High Stakes

by Pierce, Nicolette

  “That’s from the pilot.”

  “Dude needs to cool it on the gastronomically intense foods.”

  “I’m going upstairs to shower for a day to scrub this scum off. I’m warning you, Frankie, if you set me up with any more tours or gigs, I will make you suffer!”

  “Smelling you is making me suffer enough. You’re just tired. A good night’s sleep will make everything better. Oh, a small bag arrived yesterday, along with a box from Caleb. It’s all in your apartment. Gus has been well-behaved. I don’t think he’s moved an inch since you’ve been gone.”

  I muttered a thank you and turned to leave. The chapel door opened, making me peek over my shoulder. The sight made me stutter. Greyson was standing in the doorway.

  “Where have you been?” Greyson demanded as he closed the distance between us. “I’ve had Remy searching all over for you.”

  I had been positive I wouldn’t see Greyson for six months, yet here he was, standing ferociously in front of me. I was smelly and gross; he was beautiful and smelled divine. I wanted to crawl into a cave.

  “Why are you looking for me?”

  “Caleb was in the casino this morning and said he hasn’t seen you for days. When I called Frankie, he said a bag arrived but you hadn’t. Where’s your phone?”

  “I haven’t had a phone since Dagor broke my last two.”

  “You’ll have one delivered here tomorrow morning.”

  “I can get my own.”

  “It’s not up for debate. When did you get back?”

  “Just now.” I was glad the phone wasn’t up for debate. I needed one and I was too tired to argue. That, and I was afraid to open my mouth too wide in case a bug fell out. My stomach churned.

  “What took you so long?”

  “I hitched a ride with a crazy man on his jalopy biplane.”

  I detected a nerve twitching near Greyson’s right eye.

  “Why didn’t you take a regular flight home?”

  “Frankie only bought me a one-way ticket. I didn’t have money to buy a ticket home.”

  Greyson pointed a deadly glare at Frankie.

  Frankie tittered, “You’re so hot when you’re angry.”

  The bride nodded her head in agreement. The groom didn’t seem to notice since he was too busy winking at Little Orphan Annie.

  Greyson sighed and turned back to me. “You should have called me.”

  “We were on a break. I didn’t have time to think, nor did I have a phone to call.”

  “We may be on a break, but you can still call me for anything.” Greyson inspected my face. His eyes drifted to my hair and then down to my shirt. “What happened to you?”

  “I’ve had four days of hell. I just want a shower and my bed.”

  Greyson nodded. “You look like you could use both. Once you get the phone, call me to let me know.” He took my hand and squeezed it before turning to step back out the door and into the night.

  I sighed. Five and three-fourths of a month to go.

  “Yeah, I would sigh too,” Frankie said. “He just hightailed it out of here from your stench and didn’t even kiss you good-bye. I don’t blame him one bit. March upstairs and get your grubby butt into the shower before I have to Lysol this place from top to bottom.”

  I turned and trudged up to my apartment. Opening the door, I found Gus the cat lying on the couch. That was his normal spot because it was comfortable and he was too tubby and lazy to move anywhere else. We grunted our hellos to each other.

  I walked straight to the garbage can, stripped off my clothes, and pitched them in. I headed to the bathroom to take a long shower, keeping the water running even after all the hot water was gone. I continued to scrub away in ice-cold water, cursing Frankie for coercing me into ridiculous, life-threatening fiascos. Thoughts of moving to a different state crossed my mind. But I don’t think it would deter him from meddling in my life for his monetary gain and his title as “manager.”

  I finally gave up on the remaining scum and turned off the shower. I dried off and slipped into a pair of comfy pajama shorts and top. Gus probably had enough food and water for the night. I turned off the lights and dove into bed. It was lights out within a matter of seconds.

  Mornings and I normally don’t get along, but somehow I was revived and refreshed. Not even the last few days of torment were going to get me down today. It was all behind me. My plan of action for today was to hit the casino to win some money so I could pay bills and fix my car. It’s been broken for way too long.

  I found Gus still lying on the couch when I wandered into the living room. His ears twitched at my entrance, but he was otherwise unwilling to move. I poured some kitty nibbles with fur-ball control into his bowl and changed his water. A box on the kitchen table caught my eye. This must be the package from Caleb that Frankie had told me about last night.

  I grabbed a knife and sliced open the tape to release the box flaps. Pulling back the flaps, I peeked inside to find a gold trophy.

  He’d won . . . again.

  I couldn’t decide whether to be impressed with Caleb’s amazing poker career or smash the trophy on the floor in a jealous rage. I chose a third option and read the note inside the box. It was written on the back of a postcard. The postcard’s front photo was a topless woman propped on a beach lounge chair. Somehow I wasn’t surprised this was the postcard he’d chosen to send.

  Nadia, Sergio gave me the message that you found a way home. That’s not fair, denying me the pleasure of making you owe me yet again. Anyway, I didn’t want to lug the trophy on the plane. I’ll come and pick it up in a few days. – Caleb. P.S. It’s too bad we didn’t go to this beach for dinner. The view looks titillating.

  I snorted a small laugh, tossed the note into the box with the trophy, and closed the flaps. Since I had a small apartment without much storage space, I shoved the box into my oven. I never used the oven anyway. It may as well be useful for storage.

  I ran downstairs and picked up the phone in the foyer to call a taxi. The taxi company was becoming my most-used contact and I had its number memorized.

  I was on my way out the door to wait for the taxi when I noticed a man across the street. He seemed familiar, but I couldn’t place where I had seen him. Though I only had to wait a moment for the taxi to arrive, it was an uncomfortable wait. The man diverted his gaze, trying to hide that he was watching me, but I could tell he was. It was the tingling sense of lurking eyes that made me notice. Each time my eyes caught his, he looked away. As soon I turned to face the road, his eyes returned to me.

  When the taxi finally arrived, I dashed for the door and slid in. As the taxi drove away, I scrutinized the man. There was something so average and non-descript about him. He was wearing a regular polo shirt and jeans. A pair of sunglasses rested on the top of his head.

  I had been sitting at Lost City Casino for an hour. I was up one hundred dollars already. I’d consider this one of my better days. I just had to keep going for another seven hours and I’d have a nice fat paycheck at the end of the day.

  I was waiting for my hand when a drink was placed next to me. I could tell by the fruity celebrity designer perfume that it was Mya. I peeked up to see Mya in her cocktail-waitress uniform. Her lively blonde hair swayed as she moved.

  “Nadia! You’re back home! I missed you,” she said with a bright smile.

  “How did you know I was here?”

  “I didn’t. Greyson called me and said to bring you a drink. He wanted to know why you haven’t called him on your new phone yet. How was the tournament?”

  “I won, and I have a trophy to prove it.”

  Mya bounced up and down. “You won? I know a poker champion!”

  I chuckled. “No, it was just a joke. I didn’t win; Caleb did. I have his trophy until he comes and collects it. But you’re welcome to come and glare at it with me.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad. I was hoping you’d win so I could throw a party. I’ve been itching to have a party, but there never se
ems to be an occasion.”

  “You could have a party for fun.”

  “True. But I like parties with a reason.”

  “You could throw a party for Caleb since he won.”

  Mya shook her head. “No, but you gave me an idea. I’m going to throw a party for you.”

  “But I lost. It would be a pathetic party. I don’t think anyone’s ever held a loser party before.”

  “It will be a revival party. A Nadia revival party!” Mya’s eyes lit up and sparkled, which gave me cause for alarm. “I’ll invite everyone, and they can give you moral support for losing.”

  “See, now that sounds horribly pathetic. Let me keep my loss and my remaining dignity to myself. I don’t want a party to rub my nose in my continuous defeats.”

  I heard a bristly laugh behind me. I turned to find Catarina hovering. Her long, dark hair pulled into a sleek ponytail accentuated her high cheekbones and perfect nose.

  “You may as well let Mya throw you a loser party. It’s not like you’ll ever win a tournament. Your poker skills are shoddy. I’m surprised you have enough money left to sit at this chump-change table.”

  Catarina was my enemy at the poker table. Whereas Caleb also was my enemy at the poker table, I still liked him as a person. Catarina, on the other hand, was my enemy at the table and every time I saw her. And now she was standing near me in her floozy designer outfit that she’d paid a fortune for. She could afford such items since she played in the high-stakes rooms with Caleb where it cost a minimum of one hundred grand to play. I sat on the regular casino floor.

  A rumor was circling that she was down on her luck and her money was sifting through her fingers faster than her fingers ran through the hair of every male she came in contact with. I could only hope the rumors were true. Even though it would mean she would have to return to the regular casino floor, I’d gladly put up with her at my table to see her crushed. Not very sportswomanly of me, but I believe most people think she deserved a little attitude crushing.

  It was said that Caleb and Catarina were intimate at one point and may have had a relationship. While I believe Caleb would sleep with her, I doubt he could stand her grating personality for longer than it took him to hop out of bed and run out the door.

  I didn’t like to think about Caleb sleeping with other women. We aren’t compatible, but that didn’t stop my imagination from thinking about naughty scenarios with him in my bed. His lips on mine. His hands on my body. I shook the images from my head. This was getting me nowhere.

  “Cat, don’t you have a mouse to chase?” I asked, attempting to shoo her away.

  “No, but I do have to chase after a rich, handsome man. Want to know who?” she asked with a sly grin.

  “No. I don’t care who you’re trying to snare your meat hooks into. If he’s smart, he’ll run away. If he doesn’t run away, then you may as well take all his money before some other bimbo does.”

  “I’m going to enjoy telling you his name since you’re being so snarky. I have my own money, so I don’t need any man’s money to make me happy.”

  “Rumor has it that you’re tapped out.”

  Catarina bristled. “I don’t know what lies you were fed. I just hit a few bumps. Every good poker player has slumps. With a level head they can bounce right back on top. Well, maybe not you. You’re always in a slump so it’s more everyday life. I just need one more buy-in and I’ll be back on top.”

  “Interesting.”

  I detected the click of her high-heeled foot stomping on the floor.

  “What’s interesting?”

  I grinned. “It’s interesting that you said you need one more buy-in. That means you’re tapped out. You have no money.”

  “I knew I was going to enjoy telling you who I was meeting. It’s Greyson. He’s giving me the buy-in, and I’m going to make him a very, very happy man. He’ll be thanking his lucky stars that he doesn’t ever have to spend another dreary minute with you,” Catarina said and stomped off.

  As I watched her depart, I contemplated. I couldn’t see Greyson giving her money, so why would he agree to see her? They had lunch together a while back. Maybe she’s hoping she can weasel her way in.

  “Do you think Greyson will give her money?” Mya asked.

  A body crushed against mine and arms clamped around me, squeezing the air out.

  “Oh, my poker goddess, I have missed you!”

  I peeked over at my shoulder and winced. “Sergio, what are you doing here? And get off me!”

  “I am here to be your follower, your groupie, your star chaser!”

  “I don’t need any of those but thank you for creeping me out. Let me get back to work.”

  Mya gawked at Sergio with round eyes and an open mouth.

  “Not until you tell your Sergio what he can do to make his goddess happy.”

  “I’ll be happy when you leave me alone. By the way, your uncle is insane.”

  “Yes, we think it may be his love of the bean dip. He eats so much of it we think it might stink out his brain.”

  “Icky,” Mya said with a scrunched nose.

  “Try spending four days traveling with him. It’s a wonder I have any brain cells left.”

  “I will make it up to you, my Nadia. Tell Sergio your heart’s desire, and he will make sure every wish comes true.”

  “Great, I want a million dollars.”

  “Oh, my Nadia teases her Sergio. But I will do what any great follower would do! I will take on your challenge and find you a million dollars.”

  I shook my head at his oddity. “Great. Now, go away so I can work. Just don’t rob any stores or banks.”

  “I’m not a thief. I wouldn’t want soiled money to touch the hand of my goddess.” He snatched my hand to give it a long, slobbery kiss, which traveled up to my shoulder.

  I smacked him on the back of his head with my free hand. “Go away!”

  “As my Nadia wishes.”

  He turned to leave but Mya called for him.

  “Sergio, do you want to come to a party on Friday? I’m throwing Nadia a revival party.”

  “Oh, to go to a party for my Nadia would be like heaven. I will, of course, be there. Thank you, my blonde good-luck charm,” he gushed. He floated out of my field of vision and hopefully out of the casino.

  “Mya, why did you invite him? The guy is a nutcase.”

  “You need more people in your life; you only have a handful, and it’s rather sad.”

  I groaned. “I know more than a handful of people. I choose to associate with only a few of them.”

  “Either way, this party will revive and transform you.”

  “Transform me? Now you’re scaring me. You’re starting to sound like Frankie.”

  “Oh, brilliant idea! I’ll enlist Frankie to help with the party.”

  Crap!

  Chapter 5

  I plopped into the back of a taxi. It had been a long day hunkered at the poker table. I’d managed to scrape up three hundred dollars and hoped it was enough to cover the cost to repair my clunker car. Paying for taxis was becoming expensive.

  The taxi pulled in front of All Celebrities Chapel. It’s an old brick building painted white with gold bells and wedding decals that frame a monstrous mural of famous celebrities’ caricatures, both new and old. And when I say monstrous, I don’t just mean big. Frankie had his breast-loving cousin paint the mural. It’s barely recognizable celebrities sporting jumbo jugs. But I do have to admit, after seeing painted flowing locks of hair on Frank Sinatra’s caricature, he might make a fabulous-looking lady.

  As I stepped out of the taxi, I noticed the man in the polo shirt leaning against a light pole on the other side of the street. This time he didn’t hide from watching me. He stared straight at me without the slightest blink or hesitation. That’s when I remembered him. The Frenchman from the poker tournament had the same undistinguishable qualities and a poker stare that could rival mine.

  “Are you still mad about losing?” I c
alled to him from across the street.

  “I’m not here because of you.”

  “Really? You’ve been standing here all day, and this is where I live and work. I think I should call the cops and get a restraining order.”

  “Do whatever you want. I’m not leaving until I find what I’m looking for.”

  I narrowed my gaze at him but didn’t have time to stay and play games. I had to change for my chapel shift. I gave him one last glance then turned to go inside. I didn’t like that he was here. It made me nervous knowing I had a man who despised me standing outside my front door.

  I breezed through the chapel and upstairs to my apartment. It was getting late and I was on night wedding duty. Nights are our busiest time due to the drunken tourists who find love in a casino bar and tie the knot instead of sobering up. I don’t mind working nights. It’s entertaining and it knocks a couple hundred dollars off my rent.

  My uniform is white faux leather and comes complete with bustier, miniskirt, and go-go boots. It wasn’t my uniform of choice, but I was willing to lower my standards for cheap rent.

  I ran through the apartment, slinging my purse on the back of a kitchen chair. I yanked off my clothes and threw on my uniform. Snatching the brush from my dresser, I raked through my hair a couple times to make an effort. However, no one will remember me through their booze fog.

  I ran down to the chapel to find Frankie decked out as John Lennon. He must have been the hippie-era John Lennon. The wig was long and the love beads were enormous. Vivian and Bernie were decked out as well. I believe Vivian might have been dressed as Janice Joplin. I’m not sure who Bernie was dressed as, but I had an inkling the vintage outfit was his originally. They gave me the peace sign from their front-row seats.

  Vivian and Bernie are the chapel’s most faithful volunteers. They live only a couple of blocks away at a retirement community. They come in every night to be the witnesses and to take in the entertainment that never failed to appear night after night. Some nights, mainly acid-reflux chili nights, some of the other residents of the retirement community stop by to watch the show as well. The telltale rattle of Tums can be heard as they shuffle in. But there’s never a big crowd due to the late hour.