"You'll gamble everything we have sweetheart."
"I need to win big just one time, then I'll get everything back, Chloe."
"You won't, but I can't talk you out of this, so I'll wait for you at the bar."
Lance was always convinced the next hand would be his way back to riches, but every week, when the casino closed to regular punters and he joined the high rollers for a private game, the same thing happened. He lost big, someone advanced my husband more credit and he lost that too.
It went on for nearly and year and now, we had practically nothing left. I couldn't stop him even though most of our income came from my job as an executive in a specialised beverage import/export conglomerate. Lance gave me the ultimatum of divorce or support him. I'd never faltered before, but frankly, I was wavering these days.
We married young. I was twenty four, Lance was two years older and, to be honest, in the beginning everything was great. Now, with six years invested, we were both tired, barely still in love, and flat broke.
"Would you like a drink, Chloe? It's on the house."
"Yeah, I'll take a mineral water please, Harry. Ice and a slice."
"I see Lance is in the red big time again."
"Yup. He won't be done until we lose everything."
"Why do you put up with it?"
"Sometimes the only way out of a car crash is after the vehicle stops rolling, Harry."
A round of applause rippled through the players and a few guests observing them. My heart soared because it signified a big win and I glanced hopefully but my husband remained slumped in his chair, looking every inch the loser he appeared to have become.
I glanced back at Harry who looked sad for me, sighed, rolled my eyes and readied to collect my husband and assuage his pain.
"Just before you leave Chloe, may I say something."
"Yes, Harry?"
"You need to leave Lance. I hate saying it, but I've seen these guys habitually lose so many times and they never rise again. They don't stop gambling until their life's curtain comes down and in his case, you'll get dragged along."
"Thanks Harry, it's fair advice and I appreciate it. I'll be seeing you."
I collected Lance from the table, holding his trembling hand tightly, praying he could hold back the tears welling in his eyes just long enough for me to get him out the front door.
As we walked through the casino foyer, a familiar voice shouted my name.
"Hey, Chloe, can I have a word, please?"
I whirled around with my husband following in a slower orbit, him turning like an ocean going tanker. My old school friend smiled when he approached with an arm outstretched.
"Simon, it's lovely to see you. What's up?"
He wasn't offering a hand to shake, instead, Simon gripped my elbow, ushering me to god knows where behind reception.
"Come with me, please. It's a private matter."
"Private to you and me or private with Harry, too?"
"Both of you, please."
He sounded and looked intense, so I knew something was amiss, but I kept my calm because I couldn't imagine his concern might be about me.
Simon and I grew up together and were friends for years. We dated in high school but never got past kissing, then lost contact during college years and met again when I began working as a buyer of expensive whisky.
When Simon appeared disinterested in catching up, I had a couple of romances, mostly through work, then met Lance and well, the rest is history.
"Where are we going, Simon?"
"To my office. It's just around the next corner."
When we arrived I was agog. His office was palatial, and it became clear to me that Simon had fared well in life. The managing director and part owner of a casino with two thousand slot machines and three hundred tables had an office suite fit for a king.
"Wow. This is the most gorgeous office I've ever seen."
"Sit down, please. Would you like coffee or anything else to drink?"
"No, thanks."
I noticed he didn't chase my husband for a response, but I sat down to hear my old friend out despite a rising irritation. My husband browsed collectible sports memorabilia on display in well lit, fancy walnut and glass cabinets.
"You're scaring me, Simon."
"Lance owes a hundred grand, Chloe."
"Oh fuck. I thought it was ten."
"Nope, ask him if you need confirmation."
My husband hadn't batted an eyelid, admiring a tatty baseball in a presentation box on a table.
"Lance?"
"Lance?"
"Lance?"
On the third time of asking, he spun around with a deeply apologetic expression.
"What's up, Chloe?"
"Did you hear what Simon said?"
"Yeah."
"How will you pay the debt off?"
"Umm, well. It's, umm. Why don't you ask Simon?"
I turned from my stupidly nonchalant husband towards Simon. By now, both men angered me and I was fairly sure my old friend had detected that.
"He's offered you, Chloe."
"Fucking, come again?"
"Lance has offered you in repayment of the debt."
"In what way?"
My head snapped from one to the other as though I were spectating a tennis final. My stomach churned and I felt light headed as the ramifications of Simon's words coalesced.
"In a sexual way."
"To whom?"
"Peter Ingram."
"I've never heard of him."
"Gangster."
"Fucking hell. I won't do it. This is on Lance. He's a stupid wanker and needs to sort this out. I'm not fucking anyone to pay off his debt."
Simon stood up and sidled over next to me on a red leather sofa. I shook with anger and fear about what Lance had done. I saw he was upset too but not for the same reasons as I was. When my husband knelt before me, the tears rolled down his face.
"Peter will kill me if you don't do this, Chloe."
"Why, Lance? Why would you do this to me?"
He bowed his head in shame and the tears dropped onto Simon's parquet wooden flooring.
"I never thought it would come to this."
I let go of my husband's hands, unable to come to terms with his treachery. I stared at Simon, praying he had another solution, but his face was completely blank.
"How many times must I sleep with this guy, Peter, is it?"
"Just one night, Chloe, but it's tonight, here, upstairs in the penthouse and everything is prepared."
I recoiled in horror, pushing my husband backwards in disgust and as though doing so might drive the problem away.
"Did you know this, Lance? Is that why I'm here? As payment for your bad debt?"
"I'm sorry, Chloe."
"It's too fucking late for I'm sorry you disgusting bastard."
I collapsed back in the sofa, hyperventilating and sobbing. Simon sprung up, ran to his desk and rummaged in a drawer. I grabbed the paper bag he opened and breathed deeply into it until my heart rate settled and both lungs weren't near a collapse.
"Who keeps a paper bag in their office desk drawer?"
"Someone afflicted with the same anxiety disorder as you, Chloe."
Simon's expression was soft and kind, which was little consolation for a married woman about to be defiled by a stranger to pay off her husband's debt.
"How do we do this, Simon?"
"Security will take Lance upstairs first, then Peter will arrive and my team will take you up."
"Why's Lance going to be there?"
"Peter wants to teach him a lesson."
"So do I. It's not a bad idea."
"Then it works for both of you?"
"Will Peter hurt my husband?"
"No. That's not his way. He just wants you."
"Why me?"
"You'll have to ask him."
I sighed again. Lance had picked himself up and looked like a desperate, pathetic worm sitting on a wing-back chair opposite me.
"I'll have to deal with you later."
"Sorry, Chloe."
"Yeah, you said that, but it doesn't mean a lot right now."
I turned to face Simon who still had sympathy writ large all over his face. I tried to be pragmatic. There was no other way to quickly sidestep Lance's debt, because we had nothing left to sell.
"So I'm to lose my dignity at the hands of a sordid pervert?"
"I don't think Peter is that Chloe and fair exchange is no robbery."
"One hundred grand for one night with my pussy. I should be honoured I fetched such a high price, actually."
I shook my head in exasperation and Simon offered me his brown paper bag again. I politely, and gently declined, appreciating my friend was the messenger and that I shouldn't shoot him.
"What does he want from me? I mean specific details?"
"No holds barred."
"Hold on, that could be fucking dangerous."
"Not really, because you can back out any time."
"And Peter withdraws his payment offer?"
"No. Once you step into the penthouse, payment of Lance's debt is guaranteed."
I mulled it over in a calmer state. I kept glancing at my husband, feeling little except revulsion for my poor treatment at his hands.
"Honey, look at me."
"Yes, Chloe."
"Is this the only way to clear your debt?"
"I'm afraid so, yes."
I glanced sideways at Simon and his nodding head confirmed it.
"Okay. Let's do it."
It took five minutes for Simon's security team to collect my husband. I was surprised and slightly annoyed when they handcuffed him before leading a seemingly contrite Lance out of the office.