Chapter Sixteen
Raising the Stakes
There is no sympathy in poker. Always keep cool. If you lose your head, you will lose all your chips. – William J. Florence
ELENA
The maître d’ looks over at us for the third time in the past two minutes. I’d tell him to quit staring... but he has every right to.
Lukas and I are starting to make a scene in our little corner of the restaurant Mostly because he—in all his tall, dark and gloomy glory—is absolutely and undeniably, f*****g livid. His large hand clamps down on my elbow, holding me hostage.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he thunders.
My voice is a raspy yell. “Me? What the hell are you doing here? I’m just trying to enjoy a decent meal—same as you.”
His nearly black hair is tousled atop his head and when he leans into me, a stray lo
