Chapter one

Jessica

The smell of tobacco was sickening and brought me back to a painful time in my life. The look across the table was one that was familiar to me. There were those trying to keep their jubilation in check and others stone cold sober. The cards were unpredictable. They were a reminder of how luck changes hands when you least expect it. It was a fickle mistress.

My father was holding two pairs and he was betting the farm on the other players believing the smirk on his face. I tried to pull him back from the abyss too many times to count. My presence was to undermine the others by using my sexuality as a weapon. He was paying me half the take and I couldn’t say no. The money was good, but only if lady luck held true.

I bent over showing an immense amount of cleavage to keep them preoccupied. It was a matter of one hand not knowing what the other was doing. I reached across and took a slug from the last of the beer bottle by Coughlin’s hands.

“I don’t know why you keep the temperature in here like this. I’m parched.” I finished off the bottle with my head back and my chest thrust out.

Men were easy when it came to seduction. They wanted to buy what I was trying to sell them. A brief glimpse at what could possibly be the best night of their lives. The table was littered with empty beer bottles.

“I like it hot in here. The temperature has already risen and it has nothing to do with anybody trying to turn it up. Having you here is a blessing and a curse. I’m not immune to your charms. It was ingenious of your father to bring you along for the ride. You class up this joint by the mere scent of your delightful perfume.” Coughlin had always been flirtatious, but nothing ever came of it.

Daylight was peeking through the curtains and my father was riding a winning streak. I tried to get his attention to let sleeping dogs lie. It was better to walk away before lady luck had a change of heart. Those in attendance were heavy hitters with money to burn. My father had rented out a suite in the casino looking to impress and it worked.

“You do know that’s my daughter you’re talking to. I thought there was an understanding among gentlemen of about this kind of thing. I didn’t bring her with me to have you ogle her like a piece of meat.” His plan was to use me and my considerable assets to his advantage.

“There’s no reason to be offended. I meant no disrespect. These games are usually very staid, but having her here helps to keep things interesting. A comely young blonde in the prime of her life has a lot to offer.” He wasn’t undressing me with his eyes, but there was interest in something more than this verbal sparring match.

“Just make sure to keep it in your pants where it belongs.” My father had been admonishing him all night concerning his wandering eye.

There was a cloud of discarded smoke thick in the air even with the window open. This was truly the city that never slept. New York had nothing on Las Vegas. It was gambling as far as the eye could see. Casinos were a dime a dozen. You couldn’t turn around without seeing the glitz and glamour of the lights.

“I’m a little too old to chase skirts. It doesn’t mean I can’t admire the curves of a young woman. There’s no harm in looking. I always go home to the one that captured my heart.” This was a game of sport where one wrong move could see profit become debt.

Coughlin had thinning gray hair, but he carried himself with distinction in custom-made Italian suits. His shoes were polished to a shine and his face was cleanly shaven without even a semblance of stubble.

My father was wearing the same damn suit he wore during my mother’s funeral. It was the only one he owned which made him look like a high roller. It was a façade built on a stack of lies. The pyramid was teetering and the wind of fortune was barely being kept together.

A couple of lightweights were sleeping off the effects of too many beers on the surrounding black leather couches. There were four left standing after 12-hours trying to match wits with each other. It didn’t come as any great shock the two making the most waves were Coughlin and my father. They were constantly at odds with this teeter-totter of success underneath their belts.

“I don’t know how Meredith puts up with you. She’s sleeping soundly while you are staring at something that should be off limits. You could do me the courtesy of playing the game before you.” My father gave me an imperceptible nod signaling that it was time to pull out the big guns.

I went into the same act where I was pretending to faint from the heat in the room. It wasn’t the first time we had resorted to these kinds of underhanded methods. It was all part of the routine we had mastered growing up fleecing people from one town to another. I had gotten out from underneath his thumb of influence by going to college. The degree wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on.

“I’m going to tell you a little secret about Meredith. Having this time to imagine the obscene possibilities is my own personal Viagra. I don’t need the magic of the little blue pill. It’s getting late and I have a flight to catch in the next couple of hours. Let’s say we make this the final hand…winner takes all.” My father could have easily said no, but that one word was never used in his vocabulary.

“I have no problem taking your money.” He didn’t have the same amount of funds leaving him short by $25,000.

“Frank, I will lend you the money.” My father was understandably suspicious of his motives, but his pride was on the line.

“You really shouldn’t have offered. Read them and weep.” His hand was a full house of Kings and Queens. It was very respectable.

“I have a pair of fives and another pair of fives. A four of a kind beats your full house. I will be in touch about this marker you owe me. I’m sorry I have to take my winnings and leave. This was a lot of fun and we should do it again soon. Don’t look so glum. This just wasn’t your night. The next time will be different. I know where you live to collect the debt.” He motioned for his driver and they left together.

The others stumbled out of the room mumbling incoherently. The sight was of the walking dead.

50% of nothing was still nothing. I never had a real job in my life. I depended on my good looks and sexuality to get me far. My flaxen blond hair and 5’4 and 145-pound frame were like catnip to the boys. My green eyes made them take a second look.

“I don’t know what happened. I thought I was reading him all night. I should have known he had something up his sleeve when he propositioned the last hand being one where the winner was able to take all. I fell into his trap and you tried to warn me.” My father was despondent, but he was holding up remarkably well considering the $25,000 marker.

“This is a hiccup and you will bounce back after you get this debt from around your neck. I might have a way to settle the score. Give me a couple of days and I’ll figure something out.” I patted his shoulder and thought of my sacrifice.

Losing the one heirloom my mother gave me on her deathbed was going to kill me inside.

I saw the writing on the wall 2-hours ago and had made preparations to meet with a certain antiquities collector. The broach was passed down from one generation to the next. I had already pawned most of my worldly possessions for my father.

I was no stranger to getting into trouble at an early age. I didn’t want to become him, but our paths were the same. College was my one chance to turn things around.

“I can’t always ask you to bail me out of trouble. This was supposed to be my chance to help you and not the other way around. I’m ashamed. I’m sorry you have a deadbeat father.” I couldn’t pick my family, but I could pick my friends.

Sebastian Cole was going to get a rude awakening when I landed on his doorstep.