I sat at the table and prayed for a number higher than eight, the dice felt warm in my sweaty hand and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. They rolled round inside my hand and I scattered them down the table, closing my eyes at the final moment of ejection as they made their way down the table and settled.
I let my head fall backwards, tried to relax my neck, feeling my rich golden hair fall down my back, hoping against hope that finally my luck had changed. I heard the girl next to me gasp and I tried to determine what that meant for me, had I won at last?
Three and Two.
Not enough, not nearly enough.
What would happen next I wondered, I was so far beyond the limit of credit that I had initially agreed that I could not believe the would let me borrow more. My credit cards were already maxed out and however good a customer I was, I couldn't believe that they would let me keep on playing. I had already had an interview with Mr Abadlioi last week after the previous set of losses.
I looked down at the beautiful blue satin dress that I was wearing, I had picked it out because the last time I had worn it, I had been lucky, had come away better than level. I loved the big slit down the front, the way that it showed off so much of my cleavage. Around the casino there were certain rules of behaviour that I loved. Guys could admire a beautiful woman and women could be admired, but no would make much of a move, no one would hassle you. It was nice, and safe.
Economically it was not safe I reflected, economically it was a disaster, a life changing, misery inducing, marriage destroying disaster.
I could feel my string pulling into my ass a little, the tops of my stockings on my hips, the lace gently hugging me to keep themselves in place. The satin was smooth and sexy against my skin and I thought that I may never be able to afford to buy such a garment again.
Silence descended over the table as behind me I could hear a group of approaching me. I turned slowly with a forced smile on my lips.
"Mrs DiAngelo, perhaps I could suggest that you come this way." Mr Abadlioi asked, a cold politeness still evident in his voice.
Behind him were two guys, not goons exactly but big guys that could look after themselves in a fight I was sure. Not that fighting was exactly my thing.
We walked away from the table and I could feel the eyes of all the people on the floor track me as I walked out passed the tables, passed the fruit machines and down a darker corridor leading to the backrooms where the reality of casino debts started to encroach on real life. No longer here were you just dealing in coloured plastic chips, this was where cheques and credit cards lived, and debt collectors and lawyers I supposed.
The guys on either side of me didn't even look at me. Here I was wearing a practically skin tight satin dress, pulled tight over my tits, accentuating my 34B breasts that were otherwise unencumbered with cover or support. I knew that men found this dress very sexy, I had seen the looks of lust, of desire in their eyes many times. I knew that my husband loved to see me in it, loved to see the way it showed the lines of my firm breasts, and just gave away a little of my nipples as they pressed into the fabric.
I was shown once again into his office and sat down opposite him, ensconced behind his huge solid oak desk. He smiled at me graciously.
"Well Mrs DiAngelo, we seem to find ourselves here again. Well, well, well. And so soon." He started.
"I seem to be going through a very unlucky run." I mumbled nervously.
"Yes, well that is certainly clear. But the problem for me is now really just how we are going to recover the funds. I seem to remember last time that you were very keen to keep it between the two of us. Does that remain the case?" He asked, his eyes roaming down over my form.
"Yes, my husband is away, he cannot find out, he works so hard and he has no idea I even come to casinos. But I have spent all my savings. I don't know what to do, I can't ask him for more money, anyway with the new house and things, there is no more money I am sure," I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.
"This is a very difficult situation you have created for yourself. I think you wrote us an additional cheque for a thousand pounds this evening. Will that cheque clear do you think?" He probed, his eyes biting back at mine, then slowly moving down my neck before his gaze rested on the sides of my breasts, clearly visible in the deep V at the front of my lucky dress.
"No." I admitted, I realised we had got past the point where lying was useful.
"And do you have any other ways to pay us back?" He asked, still wilfully staring at my breasts.
"No."
"I see. So you have no job, no income and no savings?"
"No, I have already given you them all." My heart sank further, it was true.
We sat there in silence for a few minutes, I looked at him, a growing feeling of fear and sickness growing in my stomach, an aching dread filling my soul. He smiled quietly to himself, seemingly happy to just admire my form and enjoy this moment of control and victory over a beautiful woman. I started to hate him in my heart, particularly his polite smugness.
I thought over how sad and broken John my husband would be with my behaviour. He was so careful with money, always buying the Ford over the BMW, eating chicken rather than steak, never buying himself new clothes until his old ones were worn out. And I had done this.
"OK, so I have a proposition for you. As it happens tonight is a special night for the Casino, tonight is what we in the management like to call monthly debtors night. In a few hours we have a very select group of clients coming to visit, and you would actually fit in very well, in fact I might say that you might even be the star attraction. But you will have to be a willing and happy participant."
I looked back at him, what could he be proposing? I asked myself.
"What do you actually want?" I asked hesitantly.