Chapter Four: Leveling Up
Jaz
Of course, I saw him. Hard not to. I pretended I didn’t. I knew he watched me the whole time. Normally, I would stay on one table, especially if I was having a good run, but due to his gorgeous prying eyes, my movements between tables had to be snappy.
Despite him hovering like a drone, I managed to pick up another five thousand for the night. This fluttering-like-a-butterfly technique might be a new one to work with. I would have to thank him for that lesson.
I overheard that his name was Ink. Yeah… self-evident. He was covered in tattoos. I assumed that had been the reasoning for the name.
I was enjoying breakfast down at the Mississippi wharf before I went back to my apartment and practiced my sleight of hand for tomorrow night. I didn’t go to the casino every night. All thieves had to rest and recuperate… I was no different. I sighed blissfully as I watched the sunlight twinkle on the Holbeck water. I kept toying with the ideas of going on a river cruise or going shopping. I planned to decide my day in the next ten minutes. No hurry, I figured. I had all the time in the world to make a call, no place to be. No one cared anyway where I was.
I went to the bathroom to kiss the picture of Mom and Dad. If I could take back all of my street hustle and bring them back to life, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I let a tear fall down my face as I popped a grape in my mouth, I was feeling sorry for myself and needed cheering up. Shopping it was.
There were a couple of expensive stores right on the wharf strip and I wanted to check them out. For some reason, as I pressed the button to go down the elevator the security guard that picked up my chips floated through my mind. When I looked into his eyes I saw kindness and compassion. It threw me a little and made me extra defensive. People being nice to me wasn’t something I was used to. My game included being on the run, strategizing my next ploys and living at a speed of light pace. As I walked into the first store, he remained on my mind. Was he working part-time? Did he have a day job? Was he the head of security? All of these questions were swimming around my head. I was shocked I cared so much. I normally cared only about myself and what I could get.
I fingered the fabric of a chic red dress and my selfish senses resurfaced. A new dress would ease the pain. I wiped another tear, trying to drip from my eye. How did it get there? I got confused with my emotions sometimes. I had no place for them in my rogue lifestyle, but I still grieved my parents every day. Like the umbilical cord had been ripped from my stomach and I simply floated around in day to day life.
My palms felt slimy and suddenly, my mind flashed a repressed memory of the house fire that took my parents. The flames. The smoke clogging my lungs. Collapsing right in front of the building. Waking up to the worst nightmare in the world.
“Ma’am, can I help you with that dress? Do you want to try it on?” a salesperson offered.
I snapped out of the past and blinked away the tears. “Yes, thank you. I would. It’s a lovely dress.” I made small talk to cover up my internal tug-of-war. I gulped down the pain and took the dress as she opened up the dressing room curtain for me. I felt grateful that she kept talking, distracting me from thinking about my parents.
“Yes it is, the designer of the dress is local. We like to support; isn’t it so chic? You have a fantastic body, so it’s really going to accentuate your shape.”
I tried to guess how much commission she might make from the sale and let a sigh escape my lips. “I’m sure it will be great,” I said sadly as she closed the curtain. I stripped down and tried on the dress. Yes, her prediction had been correct. The rusty-red dress fit me so well and the fabric felt beautiful against my skin.
Another empty purchase to fill the void in my heart. Deep down, I knew it wouldn’t, but a girl had to do what she had to do right? I raised my hair up, so I could see my neckline.
I walked back out in my regular clothes as the lady rang up my purchase. I now pulled on my big girl panties to make it through. I pulled out my sunglasses to shield from the persistent tears and dropped them onto my face. I walked out to the ferry docks in the breeze and waited for it to take me away.
I sashayed into the casino at eight in the evening, not too early, not too late. Perfect timing, just as the night sky was morphing into sleep mode. I set myself up for a quick warm-up game to get into the groove. I thought for fun, I would play the first game of blackjack straight. I liked to mix it up, to see if I had what it took to make it without scamming the casino.
Five players were at the table with me. All were men. Each one of them gave me the once-over, surveying me from top to bottom.
Typical. Since there was no need for tricks, I sipped on a gin and tonic with a slice of fresh lime. I put the glass to my lips and dropped three 25-dollar chips on the green felt table.
I watched as the dealer expertly slid the cards out on the table and issued my temporary fate. Four of diamonds and six of clubs. I tapped the table for the next draw. Ten of spades. Hold. Twenty. Next to me. He had a hand of sixteen. Win. I gave him a look that said ‘you’re not even good enough to bet me the right way,’ then swigged down more of the gin and tonic. I was feeling spicy. When I looked up I saw that the security guard staring at me.
My heels were hurting my feet. That’s what I got for trying to look sexy. I shifted my weight and sent an eye roll his way.
His eyes didn’t waver; they were sealed on mine.
Usually, they looked away because I intimidated people, even with my small stature. I collected my winnings and looked for another table further away from him. I played it straight again. I won again. I looked up and a sharp inaudible gasp left my lips as I saw the same security guard with his hands clasped in front of him at my table. I’d moved all the way across the room. How did he do that?
Time for a showdown. I approached him. “Are you following me around the casino?” I asked him directly.
“Nope.”
The arrogant undercurrent in his voice made me not believe him. “You’re lying. I saw you follow me from the blackjack table, all the way over here.”
“I move around the casino like all the other security guards. That’s what we all do. Why do you care anyway? What’s your name? I don’t think I caught it the last time I picked up your chips.”
His power was intriguing, as he stood his ground with me. Attractive. Made me a little skittish. “I didn’t tell you my name, but it’s Jaz. What’s yours?” I enquired.
“Ink.” He pulled his arms together, displaying his tattoos. They were thickly muscled. “My arms might give it away.”
I ignored his impressive physique as I scanned all of his tattoos. Some of them were faded, and others were more vivid. A lion, a sword with a heart through it. Angel wings. Too many to count. I would have to get closer to him to check them out properly, but he was a work of art. His straight white teeth and wicked smile were winning me over, but the tables were waiting for me. I had to return to the reason I was here.