by Sage Nyx
“You like him,” Natasha says in a flat, accusatory tone. “This is very bad. I need a cigarette.” She reaches for her purse sitting on the table and pulls out a pack.
“No smoking in my room!” I tell her.
“He is no good for you,” she says, reluctantly putting the cigarettes back. “I’ve met many men who were the same. Did you fuck?”
I open my mouth to protest the personal question, but nothing comes out.
“You did,” she says with a resigned sigh.
“I told you Sugar was a hound dog,” King says in a huff. “I could kick him in the ass with my new sparkly, white boots.” He holds his leg over toward me up to show off his shiny boots with tassels.
“Why are you wearing boots on my bed?” I ask.
“I never take them off,” he replies with a sheepish grin. “Except in the shower. Do you mind?”
“Would it matter if I did?”
“Nope, can’t take them off even for you, sweetheart.”
Eva swings her legs over the side of the bed, stands and straightens her light blue linen skirt. “None of this makes a difference. I’m sorry, Jade, you don’t have a choice. You need to end it with Sugar today. He’s not the only man in this world.”
He’s the only one for me.
I don’t say it out loud because it would sound ridiculous.
“Think about this rationally for a minute,” she continues, her face softening. “How did you see this scenario ending up, even in a best-case situation? Be honest with yourself. You were planning to run a scam in the casino he works for before we met you. That would be a huge hurdle to overcome. Do you really want to spend your life lying to someone you’re dating?”
“When you put it that way…” I say, my voice trailing off.
“Sugar isn’t stupid. He might even be on to you now.” She leans down to plump up my pillow and straighten the bedspread. “Maybe he’s trying to find out what you’re up to.”
Everything she’s saying is one hundred percent true.
“What is your plan?” she continues. “To fly back and forth between Orlando and Vegas in a long-term relationship? It won’t work. You’re setting yourself up for major heartbreak later.”
Everything she’s saying is something I’ve already thought of before.
A million times.
I let out a long sigh. “You’re right. I’ll tell him today that I’m leaving town immediately.” My heart is breaking into pieces.
“Don’t do it in person,” King says. He stands and walks over to the mirror where he checks out his reflection carefully. When he’s satisfied, he takes a pair of dark sunglasses out of his pocket and slides them on. “All guys hate that shit. Send him a text. Short, simple and to the point. Cut him loose and get it over with.”
“What should I say?”
“That something has come up and you need to leave town right away. Be sweet if it helps. Tell him you’ll talk to him soon. That way, the door will remain open until you want to close it permanently. Leave him hanging.”
“Okay, that’s what I’ll do,” I agree, nodding slowly. “If you’re sure this is the right way to handle it.”
Natasha reaches over to give my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Get rid of the magic man. Do it now while we’re here for moral support.”
“I have to do it now?” My voice squeaks out the question.
I was planning on working up my nerve before sending Sugar the text. I left him only a few minutes ago. He’ll think I’ve lost my mind.
They nod back at me with sympathetic faces.
“Waiting won’t make it easier,” Eva says. “It would be better to get it over with, so you can focus.”
I pull out my phone and reluctantly send the text:
“I need to go home right away. Something came up. Will talk soon.”
The day that started out so great is spiraling quickly into disaster.
“You did the right thing,” Natasha says, reaching over to give me a quick hug.
“Come to Platinum tonight, so we can go over the plan again,” Eva tells me. “There are many details left to discuss. We only have three days before Christmas Eve.”
“Everything would’ve worked perfectly before if Sugar hadn’t shown up,” I say. “There’s nothing wrong with the plan.”
“There’s no such thing as being over-prepared,” Eva replies. “For the next three days, we all need to stay focused.”
“Okay, I’ll drive over as soon as I take a shower,” I reply. “First, I need to call Mom to tell her I won’t be home for Christmas. She’ll be upset. I’ve dreaded making the call.”
Eva gives me an understanding smile. “It won’t be much longer before this is over, and then you can go home to be with your family. We’ll see you later.”
After they leave, I get up to throw the door’s deadbolt lock behind them. I’m not accustomed to people showing up unexpectedly in my room.
I take a deep breath and punch in Mom’s number.
She picks up her phone on the first ring. “Judy! I’m so glad to hear from you. I was hoping it was you.”
“Hi, Mom,” I say. “Are you busy?”
“Never too busy to talk to my daughter. Your brother and I were putting up more Christmas decorations. Daniel loves the holidays.”
I smile, picturing the two of them trying to untangle the many rolls of lights Mom hangs up every year.
“Have you put up the Christmas tree yet?” I ask.
“No, we were waiting for you to come home to do that. You’ll definitely be here for Christmas, right?”
My heart sinks. I’ve never missed being with them on Christmas before.
“That’s what I’m calling to tell you,” I say. “I’m afraid I have some bad news. I won’t be able to make it home for Christmas this year. I’m sorry.”
“Why not?” she asks, the disappointment clear in her voice. “Daniel is expecting you home any day now.”
“I know and I’m so sorry. I’m in Las Vegas working on a short project to make some extra money.”
“Vegas!” she says, shocked. “What on earth are you doing there? I thought you were packing up your stuff in Boston and coming home right away. What kind of job are you working on in Vegas?”
I close my eyes and rub my forehead. It would be tempting to lie, to tell her I’m working on a freelance computer coding job.
Anything, except the truth.
But she’s my mom, and she knows me better than anyone. She could smell a lie a mile away. Besides, all the lying is getting old fast.
“Don’t freak out, okay? What I’m working on here in Vegas is not exactly a job. Not in the true sense of the word.”
“You said it was a job.”
“No, I said it was a project. I’ve been playing the slots and they’re paying off well.”
“You’re gambling? Oh my God! Please tell me I’m misunderstanding what you’re trying to tell me.”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” I reply, trying to calm her down before she freaks out. “Remember how I’m always talking about mathematical patterns and statistics?”
“How could I forget? You’ve talked about nothing else since you were five years old.”
“Well, being good at math can be helpful in Vegas.”
She doesn’t say a word. I wait until the silence becomes unbearable on the line before speaking again.
“I’m not doing anything illegal and we need the money for Daniel,” I add.
“No, we don’t need it this bad,” she replies.
“Yes, we do,” I reply firmly. “He needs it, and I have a huge student loan debt to pay off.”
She breathes out a resigned sigh. “Are you sure this is the only way? Gambling sounds risky. What if you lose your money?”
“I’m already ahead in my winnings. I won’t risk more than I’ve made.”
“You’re not doing anything illegal?”
Not yet.
I don’t tell her that.
“No! Gambling is perfectly legal. I have a slight edge because of my mathematical abilities. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be home soon, okay?”
“Christmas won’t be the same without you,” she says, a slight tremor in her voice.
“I feel the same way. Hug Daniel for me.”
“I love you,” she says. “Come home soon.”
“I promise, I will. I love you both, too. I’ll be home before you know it.”
I hang up quickly before I choke up.
This is turning out to be harder than I thought.
Sugar
I step out of the bathroom with a white terrycloth towel wrapped around my waist. My wet hair is still dripping from the shower.
“Do you want me to order something from room service?” I call out to Jade in the next room. “I need to leave soon to get ready for this afternoon’s show. They’ll send up anything you want.”
When she doesn’t answer right away, I step into the bedroom.
“Jade?”
Only silence greets me.
I walk into the living room of my hotel suite and find it empty, too.
Elsa coos to me from her perch by the window.
“She’s gone again, isn’t she?” I say to her. “Surprise, surprise.”
I’m not too worried, because this time I know how to find her. My pickpocketing skills came in handy. I reach for my phone on the bedside table and call Leroy.
“What’s up?” he answers. “I thought you were coming straight down to the theater after you changed clothes. What were you two doing up in your room? Enjoying a little afternoon delight?” He lets out a loud chuckle. “I saw the way the two of you were all snuggled up in the back of the limo.”
“Do you know any detectives?” I ask, quickly changing the subject. “Or someone who can do internet research for me?”
“Sure,” he says. “I might know a guy that can hook you up. What do you need?”
Leroy knows lots of guys who can do almost anything.
“I need to run a background check on Jade.”
“Oh no, man! Don’t do that. She’s a nice girl. You’ll fuck things up by doing stalker shit.”
“I hear you, but I need to make sure she’s legit before I let her get too close. She’s using a fake name.”
“Sugar isn’t your name either, so I don’t know what you’re getting your panties in a wad about.”
“Her name is Judy Miller.”
“So? You shouldn’t be too concerned. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Everyone uses an alias here. You’re overreacting.”
“I want to know her real story.”
“Are you sure her name is Judy?” he asks. “Because she doesn’t strike me as a Judy. Judy is an old lady name. No wonder she switched names. Maybe she wants to sound sexier.”
“I’m sure, because I lifted her driver’s license out of her backpack. I have her name and street address in Orlando. Someone should be able to run a thorough background check based on the information.”
“Okay, I’ll give it to one of my guys to check into if it will make you happy. How soon do you need it?”
While I’m talking to Leroy on my speakerphone, a text from Jade flashes up on my screen. My heart drops at the words.
“I need to go home right away. Something came up. Will talk soon.”
Un-fucking-believable!
“I need it immediately,” I say. “She’s already on her way out of town. Tell your guy I’ll pay him triple if he can get the info to me by tomorrow. I need to know everything he can find out about Judy Miller of Orlando, Florida.”
“Okay, I’ll call my guy now if you insist,” he says with a loud sigh. “Send me a text with her address. If this goes downhill, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Thanks, Leroy. Sending it to you now.”
Jade
Three days later in the dressing room at Platinum…
“I love the red hair on you,” Natasha says, taking a step back to assess her makeover of me. “You look European and chic. Sophisticated and mysterious. Like a Russian spy in an old movie.”
She reaches over to comb down the stray wisps of hair trailing into my face. When I move my head, she grasps my chin with one hand.
“Be still and stop wriggling,” she scolds. “I can’t tell if the wig is on straight if you keep moving.”
“It’s too heavy and weird,” I complain. “And the wig is hot as hell. What if it falls off?”
“The wig will be fine if you do what I say. Let me fix it.”
Turning slightly, I try to glimpse myself in the mirror. It’s hard to concentrate when muscled male strippers are changing into cop uniforms right behind us for their upcoming set.
They barely have time to switch outfits before the music of the next song blasts, signaling their cue to run back out on stage.
There’s a full house tonight at Platinum. I’m surprised, considering it’s Christmas Eve.
“No moving,” Natasha says, holding my chin firmly in place. “I will tell you when to view my masterpiece.” She carefully smooths the hair down on both sides with her hands and smiles at me. “Perfect! Now you can see,” she says, handing me a big mirror to check the back of the wig.
I draw in a surprised breath at my reflection, barely recognizing the girl gazing back.
Who knew a wig could make such a big difference? My long hair is hid underneath the red shoulder-length wig.
Natasha insisted that I wear colored contact lenses instead of glasses to change my eye color to blue. The lenses are uncomfortable and scratchy.
I blink rapidly hoping to lubricate them, but it doesn’t help. The long, false eyelashes Natasha applied isn’t making the situation any better.
“What do you think of your new style?” she asks with an expectant smile.
I hate it.
Not that I’ll be rude and tell her. She’s worked hard to change my appearance. She spent over an hour artfully applying makeup to contour my cheekbones and slim my nose. Or at least, I think that’s what she’s trying to do. Her English isn’t always great, and I don’t know a damn thing about makeup.
Eva felt it was important to not only alter our hair and eye color but also to change the shape of our faces. We know the casinos are using facial recognition software, and we need to trick the cameras into not recognizing us. According to Kim in casino security, this will be difficult.
Luckily, Natasha knew a man who specializes in a scary technique called ‘instant plastic surgery’. The combination of words ‘instant’ and ‘surgery’ was enough of a warning to me.
Natasha had called him up yesterday and told him it was an emergency. He’d hurried over with a black suitcase full of liquid injectables.
As soon as he began pulling out syringes with sharp needles and placing them on Eva’s desk, I’d backed away fast.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “If you don’t like the effects of the injectables, I can put in a syringe of a solution to dissolve it later. It can be gone in twenty-four hours.”
“No way in hell,” I told him. “I’m not injecting a foreign substance into my face for any reason.”
Natasha knew me well enough not to argue. She’d willingly sat down in the chair in front of him.
Without wincing once, she’d allowed him to inject the volume enhancing liquid into her lips and cheeks. Not enough to be noticeable, only enough to slightly change the shape of her face. The solution plumped up her lips and increased the definition of her cheeks.
As interesting as it might be to watch, the whole process gave me the creeps.
Now that it’s time to finally put our plan into place, I’m having second thoughts and wondering if my disguise is good enough.
Maybe I should’ve sucked it up and let the fake doctor change the shape of my face too.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Natasha says to me again while I stare at my reflection. “Do you like it?” She smiles patiently at me, waiting for my appro
val of her makeover. When I don’t answer, she frowns at me. “You don’t. Remember, you are Jade now, not Judy.”
“You’re right. If I must be someone new, then this is perfect.” I give her a grateful smile. “The hair style will grow on me. Where did you learn how to do makeup? Did your mother teach you?”
“Mother?” She lets out a humorless laugh. “I do not have a mother. She dropped me off at an orphanage when I was five. We were very poor. There was not enough money for two people to eat. When she left me, she said she would be back. I waited for a long time.”
The hurt and pain is clear in her voice.
“She never came back for you? Did something happen to her?”
“I never knew,” she says. “I barely remember her. The women who ran the orphanage told me she didn’t have a choice. Times were tough in Russia. A woman without a husband could not raise a child on her own.”
“I’m sorry,” I say softly, reaching over to touch her arm.
“I survived,” she says with a shrug. “I learned to depend on myself for everything. To depend on someone else is to be weak. I will never be weak again. I watched and taught myself many skills. Makeup, sewing, cooking. Anything I could learn. I begged people to teach me what they knew. The ladies at the orphanage told me I would have a better chance of being adopted by good parents if I learned a musical skill, too.”
“You can sing?”
“No, I play the cello. I practiced for hours every day when I was young, hoping to impress someone enough to take me home. Then one day I stopped playing. When I turned thirteen, a rich man began to visit me. He taught me many new skills. Much better than the cello.”
“Gambling?” I take a wild guess.
She smiles at me, her mood lightening.