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This early in the morning, there’s not exactly a full house, and I gravitate closer to Ethan as I make my rounds of the floor.
Denise wasn’t kidding either, and it isn’t long before I see not only security but the owner of the casino himself striding in.
Three guards on each side of him, giving him the intended appearance of… well, the owner, I guess. Which he is.
But seeing Levinson spot Ethan, I can tell by his smile that it’s supposed to be a friendly visit.
Glancing over at Denise, I see she looks as confused as she is tired.
And it also occurs to me that she might’ve been trying to get me to work an extra shift so she doesn’t have to.
She lives in the casino hotel, but I’m sure even Denise doesn’t want to spend every waking moment walking the slots floor.
As discreetly as I can, I hover closer to Ethan’s machine so I can hear what they’re saying.
And from what I hear, I’m even more curious to know just what did happen after I was booted from the Pearl Room last night.
Levinson seems almost embarrassed, but he forces a loud laugh and smile, slapping Ethan on the back as if they’re old friends, which I can tell by Ethan’s expression that they’re not.
“You left without collecting your winnings last night, Mr. Silverthorne,” Levinson scolds him playfully, wagging a fat finger in front of him as Ethan looms over him, even though he’s still sitting down.
“I wanted to invite you back to the Pearl Room…to try your hand at maybe….”
I’m straining to hear the details, and dammit, if the machine I’m hovering next to doesn’t start to make its own jackpot noises, drowning out anything I might have heard.
But with Levenson’s security team eventually blocking my view and the slots floor the busiest sounding it’s been for ages at this time of day, I figure I’ll just have to ask Ethan what’s going on once I finish my shift.
If I can stay focused, that is.
Having him so close yet so far away, and his eyes on me the whole time. He’s a huge distraction, but the best kind.
And I’m already regretting my stubborn attitude about wanting to pay my own way.
I’d rather be snuggled up somewhere with Ethan with my feet over his shoulders, not aching under me as I do laps of the slots lounge.
But whatever Ethan has to say to the casino’s owner has a magical effect.
Security calls my supervisor over, and instead of helping a guest, I move closer to see what’s happening.
But I’m only met with a wall of security guys and now an old lady shouting at me for walking off.
Gritting my teeth and smiling for our guests, I help her out with her machine and jump a little when I turn to see Denise hovering behind me.
She looks like she’s about to cry.
“Mr. Levenson told me to tell you that you’re spending the rest of this weekend’s shifts assisting Mr. Silverthorne personally,” she manages to tell me, biting down on her emotions.
“I’ll cover your shifts somehow down here. Mr. Levenson owns the casino, so whatever he wants…we’re here to do it,” she clips, shooting me a hostile glance before I look back over to Ethan.
He’s alone again, smiling to himself as he deliberately avoids my gaze, pumping the slot machine buttons and winning more money as I make my way over to him.
“Ethan?” I ask him in a low, suspicious tone. “What did you do?”
“Oh, hi, Krissy!” he exclaims with mock surprise, unable to hide the mischief in his eyes.
“Ethan,” I caution him, hating to be the last to know anything.
“Mr. Levenson was sweet-talking me, trying to lure me back to the Pearl Room so he could squeeze more money out of me,” he remarks casually, pretending to be interested in his latest win on the machine.
“And…,” I gulp, wondering just how well I know Ethan.
That divide between his world and mine shows itself again, but he’s no tease and quickly puts me out of my misery.
“We can go anytime you want,” Ethan says, as a matter of fact.
“You’re mine for every shift you want to work this weekend. And after work? Well, you can do what you want, but I kinda hoped you’d wanna spend it with me,” he says, grinning from ear to ear.
“You’ll be paid your wages, so there’s no need to worry about that. I thought we might go do some shopping?” he adds.
But I need a moment to process what he’s just told me, and I go quiet.
On the one hand, a day with Ethan is all I want.
But on the other hand, having him manipulate things, and god knows how he has, is mildly infuriating for me.
But mainly because I’m powerless to pull any strings.
“Just like last night, you can be my ‘hostess.’” He beams again, urging me to get what I need so we can get out of here.
