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With a huff, he folds I take the pot, stack my chips into my holder and pass Beatrice three red chips—a 15 tip

“Have a good night,” she says

“You too”

“You got lucky,” my opponent ot going for you”

Anger flares in ht, and I’d love to punch hiht now

Eye on the ball, Gia You’ve got a uy

And to bring his or run-ins with the law I can get the revenge that ht and keep my cool

And so, difficult as it is, I turn ht, I’ll play at a different casino, probably against another guy who giveslooks and makes raunchy comments

Iwith, but daood to leave with their ht

Once I get outside, the goose buo away in the warhts in every color flash around me as I start the walk back to my hotel I’m about a half mile in when an electronic billboard catches my attention

It’s a photo of a dark-haired guy with piercing blue eyes in a black hockey jersey, with the Las Vegas Saints logo and the words “Luck is on our side”

I s my walk Professional athletes and movie stars come to this city all the time and lose more money than uy’s no different Suckers come in all shapes, sizes and tax brackets

And they’re all the same to me—potential opponents to help line my pockets

Chapter Three

Maverick

“Tioalie, Pike, looks like a kid in a candy store as alk onto the floor of the Venetian casino, wo to look us over one by one