Arranged Marriage

Chapter 31

"Okay, let me get this straight, you guys are going to teach me how to be a gangster?" I questioned the boys in the kitchen.

I still lived in denial about this whole night and refused to believe that I was going to my father's casino. Patrick had other ideas and had put everything aside today to teach me how to play poker enough to beat the Chinese drug lord. I applauded his efforts. But I couldn't see how someone that hasn't played a real game of poker in her life could go up against someone who has been making money off it.

"Yes," Patrick sighed, "Alberto is a champion of the game and Piero practically eat cigars."

"I don't smoke," I told him, finding the whole plan ridiculous.

"Your going to have to tonight," he said, not taking no for an answer, "I can tell you all of Eagle's tricks and I've already organised Zoey to do your hair for tonight."

I frowned, not realising the effort he had gone too.

"You've really thought all of this through, haven't you?" I questioned him.

He shrugged, "this is your opportunity to show Eagle that you're not this naive girl that doesn't know anything about business. That's what he's looking for. He's wants to use it to his advantage."

"By striking deals that I don't understand but will benefit him greatly, type of advantage?" I asked, finding myself a little scared now.

Patrick nodded. Great.

"You've just got to be confident," Nickola told me, "it's your casino, don't let him control you."

"Yes, now with that advice from Mother Superior, let's get started," Patrick scoffed, gesturing towards the door.

I followed him out with the boys not far behind. He led us through the library to the bar where a poker table had been sat up on the second level. We all took our seats around the table, with Alberto on one side of me and Patrick on the other.

"Eagle will invite us to his private gaming room on the top floor," Patrick explained, "Him, a few of his men will play us before playing a one on one game with you."

"How do you know that?" I asked, realizing that Patrick seemed to know everything about what was going to happen tonight.

"Eagle gave me the same offer when I first started. Like I said. It's his way of trusting people," He explained.

"Did you win?"

"Of course," he scoffed, like it was a no brainer.

"Then why don't you take my place and play him for me," I suggested, finding every opportunity I had to get out of it.

Patrick smiled at me, seeing what I was doing.

"He doesn't want to play me. He wants to play you," he told me, making me scoff.

"Are you two done? Or are we going to play poker," Alberto asked, already splitting up the chips.

Patrick narrowed his eyes at him, "sometimes, I think you forget that I'm the one that pays your wages."

Alberto shrugged, taking it, but not saying anything else.

"So what do that chips represent?" I asked, wining a few snickers from the boys.

"Anything you want. Ten dollars, hundreds, thousands. Depends on where you're at. But we will play with nothing," Alberto explained.

"What will Eagle play with?" I asked.

"Hundreds, most of the time," Patrick told me, "but he might make other offers. Like for the casino."

"He will make me bet my casino?" I cried, horrified.