by Lauren Rowe
“I’d do anything for Savvy,” he says. “Which is why I’m going to play slots tonight along with you while Savvy stays up here in command central.”
“Oh, wow. Thank you, but I can’t drag you into this. You head up the math department at a major university.”
“Savvy says the odds of us getting caught are slim. She’s going to cover her tracks brilliantly. Plus, if I help, I can increase productivity dramatically. We can divide and conquer and reach your goal in half the time—which means our exposure is cut down, too. Less time for one face to get caught winning over and over again. Less time out on the casino floor. It just makes sense for me to help.”
I look at Savvy, not sure if I should accept this man’s assistance or not.
“Aiden, Savvy explained how much you mean to her,” Professor Valentine says. “And I’ve already seen for myself how much she means to you. If Savvy’s going to do this—and she’s made it clear to me she is, whether I like it or not—then I’d sleep better at night knowing I helped her get the job done twice as fast.”
A tsunami of relief slams into me. I shouldn’t let this guy help, but man, I can’t resist. “Thank you so much, Professor. But here’s a thought. If two guys playing slots will get us to our finish line twice as fast, why not add a third guy and get us there even faster? Three guys winning at fifteen casinos won’t register as a blip on anybody’s radar, right?”
“Your father?” Savvy asks.
“Yeah. He’s not heading back to LA until Monday. And he’s dying to pay me back somehow. He can be trusted.”
Professor Valentine looks unsure, but Savvy’s expression is one of pure elation.
“Fantastic,” she says. “Call him.”
“You’re sure he can be trusted?” Professor Valentine says. And, suddenly, it’s clear to me he knows everything about me and my father and our rap sheets.
I take a deep breath. “Please rest assured I’m a solid citizen these days, Professor,” I say. “I haven’t so much as jay-walked since I got out of prison. I helped my dad because he was gonna do it anyway, and I wanted to lower his risk of getting caught. I’m not a career criminal.”
Professor Valentine smiles. “Savvy told me.” He looks at his daughter. “And she also reminded me I’m in no position to judge anyone.”
“I just want you to understand what we’re doing here is a one-off,” I say.
“Savvy told me that, too. And she also told me it was her idea, not yours.”
“Well, yeah,” I say. “I couldn’t have come up with this idea if my life depended on it. I just want you to understand I’ve done bad things in my past, yes, but I’m not a bad person.”
Savvy’s father sighs. “Perhaps it’s a self-serving philosophy, but I believe good people do bad things sometimes. And I also believe in forgiveness and second chances. If Savvy says you’re worth taking this risk for, then I trust her. She’s always been excellent at reading people.”
Savvy and I both snort at the same time.
“Dad,” Savvy says. “I’m terrible at reading people.”
“No, you’re not. You’re wonderful at it.”
Savvy giggles. “No. You’re just horrifically bad at it.”
I pull out my phone. “Is it okay for me to call my dad and tell him to come?”
“Call him,” Savvy says.
“Cool. I’ll tell him to pick up some burner phones on the way.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Savannah
Saturday, 5:37 a.m.
Staring at my computer screen, I take a long gulp of coffee. I’m in the zone, baby. I put my cup down and clack on my keyboard for a moment—and, voila, the server terminal for Caesar’s Palace opens before me like a beautiful, blooming rose. Hello, gorgeous.
A few more taps on my keyboard, and I’ve zeroed in on a hot machine for Aiden’s dad, Nick, to play. Quickly, I create a diagram of the machine’s precise location on the casino floor and text it to Aiden’s father on his burner phone. But I’ve no sooner done that than I receive a text from Aiden on his burner phone telling me there’s someone on the slot I directed him to at Mandalay Bay, and will I please send him an alternate assignment? Two seconds after that, I receive a text from my father saying his machine at Circus Circus is a dud, meaning it hasn’t hit in the fifteen-minute window I’ve allotted for payouts before it’s time to move on.
And so it goes. The same way things have gone all night long. Over and over again, I’ve tapped into the server of whichever casino for whichever guy, retrieved whatever required information, created a quick map of the machine’s location, and sent the information off…only to get pulled in a completely different direction by someone else. It’s been absolutely nonstop, all night long. Chaotic. Crazy-making. Thrilling. Exhausting. But, no doubt, productive. Because, hallelujah, the algorithm works. Is it perfect? No. There have been occasional duds, like what just happened with my father’s machine. But that’s not an aberration—that’s something to be expected from a statistical standpoint. And there have been people sitting at our machines at times, too. But, again, we expected that. Indeed, I took squatters and duds into account when I calculated our odds of reaching twenty-five grand tonight at around seventy-two percent. “And, hey, if we don’t reach our goal tonight, it’s no biggie,” I told everyone before they headed off to fight the good fight. “Aiden and I will simply pull a second shift as a duo tomorrow night and cross the finish line then.”
As crazy as it sounds, I don’t know how much we’ve won so far tonight. Up here in command central, there’s about a thirty-second delay before I can see that a certain machine in the casino has hit, but even then, I can’t see the amount paid out for another hour or so, depending on the reporting protocol of the particular server. And so, given how busy I’ve been all night, I’ve simply stopped keeping track of the money. When the texts from the guys come in, I answer them. That’s all I can do. Try to keep up. I suppose I could have asked the guys to text me every time they win and in what amount, but, early on, once we became convinced the algorithm was working as hoped, Aiden suggested the guys keep payout information to themselves. “The payouts will be what they’ll be,” he texted. “I’d rather agree to stop at a particular time and meet in the room to see where we’re at. How does six am sound?” Everyone agreed that was a great idea. And that was that. I’ve been busier than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs ever since, and I have no idea how much money the guys have amassed.
I take another guzzle of my coffee and clack on my keyboard again, but before I’ve penetrated The Venetian’s backbone to find Aiden his next machine, my phone buzzes with an incoming text. It’s Aiden, sending a message to the group text.
It’s 6:00. Stop what you’re doing.
Head to the room, fellas. See you in
about fifteen minutes, chicken girl.
I glance at the clock—it’s six o’clock on the button—and then tap out a reply to Aiden.
Can’t wait to find out the tallies!
A text from my father comes in.
On my way.
And then one from Aiden’s father.
Playing one more slot. Been playing it
for ten minutes. Will play five more
minutes and then come up, whether it
hits or not.
I put my phone on the desk, rise out of my chair, and stretch my arms above my head. What a night.
My phone buzzes on the desk. I glance down. It’s from Aiden’s father.
Slot just hit! Woohoo! Coming now.
Fellas, meet in the lobby of the Bellagio.
We’ll go to the room together.
Roger that.
Roger.
I yawn again and amble to the floor to ceiling window overlooking the Strip. The sun is just coming up. The dawn of a new day. Behind me, I hear the sound of the door opening. I whirl around, just in time to see my nefarious crew burst into the room. The three men look exhausted but euphoric. And I’m right t
here with them. What a night.
I bound across the room and throw my arms around Aiden first. He squeezes me tightly and lays an exuberant kiss on my mouth. I move to Aiden’s father, and he surprises me by picking me up off the floor and whooping with glee. Finally, I turn to my father and pause, suddenly feeling awkward. But when he opens his arms to me, my resolve to keep him at arm’s length melts. I go to him and let him wrap his arms around me. Can I honestly say I forgive my father? No. But standing here in his arms, knowing he came here tonight and offered to help me, even at risk to himself, I’m sure of one thing: I still love him, despite his past sins.
When I pull out of my embrace with my father, I look at all three men expectantly. “Well?” I ask. “How’d we do?”
“Take it away, Raymond,” Aiden says, ceding the floor to my father.
Smiling, Dad plops his burner phone onto the desk, followed by a stack of bills. “Fifteen thousand thirty-seven bucks.”
“Wow,” I say. “Great.” But if I’m being honest, that total is slightly disappointing to me. I thought for sure we’d come closer to pocketing twenty-five grand tonight. “Aiden and I will definitely be able to—”
“That’s just your dad’s winnings,” Aiden says. Without further ado, he plops his burner phone onto the desk, followed by a stack of bills. “Twenty-three thousand two hundred.”
“What?” I blurt. “Oh, my God.”
Aiden laughs. “I got lucky in my first fifteen casinos. Nobody on my machines and they all hit pay dirt in record time. So I figured why not start at the beginning and get through as many casinos as possible a second time around?” He taps his temple. “I’d noticed a shift change at three, so I knew nobody would remember me from the first go around. I figured I’d make hay while the sun was shining, as Gramps loved to say.”
“I can’t believe it,” I say. “It was so chaotic and crazy up here, I didn’t even realize you doubled back. I just assumed you’d hit a bunch of squatters and duds.”
“Nope. That first round, I couldn’t miss. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. I felt like the luckiest guy in the world.”
“Amazing,” I say. “How’d you do, Nick?”
Nick puts his bills onto the table, followed by his burner phone. “Seventeen grand and change.” He winks at his son. “I noticed that shift change at three, too. I also went for a second round.”
My heart is palpitating wildly. “You guys, that’s over fifty-five grand here!”
For the next few minutes, we talk energetically with everyone sharing their experiences of the night.
“Hey, anyone else starving?” Aiden’s father says. “Why don’t we have this conversation over room service?”
We call downstairs to room service and order four large breakfasts, a huge pot of coffee, a carafe of orange juice, and a big bottle of champagne, and then we settle around the room to await the delivery of the food.
“That was the best night of my life,” Aiden’s father says, shaking his head. “It’s every gambler’s dream to hit jackpot after jackpot all night long. Man, what a rush.”
“I must admit I’ve never had so much fun in my life,” my father says. “I would have paid to get to do that.”
We all laugh.
“It was amazing,” Aiden says. He shoots me a huge smile. “Thank you, Savvy.”
I wink.
When the food comes, we pour the champagne and raise our glasses.
“To algorithms,” Aiden says. He salutes my father and me.
“And good-old-fashioned street smarts,” I add, indicating Aiden and his dad.
Aiden’s face turns earnest. “Thank you so much, everyone. Especially Savvy.” His eyes are trained on mine. “I’m most definitely the luckiest guy in the world.”
My heart skips a beat. I nod and smile, feeling too choked up to speak.
“Let’s eat!” Aiden’s father says, and we all laugh and dig into our food.
As we eat, we talk and laugh and marvel at the amazing night. Finally, when breakfast is done and everyone looks like they’re about to tip over from sleep deprivation, my father hugs me and says he’ll call me in a few days to check in…if that’s okay with me.
“Sounds good,” I say.
His face flushes. “I love you, honey.”
I pause, my heart clanging. “I love you, too.”
Another hug, and off Dad goes, looking like he’s going to break down and sob the minute he gets out of the room.
“I’d better head out, too,” Aiden’s dad says as the door closes behind my father. “Thanks for letting me join the party. It felt so good to help Aidy get his guitar back. And on top of that, I got to bilk the casinos for a little bit of the money they’ve taken from me over the years, too. Ha! Heaven.” He hugs me. “You’re a living doll, Savvy baby. I’ll see you in LA, right?”
“You sure will,” Aiden says, and I physically swoon.
Aiden’s father turns to leave but I stop him. “Hold on, Nick. After Aiden’s twenty-five grand, there’s almost thirty-one grand left in the pot. Let’s split it between the two of us.”
“Nah, keep it all for you and Aiden,” Nick says. “Tonight wasn’t about me. It was about me finally getting to help Aiden. And on top of that, I got to have the time of my life tonight, too.”
“Take some money,” I insist. I grab a stack of bills and begin counting out fifteen grand.
“No, no,” Nick says, gently pushing my hand away. “Tonight was my penance for all the times I’ve fucked Aidy over. He gave up two years of his life for me. Then his entire life savings and Betty. If you want to pay anyone anything, then pay Aiden.”
“Take the money, Dad,” Aiden says. “You’ve got Bethany and her kid to think about now, remember?”
Aiden’s father looks torn. Clearly, the mention of Bethany and her son got him thinking. “Actually, yeah. Bethany’s been talking about saving up for some fancy piece of equipment. Something to help her manufacture her jewelry faster so she can fill big orders. She said it costs about five grand.”
“Perfect,” I say, counting out the money. “Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Give him the rod, he eats for a lifetime.”
Aiden’s father pauses.
“Take it,” Aiden says.
Sighing, Nick takes the money from me. “Thank you. You’re every bit as sweet as Aiden said you were.”
“Oh, wow. Aiden said I’m sweet, did he?”
“No,” Aiden says. “I told him you’re the sweetest girl ever.”
Chapter Thirty
Savannah
The minute the door shuts behind Aiden’s father, Aiden and I rip our clothes off and begin mauling each other. As we kiss and grope, we tumble onto the bed, a frenzy of lips and fingers and warm breath. Aiden begins kissing my body—my stomach and hips and pelvis. My inner thighs. And I throw my head back and surrender to him completely—opening my legs and heart and very soul to him.
“Everything you touch turns to gold,” he whispers as his lips kiss their way toward my aching tip. “You’re my good luck charm.”
Aaaaah.
His warm tongue finds my clit and begins swirling magically, making it throb and jolt and spasm with pleasure. I grip the bedsheet. And then, as my pleasure ramps up, I move my grip to the top of Aiden’s head. When bliss threatens to slam into me, I pull roughly on Aiden’s hair and moan with pleasure.
“Oh, sweet Jesus,” I coo softly when my body tightens sharply from deep inside, threatening to release. When Aiden doubles down on what he’s doing, I press myself into his mouth, my pelvis riding his mouth in a rhythm that matches the voracious movements of his lips and tongue and fingers. “Aiden,” I grit out. “Yes.” I claw at him, gasping and gripping his hair like a lifeline. I moan and buck and whimper and writhe…and finally…delicious. In a flash of almost painful pleasure, my innermost muscles seize sharply, and then twist and warp around Aiden’s magical tongue and fingers. In short, I come undone.
When Aiden emerges from betw
een my thighs, his face is flushed. His eyes are blazing. His lips are shiny. He looks voracious. Drunk on arousal. Beautiful.
In record speed, he grabs a foil packet, gets himself covered, and crawls on top of me like a panther. He plunges himself inside me and burrows deep, deep, deep, growling like a wild animal. And I’m right there with him. In this moment, I don’t feel human. I feel wild and unleashed.
I hike my thighs up around Aiden’s ribcage and grip his ass and revel in the sensation of his warm, muscled body moving ferociously on top of mine.
“You feel so good,” Aiden murmurs into my ear. He kisses my neck as his body dominates mine. “You’re magic, Savvy. Pure magic.” Without warning, he flips me over and sinks into me from behind. “I can’t get enough of you,” he growls into my ear, his body pounding into mine, his fingers working my clit. “I’m addicted to you. I’m fucking addicted.”
I’m suddenly in complete overload. Every cell in my body, every molecule, every atom, surges, all at once, and then releases in an orgasm that sends me jolting like a fish on a line.
Aiden comes behind me, his moans of pleasure utterly electrifying to me. And when our bodies quiet down, Aiden slides off me and pulls me close. For several minutes, we lie quietly in the day’s first glow of sunlight, our chests heaving, our bodies spooned.
His skin is warm. His arms are wrapped around me. My eyelids are beginning to flutter and droop as I survey the sun beginning to peek out over the Strip.
“Chicken girl?” Aiden whispers.
“Hmm?” I reply, on the cusp of slipping under.
“I don’t want to be with anyone else. I only want to be with you.”
I smile sleepily. “I don’t want to be with anyone else, either.”
“Exclusive, then?”
“Absolutely.”