I took my arm from around Karen and shoved my hands into my pockets. She instantly pushed her arm through mine as we wandered aimlessly around the room while I told her some of the rules of the games, and house rules of casino gambling. And all while I was telling her, she looked up at me and took in everything I was saying.
We came to one of the roulette wheels again and stopped while we watched someone play. It was only then I’d noticed the place was filling up. “So, I basically just pick a number then the guy spins the wheel and rolls the dice?”
“You can pick a number or a colour, red or black. If the ball lands on either the number or colour you picked, you win.”
She glanced up with a nod, but confusion marred her beautiful features. “That easy?”
“Yeah, that easy…until you lose.” I added,
“Then you throw even more money into the pot to win back what you’ve lost.” I looked around Karen, and there she was. I knew she wouldn’t be far away. Nikki was seating herself on a chair around the wheel. “Sorry, not interrupting anything am I?”
“No, of course not.” Karen answered politely. If I didn’t want to upset the apple cart right now, I’d tell her that she was, but being the good boy I am, I kept my mouth shut.
“So, you playing?” Nikki asked with a grin aimed at Karen.
“How much do I have to bet?”
“Hundred dollars minimum bet.” I told her, she took the cash from her pocket and held it out.
“Hundred dollars on black, please.” She told the dealer. As she passed over her money. Nikki threw some money in, and I threw two hundred in as well. I bet on number seven, red, while Nikki also bet on black.
“Red is the devil’s colour, you know,” Karen whispered in my ear, grinning.
My head tilted to hers, “I’m friends with the devil.”
“Anymore bets?” The dealer called out, halting any more conversation, Karen’s blue eyes were rounded as they bore into me. When satisfied there were no latecomers, he spun the wheel and threw the ball. “No more bets.”
My one hand balled into a fist, while my fingers on the other hand gripped tightly to the edge of Karen’s chair. “Come on seven. Come on.” I quietly willed the ball to drop into the right slot. I begged it almost. My eyes closed and shut everything out, the noise in the room, the ball hitting the wheel as it whirled around.
“Red seven.” The dealer called out. It was like music to my ears and my whole body sagged with relief at my first win.
I should have stopped there.
The next couple of hours flew by and right now, I was just about breaking even. We stopped at the blackjack tables, settled myself on a stool and that’s where I stayed. At this very point in time, I should have given in and walked away.
I didn’t.
Instead, Gavin Wright knew best.
And he was the cunt who liked to bring everyone down with him.
“Why don’t we go grab a drink? Have a break.” Karen said, her hand weaved around my elbow.
“I can’t.” My head shook frantically, but I didn’t look at Karen as I answered, instead my focus was trained on the table. I tapped the table for more chips and the croupier pushed moremy way. I swiped my brow with the back of my hand, I tried to appear unnerved, but inside I was trembling. I just needed this win.
This win and I could walk away.But would I?
“Gav. Please?” I felt her hand on my arm, but I ignored it. I flipped my cards over, and like tunnel vision, they were all I could see, and I’d broke. I stared as the croupier dragged all the chips from out of my reach, further and further away until they were on the opposite side. I’d lost and so it started the spiral. The sweat coated my palms and forehead as my head fell back on my shoulders and I dragged in a deep breath as my eyes closed at my own self-hate. When I opened them again, my gaze fell upon Alex as he leaned on the railing watching me, just like he said he would be.Fuck!
Karen had disappeared from my side, I didn’t know when she’d left, but right at this minute, I didn’t care. It was like the other side of me had come out to play. The devil was chasing his demons, and right now he was winning, because I couldn’t give a toss about anyone else but me and getting my money back. The rational side of me knew that wasn’t going to happen. The croupier nodded my way, I did the same back and pushed the rest of my chips into the middle, he hooked his stick around them and dragged them towards him, it was all I had left, I blew out a calming breath as my card followed. I rested my fingers on it for just a second, they trembled with hope. My eyes closed again as I turned it slowly over. As I checked them my fingers shook even more and asked for another card, then another. As I tallied them up; I felt sick. I broke again. It felt like the world was bearing heavily on my shoulders, I fell forwards, my forehead hit the table with a thud until my body sagged.
“Come on, dude, that’s enough.” I recognised Alex’s voice straight away. He patted my shoulder. He tried to comfort me, but I didn’t want comfort. I needed to fucking play.
I had to pull myself together. I stood and took my wallet out. “Just one more game.” I opened it up and saw I had no cash left so it was whatever I had available in the bank on my card. “Got a cashpoint?”
“A what?” Alex asked confused.A frown pinched the skin between his eyes.
“Fuck. An ATM.”
