Twist of Fate

The closed heavy draperies helped blanket the room in darkness. Outside the wind howled with its wolf-like voice. Just that sound made the house seem colder than it really was.

"Put your head down and rest," he whispered. "You know you want to. Things will be better in the morning, I promise. Everything always looks different in the light of day."

He hated lying to her, but if it could give her at least a little peace in this blackest hour, it was worth it. Things would not be better in the morning. What had happened here could not be undone. As he looked at the blood covering her, he knew that her life was coming to an end.

* * *

Was her fate pre-determined or would she be able to change it? Would her fate be determined by the turn of a card...?

* * *

Four months earlier, Sophie Huffman and her father Floyd were traveling to Las Vegas for her 18th birthday. It should have been a time for celebration but it brought only misery to her father and her. For the past ten years they had been on the lamb from loan sharks, unpaid bills and exorbitant amounts of gambling debts.

It was not an unusual occurrence for Sophie. Her mother died when she was eight years old, and since then her father started running up gambling debts and trying to outrun loan sharks from almost every state in the country. For the past ten years, Sophie had to learn as she went along in life, as she never got the chance to finish school. They lived out of the back of Floyd's old beat-up Chevy and Motel 6's. She was an absolute genius with numbers, but never had the chance to do anything with her genius. She worked out a year or so ago that if her father bet big enough in Las Vegas on a sure table he would be able to wipe his slate clean and let her finish school. Not that she would see a cent of the money. He had come to the same conclusion that the only way to clear his gambling debts was through more gambling, but if he won he would likely just pay off his creditors then "invest" the rest in more casinos until he was right back where he started.

As they drove along the highway at extraordinary speeds they left behind all traces of their former lives and identities. They were now using the aliases of Wesley and Megan Smith. This was his one and only chance to finally clear all his debts that followed them everywhere they went.

They drove all night as they kept one step ahead of everyone he owed money to. They took turns driving; as one slept the other drove. It had been this way since Sophie had turned fourteen and her father taught her to drive. The sun rose over the desert, blinding Sophie's tired eyes through the rearview mirror; in the distance she could just make out the Vegas skyline amongst the dust and haze. The raven-haired girl with big brown eyes reached over to her father and tapped him on the shoulder it to wake him up.

"Dad...DAD! We're here! I can see Vegas," she shouted to wake him up.

"Mmm...What?" He jumped up.

"Okay... wake me when we get to the hotel..." he yawned as he lay back down.

Sophie put her foot down on the gas pedal as they sped towards Las Vegas. She could not wait to get a long hot shower and a solid eight hours of sleep.

They passed a police car on the way into Vegas that clocked the speed of their car at 104 mph, but let them pass without pursuit. She pulled up to the casino's entrance and put the car in park. The valet came over and handed her a ticket. The bellboy took the bags out the car as Sophie woke her father and dragged him out the car.

"We're here, GET OUT!" she told him sternly.

They walked together into the hotel towards the reception desk to check in under the alias, with their newly acquired identification and credit cards.

"Please sign here, Mr. Smith..." the girl at reception said with a smile as she pointed at the slip of paper.

"Why? I have never had to do this before," Floyd protested.

"Procedure. It's for security sir," she said as she handed the key to the bellboy.

"Tom, our bellboy, will escort you to your room, sir. And if you need anything just dial 0 on the telephone. There will be someone here 24 hours a day. Enjoy your stay, sir," she said.

Their suite was on the 27th floor, so the bellboy took the key from the receptionist and led them to the elevator. There was a long awkward silence in the elevator journey as no one looked at each other and no one said a word.

The bellboy opened the door for them and placed the bags inside. As he stood waiting for a tip he watched Sophie, his eyes following every move she made.

"Get a good enough look, pal?" Floyd asked him angrily.

"Err... I'm sorry sir. I'll be going now," he announced as he turned on his heels, scurrying for the door.

Floyd and Sophie spent that day and the next planning how he was going to find the 'hot table' on his own. Sophie would have to trust him not to give into his gambling urges. They decided he would case the casino floor the night before; he would watch all the tables but not bet a single cent.

It was his test before the big night.

* * *

He was dressed in tourist clothing to blend in as he cased the floor, eying tables, security, and floor walkers. It went off without a hitch as he found two 'hot tables'; those tables were on fire that night, all night. He went back up to the suite to discuss strategy for big night with Sophie.

"Well..." Sophie asked bluntly as he walked through the door.

"There were two tables tonight, both equally matched. Both watched like a hawk, that's the sign. The tables that are being watched constantly are the tables to go for," he chanted off as he went into the kitchen for a beer.

"And...?" she piped up.

"And what?" He popped his head around the corner.

"Did you bet? Did you get the urge!" Sophie asked angrily.

"...yes, but I didn't act on it! God you'd think I was the child and you were the parent," he informed her sharply as he chugged down a beer.

"You shouldn't be drinking for tomorrow, you need a clear head to get it right," she sighed, as she knew she was talking to a brick wall.

She headed to her room, as she was not going to get into an argument with him over it. She turned on the television as she lay down on the bed. Her head hit the pillow and she was out like a light. This was the moment she had longed for all week, a comfortable undisturbed night's sleep.

* * *

Sophie was awakened suddenly at 5am by her father's loud singing. He was wasted; he had spent all night drinking and was now going to fuck up her chance of a normal life. She covered her head with her pillow as she tried to get back to sleep, but it didn't help, so she pulled the mattress into the bathroom and went back to sleep on the bathroom floor.

She woke up around midday to absolute silence. Sophie knew that silence was never good and never hassle free.

"Dad...DAD..." she called out from the bedroom.

Nothing, complete and utter silence.

She crept out of the bedroom on her tip toes; she looked to the left then the right, nothing. She checked the whole suite; he was nowhere to be found. The balcony doors were splayed open with the curtains billowing into the wind. Sophie's nipples became instantly hard with the cold wind blowing through the door, she walked toward the doors, shivering in her tiny pink shorts and gray tank top. Her hand pulled the curtains open to reveal her father passed out on the balcony. She closed the doors and curtains as she ordered lunch from room service.

"Happy Birthday, Sophie. 18 years old and it's turned out like all the rest, unnoticed," she said to herself as she sat waiting on the food.

There was a knock at the door 20 minutes later. Tom the bellboy delivered a cart that was overflowing with more than enough food for four people.

Sophie opened the door in her shorts and tank top, showcasing her voluptuous toned body that no teenager should have. Her nipples, still hard, strained against the material of her tank top.

"Hey, bring it on in." She shot a smile at him.

"Emm...Okay." He put his head down as he tried not to look at her.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she tried to get his attention.

"I'm fine, Ma'am." He looked her up and down, licking his lips unconsciously as he noticed her nipples.

"Ma'am? I'm 18, not 80! Come with me," she giggled as she walked toward the master bedroom.

He followed her like a lost puppy.

Sophie stood in front of the king-size bed with her hands on the hem of the tank top. She pulled it up toward her full perky teen tits as she revealed her tanned, toned stomach to him. She smiled and beckoned him with her index finger.

"I really shouldn't be here," he stammered as he walked toward the bed.

"Then why are you standing in front of me, Tom?" she smiled.

"Because I've wanted to do this since the moment I saw you," he whispered as he grabbed her head and kissed her with a raw fiery passion.

His hands roamed down her shoulder to the hem of her tank top. Slowly he slid it up her torso over her perfect C cup breasts, pushing up the top to expose them to his eyes. Breaking their kiss, he pushed her arms above her head and removed her top completely, then threw it across the room.

Sophie started to undress the bellboy as he kissed down her neck and onto her chest, his tongue tracing the path from where his lips had previously been. As she slid his shirt off his shoulders and onto the floor, he reached her hard and sensitive nipples. He kissed them both gently, followed by sucking on them, then he gently grazed his teeth over each one. Sophie gasped and shuddered as he did so. She gripped onto the back of his head and pushed him into her bosom.

Her hands slid down his back to his trousers. She furiously unbuckled them letting them fall to the floor with a thud. He continued down her abdomen to her navel, and his hands grasped her firm bubble butt before hooking his fingers under the waistband of her shorts, removing them in one swift movement. He kissed down her left thigh and back up the right before he threw her onto the bed.

Tom knelt between her knees and looking up at her with a smirk, he pulled her toward the edge of the bed, placing both legs on his shoulders as he kissed the inside of her thighs toward her dewy slit. He slid his hands around her thighs, pulling her lips back as his tongue licked from the base of her slit to her rosebud clit. He continued like this for a few more strokes before concentrating on her clit. Sophie was gasping and gripping onto the bed as his tongue revolved over her clit at speed, making her blood boil, her pulse race, and her desire for his cock to go off the Richter scale.

As he used his finger to massage her asshole and flicked his tongue over and around her clit, her breath grew faster and more ragged. She was about to come when suddenly he stopped. He let go of her altogether, and her legs fell onto the bed suddenly. Sophie opened her eyes as she looked up from the bed in horror. Her father held the bellboy in a headlock. He dragged him to the door, and threw him out into the hallway naked.

"What the fuck, Sophie! You fuckin' little slut!" he spat at her as she covered herself with the sheet from the bed.

"Why be so modest now?" he demanded. "You weren't five minutes ago with that complete stranger!" He drew his hand back and struck her across the face.

She let out a squeal as Floyd grabbed a fist full of her long dark brown hair at the nape of her neck. Dragging her to her bedroom, he threw her against the back wall before slapping her again. She lay on the floor curled in a ball sobbing into the floor as she clasped her face in her hands.

He stormed out of the room, closing the door and blocking it with a chair from the dining room. Sophie would not be going anywhere anytime soon and he knew it.

* * *

Floyd decided it was time to play cards. He changed into his tuxedo and headed down to the casino floor with the duffel bag full of money. He went over to the cashiers' desk and handed the bag over in exchange for 50k in casino chips.

"Please sign here sir... protocol," the young girl behind the glass said.

"Fine!" he said, exasperated.

"Have a good night sir, and good luck," she smiled falsely to him. Floyd smiled falsely back at her and walked away with the chips towards tonight's "hot table."

It wasn't so hot tonight. He had expected to lose a little at first before hitting a winning streak, but less than an hour later he counted his chips and realized that he was down to his last $1,000.00.

Common sense told him to cut his losses, but Floyd had never let common sense get in the way of his gambling. He was about to bet the rest when he saw someone important-looking approaching.

"Good evening Mr. Smith, or is Huffman?" the man asked. "My name is Michael and I manage this casino. I'm confused as to why you are registered as Wesley Smith but signed F. Huffman. I think we need to talk. NOW!" The manager sat down next to him at the table and continued.

"You see, Floyd, we know all about you and your pretty little daughter Sophie. And all the debt you have. Did you really think you could just run up all the debt and no one in Nevada would know about it? Come on, you're not that stupid, now are you Floyd?" he said sarcastically.

"I have a proposition for you. If you win, I'll keep your secret, pay off your debts, and give you money for Sophie's future. IF you can beat me at MY game. If you lose, I get Sophie and you get your 50 grand back. Deal?"

Floyd couldn't really see a down side to the proposition. Even if he lost, he would come out $49,000 ahead. And all he would lose would be that bitch of a daughter of his.

"What's the game?" Floyd asked, a little suspicious. It sounded almost too good to be true.

"One game. Highest card wins. That's it, simple," Michael smirked.

"Deal," he answered bluntly.

"Dealer, cut a new deck. Deal the top two cards out," the manager ordered. The dealer opened a new pack, shuffled them, and slid two cards onto the table, one to Michael, one to Floyd.

"Turn them over, gentlemen," the dealer said impatiently.

Floyd turned over a ten of spades and waited with bated breath to see Michael's card. Michael turned over a king of hearts.

"Well my friend, it's a pleasure doing business with you. Where is Sophie?" he asked abruptly.

"Where's my money?! Money first then you can get her," Floyd demanded.

Michael snapped his fingers and a security man appeared beside him with the duffel bag.

"Please escort Mr. Huffman off the premises. And make sure he never returns!" he ordered. "Now where is Sophie!"

"She's in the suite, locked in the room," he said with a shrug, opening the duffel bag to make sure it really was full of his money.

"Do not return to Las Vegas Mr. Huffman or it will be the last thing you do," Michael informed him, then turned to another security guard. "Go get my prize and bring her to my office," he ordered, handing him the master keycard.

* * *

As Michael sat patiently waiting for his henchman to bring his spoils to him, he thought of different ways he could use her. He decided to wait and see what her attitude toward him would be as to what he would sentence her to.

He could hear Sophie yelling and objecting to being brought down to the mangers office, not surprising as she had no clue what had happened. They burst through the door, and the henchman, known only as Ice, threw her in to the chair as he wiped the blood from his face.

"She's a fighter," he spat as he walked outside, closing the door behind him.

"Where is my father?! Why am I here? I haven't done anything wrong!" she shouted at Michael.

"Well my darling Sophie... Your father is on his way out of Nevada, and you are here because he bet you in a card game and now you belong to me," he cackled.

The colour drained from Sophie's face as she sunk into the chair across the desk from him in utter shock. She sat blinking but not moving or breathing. She was completely dumbstruck.

"He bet me?" she whispered as she frowned.

"Yes, and now you are my property to do with as I see fit. And I know exactly what to do with you, missy!" he laughed.

* * *

The Diamond Cavern was a popular bordello and escort agency that the casino owned at the end of the strip. Michael was no stranger to the place, as he had a stake in what went on there, so he visited it often. The frequency of his visits increased over the next three months; he had new girl in training there, a young and innocent beauty with dark hair and brown eyes, sure to be a big hit with the clients as soon as her training was finished.

He claimed he just wanted to protect his investment, but he had another motive for visiting the Diamond Cavern as well. He had made a mistake in not taking her right there in his office the day her father gambled her away, and he planned to rectify it.

With her training period soon coming to an end, he was getting impatient. One day, he walked in the front door of the bordello and called up the stairs to "Mama," the name that everyone called Phoenix, the Madam of the bordello.

"I'll be one minute Michael; wait in my office," she hollered.

Phoenix was in Sophie's room, currently occupied pinning the girl's hair.

"You look beautiful, Baby girl." Phoenix said, stroking Sophie's cheek as she looked at her in the mirror.

She could clearly see why Michael had given her the working name of Bambi; the girl had big brown doe eyes, a reminder of her innocence.

"Stand up and give me a twirl..." said Phoenix, holding back tears.

Phoenix knew Sophie was too smart to be working as an escort, she should be back in school learning how to become the boss not a bottom rung whore. She had tried everything to get Michael to change his mind about her, but nothing would stir him from that path for her. He had ulterior motives, and Phoenix knew it.

"You look like a million dollars, Sophie." A tear dropped from Phoenix's eye.

"You know you're like a mother to me, don't you?" Sophie asked.

"Uh huh, Sugar." Phoenix hugged her.

Phoenix knew all about Sophie's turbulent upbringing, and she felt nothing but pity for the girl. Some of the other escorts under Phoenix's care had similar hard-luck stories, but Sophie's was particularly sad. Over the past three months, Phoenix had taken special care of her as "Bambi" was trained and prepared for her new life.

"Stay here, Sugar, and stay out of his sight, okay?" Phoenix instructed Sophie as she rubbed her shoulder.

Phoenix walked out to her office where Michael was sitting, drumming his fingers on the desk waiting on her.

"What can I do for you today, Michael?" she smiled.

"You know what I want! I want Bambi, I want to break her in. I want to be her first client. Make it happen," he demanded.

"You should know better than anyone, Michael, I do not take demands, not even from you. We made a deal. When you turned her over to me, we agreed that what you get out of her is a percentage of the cash she brings in. You want more, you have to to go through the same process as everyone else. If you want to be her first client, then place your bid and wait," Phoenix smiled.

Michael slammed his fists on the desk.

"You can't protect her forever, and I WILL HAVE HER!" He stormed out of the office, knocking over another girl in his haste.

Phoenix had her own plan for Sophie, and she was just waiting on a certain person coming into The Cavern. She hoped it wouldn't be too long until he arrived, for everyone's sake.

* * *

The auction was rigged, of course; just an excuse to allow Phoenix to tell Michael to go to hell when he came around demanding to be Sophie's first client. But Phoenix had no intention of selling Sophie's first time to the highest bidder. She had a john in mind for the girl, so she was in frequent secret communication with a particular mystery bidder, revealing to him the competitors' bids to give him a chance to out-bid them. He had money, and was willing to spend it on something special. When the bidding ended, he was, of course, the winner.