Page 12 of Underground Prince

“But don’t think you can fool me,” she said.

Her words were so muted the passing traffic nearly erased them from my ears, but that didn’t matter. The most important word had already been said, disguised as a warning. One that swirled out of her mouth and into mine, sinking into my throat, spreading into my desires.

It tasted like sweet sugar on my tongue, and it lured.

Danger.

* * *

Our commute to the basement was much less heart-palpitating than last time. I knew what to expect, and when we hit the quiet residential street, there was no urge to cling to fences or dive into underbrush.

This time around, I was somewhat disappointed at the predictability of it all.

“I’m in the other room again. You’re here,” Verily said as we entered the now familiar wood-paneled environment.

People milled around, smoking and chatting in a newly bleached and evergreen-scented main room, and I recognized a few of them. One such person was the dealer. He stood with his elbow on the bar, chatting with Beefy Guy who started the whole cheating scandal two nights ago. The dealer sensed our presence and winked at me before resuming his conversation.

“They’re on break,” Verily said, reading my curious expression.

The clock on the wall said it was eleven. “I thought they wouldn’t start until later,” I said.

I figured underground lairs like these wouldn’t begin their secret operations until the stroke of midnight, as you do when faced with the shady unknown.

“Nope. These things can go all day and all night.”

“Really?” I said.

“Oh yeah. You want a game, there’s always a parlor for you to sink your coin into. You good?”

“Sure,” I replied before she turned to her side of things.

This time, I wasn’t feeling dumb or nervous. I knew the routine. I stood behind a brand new but just as cheap bartop, cracking beers when asked and collecting my chip tips left on the varnished wood.

The dealer snapped his fingers and the game resumed, chairs scraping and bodies shifting until all were comfortable.

The game went on for two hours with very few taking a break but all asking for a drink. I stayed awake by remembering all the poker movies I’d ever seen (which were maybe three) and studying the players, trying to spot a “tell.”

But despite the low level that Verily kept assuring me these guys were, I couldn’t spot any clues of nervousness or confidence in a good hand. All except the dealer were smoking, disillusioning me to the fact that chain-smoking could be a clue. One was nibbling on the chicken wings I’d had delivered, setting them on his lap and stuffing paper towels into his pants so he could surreptitiously wipe his fingers to hold his cards.

“Let’s break,” the dealer said, swiping his hand across the table to collect the cards.

No one argued. One or two stood up and stretched, while others headed out the patio doors for a smoke. Why they stepped out instead of continuing smoking in the room like they’d been doing all night was beyond me.

I remained standing in case I was needed, counting my small pile of blue chips. Verily promised good money, but with my meager twenty-five dollars of pay in front of me, I was pretty sure she was a big fat liar.

“So you’re the latest cherry, huh?”

The chips slipped through my fingers as the dealer wandered over. He held out his hand, saying, “I’m ashamed to have flown the coop last time without introducing myself. I’m Kaimei. But call me Kai.”

“Scarlet,” I said. “Probably wise, to have ghosted the hell out of here.”

“I’m not one to stick around for Sax’s spontaneous fight clubs.” His grin was genuine, and I relaxed my shoulders for the first time that night. With the unwinding of my muscles also came a sigh. He heard it.

“Don’t tell me the blood and death slurs are stressing you out,” he said. “You’re still here, so I assume only someone’s tooth or pride was lost.”

“Stress? To serve drinks in an unregulated game house where my closest bodyguard watched me turn into cartoon bug splat on the floor?” But the last thing I wanted was for him to assume I couldn’t hack it. He was friendly for the moment, but I’d seen his steely look in my direction a few times now.

“Pretty much.” A tuft of gelled black hair fell into Kai’s eyes and he combed it back. “With this crowd anyway. You never know what ruckus they’re going to kick up.”

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