Page 48 of Betting Blind
People crowd the space around the bar while two beautiful women dance on top, shaking their asses to the beat of the music. They wear spiked leather bras and leather shorts over fishnet stockings, and both men and women are throwing money into the tip jars along the expanse of the counter.
I drag Juliana behind me. “This is Double-Down,” I tell her excitedly as we rush up against the crowd of people waiting to get a drink. An identical poster, like the one I saw at the casino earlier, hangs to the right of the alcohol-infused slushie machines. I elbow Jules, directing her attention to it.
Her eyes widen. “I wonder what the contest is?”
I survey the metal bartop, attempting to find any clues that would help give us an edge on the competition. It’s long enough that six separate people are simultaneously serving drinks to the greedy crowd, and my eyes fall to a tall man who pushes his way behind the servers, placing a cardboard box full of something I can’t quite see on the ground.
“Thanks, Lenny,” one of the female bartenders tosses over her shoulder as he turns to leave.
I stand on my tiptoes to get a better view, and right as he makes his way through the doors leading back inside the casino, I catch sight of something that stops me in my tracks. My eyes eagerly shift back to the poster of the man who is made to look like a showman.
If what I saw in that box is to be used for the event tonight, then we have a better chance at winning that grand prize than I’d thought.
Chapter 22
Cassidy
Jules and I huddle together around a table at the piano bar right inside the famous Double-Down. The room is dimly lit with warm dangling lights, and the eggplant-purple suede of the circular couch we’re sitting on is cozy enough for me to fall asleep.
I wave at the beautiful red-headed server passing our table, and she stops to take our order. “Can I get you ladies anything?”
“Can I get a black coffee, please?”
She smiles, turning to Jules. “And I’ll take a tequila on the rocks.”
I spot Jack and Derrick coming through the entrance, and my heart quickens its pace. Jack scans the small room, capturing my attention, and I take a moment to gather my composure as question after question tumble through my mind. This is the part of getting serious with someone that no one’s prepared for. Am I expected to act casual after knowing what this man has done to my body? Never mind what he’s doing to my silly heart.
Juliana waves them down as the waitress comes back with our drinks and jots down an order for the boys. They spread out beside us on the couch and Jack’s legs part as he leans back beside me. He watches me gently blow on the steaming hot liquid inside my mug.
“Hi,” I say over the rim, continuing to cool off the beverage.
Jack’s eyes dance with mischief as he leans into me. Brushing his lips against my cheek he whispers, “For the rest of the evening, I’ll be thinking about those pretty lips wrapped around my—”
“Ahem.” I clear my throat a little too loudly and nod toward Juliana and Derrick. “I figured out how we’re going to get the money we need.”
Jack smirks like he’s proud of the heat searing my face, but I don’t waste another moment. I jump right into telling them about the contest and the fifty-thousand-dollar prize. “If I’m not mistaken, this is going to be a juggling contest.” They fall silent as I take a gulp of coffee.
Derrick’s laughter earns him a pointed look. “I’m serious! I saw a man carrying a box of juggling clubs earlier, and he placed them behind the bar. Why else would he do something like that?”
Juliana butts in. “Yeah, but who do we know that juggles?”
Crossing my arms, I raise a brow, and point to Jack. The smile he had resting on his face falls.
Jack shakes his head, cutting my hopes off at the knees. “What I do is a silly bar trick, Cass. I’m nowhere near good enough to win fifty grand.”
Every Friday night, Jack hops up on the bar in all his sexy glory and has the crowd at The Pound eating out of his hands. There is not a single doubt in my mind that he can do this, and that’s exactly what I say to him.
“Cassidy,” he attempts to argue.
“Jack,” I retort, but it’s Juliana who grabs his shoulder, giving him a shake.
“If we don’t win that money, we won’t be able to help Ben.” She slaps his back and to my surprise—and his—he shifts forward. “So, gather up yourcojones,amigo. It’s show time.”
“Oh, and… we have about thirty minutes until they start,” I tell him.
He turns narrowed eyes on me, and I shrug. “Don’t worry. I already signed you up.”
“That’snotwhat I’m worried about,” he grumbles as Jules and I stand and place some money on the table for our drinks.
