by Celia Crown
Black Clover
Celia Crown
Copyright © 2019 by Celia Crown
All rights reserved.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are from the author's imagination or folklore, legends, and general myths.
The book or any portion of the book may not be reproduced or used under any circumstances, except with the written permission from the author. Public names, movies, televisions, and locales, or any references are used for atmospheric purposes. Any similarities and resemblances to alive or dead people, events, brands, and locales are all complete coincidences.
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Contents
Black Clover
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
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Black Clover
by Celia Crown
Chloe Evans is nothing but bad luck. Waking up with a bird’s nest of hair, taking a tumble down the stairs, and almost getting run over by a hoard of dogs. All her life she’s been a walking safety-hazard, sometimes sunny forecast changes to a downpour of water hose. She knows nothing good would happen when her best friend wants their spring break to be in Las Vegas. Meeting an intense and possessive man who overlooks her clumsiness, he says he wants her—despite the terrible luck that looms over her.
Damon Landon doesn’t play around when it comes to his business, his business is flourishing and is one of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas. He knows everything that happens on his territory; the little scamming games people play, the illicit activities around the gambling floor, and every action his employees make. He also knows that little girl with a neon green shirt doesn’t belong there. She’s too young and too pure, his heart calls for her.
One look and he’s obsessed with that scared innocence that tugs on his primitive instinct to devour that little girl. Damon is going to take that girl for himself, and he will catch her when fate throws another curveball at her.
I have no excuse why I could write this story in one sitting. I got no sleep, forgive my mistakes. Anyway, happy really early St. Patrick’s Day. I hope you find luck with this happy reading.
Chapter One
Chloe
“This is such a bad idea.”
When your roommate and rebellious best-friend shows you an itinerary of your spring break vocation typed and laminated, you know you have a reason to demote her to just a friend. Especially when the first thing on the list is gambling at Las Vegas’ biggest casino, that girl is officially down to just roommate at this point, but I love her, so I’ll indulge on her crazies while I write down every stupid decision she’s making.
One, the decision to make the list in the first place.
I mean, really, in what way did she think this would be a good idea when the both of us are not old enough to step into a casino that serves alcohol. I’m not trying to get arrested and have a record, I need work in the future.
Two, eating the room service food with a small bottle of vodka from the mini fridge.
Why, why, why? At least this isn’t at a bar because my best-friend and roommate Fawn the Drunk doesn’t sound pretty.
Three, gambling with her real ID and hope that no one checks is by far the most ridiculous choice Fawn has made yet, I don’t doubt there will be other more horrendous mistakes later on.
“Live a little!” Fawn said, grinning with her teeth blinding me as if I’m looking at the sun.
Maybe I squinted, maybe not. Her teeth are probably cleaner than this five-star hotel Fawn paid for and I know where she got the money for it. Her sugar daddy gave it to her from their date, I don’t want to know what goes on in those dates, but I know there’s no way it’s just dinner when she comes back with a Chanel bag and a glow on her face.
“I’ll live when it doesn’t concern my health,” I reply.
The bed under my butt is soft with the smell of freshly made laundry around it as I flop down, my hair splaying around the fabric messily, but I don’t care because I’m tired from the plane ride.
Fawn skips happily around the room, inspecting every little detail with sounds of cooing and some sexual noises that has me opening my eyes to witness that girl chugging down a small vile of vodka.
Fawn’s throat rolls in sync with the drink pouring down her mouth, she looks gorgeous even when she’s doing something as trivial as drinking alcohol. I always envied Fawn, we grew up together and she’s always been in the center of attention. Boys from school want to date her and older men want to give her everything just so she could spare them a glance. College comes around and we’ve only started our second semester, and boys sniff her out like bloodhounds because when you have a beauty like Fawn, there’s bound to be words murmuring around campus.
She’s so lucky to be blessed with good looks, outgoing personality, and a mind of positivity.
I, on the other hand, don’t have much going for me. I have hair darker than black, eyes darker than bitter coffee beans, and a weak stamina. High school gym was a nightmare for me because my lungs would burn just by walking up the stairs.
Sad, I know.
Fawn and I are the opposite; her hair is a different bizarre color every week while I like to stay in my comfort zone. I don’t want attention on me because I’m not comfortable being stared at, but Fawn bathes in that attention. From the shock of people seeing her hair color, which is pastel pink at the moment, or people get stunned by her beauty.
“Alright,” Fawn sucks in a breath and I lift myself up from the bed.
I prepare myself for the next thing on her spring break list. That ugly laminated paper laying on the mahogany desk, letting the sunshine from the window beaming down at the reflective glare on the sheet. Unfortunately, it hits me in the eyes.
I should’ve seen that coming, life has never been fair to me.
Everyone I know calls me Black Clover.
My name is Chloe, but my bad luck is so rotten that I’ll bet money that it’s Satan pulling his strings on me.
I once ate a single french-fry and I ended up with food poisoning even though Fawn has eaten the entire bag and yet she was fine. It would be stupid to have one french-fry be bad, but of course, I take the bad one out of the other fifty.
“Let’s get to Obsidian, I have so much I want to play!”
I swallow and groans, one should not be this excited to commit a crime.
Arrested for underage drinking and gambling is the furthest thing from my interest.
“Let me change first.” I tug on my shirt and blinks down at the bright color.
The neon green graphic t-shirt was my choice of airport fashion, I don’t need to be uncomfortable like Fawn who dolled up with heels and a full face of makeup perfection.
How can someone stay in the airplane for so long and not a piece of hair is out of place?
Fawn’s silky pink-dyed hair flows over her tight beige dress with her feet slipping into her stiletto heels. She’s tall and those heels made her even taller, but Fawn never cares because she likes the way they make her look. She looks like a supermodel on a walkway and that’s not an awful description. If Fawn isn’t majoring in Child Development, she would’ve been a fashion model.
“What’s wrong with what you’re wearing?” Fawn frowns, her lips are a color between blood red and b
aby pink.
I have no idea how we became friends in elementary school, she’s so different from me and I think, in a way, we match each other and complement our differences. Opposites attract, that kind of nonsense.
“I look like a clown.” I roll my dark eyes, tugging on the bottom of my shirt.
She scoffs, flinging her pink hair over her exposed shoulders. “A cute clown, darling girl.”
Fawn tells me that my charm comes from my clumsiness because she says me being hurt makes her want to wrap me up in a burrito wrap and devour me. Her analogy is weird and disturbing but the effort to make me feel better is there. I have band-aids in my backpack, in my pockets, and wherever I can stuff them in because I get hurt a lot. Either from my clumsiness or my terrible luck, there’s always a colorful band-aid on me.
I have a collection of empty band-aid boxes.
“Fine,” I say, giving up on going into an argument with Fawn because her logic gets curved into directions that don’t make sense.
I go to grab my phone off the night table and glances down at the time, it’s almost six and the sun is bleeding on the horizontal while a wave of red, orange, and yellow color the city with its gradience.
I let out a sigh, good thing Fawn isn’t going to force me into proper attire for a casino night. She knows I don’t care for fashion because I don’t have anyone to impress when I go to class and work, but I try to look decent and not show up to lecture with sweatpants, t-shirts, and sweaters.
We pick up our things and leave our hotel room, the door locks behind us with an automatic click as I throw my hair into a messy bun. Las Vegas is hot and I don’t want sweat dripping down on my neon green shirt, it’ll turn darker and it’ll be so embarrassing.
The busy street and bustling people around us is overwhelming, I follow Fawn’s lead as she makes sure our room key is in her purse while I hold onto mine in my jean pocket. Eyes are already turning when we got a taxi, the driver keeps flashing looks at Fawn through the rearview mirror and I want to ask him to please focus because the traffic around us is crazy.
I would need skills from Fast and Furious to maneuver through traffic.
Good thing we get there by seven with an hour in traffic and I’m glad that it’s not any longer because I’m getting way too uncomfortable with the driver keep looking at Fawn. At times, I would glare at the mirror when I meet his eyes accidentally and he would smile back like I’m some harmless dog.
I should be offended, I was going for an ominous look and he thinks I’m a joke.
I probably am, considering I look like an underripe mango with hair.
We get out of the car and Fawn pays the driver with a tip, but she doesn’t linger when the man tries to get her attention again. The door shuts in his face during midsentence, I had to throw my eyes away because his glare was mean.
The ginormous building with all the windows lighting up like a Christmas tree, Fawn walks with the confidence of a goddess while I hunch my shoulders to make myself look smaller.
I’m totally out of my elements.
As an eighteen-year-old, the most exciting thing I’ve ever done was when Fawn took me skinny dipping in late Spring. The water was freezing, and I could’ve sworn my blood rushed to my heart to keep me alive.
Fawn said I was overexaggerating, but I stand by my words.
My mouth opens with a gasp, this place is gorgeous. The building itself has a strong foundation as there’re at least more than thirty floors with wall to floor windows on some windows. The sign that says the casino name is highlighted with glowing golden halos behind black letterings. There are guards at the door with valets and expensive cars pulling up with single men and single women, couples and elderly people.
“Chloe?” Fawn calls for me.
I whip my head back to her and speed walks up to her as she is being scanned by the door guard with a tablet taking her picture. When I get up to her, I see her picture being scanned by some scanning light on the screen and when it’s done, a wide bar that says she’s clear allows her entrance by another guard.
I take a deep breath and awkwardly shuffles up next, the man takes an overall glance at me and cocks an eyebrow. We make eye contact and I smile tensely. He takes my picture and waits for the scanning to finish before he gives me a go-ahead signal with his chin bob. I speed up to Fawn and I see her eyeing the security guard by another wall, she brazenly licks her lips and turns her scheming eyes to me.
Avoiding her predatory gaze, I take in the open floor with multiple game tables and hosts, the players are all seated or standing around tables while it’s loud and swarming with patrons, I gaze at a sign that says exclusive poker game at midnight with a one hundred thousand dollar buy-in.
All that money for a seat at the table to win up to a million dollars.
That seat costs more than my tuition.
When I glance back at Fawn, she has that look on her face that I will be the ultimate loser in whatever she’s cooking up in her devious head.
“Now, we’re going to split and meet up at the entrance again at eleven.” Fawn begins with a grin, “Then we’ll go from there. As of now, I’ll go snag a hot date while you charm everyone with your fluorescent green shirt.”
I cross my arms self-consciously, “I wanted to change but you said I’d be fine.”
She nods with a crinkle in her eyes and something flashes over her face, “And you do, everyone’s looking at you. I spy a very handsome hunk staring at you.”
I’m going to ignore the last part and swipe my eyes around us and winces, there are eyes on us; most are to Fawn as she is very beautiful in her dress and eye-catching pink hair while I’m in a neon shirt so of course people will look at me like I’m a zoo animal.
I shift my weight to the other foot and sighs.
Fawn pats my head and stroke my cheek fondly, “You are the prettiest girl to me!”
I laugh, my heart is light with adoration to the woman and I love how she can be herself and cheer me up with her.
“You’re the prettiest to me too!” I grin back, eyes curving in love as she leans in to kiss my cheek.
I press back with my own kiss and falls back on my heels, “Be wild, lovely! I’ll be your designated driver!”
She coos back, “I knew I could count on you, sweet dumpling!”
Fawn does a princess twirl while ignoring all the gazes on her dramatic move and sways her hips away. I laugh at her antics as the bodyguard she was eyeing moves in her direction with her giving him sultry eyes.
He’s tall but very lean, in a way that he has strength and power behind his form with lethal force. Whatever the man decides to do, Fawn can take care of herself. She’s not just a pretty face, Fawn has years of martial arts under her belt because her family is protective of her and with the unwanted attention, they enrolled her into multiple martial art classes until college years.
Well, since I’m here already, I might as well immerse into the life of luxurious gambling.
Chapter Two
Damon
I saw her the moment she walked into my casino.
Absolutely amazing, my heart wouldn’t stop racing when I see her taking the details of the building into her mind. She was in awe and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride in my chest as her attention gets captured by the sign of midnight’s poker game.
It’s a game that is designed to have the best players at the table, also they have to be rich to pay for the reserved seating.
I have never seen someone so perfectly out of place than that little girl. She’s way too young to be in places for adults; her raven hair tossed into a bun at the top of her head, big brown eyes flickering back and forth in childish wonder as her pretty little head gets swallowed by other patrons’ bodies.
Panic seizes my heart as my eyes search for her, a flare of anger directed at the man that bumped into her and he had the audacity to yell at her for causing his drink to almost tip over. I stifle a growl in my throat and stalks up to the man wh
ile keeping an eye on where my little girl is going. She turns to the left and is being occupied by a picture frame in a case on the wall. I know that picture by heart, it’s my bodyguard and I at a shooting range. We had a competition to see who can shoot the most accurate and the furthest, we ended up a tie because neither of us wanted to admit defeat.
I turn back to this asshole and my height towers over him, I sneer coldly in his face with a warning that I will not tolerate any disrespect, so he better be out of my casino by the time his name gets logged out of the system.
Everyone in the casino knows I’m the owner and I do not hide behind my office doors with reinforced steel, I walk around the floors and protect my own territory with brute force. I don’t need others doing my work and people know it, they know I’ll toss their asses on the front door with paparazzi waiting to snap an ugly mug.
Looking towards the girl’s direction, she is gone again. My eyes snap in every direction with keen focus as I scan the floor for her, but her hair is black so it’s hard when most of my customers have black or brown hair.
Then, I remember her bright ass green shirt.
It’s the thing that stole my attention and got me interested in the first place.
I was walking around a blackjack table when I saw a flash of green, it was obnoxious and blinding, but when I saw her smile, I was momentarily cursed with Medusa’s ability. I’m a stone when her smile lights up and I knew something in my heart wants that girl to be mine.
Even with that green shirt, I still couldn’t find her. I call over a guard and takes his tablet to search for the girl with everything I know. Her black hair, brown eyes, small body, and a fluorescent shirt. I add another factor in and search for the pink-haired girl that walked in with her, it’s easier to find people with more characteristics.
It takes no time for the device to beep with her name and picture. God, she’s so pretty. I want to sink my teeth into her chubby little cheeks or pinch them—depending on how I feel.