a nervous look, then gla

heavy dose of greed. The sight of my assets on the table was a lure she

ision w

earlier swagger. "But don' t expect us to g

ream of it," I

"Sarah, you don' t know what you' re doing! You don' t even know how

I don' t need your help, Mark

ed as if burned. The simple physical rejection made the new reality

he casino had provided, a man with a

e," I said. "An

and began to shuffle with professional efficiency. T

. "Let' s make this interesting.

the chips into the pot. They couldn' t b

t hand w

junk. A seven of clubs and a two of spade

f hearts, nine of dia

ng fo

g a large stack of chips forward. He was trying to

watching me f

ucted mask of neutrality. In my mind, I was calculating

was. A tiny, almost invis

berately, pushed a stack of chips

raise,"

Brian' s eye twitched again, more notice

me, then at the growing mounta

d, pushing his cards

was a small victory, but it sent a clear messag

adily building my stack, playing cautiously, observing. The commen

gy. The scam was so simple, so arrogant. They never ima

rumbeat of adrenaline and fear. This wasn' t a game, it was a battle for my life,

hand that chan

ueens. A very str

n a sizable pot and was feeling reckless. The flop came dow

just checking. I w

iately. It was dow

card wa

eath. The comment from earlier flash

bet, not wanting

ard was ano

est possible hands in poker.

s were sweating, but I kep

is was my chanc

his entire stack of chips into the middle of the table.

ut. "Pay up, Sarah. Or fol

he was about to be sick. Brenda was smiling, a cruel,

' t enough. I needed to crush them, to take back not just my

ow, deliber

e again, past the chec

around the deed to

t on top o

nging with a finality that star