by Kenya Wright
“And you have?”
“Oh yes.”
We passed through the first mirrored door and entered a hallway decorated in ivory and gold. Lamp fixtures adored in gold leaf lit our way. Double glass doors greeted us at the end of the path. We stepped through.
Exhilaration surged through my veins. Pure, unadulterated anticipation bubbled inside of me at the site of that large circular green table. I spotted the chips before I even gazed at the men who played or the women who decorated them. Those chips lay in stacks and were different than ones you received at other casinos. They were flat disks four inches long and three inches wide, with a smooth and shiny surface colored in bronze, silver, mauve, or gold. The lowest chips in the pile were a hundred thousand. The highest five million. Each possessed an intricate design on the surface that explained how much it cost.
For now most of them were turned over. If Dawn had any idea how much money lounged around her as she sat down next to me, she probably would've shrieked.
I pulled my one bronze chip out. It was only a hundred thousand. I could see the looks on all of my opponents’ faces, the pity and disgust for just having that little amount to start with. I'd played with many of them before, yet I had no idea what their names were. These guys’ identities blurred into drunken memories that were fogged with smoke.
A fat man sat across from me with three women resting around him. They were probably hookers. The really high-priced working girls crowded this section of earth. The man tossed me one of his bronze chips. “Here you go, little one. I like to make my whippings worthwhile. It's no fun if I can't make a bright-eyed kid like you, lose big.”
“Thanks, sir.” I gave it to Dawn. “But you probably should start pushing the rest of those chips this way, save us all the trouble and time tonight.”
Everyone laughed while cards were tossed out to us all.
Dawn turned the chip over and whispered, “One hundred freaking thousand?”
“Oh yes.” I watched her gulp in air as I pushed both bronze chips to the center and made my bet. “Are you my lady luck tonight?”
“Let's hope so.” Under the table, she rested her hand on my lap and squeezed, probably more out of fear than sensual need.
But I took that as a sign for the possibility of more.
Chapter 10
Dawn
Sitting next to Max as he played poker was an emotional roller coaster ride. He started off big and bold, betting it all in the first hand. I almost vomited right there at the table. All types of crazy thoughts ran through my head.
Did he have enough money for us to go back home? Should I be taking him to the side? Holy shit is he going to just blow away two hundred thousand dollars?!
But he won, and with that win came this high. This blissful sensation poured over me and tingled against my flesh as I helped him stack all of these artsy looking chips on top of each other.
The rest of the hands continued that way. Him wagering more than I could deal with, and then winning it all eventually. Max's bold moves incited several grumbles from around the table. One of the men even left and had the nerve to scowl at Max and me.
“Gentleman and ladies.” The dealer gathered everyone's cards. “We will now have a break of fifteen minutes.”
Most of the players and their guests rose, probably wandering off to spy on other games in the private section as well as take advantage of the bar that I'd been told was in the room next to us.
So many colorful stacks of chips lay in front of me. Max had piled them up and slid every one my way. I silently counted them. My fingers itched to touch them. How easy it was to covet so much money when it stood there right in front of me.
Two million dollars. I slipped my hand along one of the hundred-thousand-dollar chips. Two fucking million dollars is in front of me right now.
I blew out a nervous breath and wiped the sweat off of my forehead with shaking hands. My life had changed so much in such a short time. Two weeks ago, I'd put on a sports bra with two holes on the side, promised myself to get new workout clothes with my first tuition refund check, and then rushed out to the grocery story with a stack of coupons in my hand.
Now I'm in a gown that cost more than my rent, sitting in a room with people who could collectively solve the US deficit, and a stack of more money than I will ever have in my life, is just piled right in front of me.
Max leaned my way and brushed his lips against my ear. A shiver passed through me.
I moved away. “Don't do that.”
“You look tense over there. I'm trying to calm you down.”
I turned his way and whispered, “If you want to calm me down, then let's leave. You've won a whole lot. Why not leave now while you're high?”
“Because that's not any fun.”
“What would get you to leave?”
“You in my bed tonight with your legs spread wide open.” He lowered his gaze to my cleavage and then tried to toss me a sly look.
“You asked me to come because you needed someone to police you.”
“That wasn't the only reason.”
“That's the only one I can think of." I raised my eyebrows. “We should go.”
“You know what. I don't think it's fair that Freddy automatically gets a chance to date you just because he was the first person to ask."
“You're avoiding our discussion on leaving.”
“It's still not fair. Why Freddy over me?”
I sipped my wine to give me something to do. I hadn't been prepared for a topic like this.
“Can we date too?” he asked.
Gathering my response, I set my glass down. "Please tell me you're just saying this to avoid the topic of leaving the next game. You know this is crazy, right?"
"I'm not just saying this. I'd like to date you, too. If you really want me to leave, then it's with the promise that you'll discuss our dating further over dessert and dancing?"
"We can discuss it."
"But the answer will be no?"
"I don't date brothers."
"Not true.” He wagged his finger. “You did date the both of us last week."
"That was for a game that I chose to keep my heart out of. Dating you two for real would be too complicated and crazy. You two couldn't handle it either."
"Freddy and I are used to dating the same women."
"Yes, but that's because your minds were in the game. Plus the both of your competition was all about sex and male prowess, not hearts, love, and the intimacy people develop from real dating."
He formed his lips into a naughty smile. "I want that with you, intimacy."
"You can't have that,” I said as his expression changed to annoyed, “but you can have my friendship."
He turned back to the stacks of chips. "Well, then we'll just stay here for one more game."
"You said that an hour ago."
He traced his thumb along the chip that symbolized one million dollars. "Why did you decide to date Freddy instead of me?"
"I'm not answering that question. It's not even a fair one. Things just happened that way.”
“You know why I won tonight?”
“No.” I rolled my eyes.
“Because I try not to let good opportunities pass me by. I just get this feeling and go with it. That's how I won.” He tapped the stacks. “I get this weird sensation from you and something inside of me is saying that I shouldn't pass this up, that maybe I should see if there is anything between you and me.”
“I already started dating your brother.”
“So you're going to put it all on Freddy?”
“Yes. If we're going to talk in gambling terms then fine. I'm wagering my time with Freddy. Can we get back to you leaving?”
"Fine. We can leave now.”
“Good.”
“You think I have a problem then?”
“I'm not a psychologist or anything, but yeah. I think if you're worried about it, you should see someone.”
“Maybe I will.�
� He rose from his seat. “But at least when I bet though, I have chances of winning." He winked at me. "Are you sure you're not putting it all on the wrong brother?"
“Freddy and my dating isn't a game. It's not that easy.” I got up with him.
“Are you sure about that? Sometimes Freddy's head never leaves the game.”
The door slammed behind us and drew our attention as well as everyone's else. Shock almost knocked me off balance. Freddy stood there, dressed in a black suit with no tie. He wore an angry face and centered it on Max. Whispering filled the room. Two security personnel entered behind Freddy but did nothing else. If stress and anxiety had an image it would've been the sight of those two brothers squaring off against each other.
Freddy formed his hands into fists. “I asked you to stay away from her.”
Excuse me? He better not be talking about me.
Max got in front of me. “Let's talk outside. Do you really want to be one of the first guys in history to be thrown out of this casino?”
I stepped around Max, grabbed his hand, dragged him forward, and captured Freddy's hand too. “Let's go, guys.”
Once they got to the hallway, Freddy released my hand and charged for Max. “You couldn't let me have one thing to myself, could you? One damn thing.”
I waved my hands. “First of all, I’m not a thing. I’m a woman, fellas. A breathing, independent woman.”
They simply ignored me.
“We both met her—”
“That's not the point.” Freddy snatched at his brother's jacket as Max slapped his hands away.
I got between them. “This is stupid. Both of you stop.” I patted Freddy's back. “It's not what you think. Max asked me to come—”
“I know why,” Freddy interrupted. “He's more curious because I told him to stay away from you.”
I sighed. “You don't have the power to tell people to stay away from me, but even more important, Max asked me to come with him while he gambled.”
Freddy sucked his teeth. “I don't believe it.”
“It's true.” I turned to Max. “Right?”
“Let him believe what he wants to. I don't care.” Max wore a grim face as he glanced back at the poker room we'd left. The door opened.
A man brought out a box full of Max's chips and gave it to him. “Sir, we assumed that you will be concluding your wagers for this evening.”
“No. I'm not done yet. Go ahead and tell the men I'll be back in the next round.” He checked his watch. “Do I still have five minutes?”
“Yes, sir.” The guy nodded, took the box back, and left us in the hallway.
“You shouldn't go back in there.” I grabbed Max's hand and squeezed it.
“You're lover man is here now. You're off Max Duty.” He gazed back at the door as if the poker room would disappear soon. “Go ahead and have fun.”
“I would rather you have fun with us.” I turned to Freddy, who's attention was on my hand as it held his brother's hand. “Freddy, could you help me get Max away from this casino? He's finally up two million dollars. I don't want him to be stupid, go in there, and lose all of his money again.”
“Again?” Freddy leaned his head to the side. “Has he already lost tonight?”
“Let's all get off of Max, right now and focus on ourselves.” Max adjusted his jacket on his shoulders.
“Max lost around two million a few weeks ago. He thinks he has a problem. I think so too.” Although Max confessed it to me privately, I thought Freddy should've known. Hopefully, he would be glad I helped him, later on. “Max just won that money back. I say let's just get him out of here, immediately. This is the last place he should be.”
“You lost two mill? I thought it was only six hundred thousand.” Freddy's voice rose in the hallway.
“Calm down.” Max rubbed his face with both hands. “It wasn't your money, and as Dawn said I won it all back.”
“You can't gamble anymore tonight or I'm calling Dad. In fact, you're getting on the plane in the next few hours.”
“I'm a grown man. You don't tell me what to do.” Max stormed off.
Freddy went after him. “I tell you what to do when it concerns you losing all of the family's money in cards!”
Oh God. This isn't helping anything.
“Wait. Guys!” I waved my hands around to try and get their attention. Neither would turn my way. They argued, bringing up things that I had no idea what the meanings held. The few bits of information that I understood was that anytime Max lost money, Freddy covered him. Max attempted to counter with many things, but in the end, he had to know that he was just wrong, and neither of us could let him back into that poker room.
“Get out of my way, Freddy.” Max pushed at his brother's hand as it remained in front him and plastered on the door. “Just tonight. I'll play a hand and then I'm done gambling period.”
“No way. Turn around and—”
“I didn't tell her.” Max motioned to me. “You know that, right?”
Is he talking about me? What didn’t he tell me?
Freddy tensed. “Don't make your addiction about her.”
“Then move your hand.”
Several silent seconds went by. Whatever Max was talking about clearly had Freddy conflicted. When Max said her, I immediately assumed it was about me. The chances of my being relative to the secret was high, and I didn't like that fact at all.
“Don't do it.” Freddy got away from the door. “Just come on with us.”
“Our plane leaves in the morning at eight. I'll see you then.” Max escaped into the poker room.
I crossed my arms around my chest and glared at Freddy. “What does he have on you?”
“Nothing.” He slipped his hand into mine and guided me away. “I gave up because I didn't want to sit there and argue or end up fighting anymore. I'm tired of this. We've been here before. Sometimes I can get him upstairs, but he'll sneak out once I fall asleep. The private poker dens are opened twenty-four hours.”
We left the hallway and strolled through the casino.
“I'm sorry that we got you into the middle of this. I can't believe he convinced you to come here.” He gently squeezed my hand.
“Well, he never told me it was Monte Carlo. He said we were going to Atlantic City.”
Freddy cursed under his breath and mumbled more things to himself as we moved on. Max and his little argument played out in my mind as I tried to decipher whether they were talking about me or not. Freddy was still earning my trust. With him, I couldn't just give it away blindly. That very thought tugged at the logical part of me.
Once we entered the main lobby and got on the elevator, he pressed the seventh floor button and pulled me into him. Somehow he'd figured out where our room was at, probably because Max left a message on his phone telling him.
“You look beautiful by the way.” He dipped down to kiss me.
I leaned back. “I don't want you to lie to me.”
The elevator doors closed as his body stiffened against me.
“What did Max mean when he said he didn't tell her?” I asked. “Was he referring to something about me? Is there something you're not telling me?”
Letting me go, he dug his hands into his pants and gave me space. “I should lie or steer you away from this topic, but I can't. I don't want to lie to you anymore. The whole plane ride here I stressed about Max telling you or even that for some reason you decided to be with my brother, instead of me. When I saw you two together, none of the things I imagined in my head played out. Instead, you stood beside me and tried to help my brother and I deal with his gambling. I'm not going to pretend anymore that I'm not trying to hide something.”
The doors opened to our floor. He gestured for me to go ahead of him. I had to force myself to walk off. There was something going on and with the worry etched around his eyes, I understood that I wouldn't be happy. We said nothing else as we traveled down to our suite, no longer hand in hand. Now tension built around Freddy's shoulders
as he tried to carry whatever deceit involved me.
Once we entered the living room, I faced him. “What are you hiding?”
He held his hands up. “Just promise me something—”
“No. I'm not promising anything until I know what's going on. What did you hide from me?”
“Our last date, when I told you that the game was over and I'd changed, I was lying.”
“So you were still competing against your brother? You were still trying to get me in bed for a win?” I pulled off my shoe and threw it at him.
He knocked it away, right before it hit his face. “But then—”
“You're psycho.” I yanked the other shoe off and flung it at his crotch. This time it got him right where I targeted. Good. He grunted and barreled over, falling to the floor and clutching his groin. I should have left it right there, but I couldn't, once anger rushed into me, I couldn’t brush it away so easily. “Why would you do that to me? Why would you continue to make me think that?”
I tried to kick him, but he grabbed my foot and sat up. “Dawn, please just give me a second to explain how stupid I was.”
I hopped until he finally let go of my foot. Right before he could get all the way up, I kicked him in the shin. He screamed out.
“Asshole!” I marched away. “There's absolutely nothing to explain. I'm done playing these stupid games with Max and you. This is ridiculous. I never knew two men who could lie and deceive women so much. You must have laughed at me the whole time we were together.”
“I didn't laugh. I was scared the whole time,” he called back.
“Good. You should've been scared.” I shut my bedroom door behind me. I tried to lock it, but he stormed in, almost bumping into me.
“After I dropped you off and arrived at the yacht, I felt like crap. I knew it was wrong to deceive you.”
“Of course you did. It’s called having a soul.”
“No, that’s not why.”
“Well, maybe yours is black, crusted, and small.”
“What I’m trying to tell you is that feeling bad about lying to a woman is not something I'm used to experiencing. Like I told you before, there's something about you that makes me feel like I should be better. You make me second guess myself. With you, I'm not this perfect guy. With you, I'm ugly and twisted.”