Chapter 4 First Test

• Scarlett's alluring eyes stayed locked on mine.
• "Playing dumb with me, huh? Sure, I've been lucky before, but you expect me to believe I just happened to pull off an instant win in Rummy with a perfect hand? Alright, maybe luck smiled on me once, but after that, why was it that every card I needed, you played it out exactly?"
• She paused deliberately, then added, "Especially when Kelsey and that guy were clearly in on a scheme together. You're trying to tell me you're not skilled at this game? I'm supposed to believe that?"
• I was caught off guard.
• So, Scarlett had known all along that those two were cheating.
• If she knew, why didn't she call them out? Why keep playing?
• "If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do about that," I replied calmly, without trying to explain or soften my tone.
• I didn't bother showing her the usual respect most people would show their manager.
• On the contrary, I remained as distant and cold as I had always been, speaking to her like she was just another stranger.
• It wasn't that I didn't understand social niceties or that I was trying to be difficult.
• But as Friday once told me, a professional gambler doesn't just need top-notch skills; they need pride, too.
• Without that pride, no matter how talented you are, your employer will never respect you. You'll just be another tool for them to make money. And when things go south, guess who they'll blame? You.
• Scarlett didn't get frustrated at my coldness. Instead, she smiled.
• "Saturn, you know, out of everyone at the Cosmos Club, you're the only one who dares talk to me like this. Aren't you afraid I'll fire you?"
• I stayed silent.
• "Give me your hand," she suddenly said.
• I looked at her. Though I was unsure of her intentions, I extended my hand nonetheless.
• Scarlett gently held my hand, occasionally rubbing her palm over mine.
• Her hand was soft and smooth, like fine silk.
• The gesture felt intimate, even flirtatious, but she acted as though nothing was out of the ordinary.
• Then she began slowly tracing her fingers across my palm. The sensation was soft and ticklish.
• For a moment, I wondered what her game was, but I didn't pull away.
• I let her play with my hand as she pleased.
• Finally, after what seemed like ages, Ms. Bell spoke, "You've got beautiful hands. It would be a shame if you didn't learn how to gamble properly."
• I was speechless at that comment, though her words echoed something Friday had once said to me.
• He said my hands were long and firm, perfect for learning card tricks. These were the hands of a born professional gambler.
• "Come on, I'll take you somewhere," Scarlett said. She released my hand, standing up and grabbing her car keys.
• Then she paused, reached into a drawer, and pulled out a thick stack of bills, tossing it on the table.
• "Whether you cheated or not, I win because you stepped in today. Take this ten grand—think of it as your bonus."
• I took the money without hesitation. It was well-earned.
• Still, I couldn't shake the feeling of curiosity. Why did Scarlett keep playing, knowing full well that Kelsey and that man were cheating?
• But she didn't offer an explanation, and I didn't ask.
• Scarlett drove a red Audi A4.
• I sat quietly in the passenger seat, watching the road ahead, saying nothing.
• After a while, she glanced over at me; her curiosity piqued.
• "Saturn, you're such a strange guy. You barely speak, and you never smile. After getting into my car, you don't ask where we're going. Don't you think that's odd?"
• Still, I said nothing.
• She smiled when I remained silent.
• "The more you act like this, the more curious I get. Are you pretending to be cool, or are you just naturally cold?"
• I turned to look out the window and answered in a flat tone.
• "A woman shouldn't be too curious about a man; it usually leads to trouble."
• I wasn't that old, but the way I spoke made me sound like I'd seen it all.
• Scarlett laughed at that.
• She turned to me and teased, "You think that because I'm curious about you, it means I'm into you? Where do you get that kind of confidence? Do you think that's even possible?"
• "Anything's possible," I said with a shrug.
• Scarlett laughed again.
• Her laughter was so intense that her whole body shook.
• Her chest heaved with each laugh.
• I knew why she was laughing. It wasn't a mocking laugh, but there was a hint of ridicule.
• As Cosmos Club manager, she had seen plenty of men—government officials, CEOs, mob bosses.
• Many of them wanted to get in bed with her. Compared to the men she rubbed shoulders with daily, I was insignificant—a speck of dust. There was no reason she'd ever take an interest in me.
• Ms. Bell glanced at me and teased, "I'm getting more and more interested in you. Your little mind surely runs wild. Alright, let's say, just hypothetically, if I did fall for you, what would you do to support me?"
• "Money," I replied bluntly.
• "Money?" She raised an eyebrow. "And where would that come from? Are you planning to support me with your monthly salary at the club? What, am I supposed to start collecting food stamps?"
• Women are realistic.
• But I understand her being realistic.
• Who doesn't like money?
• I shot back, "So, you'd only be with me if I had money?"
• "In your dreams," She scoffed.
• Although my boldness didn't completely turn her off, she did roll her eyes.
• Still, her reaction only fueled my desire to win this game.
• Dream?
• Well, that dream will come true—with you sleeping on my bed.
• What I didn't expect was that she took me to an underground casino.
• The place was hidden inside a hotel, with tight security.
• You couldn't just walk in—you needed an insider to even get in, and we had to take a private elevator from the parking garage to reach it.
• The casino itself wasn't massive, but it had everything you'd expect.
• Slot machines and bingo filled the outer rooms, while blackjack, poker, and roulette were in the back.
• It was dinner time, so the crowd wasn't large—maybe a hundred people milling about.
• Ms. Bell knew the place well. After showing me around, she pointed upstairs.
• "The ground floor's for regulars. VIPs are upstairs. They play everything up there, and you can even set up your own private game."
• She explained that high rollers could bring their own people or request that the casino provide players.
• As for the games, anything went—poker, roulette, rummy, dice, you name it.
• As long as you had money, the casino would cater to you, even if you wanted to play rock-paper-scissors.
• For these private games, the casino made money by taking a cut of the winnings.
• I still didn't understand why she had brought me here.
• Did she think I was some kind of professional gambler and want me to make her some cash?
• Noticing my silence, Scarlett offered, "Want to play a few rounds? I'll grab some chips."
• I shook my head immediately.
• "No thanks. I've never played."
• The moment I said it, I could see a flicker of disappointment cross her face.
• But I wasn't lying. I had never gambled in a real casino.
• Friday had taken me to countless gambling dens and casinos across the country, but he never let me sit at a table.
• He referred to it as mental training. He said that once you sit at the table, you'll want to win. And once you want to win, you'll cheat. And if your technique wasn't perfect or your mind wasn't sharp enough, cheating would lead you straight to disaster. Even if you didn't get caught this time, you eventually would. Only when you're calm enough to handle a gun to your head without flinching, Friday had said, should you sit down at a table and play.
• Scarlett wasn't ready to give up. She leaned in and asked, "Saturn, don't you want to make more money?"