His Kingdom (Owning Vegas Book 1)

Louie hands me a stack of chips. Chips that say one thousand on them. “This is too much. I thought we were just going to drop a dollar or two into a slot machine,” I tell him.

“If we’re going to gamble, Charlotte, we’re doing it properly,” he says, holding a case full of chips in one hand. His other hand lands on my lower back. “Besides, you’re my good luck charm. I have a feeling I’m going to win tonight.”

“Ah, Louie, you’re the house, remember? You win every night,” I whisper.

“Even more so now that I have you in my bed.”

We end up in front of a roulette table. “I don’t actually know how to do any of this,” I admit. Which is why a slot machine would have been the better choice. There isn’t much to them.

“It’s easy. Place a chip on any number or you can do more than one. You can also bet on red or black by placing a chip here or here.” Louie points to various spots on the table. “Or you can bet on odd or even, or high and low numbers. Take your pick,” he says.

“I can do two numbers?” I ask him.

“You can.” Louie nods.

I look through the chips in my hand. “Do you have anything lower? This is a lot of money to lose.”

“Sweetheart, even if we lose, it goes back into the casino, which we own,” he reminds me.

“Right.” Okay, so I’m not really gambling with thousands of dollars here. I can do this. I put a thousand-dollar chip on four and then another on sixteen.

“My lucky numbers,” Louie says.

“Hey, they’re mine. Get your own.” I laugh. It’s yesterday’s date, the day we got married.

“They can be ours.” He wraps an arm around my waist.

I don’t miss the way women are openly gaping at us, most sending daggers my way. Louie either doesn’t notice or pretends not to.

“Watch.” He nods at the dealer, who spins the wheel. The little ball goes around and around until it slowly stops on the number four.

“Did we win?” I ask.noveldrama

“You won.” He chuckles in my ear, his chest pressing against my back.

I jump up and spin around with excitement before my arms wrap around his neck. “I told you they were lucky numbers.”

“The luckiest,” he agrees.

I push up on my tiptoes and press my lips against his. I can never get enough of kissing him. I still think I’m locked in some kind of dream and this isn’t really my life right now.

“Come on, we’ve got more games to learn,” Louie tells me.

We end up at a card table. Louie pulls out a chair for me while he stands at my back. “What is this game?” I ask him.

“Black Jack. It’s easy.” He places another pile of chips in front of me.

The dealer hands out two cards to everyone. I pick up mine. I know you have to make twenty-one to win, or get as close to it as you can. I just got dealt a queen of hearts and an ace of spades.

“Queen of hearts, that’s you,” Louie whispers in my ear. “You’re my queen of hearts. And you’ve already won the game.”

“Really? I won again?” I shriek.

The other players at the table groan and glare at me. That is until Louie turns to them. “Problem?” he asks.

“No, sir.” All three men shake their heads.

“I didn’t fucking think so,” Louie says. He lifts me from the chair, holding me upright until I’m stable on my feet. “Let’s go find a poker game. You really are my lucky charm.” He then swipes up my winning hand before turning to the dealer. “Get a new deck. I’m keeping these.”

The cards are black and gold with the royal flush symbol on the back. I don’t know who does Louie’s marketing, but they’re good. Because even the playing cards in this place look high end.

“What’s next?” I ask. “Also, just in case I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time tonight. You’re not too shabby at this dating thing.”

“I’ll have to up my game if not too shabby is all I’m rated.” He laughs. “I’m going to wine and dine the fuck out of you, Mrs. Giuliani.”

I spin around and walk backwards so I’m looking directly at him. “I can’t wait to be wined and dined by you.” I smile, my feet coming to a stop when Louie wraps an arm around my waist again.

“I love you,” he says. His lips descend towards mine. And just before they reach, a glint of something behind him catches my eye.

No, not something. A gun. Pointed right at Louie’s back. I push him to the side. Which must catch him off guard, because somehow I end up in front of him as he stumbles out of the way. And then a sharp burning pain tears through my right shoulder.

Screaming. There’s so much screaming. I stumble back. Into a body.

“Fuck, Charlotte!” Louie shouts. His arms wrap around me, and I lean against him as we both fall to the casino floor.

No. He wasn’t hit. He couldn’t have been.

I pushed him out of the way. I know I did. But Louie is still screaming, and chaos is erupting everywhere. I see guns, so many guns. Followed by loud bangs, which send a high-pitched ringing through my ears.

I look up at Louie. “I love you,” I tell him, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Don’t…” Louie growls. “I need a fucking ambulance now!” He calls out over the deafening noise, his hand pressing against my shoulder.

It hurts. I close my eyes. I can feel sleep pulling me under. If I sleep, maybe it won’t hurt so bad.

“Charlotte, don’t you dare leave me! Stay with me, sweetheart, please.” Louie’s voice has my lashes fluttering open. “That’s it. Look at me. You said you wouldn’t leave me. Why would you do that? Why would you jump in front of a fucking bullet?”

“Because I didn’t want it to hit you,” I tell him.

“Where the fuck is the ambulance?” Louie yells out again.

“I’m just gonna sleep for a little bit.”

“No. Don’t!” This time, Louie sounds like he’s underwater. Or maybe I am. I like being underwater. It’s calming here.