Chapter 11: His Own House

"You said yes," I said again, in the elevator, because nobody had answered the first time.

"I did."

"You didn't ask me."

"There wasn't time."

"You bet your hotel without telling me."

"It's mine to bet."

The doors opened on the penthouse.

I walked in ahead of him, and my whole body was shaking with something that was not heat this time.

"That's what he said," I told him.

"Who?"

"Cormac. When I found the first foreclosure notice. He said, it's mine to lose, Lena. It's my money."

Rafe stopped in the middle of the room.

I turned around.

"Do you know what it's like," I said, "to find out your life was a chip on somebody else's table?"

"I'm not Cormac."

"No. You're better looking."

"Lenore."

"You looked at Castiglioni and you decided what I was worth, and what Junie was worth, and what the Halcyon was worth.

"All in about four seconds.

"Without me."

His jaw worked.

"I put my own house on the felt," he said slowly. "Not yours. Not your daughter's. Mine."

"For me."

"For the game."

"Do not lie to me."

He closed his eyes.

"For you," he said.

His eyes opened.

"I've waited six years to see the Legend play.

"I'd have bet the building if he'd asked."

"It's not about the building."

"Then what is it?"

"It's that I would have said yes."

Silence.

"I would have said yes if you'd asked," I said.

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