Beautiful Disaster (29 page)

“Good evening, gentlemen. Mind if I join you?”

They didn't look up. “Sure sweet cheeks. Grab a seat and look pretty. Just don't talk.”

“I want in,” I said, handing America my sunglasses. “There's not enough action at the blackjack tables.”

One of the men chewed on his cigar. “This is a poker table, Princess. Five-card draw. Try your luck on the slot machines.”

I sat in the only empty seat, making a show of crossing my legs. “I've always wanted to play poker in Vegas. And I have all these chips,” I said, setting my rack of chips on the table, “and I'm really good online.”

All five men looked at my chips and then at me. “There's a minimum ante, Sugar,” the dealer said.

“How much?”

“Five hundred, Peach. Listen … I don't want to make you cry. Do yourself a favor and pick out a shiny slot machine.”

I pushed forward my chips, shrugging my shoulders in the way a reckless and overly confident girl might before realizing she'd just lost her college fund. The men looked at each other. The dealer shrugged and tossed in his own.

“Jimmy,” one of the players said, offering his hand. When I took it, he pointed at the other men. “Mel, Pauli, Joe, and that's Winks.” I looked over to the skinny man chewing on a toothpick, and as predicted, he winked at me.

I nodded and waited with fake anticipation as the first hand was dealt. I purposely lost the first two, but by the fourth hand, I was up. It didn't take as long for the Vegas veterans to figure me out as it did Thomas.

“You said you played online?” Pauli asked.

“And with my dad.”

“You from here?” Jimmy asked.

“Wichita,” I said.

“She's no online player, I'll tell you that,” Mel grumbled.

An hour later, I had taken twenty-seven hundred dollars from my opponents, and they were beginning to sweat.

“Fold,” Jimmy said, throwing down his cards with a frown.

“If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I would have never believed,” I heard behind me.

America and I turned at the same time, and my lips stretched across my face in a wide smile. “Jesse,” I shook my head. “What are you doing here?”

“This is my place you're scamming, Cookie. What are you doing here?”

I rolled my eyes and turned to my suspicious new friends. “You know I hate that, Jess.”

“Excuse us,” Jesse said, pulling me by the arm to my feet. America eyed me warily as I was ushered a few feet away.

Jesse's father ran the casino, and it was more than just a surprise that he had joined the family business. We used to chase each other down the halls of the hotel upstairs, and I always beat him when we raced elevators. He had grown up since I'd seen him last. I remembered him as a gangly prepubescent teenager; the man before me was a sharply dressed pit boss, not at all gangly and certainly all man. He still had the silky brown skin and green eyes I remembered, but the rest of him was a pleasant surprise.

His emerald irises sparkled in the bright lights. “This is surreal. I thought it was you when I walked by, but I couldn't convince myself that you would come back here. When I saw this Tinkerbell cleaning up at the vet's table, I knew it was you.”

“It's me,” I said.

“You look … different.”

“So do you. How's your dad?”

“Retired,” he smiled. “How long are you here?”

“Just until Sunday. I have to get back to school.”

“Hey, Jess,” America said, taking my arm.

“America,” he chuckled. “I should have known. You are each other's shadow.”

“If her parents ever knew that I brought her here, all that would have come to an end a long time ago.”

“It's good to see you, Abby. Why don't you let me buy you dinner?” he asked, scanning my dress.

“I'd love to catch up, but I'm not here for fun, Jess.”

He held out his hand and smiled. “Neither am I. Hand over your ID.”

My face fell, knowing I had a fight on my hands. Jesse wouldn't give in to my charms so easily. I knew I would have to tell him the truth. “I'm here for Mick. He's in trouble.”

Jesse shifted. “What kind of trouble?”

“The usual.”

“I wish I could help. We go way back, and you know I respect your dad, but you know I can't let you can't stay.”

I grabbed his arm and squeezed. “He owes Benny money.”

Jesse closed his eyes and shook his head. “Jesus.”

“I have until tomorrow. I'm calling in a solid IOU, Jesse. Just give me until then.”

He touched his palm to my cheek. “I'll tell you what … if you have dinner with me tomorrow, I'll give you until midnight.”

I looked at America and then to Jesse. “I'm here with someone.”

He shrugged. “Take it or leave it, Abby. You know how things are done here. You can't have something for nothing.”

I sighed, defeated. “Fine. I'll meet you tomorrow night at Ferraro's if you give me until midnight.”

He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “It was good to see you again. See you tomorrow … five o'clock, all right? I'm on the floor at eight.”

I smiled as he walked away, but it quickly faded when I saw Travis staring at me from the roulette table.

“Oh shit,” America said, tugging on my arm.

Travis glared at Jesse as he passed, and then made his way to me. He shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at Jesse, who was watching us from the corner of his eye.

“Who was that?”

I nodded in Jesse's direction. “That is Jesse Viveros. I've known him a long time.”

“How long?”

I looked back at the vet table. “Travis, I don't have time for this.”

“I guess he chucked the youth minister idea,” America said, sending a flirtatious grin in Jesse's direction.

“That's your ex-boyfriend?” Travis asked, instantly angry. “I thought you said he was from Kansas?”

I shot America an impatient glare and then took Travis's chin in my hand, insisting on his full attention. “He knows I'm not old enough to be in
here, Trav. He gave me until midnight. I will explain everything later, but for now I have to get back to the game, all right?”

Travis's jaws fluttered under his skin, and then he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “All right. I'll see you at midnight.” He bent down to kiss me, but his lips were cold and distant. “Good luck.”

I smiled as he melted into the crowd, and then I turned my attention to the men. “Gentlemen?”

“Have a seat, Shirley Temple,” Jimmy said. “We'll be making our money back now. We don't appreciate being hustled.”

“Do your worst.” I smiled.

“You have ten minutes,” America whispered.

“I know,” I said.

I tried to block out the time and America's knee bobbing nervously under the table. The pot was at sixteen thousand dollars—the night's all-time high, and it was all or nothing.

“I've never seen anything like you, kid. You've had almost a perfect game. And she's got no tell, Winks. You notice?” Pauli said.

Winks nodded; his cheerful demeanor had evaporated a bit more with every hand. “I noticed. Not a rub or a smile, even her eyes stay the same. It's not natural. Everybody's got a tell.”

“Not everybody,” America said, smug.

I felt a familiar pair of hands touch my shoulders. I knew it was Travis, but I didn't dare turn around, not with three thousand dollars sitting in the middle of the table.

“Call,” Jimmy said.

Those that had crowded around us applauded when I laid down my hand. Jimmy was the only one close enough to touch me with three of a kind. Nothing my straight couldn't handle.

“Unbelievable!” Pauli said, throwing his two deuces to the table.

“I'm out,” Joe grumbled, standing up and stomping away from the table.

Jimmy was a bit more gracious. “I can die tonight and feel I've played a truly worthy opponent, kiddo. It's been a pleasure, Abby.”

I froze. “You knew?”

Jimmy smiled. The years of cigar smoke and coffee stained his large teeth. “I've played you before. Six years ago. I've wanted a rematch for a long time.”

Jimmy extended his hand. “Take care, kid. Tell your dad Jimmy Pescelli says hello.”

America helped gather my winnings, and I turned to Travis, looking at my watch. “I need more time.”

“Wanna try the blackjack tables?”

“I can't lose money, Trav.”

He smiled. “You can't lose, Pidge.”

America shook her head. “Blackjack's not her game.”

Travis nodded. “I won a little. I'm up six hundred. You can have it.”

Shepley handed me his chips. “I only made three. It's yours.”

I sighed. “Thanks, guys, but I'm still short five grand.”

I looked at my watch again and then looked up to see Jesse approaching. “How did you do?” he asked, smiling.

“I'm five K short, Jess. I need more time.”

“I've done all I can, Abby.”

I nodded, knowing I had already asked too much. “Thanks for letting me stay.”

“Maybe I can get my dad to talk to Benny for you?”

“It's Mick's mess. I'm going to ask him for an extension.”

Jesse shook his head. “You know that's not going to happen, Cookie, no matter how much you come up with. If it's less than what he owes, Benny's going to send someone. You stay as far away from him as you can.”

I felt my eyes burn. “I have to try.”

Jesse took a step forward, leaning in to keep his voice low. “Get on a plane, Abby. You hear me?”

“I hear you,” I snapped.

Jesse sighed, and his eyes grew heavy with sympathy. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my hair. “I'm sorry. If it wasn't my job at stake, you know I'd try to figure something out.”

I nodded, pulling away from him. “I know. You did what you could.”

He lifted my chin with his finger. “I'll see you tomorrow at five.” He bent down to kiss the corner of my mouth and then walked past me without another word.

I glanced to America, who watched Travis. I didn't dare meet his eyes; I couldn't imagine what angry expression was on his face.

“What's at five?” Travis said, his voice dripping with subdued anger.

“She agreed to dinner if Jesse would let her stay. She didn't have a choice, Trav,” America said. I could tell by the cautious tone of her voice that Travis was beyond angry.

I peered up at him, and he glowered at me with the same betrayed expression Mick had on his face the night he realized I'd taken his luck.

“You had a choice.”

“Have you ever dealt with the Mob, Travis? I'm sorry if your feelings are hurt, but a free meal with an old friend isn't a high price to pay to keep Mick alive.”

I could see that Travis wanted to lash out at me, but there was nothing he could say.

“C'mon you guys, we have to find Benny,” America said, pulling me by the arm.

Travis and Shepley followed behind in silence as we walked down the Strip to Benny's building. The traffic—both cars and people on the thoroughfare—were just beginning to concentrate. With each step, I felt a sick, hollow feeling in my stomach, my mind racing to think of a compelling argument to make Benny see reason. By the time we knocked on the large green door I had seen so many times before, I had come up as short as my bankroll.

It wasn't a surprise to see the enormous doorman—black, frightening, and as wide as he was tall—but I was stunned to see Benny standing beside him.

“Benny,” I breathed.

“My, my … you're not Lucky Thirteen anymore, now, are ya? Mick didn't tell me what a looker you've
grown into. I've been waiting for you, Cookie. I hear you have a payment for me.”

I nodded and Benny gestured to my friends. I lifted my chin to feign confidence. “They're with me.”

“I'm afraid your companions will have to wait outside,” the doorman said in an abnormally deep bass tone.

Travis immediately took me by the arm. “She's not going in there alone. I'm coming with her.”

Benny eyed Travis and I swallowed. When Benny looked up to his doorman and the corners of his mouth turned up, I relaxed a bit.

“Fair enough,” Benny said. “Mick will be glad to know you have such a good friend with you.”

I followed him inside, turning to see the worried look on America's face. Travis kept a firm grip on my arm, purposefully standing between me and the doorman. We followed Benny into an elevator and traveled up four floors in silence, and then the doors opened.

A large mahogany desk sat in the middle of a vast room. Benny hobbled to his plush chair and sat down, gesturing for us to take the two empty seats facing his desk. When I sat down, the leather felt cold beneath me, and I wondered how many people had sat in that same chair, moments from their death. I reached over to grab Travis's hand, and he gave me a reassuring squeeze.

“Mick owes me twenty-five thousand. I trust you have the full amount,” Benny said, scribbling something on a notepad.

“Actually,” I paused, clearing my throat, “I'm five K short, Benny. But I have all day tomorrow to get that.
And five thousand is no problem, right? You know I'm good for it.”

“Abigail,” Benny said, frowning, “You disappoint me. You know my rules better than that.”

“P–please, Benny. I'm asking you to take the 19,900 and I'll have the rest for you tomorrow.”

Benny's beady eyes darted from me to Travis and then back again. It was then that I noticed two men taking a step forward from the shadowed corners of the room. Travis's grip on my hand grew tighter, and I held my breath.

“You know I don't take anything but the full amount. The fact that you're trying to hand me less tells me something. You know what it tells me? That you're not sure if you can get the full amount.”