation and when they nodded he spoke,

" Sure."

I took the seat next to Lorenzo and smirked.

The game started with the pre flop and since Orange was the player at the left side of the dealer making him the small blind so he placed his bet. Armani was the big blind so he doubled Orange's bet.

The dealer dealt the hole cards and Glasses folded. I got a queen of spades and an ace of spades. Bald Eagle called, Shark raised, Lorenzo called, I raised and it went on till the pre flop was over.

The dealer then revealed the flop cards which were a Queen of clubs, a 9 of hearts and a King of diamonds. Orange and Lorenzo folded leaving Shark, Armani and I. We placed our bets and  Armani chose to go all in.

The dealer revealed the turn card which was an ace of hearts. Shark folded and I placed my bet.

The dealer revealed the final betting card, an ace of diamonds which was the river and the show down began. I decided to go all in and we revealed our cards.

Armani had a full house, he had a 9 of spades and 9 of clubs which corresponded to the 9 of hearts and the two aces.

He smirked victoriously and I chuckled.

I also had a full house but mine was higher than his. A Queen of spades, a Queen of diamonds and three aces.

The next round was more interesting. No one folded early into the game. Glasses had really good cards. I knew this because he took two large swings of his drink. I decided to fold after the turn not willing to take the risk. Orange chuckled and went all in. Shark as if sensing something was definitely wrong  folded and Bald Eagle followed suit.

Lorenzo and Armani placed their bets and they moved on to the showdown. Armani had three of a kind, Lorenzo had one of a kind and while Glasses had straight cards.

The third round was more interesting because Bald Eagle and I were the only players left in the post turn. He was obviously confused, he wasn't sure if his cards were good enough. I smirked even though I had terrible cards. I had one of a kinds.

He eventually folded and I smirked revealing my cards. He apparently had a royal flush, the best cards in poker.

I got bored by the third round and got myself another drink.

" Hey!" Lorenzo greeted.

" Hello." I replied bored out of my mind.

" I'm Lorenzo."

" Isabella."

" I must say you are an extremely good poker player."

" I've been playing poker since I was a kid."

" Wow!, I wish I could play as well as you do. I have lost a lot of money today."

" I can help you win it back."

" Really?!"

" Yes, but you have to do something for me in return."

" Sure anything." He said and I smirked.

Wrong move.

" First, you need an drink, a very strong one."

" I don't think I-"

" Two chocolate vodka martinis." I ordered making eye contact with Damien. A couple minutes later he placed our drinks in front of us and I downed mine in a go.

Lorenzo looked at me with wild eyes and I raised an eyebrow.

" Aren't you going to drink?"

He took his and let out a shaky breath. His eyes were starting to glaze over and I smiled.

" Poker is all about mind games. To win, you have to get into their heads. Watch."

I walked over to Orange and smiled.

" Isabella."

" Monticello. You are surprisingly really good at poker."

" Thank you. My motto is go big or go home and it works everytime."

" Really?" He asked and I 'hmmed'.

" I'm going all in the next round, you should to." I said taking a sip of my mocktail and I left him to ponder over what I had said.

The next person was Glasses. But he approached me.

" Donnie."

" Isabella."

" How do you play so well?"

" I'm a risk taker. I jump in without thinking too much about it. And it works. You should try it." I winked at him and walked over to Bald Eagle.

" You're new to poker aren't you?"

" Is it that obvious?"

" Yes it is. You're too cautious, you're following the lead of other players when you should be doing your own thing. Think about it." I said smiling cheekily.

I didn't bother talking to Armani because I would get him during the game. Shark was off my list, he was too intelligent to be messed with.

" Come on." I led Lorenzo back to the table and they were about to start the final round.

" Lorenzo and I will be playing the final round as a team." I said and they all looked at me skeptically.

" Is it allowed?" Bald Eagle asked.

" I guess so. Only if you gentlemen approve." The dealer said.

Armani was about to protest when I cut in.

" Or are you scared of losing to the fish and also a woman?" I taunted.

" Never." He replied and I smiled.

I got him right where I want him.

I went all in the first round and the others placed their bets. We were now in the final round and my plan had worked, everyone else, except Shark was all in too.

It was my turn to reveal my cards and I smirked displaying my cards that earned me a Royal flush.

It took them sometime to realise I had played them and they fell for it.

I cashed out and handed all the money to Lorenzo.

" Take it, I don't need it."

" Really?"

" I play for fun, not for the money. So what do you do for a living?"

" I'm an actor." He replied.

" Hmm, I never knew am actor was another name for a con artist." I said and he tensed.

" How do you know what-"

" I know you. You conned one of my friends the last time you visited Russia."

" I'm so sorry-"

" Don't be. I never liked her anyways. She was such a bitch."

" What do you want for me?" He finally asked and I smiled.

" Rumour has it that you have some very valuable information about Mario Ramos."

" I-I-I-"

" Don't lie." I warned and he gulped.

" I do."

" Very good. I'm not the one in need of it, but I know someone who's willing to pay a huge amount of money for it."

" You want me to sell it?"

" No. We con them."

" We?"

" Yes we, you owe me remember?, Think about all the money you can make. And how much information you can get in return. And how powerful you will be with all that information."

He thought about what I had said and smiled.

" I'm in."

I grinned and ordered him another drink.

" I really don't think I should-"

I raised an eyebrow and he sighed taking the drink from me and downing it.

***

" Pretty!" Lorenzo slurred as I dragged him up to his hotel room.

He wasn't kidding when he said he was a light weight.

" Lorenzo darling, you should rest." I said and he mumbled some incoherent words in response.

" Where do you keep your treasure, I want to go over it to know how much it's worth?"

He was about to speak when we heard a knock on the door.

" Who is it?" He slurred.

" Room service." An overly pitchy voice replied.

There's no way that's room service.

" Lorenzo don't open the door." I warned but it was too late.

Large men with guns barged into the room. Two of them held Lorenzo upright and the boss entered the room.

Mario Ramos.

" Mia what's going on?" Damien asked through the earpiece.

" Let's just say Mario is really good at finding people." I whispered.

" Shit!, I'm coming to get you."

***

Zdravo!

This chapter contained so many poker analogies.

I literally had to Google how to play poker😂.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter though 😊

Stay safe 😷.

Bye!!