Adrenaline

Chapter 26

Alyssa                 

"Are you-"

"I'm fine." I said, cutting into Jason's question.

I bent over to pick up my night bag and pulled out two decks of cards. I'd learned a lot of card games after my parents' divorce thanks to my dad. The guys started coming down to the main room dressed in their pajamas. I shuffled both decks, expertly keeping them together in a pile.

"Whoa Alyssa do you work in a casino?" Kyle asked.

"Ha, well you see, when my parents got divorced, I'd spend weekend at my dad's. He'd designed a casino and got free chips for life, so he'd take me with him and I'd sit with all the card dealers." I explained, as we went over to sit down at the round table.

"Sweet, I wish my dad would've taken me to the casino. What are we playing tonight?" Ryan asked.

"Well, we'll keep it family friendly and play bullshit, but for me, let's call it B.S."

The IIA wanted their females to be ladies 24/7 so no bad words for me unless I stepped on a Lego.

I put down an ace then Alex put down his cards calling them out as 2 twos. Chris put down a 3 and Ryan called 3 fours.

"B.S," I said.

Everyone looked up at Ryan who reluctantly flipped over his cards. They were 2 fives and a 3. I smiled pushing the small stack over to him.

"Lucky guess."

We started again, this time Kyle starting the pile. He put down an ace, Jason 3 twos, me 1 three, Alex 3 fours, Chris 3 fives.

"B.S," I called again.

He jokingly glared at me taking the stack. I laughed keeping my hand close to me. Jason's eyes were wandering. Ryan started the new stack and the game went around the table again. I was closely watching everyone's face. Every single one of them had a, tell. Alex's finger would twitch when he put down a false card. Chris stared at the pile when he put one down. Ryan would lean back in his chair trying to appear calm. Kyle would tap his foot and Jason; Jason's was the subtlest. His eyes dilated, and unless you were looking directly at them you wouldn't notice, but unlucky for him and suspiciously for me, I was looking directly at them. I was careful about having a, tell.

Each one of the guys had tried calling my bluff, but I'd stare each one in the eye and ask, "You sure about that?"

They'd take it back immediately and I'd get away with it. I was down to my last card and so far they hadn't been able to catch my bluff. Kyle put down three cards and I heard the faint tapping of his foot.

"B.S," I called.

He groaned trying not to chuckle as he took the pile. Jason started the new stack putting down an ace.

"B.S," I said.

He smiled at me slipping the card back to his pile.

Finally, the moment I'd been waiting for. I put my card down calling an ace. Everyone was about to throw in the towel when, "B.S." I turned seeing Jason with a positive look in his eyes.

"Are you sure Jason?" I challenged, smiling at him with an arched brow.

"Flip it over."

I lowered my eyes to the card and slowly flipped it over. It was a 7. The guys cheered slapping Jason a high-five. I couldn't help in laughing and giving him one too because no one but my dad had been able to call my bluff.

The games ended around one in the morning then we dragged ourselves over to the bathrooms to wash up for the night. Alex went in last, leaving Jason and me alone again. I slipped my socks off neatly placing them next to my shoes. I went to check on Chris to make sure his ribs were okay and returned to the main room.