INNOCENT (Gabe's Trials)

All in

"How comes that it sounds like a win-win situation for you?' I whispered, my voice feeling hoarse.

"Because it is." He smiled, making me grin in return.

$$$

Heading back to the table, we took our seats under the suspicious eyes of the other players. My lips formed a small smile as Mathew approached the table, stopping next to his boss and giving me a curious look similar to the ones I was already receiving. Then my eyes dropped to the one man who appeared to enjoy the entire situation, his hazels refusing to look my way as well. Briefly glancing at his wingman, Gabriel stood up to whisper something into his ear and then sat back down, a triumfant smile gracing his lips this time.

With a nod of his head and a frown firmly in place, Mathew headed out of the room, leaving me wondering what that had been all about, not that I was going to receive an answer to that.

"What's the game, gentlemen?" His smooth voice caressed my ears, making me lose my concentration for a brief moment.

"Card stud." The slightly older, bearded man at my left announced. I looked at him, noticing his black eyes watching me cautiously, his mouth set in a grim line.

"Great. Whenever you're ready..." People started nodding or mumbling their agreement and the dealer started shuffling the cards. The sound of the orchestra starting to play James' Brown's 'It's a man's world' infiltrated in my ears, my eyes immediatelly searching Gabriel's. He was barely containing his laughter, the bastard, and that's how I knew that he must have been behind it. That was probably what he'd talked to Mathew about. "Is there a problem, Ms Groves?" He asked, that superior smirk taking over his face.

"No problem, Mr Shaffer. I was just thinking of how..."

"Appropriate?" Gabriel asked, cutting me off.

"... convenient this song is." I continued, completely ignoring him. Biting his lower lip, probably to stop himself from laughing, he nodded his head approvingly.

"It is, indeed, Ms Groves." The moment the dealer started placing our cards in front of us, one by one, I had to tear my eyes away from the hot as hell murderer seated across from me. I couldn't let him distract me any further if I wanted to win this game.

"The players may now look at their cards." The dealer said, dropping what was left of the deck onto the table. Picking up my cards, I did my best not to grin at my three kings and two jacks. Appearently, this was my lucky night... Stealing a quick glance at the other players, I could notice that at least three of those men were pleased with their cards, the other five of them about to fold or even bluff. That left me and Gabriel. Looking up from my cards again, I glanced in his direction, noticing him smiling. That could only mean two things. One; he had a fucking good hand or two; he knew too damn well that I was watching him and he was playing me. "Place the bets." The dealer announced, Mr bald-head seated next to Mr beard being the first one to react to that.

"I'm going with one thousand." He said, his hand pushing one blue chip to the middle of the table.

"I call." Mr beard announced, pushing one blue chip to join the oher. I knew he wasn't bluffing, but the rest of the players, maybe except for Gabriel and the tattooed man seating at his right, were about to bluff or fold, making the game too easy, maybe even boring. So, I decided to raise the stake.

"I'm all in." I announced, pushing all my chips -worth 10 000 dollars- to join the two already in the middle. Raising a suspicious brow, Gabriel gave me a sarcastic look. Look all you want, handsome. We're still going to win this. My conscience said, doing a little victory dance. He wasn't the only one giving me incredulous, sarcastic looks, though, the other players also gaping at me in bewilderment.