Chapter 195: The Game Table Test

The network of interests behind this project was bound to be tangled and complex. Wyatt raised a brow. “I’ve run into a tough nut. Want to help me crack it?”

Yunice replied, “If you think I can be of use, then I’m in.”

From the driver’s seat, Jordan chuckled as he turned the wheel. “That’s more like it. Ms. Saunders and Wyatt should be on the same team—Wyatt will treat you right.”

Wyatt kicked the back of Jordan’s seat hard enough that Jordan nearly crashed into the wheel.

The meeting was set at a private club. When Yunice followed Wyatt inside, she spotted a middle-aged man in a gray vest playing pool. Jordan leaned in and murmured, “That’s our target for today.”

Yunice took a closer look, mentally assigning herself the role of assistant. She figured she was here to help, same as Jordan. The room was warm from the AC, and Wyatt took off his jacket, leaving only a dark slate-blue shirt underneath. He rolled up his sleeves with precise movements, securing them with armbands, and casually passed the jacket to his side. Yunice instinctively reached out to take it, but Wyatt shifted his hand away. Jordan quickly stepped in and caught it. “I got it.”

With Wyatt’s jacket over his arm, Jordan stood to the side while Wyatt brought Yunice over to the pool table. Yunice knew she didn’t have any particularly dazzling talents—what she could offer was reading faces and diagnosing illness. If their target had a major health issue, she might have leverage. But when the man looked up, she saw clear skin and a healthy glow. No weakness.

The man pulled back his cue stick and glanced briefly at Yunice before focusing on Wyatt again. With a slick smile, he gestured to the table. “Care for a game?”

Wyatt smiled faintly. “Not convenient.”

“Oh,” the man replied, as if only now remembering Wyatt’s leg. Still, he didn’t back down. He leaned over and made another shot, then added pointedly, “You didn’t check my rules before coming? No one speaks to me unless they beat me at pool.”

Yunice kept her gaze neutral. Some people had power and quirks to match, and this guy’s arrogance was uniquely executed. Pool required both hands—one to set the bridge, one to strike. Wyatt needed his cane. How could…

Yunice could step in, but the guy probably wouldn’t accept that. She glanced at Jordan, who subtly shook his head. No good. People like this thrived on rules and hierarchy. If Yunice, with no name or credentials, stepped forward, she’d just provoke disdain.

Just then, a bunny girl in heels and a skimpy outfit sashayed over with a tray. She handed a drink to the middle-aged man with a sultry smile, then turned to Wyatt, giving him an equally suggestive look as she placed another glass on the table. Then she twirled around and approached Yunice. Yunice nearly got smacked in the face with cleavage, but managed to maintain her composure.

The bunny girl seemed intrigued by Yunice—or maybe she just thought she was easy to provoke. “Such a modest outfit, young lady.” She batted her lashes. “So what’s your relationship with Mr. Cooper?”

Yunice answered with a smile, dodging the question. “I told him I wanted to play pool, and he brought me.” Then she shot back, “Do you play?”

“Me?” The bunny girl scoffed like Yunice had just said the moon was made of cheese. “You’re not seriously thinking of playing me, are you?”

Yunice nodded earnestly. “I’d like to try.”

The middle-aged man chuckled—not politely. “Kids these days really don’t know their…”

That jab was aimed at Yunice, but the undertone clearly included Wyatt.

“Boring,” the man grumbled. He tossed his cue back into the rack and headed to the lounge area, drying his hands. With a glance at the bunny girl, he said, “You play with her…”

The girl understood instantly, her eyes glinting. “Gladly.”

Yunice and Wyatt exchanged a glance. As she passed him, she whispered, “He’s perfectly healthy. No weaknesses to exploit.”

Wyatt looked at the bunny girl, then raised a hand to block Yunice. “Stand down.”

The bunny girl laughed. “Relax, Mr. Cooper. I won’t bully the young lady.”

Wyatt said sharply, “If your skills are crap and you injure my wife, can you afford the consequences?”

“Your wife,” the bunny girl blinked, now truly appraising Yunice.

From the lounge, the middle-aged man sipped tea and said bluntly, “This is a pool hall. If you’re not playing, don’t get in the way.”