With the young prince only a hand reach away, and my men situated in a position in which they had his guards in a direct line of fire at the same time, I was only one move away from putting a bullet in his head, and thus checking anyone of the other four men that sat at the table with me. This would then give us the time we would need to make it out of this room alive.
Checkmate!
I lifted the cigar to my lips Prince Jamel had gifted me with when I sat down at the table, and as if on cue, one of the ladies lit it. Then with as humble of a smile as I could muster, I reached out and raked in my fifth pot for the evening. I had made a fortune by the end of the night, so I knew a few of these fellas may feel froggy. I loved playing with men like these three rich wannabe kings. They had taken one look at me, my jeans, my t-shirt, my Timberlands, and instantly wrote me off as a dumb thug.
Shame, now I was a dumb thug with all their money in my pocket.
“I love playing poker with you Gabriel.” Jamel said, lifting his hand to gesture toward me.
“Oh yeah!” I chuckled to myself finding it funny how his words had just so happened to line up with my thoughts.
“When are you going to come to my kingdom so that I can show you how to really have a good time?”
This was not his first time extending that invitation. He did it every time we met in Vegas, and every time he came to New York. Several times he contacted me when he’d flown in wanting to get together; asking me to show him around my stomping ground—his words. I took him out, showed him a good time, but I always had to decline his invitation… graciously of course. Treading around in the desert just wasn't my thing.
“I am honored your Highness for your invitation, and I hope to soon be able to take you up on it. It's just that my company is far too young for me to go frolicking around in your play house.” He chuckled.
“I don't know, maybe you’ll come to my play house and you won't want to return to America. I could use a man like you to help run my empire. I like the way your mind works. Every time I leave your presence, I go and I speak to my father of you.”
Gino walked into the room, bringing the prince flattering speech to a halt.
“Evening fellas, please forgive me for interrupting your game.” He greeted the room.
“Thank you for the hospitality Gino, I always feel at home here.” The prince greeted him. Gino opened his arms.
“Thank you Prince Jamel, it is always an honor to house your Royal Highness.” He flashed him with his million dollar smile. Gino, like his late father is a Made Man that knew how to keep a steady flow of cash flowing through his doors.
“Gentlemen, I need to have a word with Gabe here.” He leaned down.
“Your wife has the fever brother.” I looked up from the dealer who was opening a new deck of cards.
“How bad?”
He slid a card to me with a figure written on it.
“Whoa! Yes she does.”
“Fellas, I’m going to have to call it an evening.” I said to the table coming to my feet.
“Oh! Come on homey; give us a chance to win some of our money back!” One of the rich brats whined.
Mac and my other men stood. Gino turned to look down at him. Even Prince Jamel glared at him. He squirmed in his chair, running his hand along his collar that suddenly felt too tight as the feeling in the air became hostile. Poor fool. I chuckled.
“Sorry, homey, maybe some other time.” Spider came to the table and scooped up my tray of chips.
“Prince Jamel, it was a pleasure as always.” I told him. He nodded.
“Just promise me my good friend that you will reconsider my request and at least let me show you what you stand to lose.”
I chuckled. “Will do your Highness!”
“Gentlemen.” I said to the other chumps that had been sitting tight lip because I had relieved them of all of their daddy's money. As I walked past homey boy, I patted him on the shoulder, not too gentle.
“Later… homey!” His pained whimper caused me to laugh out loud as my men and I followed Gino out the room.
“Thanks for looking out Gino. I know you’re not in the business of being a fever reducer.”
He shook his head. “No, I’m not, except for family.” I nodded. Hell, I was glad he interrupted the game. I had already drained the swamp, really didn’t need to hang around any longer. I looked at the card he handed me again.
“Damn, how did that happened so fast?” I asked stepping on the elevator with Gino. He held up his hands.
“Hey, you know how these things go little brother. Listen, when you get a hold of your beautiful wife, please join me and Cindy for dinner. She heard you were here, and you know how that goes. She won't be happy if she can't feed you.”
“You got it!”
I followed Gino to the crap’s table. Yasmin, who was surrounded by her little posse, leaned against the table clutching some of her hair in her little fist that was no longer in a neat ponytail. She looked really distressed. Seeing her like this bothered me. I needed to make whatever was wrong with her better. Walking up behind her, I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her to me.
“What’s up shorty, you’re looking a little stressed?” I whispered in her ear. When she looked up at me, I could tell right off she was far gone in her fever. Note to self, don’t ever bring wife back to Vegas.
“Oh,
