I usually enjoy my down time on The Strip. I've been here enough under my alias of Jake Lucasi that I get treated quite well and know most everyone at the Grand. Everyone but her.
She was the tall redhead seated in my usual spot. She reeked of found money, with her dark burgundy curls piled atop her head revealing a diamond necklace that probably cost more than the yearly salaries of 10 dealers here at the Grand.
Her dress was definitely an original, perhaps Versace, definitely one of the more established names. But speaking of original, I was pretty positive that she was the factory model. Her large breasts hinted at a bit of sag, and her youthful face did not betray any nips or tucks. She was naturally gorgeous and made up to be breathtaking.
I'm trained to notice these things, you see. I'm a contract assassin.
Her green eyes quickly took me in, but feigned indifference. I am 6'2'' and a chiseled 215 pounds of raw muscle. I knew I was cutting an impressive figure in my custom fitted Italian suit. I worked very hard for my money and was not averse to blowing a bit of it, or spending it on myself. There sure wasn't anyone else to spend it on, really.
I decided to sit down at the other end of the table, closer to Bill Naverone than I had ever been before. Bill's a plastic surgeon from San Diego that gets away from his wife down here. Never cheats, mind you, just gambles.
Bill nodded at me as I sat down and pulled out $75,000 from my jacket. She noticed that, but just barely. Whomever had his hooks in this one, they were suddenly a little loose.
Sonny Kwan completed our strange little foursome. I knew Kwan was a banker, but that was it. He smoked Thai cigarettes, coughing often, and had a habit of mumbling when things were going badly for him, and he was in full mumble now, so I figured he was down about 30 large.
The dealer cracked a new deck, and we were off. Holly, the stunning blonde that usually dealt this table, handed the deck to the redhead to cut and you could tell that Holly was as interested as any of us red-blooded males might be in her, and the redhead noticed, giving the dealer a coy smile.
My night started with a bit of lady luck, as I nabbed two queens. I stood, and was quickly up $5000. Sonny held on 17 and mumbled as the dealer pulled a face card over his upturned eight. The redhead managed a soft 19, so she won as well.
I tried my best to pretend she wasn't there, but she was easily one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. I concentrated more on the cards, trying to avoid any eye contact. A waitress came over and I ordered a shot of Walker Blue and a bottle of water and quietly asked that her next drink be on me, but to have it anonymous.
I was really having a good run, and found myself sitting on an extra $47,000 before long. Sonny had left soon after I arrived, and Navarone was starting to count the chips, probably settling on being down a grand or two.
The redhead was probably up between five and ten grand, but it was hard to tell, since she masked it well, and I didn't look for long – although her image was burned into my brain.
Her drink was delivered, and she looked around the other two tables in the high roller area, wondering where it came from. I downed my scotch and sipped at the water.
I broke sixty grand soon afterwards, and the waitress returned to clear my empty shot glass, and replace it with another.
"Um, I didn't order another," I said to her.
