CHAPTER FIVE: A SECOND HIT
Daniel looked around the Rio's breakfast area and caught the eye of his waitress. As she walked over, he winked at Holly and turned his attention back to Norman Chad.
"You guys are nicely positioned," the TV commentator was telling them. "Survive the first day, that's all you had to do."
Daniel wriggled in his chair. "I hear you, Norm. But for me it was a close thing."
Chad laughed. "Now what have I been telling you this past year about the Ace of Spades? I guess you'll believe me now?"
"I'm a believer," grinned Daniel, leaning forward and asking the waitress for two refills.
Holly raised her eyebrow. "The difference between success and failure can be the turn of a single card," she laughed.
"I wasn't expecting that card," Daniel conceded, pursing his lips. "I mean, usually you hope, but right then I thought I was on my way out."
"I saw the hand," Chad interrupted, sipping from his large glass of orange juice. "And I never doubted it. That card was always coming."
They all laughed. "But from what I gather," Daniel said, turning to look at Holly, "You had a stroll?"
"My luck came in the first hand," she softly said. "Not that I sucked out, other than I shouldn't have been in that pot. But I couldn't have paid for a flop like that."
"Perfect," agreed Chad, as the waitress refilled Daniel and Holly's drinks. She gave him a quizzical look. "The coffee is perfect, too," he cracked, watching as she beamed and walked away.
"And that hand also established my table reputation," continued Holly, pushing a blonde lock back into place. "I've had worse days!"
They all laughed again.
"Any tips for the lady?" Chad asked Daniel.
He wearily shook his head. "I think it should be the other way around. But Holly, there is a long, long way to go," he said. "It's a clichΓ©, but it really is one hand at a time..."
She nodded, slightly arching her back. Daniel knew it was a deliberate movement but like Chad, couldn't help the fact that his eyes were now honing in on her divine breasts.
Holly smiled and said, "Steady boys!"
The easy laughter that followed showed how comfortable the three of them were becoming in each other's company.
"The one thing I didn't expect was all the whooping and hollering," she said, changing the focus of the conversation. "And the trading of insults at the table. I know we've seen it to different degrees in other tournies, but in that room it was ridiculous."
"Same last year," said Daniel. "It's television."
He looked at Chad, who nodded. "Alas, that's true. The new breed of Internet players have seen the Hellmuth's and Matusow's of this world and take it as the norm. In the old days, it would've been viewed as disrespecting the game and sorted out in the parking lot."
"You must have a good memory of the old days, Norm," Daniel cracked. He and Holly laughed again as the television star looked aghast.
"Who needs enemies with friends like you," he replied with his familiar, deadpan look.
*
It was late morning when Parker walked into the Carousel Club. From her booth, Ming could survey everything going on around her. Her eyes narrowed when she saw her business partner.
He could see her annoyance even at a distance and knew that she was still stewing on his run-in with Desmond. From the way her gaze slipped over his shoulder to Carly, he realised this was not going to be quite as easy as he had first anticipated.
The bar was quite busy, even for this early hour. He decided to take the bull by the horns and pushed his chest out as he made his way across to the booth. This was Ming's territory; he'd have to be strong. But he needed to get laid and the little brunette beside him was too fucking hot to resist.
He traded glances with Ming, whose eyes narrowed as she turned to look at the girl by his side. He felt Carly squirm uncomfortably as Ming stared her down. Her hand slipped into his.
"Ming, this is Carly," he said coldly, a hint of aggression in his voice.
Ming's face remained impassive.
"Hello, Ming," Carly said, her voice wavering with the nervousness she felt.
"Hello, Carly," Ming mimicked, and then turned her gaze to Parker.
"Well, Parker," she drawled, "You'll be pleased to know I eventually cleaned up your mess with our mutual friend yesterday. Why is it I have the feeling that another mess is coming my way?"
Parker straightened up, folding his arms across his chest in anger. How could she speak to him like that? Especially in front of the girl?
"Our mutual friend can go fuck himself," he spat out.
"No, Parker, he'll fuck us if you cross him again."
Parker smiled. "From what I gather, he took care of part of one half of that yesterday!"
Fuck! Ming's face coloured as he realised he knew. She turned her angry gaze across at Carly, who shrank back beside him. "I'm assuming you have another surprise for me?"
As Parker glared down at her, the beautiful oriental woman slipped her hands behind her neck. Neither spoke for the moment, a battle of wills.
"Well," Ming continued. "What did you promise her, Parker?"
"She's a new acquisition to our girls," he said, not backing off from the stare.
"We don't need a new acquisition, Parker."