CHAPTER SEVEN
The room was spacious enough, but with security and the television crews surrounding the table, it tended to cut down on what would have been a large area and comfortable atmosphere. The table was in the center of the room, and they took their assigned places. She was across and to the left of Daniel Wallin, who was directly across from the dealer. She found it interesting that she’d been placed across from him. She didn’t mind because she wanted to be able to see everything he did when he played his cards. Clearly, he wanted to see what she did.
For the first time, she asked herself how he’d identified her when she’d played anonymously online. Of course, her winnings had gone to a bank account. She’d played in some of his online tournaments. The hotel certainly could have traced that account to her. Was that how he had become interested in her? She’d won every tournament she’d entered. That must have sent up a flag to someone like Wallin. It would have to her. It would have to Art.
She smiled cheerfully at those seated at the table. “We meet again. Leo, Jameson, Art, good to see you again.”
“I’m not sure I can say the same,” Leo told her.
Jameson laughed. “I have to second that, Vienna. But as always, you look beautiful.”
She’d played up her looks, something she rarely did. She didn’t wear a dress or skirt—that would be going too far—but she did wear a deep green shirt that made her eyes appear even greener than usual. Once someone discovered her large eyes, they found her perfect bone structure and generous mouth. Her hair fell in long silky sheets of platinum down her back and around her face when she needed it to. She was tall, leggy, walked like a model when she cared to in her pencil-thin black jeans—and she cared to. She’d take every advantage she could get.
“Thank you, Jameson, you’re always kind to me,” she responded as she took her chair. “Unless you’re pushing the bet.”
There was instant laughter again. Even Wallin smiled. She looked at him last. “Mr. Wallin, it’s lovely to see you again.”
He sat back in his chair, regarding her carefully. “I think we can dispense with the formalities, at least while we’re playing, Vienna. Call me Daniel.”
She remembered that same careful, shrewd examination from the day before, when he’d kept her talking after she’d won the tournament. Delaying her had been calculated. She was certain of it. He’d looked at his watch several times. Was he responsible for planting the cameras in her room? If so, why would he do it?
“Daniel, then.” She gave him another smile. She could be every bit as fake as he could. She planned on winning. That was why she was here. She wasn’t intimidated because he was undefeated or because he owned the hotel.
The dealer sat down and an excited hush fell over the room. Vienna allowed her gaze to sweep the security. Robert and Harold were among the security guards. Simon was present. There were at least five close to Daniel Wallin. Two had come in to escort her to the game. One had been a woman, Rachel, and her partner, a man by the name of Wilder. She had recognized that name. Surely there couldn’t be two Wilders, yet Zale had said they hadn’t embedded an agent in the security company because it was too risky. Wilder didn’t look at her, but rather around her, paying attention to the crowd as they walked her through the well-wishers to the private room to meet the other players. She avoided looking at him, just in case. Wilder and Rachel were directly behind her, presumably her security.
Leo opened with a hundred thousand bid. Everyone stayed, of course. Daniel didn’t look at his cards, but immediately bet a quarter of a million, sounding bored. He looked directly at Vienna as he did so. It was a common enough practice not to look at one’s cards until it was time to actually put one’s money in. Still, he didn’t look. She didn’t either. Daniel had the queen of spades and the ten of hearts. She had the ten and jack of diamonds.
Art lifted the edge of his cards to look at them. Vienna didn’t need to look at his expression or try to guess at what he had. The moment the dealer sat down and touched the deck, the familiar sweeping heat had rushed through her, connecting her to the cards. She “saw” them. Art had the seven and ace of clubs.
Vienna was more interested in Daniel’s reaction. What was he doing? Was he studying Art? Looking at his expression? His hands? His cards? He had to have watched him play a hundred times. It wasn’t the same as playing in person with someone. She ducked her head just enough that her hair fell across her face, but she kept her gaze fixed on Wallin.
Daniel was more interested in her than in Art. He wanted to see what she was doing, not Art. She fanned her lashes down and flicked Art a quick glance from under them. He made his bet. Daniel and Vienna matched it. Art had both of them beat. Leo folded.
The dealer burned a card and turned the next three cards over. The ace of diamonds, seven of diamonds and six of hearts. That gave her four diamonds. Art had two pair. Daniel had nothing. Vienna pushed the bet to half a million dollars. Art stayed with her. Daniel narrowed his eyes and looked the cards over. He folded. The turn was the eight of spades. Vienna bet another half-million dollars. Art stayed with her, although he gave her that little grin of his.
“Know better than to bet against you on the river, Vienna, especially when you want red.”
The dealer turned over a queen of diamonds. Art shook his head. “Every damn time. You have it, don’t you? A damn diamond flush.”
She pushed the equivalent of a million dollars in chips on the line. If Art—and Daniel—wanted to see if she was bluffing, Art would have to pay.
“Not a chance,” Art said as he quickly folded his cards.
Vienna took the chips and sent him a little enigmatic smile. As pots went, it set her up nicely. The next two hands, she didn’t like the look of her cards and folded. She caught a pair of aces, the club and spade, on the next hand, and she opened the betting. Leo, Daniel and Jameson stayed in as well. Art folded almost as soon as the real betting took place.
The flop revealed the ace of hearts, jack of hearts and nine of spades. Leo bet a half-million dollars. Daniel saw the bet and raised to a million. Jameson folded. Vienna saw the bet and raised it another million. Leo looked the cards over.
Daniel leaned toward him. “I can see you have that look in your eyes, Leo. You’re bound and determined to raise the bet and drive me right out of the game.” He laughed, tying them together in that sociable way he had, putting everyone at ease. He sounded as if he and Leo were old friends.
Vienna hadn’t gotten that particular vibe off Leo at all. In fact, she thought he might actually fold, but not only did he stay in, he raised, just as Daniel had predicted.
Daniel sighed and shook his head. “I was afraid you would push it.” He eyed the flop mournfully, and then pushed his chips in.
Vienna made the pot right, although she wasn’t quite buying Daniel’s act. She knew he had two hearts concealed. Leo had three jacks. She had three aces.
The turn was a two of hearts. That gave Leo no help. That gave her no help. Daniel had his flush. Leo needed to fold.
Before he could say he was going to fold, Daniel laughed softly. “Don’t do it, Leo, old friend. Don’t make me put all my chips out there. You’re always pushing me to my limits. I don’t know how you do that to me, but playing with you makes my hair even whiter than usual.”
Leo laughed with him and pushed most of his chips in.
Daniel gave a mournful sigh and matched him, then immediately raised again before turning to Vienna. “You don’t want to raise again, do you, woman? Pushing an old man like me might give me a heart attack. I’m sure you should fold, not raise.”
The sound of his voice tried to slide into her mind, but she was resistant to it. She did, however, realize that there was a cadence to the notes that acted like a suggestion, a form of hypnosis almost, so that the receiver did exactly what Daniel wanted. He emphasized the important words. In this case, he didn’t want her to fold, he wanted her to raise. Since she had no intention of folding and every intention of raising, she could give him the impression that his “gift” worked on her. Clearly, he didn’t have the same talent she did.
Dutifully, Vienna met the bet and raised. She felt bad for Leo, knowing he wouldn’t survive this round. The dealer burned a card and turned over the river card. An ace of diamonds. That gave Leo a full house. Daniel had a flush. Vienna had four of a kind.
Daniel continued to talk to Leo until Leo bet everything he had on the hand. He appeared cheerful and confident. Daniel met the bet and raised. Vienna met that bet and raised Daniel back when he goaded her. Daniel looked pleased with himself as the betting went around again.
Art shook his head. “Never bet against Vienna on a river card, Daniel,” he warned.
Daniel laughed the advice away as chips went into the pot as if they were penny chips. Leo turned over his full house, Daniel his flush and Vienna her four of a kind. She watched the hotel owner’s face carefully as she revealed her hidden pair of aces. For just a moment his jovial mask slipped and he looked shocked. Truly shocked. He hadn’t expected her hand to beat his. She knew for certain he had no knowledge of her “gift.” It was that different from his.