by Alexa McLean
“Not at all,” I answered. “She’s been in the business for a couple of years now and she’s never run into even a bit of trouble. Her patrons take good care of her and if there’s ever any suspicion from the authorities, it’s nothing a couple of hundreds can’t fix.”
“So, add police bribery to the list then.” She shook her head. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you doing this?”
I turned off the highway and down a road marked DO NOT ENTER.
“What are you doing?” Shelly asked. “Now we’re trespassing.”
“We’re not trespassing,” I said. “Relax, will you. I don’t even know why you’re trying to act all innocent. You’ve done your fair share of crimes when we were teenagers. You aren’t exactly a Goody Two-Shoes.”
“Stealing from a convenience store twice hardly compares to what you’re doing.” She huffed.
“And yet, you’re still here. You can always ask me to take you home, you know. I’m not forcing you to do anything and I’m pretty sure this was your idea to begin with.”
At the end of the road was a large iron gate. A heavy-set man wearing all black walked up to my window. He took one look at me and signaled for the gate to be opened. Someone answered his command and the hinges creaked with a lack of lubricant. Once the gates were fully opened, I slipped through.
“Whoa...” Shelly leaned forward in her seat the second she saw the five-story mansion that loomed before us.
“It’s impressive, isn’t it?” I parked in the circular driveway, got out, and tossed my keys at the valet. “Take good care of her, will you?”
“This place is insane.” Shelly looked like she was seconds away from drooling. “It’s bigger than the White House.”
“Of course it’s bigger than the White House. The White House is pretty pathetic when compared to modern mansions.” I said as I took her arm and brought her inside. “Now, if you want to fit in, I would suggest you stop ogling everything you see.
“Right.”
Inside, the casino was alive with energy. There were plenty of people playing at the tables. A group of men laughed at the roulette. Their pearls sparkled in the overhead lighting. There was enough money in this room to stop most of the world hunger and yet, no one thought of putting their money to better use.
“Grayson, honey, so glad you could make it.” A woman with a thick, sultry voice walked up to us. She had a fur pelt draped across her shoulders.
“Lacey. Always a pleasure.” I took her hand and kissed it.
As a result, Shelly soured beside me. I could almost feel the negative energy radiating from her body.
“And who is this?” She asked.
“My date, Shelly Moore.”
“Oh, really?” Her eyes twinkled. “You must be very special. Grayson has never brought along a date. In fact, I’ve never even seen him flirt with another woman before.” Lacey studied Shelly with a keen eye. “This must be the girl you’ve told me so much about.”
“It is.” I smiled and wrapped my arm around her waist. “I’ve finally decided to make her mind.”
“Excuse me, can you two stop talking about me like I’m not standing right here,” Shelly growled. “I can hear everything you’re saying.”
“Ooo, she’s a feisty one.” Lacey chuckled. “I think you have your work cut out for you, Grayson.”
“I’m still right here.” Shelly folded her arms across her chest.
“My apologies, I did not mean to come across as rude. I am simply happy for my friend. I’ve been trying to hook him up with one of my girls for a long, long time. But now I know why he rejected them all.” As Lacey spoke, a bit of her Romanian accent came to the surface.
“And what about you?” Shelly asked. “I’m sure you’ve tried to make a move.”
“Oh, heavens no.” She grabbed a drink from a passing waiter. “I enjoy Grayson’s company very much but I do not think it would be wise for us to be intimately involved.”
“And why’s that?” I could tell that Shelly was getting a bit territorial. Her voice held an edge of aggressiveness that emerged whenever she felt particularly jealous.
So, I pulled her a little closer and whispered into her ear. “You really have nothing to worry about. There’s nothing going on between me and Lacey. I promise.” To make my point clear, I tightened my pinky around hers.
“Well, please, make yourself comfortable. The tables are open so long as you have money in your pockets.” Lacey waved her arm in the direction of the main playing area. “Have fun, you two.” She said with a suggestive wink before walking away, hips swaying from side to side.
“You like her.” Shelly pouted.
“I do not.”
“You were just staring at her butt.” She countered. “I saw you.”
“I think you’re overreacting.” I ran my fingers through her hair before pinning a strand behind her ear. “I know it might be hard for you to trust me after everything I did but I think, deep down, you know I love you and that I’d be an idiot to fall for anyone else.” I was just about to kiss her but she turned her head at the last moment.
“Well, we’re already here so let’s gamble.” She was changing the subject.
Had my past mistakes ruined my chances with my dream girl?
LUCKILY, THE REST OF the night turned out rather well. With Shelly on my arm, I felt confident and strong. Compared to everyone else in the room, I had everything: the girl of my dreams, more money than I knew what to do with, and devilishly good looks.
“Hit me.” I tapped the table.
“Are you sure you want to do that? You have a soft 16, sure, but the dealer’s holding a five...” Shelly whispered into my ear. “I think you’re making a mistake.”
“You don’t have to teach me how to play the game. I’ve done this plenty of times before. Trust me.”
The dealer hesitated a moment. Even he knew I was making a bad play but I was confident that the next card was a low one.
“Bust.” He announced as he dealt out a face card.
“Apparently, I do need to show you how to play this game. You’ve done nothing but lose all night.” Shelly nagged in my ear.
I took her by the arms. “Look, it doesn’t matter. We’re here to have fun so what does it matter?”
“What does it matter?” She repeated. “Are you insane? You just lost a thousand dollars in one hand. That’s a month’s rent for a ton of people. How can you just throw that away like it means nothing to you?”
“Because, in the grand scheme of things, it does mean nothing to me,” I told her. “I could drop a hundred grand into this place and it wouldn’t matter. I’m a billionaire, baby. Do you know what that means?”
She stood there and looked at me like I was some three-headed monster.
“Since you’re so curious, it means that I have more money than I know what to do with.” As I spoke, I hailed down a waiter. “Can you get her a long island iced tea? She needs it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She snapped as soon as he had walked away.
“It means you’re being uptight. Just relax, will you? Try and have some fun.” I whisked her away to the roulette table. “Now, pick a number.” I dropped a few chips in her hands. “And try and pick the right one.”
“Isn’t that the point?” She studied my features for a moment almost like she was looking for something. When she did not find what she wanted, she turned toward the game and placed her bets.
We both walked away as losers. “Now as easy as it looks, is it?” I teased. “In fact, it’s easier to lose money than it is to make money.”
“Okay but roulette is a game of pure luck. Blackjack actually involves strategy, to which you had none.”
“Is that so?” I had skillfully lured toward the dancefloor. When she least expected it, I swung my arm around her waist and rested my hand on the small of her back. Her skin was warm to the tough – hot even. I smiled as I pulled into step, our bodies locked together like a couple of pu
zzle pieces.
“What are you doing?” She demanded but she did not try to get away.
As the tempo quickened so did our dancing. Our hips swayed to the beat of the music as we joined the other couples in a casual tango.
Shelly’s cheeks started to redden and I didn’t know if it was due to the exertion or the overall situation. I’d like to think I was seducing her with my impressive dance skills.
As the song reached its crescendo, I tilted her back and allowed my hand to travel along the length of her though. Oh, her skin was silky smooth. I dared to go a little higher.
Her cheeks deepened in color.
I chuckled, leaned down and kissed her.
Our lips collided with a fevered passion. She sucked on my bottom lip and even tugged at it with her teeth.
I grabbed her ass, forgetting for a moment that we were still on the casino dancefloor. I was seconds away from ripping off her dress by the time I realized.
The song ended and she abruptly pulled away from me. “You should probably bring me home...” Her voice cracked.
I smiled. Slowly but surely, I was breaking through to her. It was only a matter of time before she was mine once again.
Chapter 7: Shelly
THE NEXT DAY.
I went about my job as if nothing had happened the night before. Although, I couldn’t ignore the fact that I was deathly tired. I kept going into the break room to refill my cup of coffee.
By the fourth time, Nick walked in while I was waiting for the pot to brew. “Hi.” He said accompanied by a slight hand wave. “How are you warming up to the new job?”
“Oh, it’s fine,” I answered. “The... bookkeeping system... is a little different than my last job but I’m sure I’ll get used to it with time.” I couldn’t tell this guy that the company was laundering money. Speaking of which, I had yet to figure out where all the extra income was coming from. I acted like I didn’t want to know, but, deep down, I did.
Was Grayson mixed up in something shady? If he had more money than he knew what to do with, why take the rest with the IRA? It didn’t make sense and one or another, I would get to the bottom of it.
“Shelly?”
I broke away from my thoughts and blinked. “Y-Yes.”
“It looked like you were falling asleep. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just a long night last night,” I said as I refilled my mug. “I started watching this new series on TV and you know how it is. Once you watch one episode, it’s difficult to stop and the next thing you know you’re three seasons in.”
He chuckled. “Ain’t that the truth.”
I took a moment to enjoy the warmth of the ceramic against my hands. “What about you? Did anything fun last night?”
“Nah.” He grabbed a bag of chips and popped it open. “Just relaxed the night away with my cats.”
“Oh? You have cats?” I asked.
“Yes. Jinx and Malos.”
“Interesting name for cats.” I watched him as he watched me. Clearly, he was interested. I could see it in his eyes. He wanted to make a move but he didn’t quite know how.
For a moment, I entertained the thought. What would it be like to date someone like Nick? Boring, most likely. Even with all his flaws, Grayson was the man that held my heart and I could never look at another the way I looked at him. But that didn’t mean I would let him off the hook. He had a lot to make up for before I could forgive him.
“Shelly?” Again, Nick calls my attention.
“Sorry, guess I’m just really tired.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I was going to ask you if you wanted to grab dinner after your shift but maybe –”
Just then, the door swung open and Grayson stepped into the break room. His eyes narrowed when he noticed Nick standing so close to me. In my daze, I hadn’t even realized our intimate proximity. I’m sure the situation looked rather telling from Grayson’s point of view.
“Oh! Mr. Grayson, sir!” Nick stammered like an idiot.
He waved his hand, effectively silencing the man. “It’s quite alright. I’ll just pretend I didn’t see you here. Now, I suggest you get back to work before I decide to change my mind.”
In an instant, Nick scurried out of the room like a dog with his tail between his legs.
“Did you really have to do that?” I asked, already halfway through my coffee. “You can be such a prick sometimes.”
Grayson stepped inside and locked the door. By the time I registered the click, he was already on me. His body sent a shot of adrenaline through mine. I grabbed his lapels and pulled him close. “What are you trying to do to me, huh? Am I going to have to file an HR complaint against the president of this company?”
He did not answer me. Instead, he leaned down and kissed the side of my neck. I must admit, it felt good – too good. I leaned my head back, suppressing a moan. My barriers against this man were starting to crumble. I wanted to keep my distance – to keep myself safe from future heartbreak – but it was impossible to ignore this man. He had everything I ever wanted.
“Mmm, has anyone ever told you how sweet you taste?” He whispered as his fingers danced along my clavicle. They jumped down to my blouse, undoing the topmost button.
“No, because no one has gotten this close – except you,” I answered through a ragged breath.
He smiled. “You’ve been waiting for me all this time and yet, you keep pushing me away. Why is that, Shelly?” He tugged on my earlobe with his teeth. “You must want me.”
My body felt like it was about to burst into flames. “Yes...”
He chuckled. “Then, I’m all yours.”
Suddenly, I broke free from my lust-filled craze. I pushed away and left the break room, hips swaying in a silent message. You can see but you can’t touch.
A FEW WEEKS LATER.
I walked into Grayson’s office, account books in hand. He looked up from his laptop and instantly a fire began to burn behind his eyes. “I see you’ve been busy. I’m glad to know you’re staying away from that Nick fellow. Honestly, Shelly, he isn’t your type.”
“And how do you know that?” I asked as I dropped the thick binders onto his conference table.
“Because, deep down, I know you want me. I’m the man of your dreams whether you care to admit it or not.”
“You’re a cocky one, aren’t you?” I stood there, arms folded across my chest. Day by day, it was becoming harder for me to give him the cold shoulder. My heart yearned for his love – his embrace – but my mind kept reminding me of the past. He’s just going to leave like he always does. Then you’ll be left to pick up the pieces...
While my thoughts occupied my attention, he snuck up behind me and wrapped his arms around my body. “And you’re beautiful.” He whispered, his voice low and seductive.
I gulped back the urges bubbling up inside. “Okay, enough fooling around. We need to talk business.”
He straightened out and adjusted the cuffs on his shirt. “Alright, what needs to be discussed?”
“I’ve cooked the books as best I can. But, if the IRA decides to audit you, I’m not quite sure what will happen.” I opened the thickets binder and run my hand along the long list of numbers. “It would take a lot of work to forge all of these non-existent payments.”
“Theoretically, could you do it?” He asked.
“Theoretically, yes, I could,” I answered truthfully. “But I’m not going to.”
“Even if I offer you a substantial raise?”
“How substantial are we talking here?” I sit on the edge of the table as I wait for his answer. I mean, I was already committing a crime by laundering money. Might as well make a good run at it. Besides, if I keep squirreling away my paychecks, I’d have enough to hold me over for a while, even if Grayson decided to leave.
“Let’s add another zero.”
My eyes widened. “Another zero?” I blinked with disbelief. He couldn’t possibly be serious. “That’s a hundred grand every week!
”
“Mhm.” He walks over to his desk and opens up the topmost drawer. “You remember what I said back at the casino? I can drop a hundred grand on a dime and it wouldn’t even matter.” As he spoke, he wrote out a check. “With this much cash, you might want to open up multiple bank accounts. Or, invest in an investor. I can give you a card. My guy, Bob, he’s pretty decent.” He paperclipped the business card to the check and handed it over.
“You’ve lost your mind.” I looked down at the check in utter disbelief. “A hundred grand... that’s enough for a down payment on a house – a really nice house.”
“Well, there you go. The real estate market is always something worth investing in.” He shrugged. “I really don’t care what you do with the money.”
I marched over to him and pressed my finger against his chest. “Tell me.”
“Tell you what?” He raised his arms in innocence as I backed him up against the wall.
“Tell me where all the money is coming from.” I waved at the binders. “You make billions of dollars with this company alone, that much is clear. And yet, you insist on putting yourself on the line siphoning millions from some unknown source. What’s the point? Why are you being so greedy?”
“Because I like the thrill of it.” He answered. “It’s as simple as that.”
“Okay, but where’s all that money coming from? I mean, you aren’t just making it appear out of thin air.” I started to pace back and forth, trying to think. “Are you dealing drugs or something because that will get you mixed up with some bad people and I don’t want you to get hurt. Because, I swear to God, if I find you with a bullet in your forehead from some pissed off cartel member, I will never forgive you for being such an idiot.” In my worry for his safety, I started to rant.
He grabbed me by the hand and twirled me into his body. With his arms tight around me, I could not escape – nor did I want to. His hot breath brushed against my lips. My heart ceased to beat as he leaned down to kiss me.