Playing the odds by Nora Roberts Read Free Book Online

his mind. Daniel had realized early that he could earn more, very satisfactorily, with his mind. Then he had built his home and his empire—to his own liking.
    It was a huge barn of a house, with massive corridors and enormous rooms. Daniel didn't like to be crowded. Justin's first impression of him as he was led into the tower room that served as his office was of bulk… and wit.
    "So you're Blade." Daniel drummed his fingers on the surface of a desk that had been carved from a giant California redwood.
    "Yes. And you're MacGregor."
    A grin creased the broad face. "That I am. Sit down, boy." Daniel noticed no change of expression at his use of the term, and folded his hands over his chest as Justin sat. He liked the way Justin moved; he'd judged men on less. "So, you want a loan."
    "I'm offering an investment, Mr. MacGregor," Justin corrected him coolly. The chair was designed to swallow a man. Justin sat in it with an ease that only accentuated the readiness to spring. "With my property as collateral, of course."
    "Umm-hmm." Daniel steepled his hands as he continued to study the man across from him. Not a simple man, he concluded, observing the aristocratic features. Cool, controlled, and potentially violent Comanche blood—warrior's blood—but not a brawler. Daniel came from good warrior stock himself. "Umm-hmm," he said again. "What are you worth, boy?"
    An angry retort sprang to Justin's mind and was left to smoulder. Reaching down, he brought up a briefcase. "I have the financial papers, the appraisals, and so forth."
    Daniel gave a gusty laugh and waved them away. "You think you'd have gotten this far if I didn't know all the figures you have in there? What about you?" he demanded. "Why should I lend my money to you?"
    Justin set the briefcase back on the floor. "I pay my debts."
    "Wouldn't last long in the business if you didn't."
    "And I'll make you a great deal of money."
    Daniel laughed again until his blue eyes watered. "I've got money, boy."
    "Only a fool doesn't want more," Justin said quietly, and Daniel stopped laughing.
    Leaning back in his chair, he nodded. "You're damn right" Then he grinned, slapping his wide palm on the desk. "You're damn right. How much to fix up that little hole in the wall of yours?"
    "Three hundred and fifty thousand," Justin answered without blinking.
    Daniel reached into his desk and drew out a bottle of Scotch and a deck of cards. "Stud poker."
    They played for an hour, speaking only to bet. Justin heard the reverberating gong of a grandfather's clock from somewhere deep in the house. Once someone knocked on the door. Daniel bellowed at them, and they weren't disturbed again. The scent of Justin's cigar mixed with the aroma of whiskey and the ripe fragrance of the overblown roses on the windowsill. After dropping fifteen hundred dollars, Daniel leaned back in his chair again.
    "You'll need stockholders."
    "I've just gotten rid of a partner." Justin crushed out the butt of his cigar. "I don't want another."
    "Stockholders, boy." Daniel pushed the cards aside. "You want to make money, you've got to spread it around first. A man who plays like you do already knows that." With his pale blue eyes on Justin's, he considered a moment. "I'll lend you the money and buy in for ten percent. You're smart, you keep sixty and spread the rest around." After swirling the Scotch, he drained his glass and grinned. "You're going to be rich."
    "I know."
    Daniel's gusty laugh shook the windowpane. "Stay for dinner," he said, heaving himself out of his chair.
    Justin stayed for dinner, and became rich. He renamed his hotel Comanche, then made it into one of the finest hotel-casinos in Vegas. He bought a dying property in Tahoe and repeated his success. Within a decade he had five thriving gambling hotels and interests in a variety of enterprises throughout the country and Europe. In the ten years since their meeting in the tower room, Justin had been to the MacGregor home dozens of times, entertained