Page 58 of My Ex-Fiance's Best Men
“Looks big enough to hold cash. A buy in, most likely,” he says.
“Kang seems pleased.”
Pleased enough to escort Helen into the restaurant, which has my brain scrambling for a new plan.
“What do we do?” Dominic asks, likely picking up on my restlessness.
“We could sit here and wait,” I reply, but even I’m not buying that as an option. “Or we could go in and put your Texas Hold ’Em skills to good use.”
“I got my ass handed to me the last time I played in one of Kang’s tournaments. Did you not hear me just now?”
“We don’t need to win. We just need to play so we can be in there. I’ll bet he’s got multiple tables going. We’ll pick one that’s out of Helen’s line of sight. She doesn’t strike me as the super cautious type, gambling in the middle of a business day.”
Dominic exhales, running a hand through his hair. “I guess it’s worth a shot.”
Together, we get out of the car and walk up the street. Yet as soon as we reach the restaurant doors, a pretty young hostess in a red and black uniform rushes out with an apologetic smile.
“Welcome to The Golden Lotus, gentlemen. I’m sorry, but we are closed for the day,” she says in a heavy Chinese accent.
“Oh. That’s strange. One of our friends just walked in,” I reply with a polite smile.
“Sorry. It’s a private event.”
Dominic glances past her, and I follow his gaze through the restaurant’s double doors. The glass gives us a decent view of Helen and Kang walking through the main lobby, then making a left turn into one of the main rooms. I spot waitstaff, dealers, and guests coming in and out with various missions.
“We’re well aware. We were invited,” I try.
The hostess doesn’t budge. “You’re not on the guest list, I’m afraid.”
“How would you know? You haven’t asked our names,” Dominic says.
She gives him a cold smile. “I know everyone on the guest list, sir. You’re not on it. I’m sorry.”
“She’s sorry,” I mutter as I look at my brother. “That’s alright. We’ll have to take it up with the friend who invited us then. Would you mind calling Mr. Kang?”
Dominic gives me a startled look. I offer a slight nod in return to reassure him. As expected, the hostess keeps a tight guard.
“Mr. Kang is busy. But if you’re friends, you can call him yourselves,” she says.
“What if we just go in? I saw him only a moment ago,” I insist.
The hostess looks back at the doors. Two burly bouncers in black, covered in Triad tattoos, emerge from behind the red velvet curtains adorning the entrance. They do not look like they’re here to make friends.
“Roger that,” I tell her with a laugh and step back. “We’ll give him a call then. Thank you.”
“Again, our apologies,” she replies.
Dominic and I walk back to our car, feeling their eyes on us the whole time.
“I’ll circle around the block and find another place to park,” I tell my brother. “They’re going to be watching out for us now.”
“That was intense,” Dominic says. “Tight security and then some.”
“You know they’ve got some dangerous people in there if the hostess knows every guest personally.”
“Helen Baldwin included,” he replies. “What the hell is that woman up to?”
“More importantly, what the hell is she doing getting involved with those kind of people? The Feds would have a field day raiding this place.”
