Page 2 of Lost Room Lawyer
Is he into me?
Damn, he’s trying to distract me.
So that’s his game!
Focus, Nico!
I quickly shook off the thoughts, leaned over the table, and dragged the winnings toward me with both hands. While Bruce Lee reshuffled the cards, I organized my chips. The last round had taken a long time, and the men had all bet big. It could have cost me dearly, but now I was sitting here with nearly eight hundred francs and was back in the game.
I knew full well that I’d either walk out of here with four thousand francs or with empty pockets. But no matter how it ended, the evening was already worth the five hundred.
With my chips sorted, I grabbed my glass and took a big sip of soda. My eyes sneaked a glance at Corvo. He wasn’t the only one at the table wearing a suit, but in my eyes, he had the most style of all the gentlemen here.
I tried to figure out what set him apart from the others. Maybe I could learn something from him since I’d be wearing a suit myself come Monday.
I didn’t shop for the internship, relying on shirts I already owned. I had a new pair of pants from my half-sister’s wedding and another from a college friend’s. My father had been giving me ties since I turned twenty-one, hoping I’d wear them, and I had shoes and jackets ready. I’d just need to tie back my shoulder-length hair, which I didn’t mind.
“I’m out,” Papageno said before I even had a chance to look at my new cards.
Yakuza tossed his cards onto the table, so DaVinci started the round with a fifty. Pestalozzi and Bruce Lee folded as well. Corvo stayed in. I had an Ace and a five, so I decided to stay in too. Dominic hesitated for a moment. He had barely any chips left, but he took a chance and stayed in as well.
As DaVinci waited and passed the turn to Corvo, I tried to read him, but I had no luck. With an imperturbable poker face, Corvo raised the bet to a hundred, then glanced at me with a satisfied smile and arched an eyebrow.
“Are you in, Rossi?” A smile tugged at his lips.
Is he flirting with me?
I didn’t know the community cards yet, but since I was banking on the Ace and had plenty of chips in front of me, I decided to go along.
Dominic went all in, his quiet sigh barely audible. He was the type to always go all out—if he was going to lose, he’d do it in style.
“Oh no, not now,” he groaned as he reached for his vibrating phone.
“Are you on call?” I asked, surprised.
“Yeah. I didn’t think I’d get called in tonight. Damn.”
Dominic set the phone next to him on the table and turned his attention back to the game. By now, DaVinci had also stayed in, and Bruce Lee revealed the first three community cards.
A Jack, a six, and a three. My heartbeat quickened. With my Ace and five, I had nothing.
Stay cool!
But I had no idea if I was managing that.
DaVinci folded, and Dominic was out too.
“Sorry, gentlemen. It’s been a pleasure.” My roommate got up from his chair and gave a casual salute. “Unfortunately, my night ends here because some old geezer probably fell out of bed—plus, I’m broke.”
“Feel free to come back anytime!” Papageno said, who had a pile of Dominic’s chips in front of him.
Dominic patted my shoulder in farewell. “Make sure to wipe out dear Papageno.”
I laughed but felt slightly uneasy sitting at the table without my roommate, especially with a weak hand.
“You’ll be fine, right? You can find your way home?” he asked, putting on a black cap.
“Of course. No problem at all.”
