staring me right in the eyes. "Okay," he said, then called once again.
The final card was an Ace. It wasn't very likely that it helped Ewan at all, but it was still a scary card. One of the only ones higher than my pair. I didn't think I could bet again.
"Check," I said, passing the action over to him.
Instantly he pushed a tall stack of greens into the centre. "Nine hundred."
I exhaled slowly. It was a huge bet; all of my remaining chips. My first instinct was to fold. I couldn't imagine calling such a bet and being wrong, and Ewan had made a habit out of betting big when he had the goods. For all his recklessness, he hadn't shown much of a propensity to bluff.
But as I thought it through, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was just being bullied. My presence clearly offended him, and this was the perfect opportunity for him to show me who was boss.
As if on cue, he spoke. "Just let it go, girl," he said. "You've still got most of your lad's money. There's no shame in admitting you're outgunned here."
I'm not sure if it was his tone or the smug look on his face that did it, but I suddenly knew I couldn't fold. If I was wrong, I was wrong, but I wasn't going to let him intimidate me.
With my heartbeat thundering in my ears, I silently pushed my money forwards and flipped up my hand.
He gazed at me for what felt like a lifetime, his mouth slowly twisting into a snarl, before shooting wordlessly to his feet and storming from the room. The table erupted into applause.
"I guess he folds," said Sebastian from behind me. I hadn't even realised he was back. "God, that was the most satisfying thing I've seen in a while."
I grinned. "It felt pretty damn satisfying too."
"You should bring her along more often, Sebastian," said Jav. "I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a show as much as that."
Sebastian grinned. "I told you you could handle it," he said to me.
"Oh I knew I could too, I just didn't want to embarrass your friends here."
He laughed. "That's very gracious of you."
I smiled. "After that hand though, I think it's time to call it a night. Not sure my heart can take much more." I started gathering up the chips. "Still, over a thousand bucks profit for a couple of hours work. Not a bad night."
"It was a little more than that."
I paused and did a quick count in my head. "Well, I guess it might be closer to one point five, if you add up all the change."
He stared at me for several seconds. "Sophia, that hand you just won was worth a little over two point two million dollars."
I did a double take. "Excuse me?"
"You didn't know?"
Something hot surged through me. "Know? How could I know?" I said, my voice getting progressively louder. "You said you were buying in for five hundred."
"Yes, five hundred thousand."
I looked down at the stack of chips once more, my eyes wide. There was more money in front of me than both my parents had made in their entire lives. I was no stranger to extravagance — the partners at work were notorious for their heinous disregard for money — but this took it to a whole new level. It seemed almost impossible to comprehend. "Holy shit. How the hell could you let me play with that kind of money? I could have lost it all!"
"But you didn't."
I shook my head slowly. "I know but still...fuck."
"Relax. You showed me you knew how to play. I had faith things would work out. And if they didn't, then c'est la vie. It's only money."
Several of the other players were watching this exchange with amusement. "He's lost more than that in a night before, Sophia," said Trey, who seemed to have recovered from his own loss. "And I dare say I'd take you over him if it were my money," he said with a wink.
Sebastian tried to look offended, but he couldn't quite hide his smile. He really did seem completely at ease with the situation. Perhaps he really would have been okay if I'd lost.
"Still," I said to him, "the next time you put me in charge of a million dollars, do me a favour and let me
The final card was an Ace. It wasn't very likely that it helped Ewan at all, but it was still a scary card. One of the only ones higher than my pair. I didn't think I could bet again.
"Check," I said, passing the action over to him.
Instantly he pushed a tall stack of greens into the centre. "Nine hundred."
I exhaled slowly. It was a huge bet; all of my remaining chips. My first instinct was to fold. I couldn't imagine calling such a bet and being wrong, and Ewan had made a habit out of betting big when he had the goods. For all his recklessness, he hadn't shown much of a propensity to bluff.
But as I thought it through, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was just being bullied. My presence clearly offended him, and this was the perfect opportunity for him to show me who was boss.
As if on cue, he spoke. "Just let it go, girl," he said. "You've still got most of your lad's money. There's no shame in admitting you're outgunned here."
I'm not sure if it was his tone or the smug look on his face that did it, but I suddenly knew I couldn't fold. If I was wrong, I was wrong, but I wasn't going to let him intimidate me.
With my heartbeat thundering in my ears, I silently pushed my money forwards and flipped up my hand.
He gazed at me for what felt like a lifetime, his mouth slowly twisting into a snarl, before shooting wordlessly to his feet and storming from the room. The table erupted into applause.
"I guess he folds," said Sebastian from behind me. I hadn't even realised he was back. "God, that was the most satisfying thing I've seen in a while."
I grinned. "It felt pretty damn satisfying too."
"You should bring her along more often, Sebastian," said Jav. "I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a show as much as that."
Sebastian grinned. "I told you you could handle it," he said to me.
"Oh I knew I could too, I just didn't want to embarrass your friends here."
He laughed. "That's very gracious of you."
I smiled. "After that hand though, I think it's time to call it a night. Not sure my heart can take much more." I started gathering up the chips. "Still, over a thousand bucks profit for a couple of hours work. Not a bad night."
"It was a little more than that."
I paused and did a quick count in my head. "Well, I guess it might be closer to one point five, if you add up all the change."
He stared at me for several seconds. "Sophia, that hand you just won was worth a little over two point two million dollars."
I did a double take. "Excuse me?"
"You didn't know?"
Something hot surged through me. "Know? How could I know?" I said, my voice getting progressively louder. "You said you were buying in for five hundred."
"Yes, five hundred thousand."
I looked down at the stack of chips once more, my eyes wide. There was more money in front of me than both my parents had made in their entire lives. I was no stranger to extravagance — the partners at work were notorious for their heinous disregard for money — but this took it to a whole new level. It seemed almost impossible to comprehend. "Holy shit. How the hell could you let me play with that kind of money? I could have lost it all!"
"But you didn't."
I shook my head slowly. "I know but still...fuck."
"Relax. You showed me you knew how to play. I had faith things would work out. And if they didn't, then c'est la vie. It's only money."
Several of the other players were watching this exchange with amusement. "He's lost more than that in a night before, Sophia," said Trey, who seemed to have recovered from his own loss. "And I dare say I'd take you over him if it were my money," he said with a wink.
Sebastian tried to look offended, but he couldn't quite hide his smile. He really did seem completely at ease with the situation. Perhaps he really would have been okay if I'd lost.
"Still," I said to him, "the next time you put me in charge of a million dollars, do me a favour and let me
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