Chapter 12

LOUIS

My new uniform itched.

I was given an all-black clean and starched ensemble which included a dress shirt, pants, and a vest. It was nothing like the faded hand-me-downs from home.

“It’s itchy right?” one of my co-workers asked, as she too slipped into her attire.

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Don’t worry,” she replied. “It’s usually like that the first time.”

I gave a small smile and went back to putting on the outfit.

“I’m Abigail,” she said, stepping in front if me and thrusting her hand out. “You are?”

I looked at her hand, not necessarily used to socializing with people, but took it anyways.

“I’m Louis,” I said. She held my hand a little bit longer and smiled.

“Nice to meet you, Louis,” she said, her voice filled with enthusiasm I could really borrow right now.

“Well,” she said, adjusting her skirt. “I’ll see you around. Have to get to work.”

I gave a slight nod and with that she left.

I shook the weird encounter from my head and tugged nervously at my collar before I stepped onto the casino floor for the first time.

The place hummed around me like a living, breathing entity. There was lots of laughter, clinking glasses and the sweet, intoxicating smell of whiskey and expensive perfume.

I made my way carefully through the crowd, tray in hand, hyper-aware of every step I took as I walked.

The bruises under my clothes throbbed with each shift of my weight, but I gritted my teeth and kept going.

“Don't screw this, Louis,” I muttered to myself.

"Lost, kid?" a voice said from behind me, almost making me drop the tray in my hand.

I turned and there he was, a pit boss—a mountain of a man with a crooked nose.

“Not really, sir,” I replied. Shit, I shouldn’t have spoken at all.

He barked out a laugh and jabbed a thumb toward the roulette tables.

“It’s that way, kid,” his surprisingly soft voice spoke. “Try not to get lost again.”

“Thank you,” I muttered and headed in the direction he pointed.

My face burned in embarrassment. I hadn’t even started and I was already blowing it.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I kept moving forward, but then I spotted a dark form propped against the far wall, observing as he always did and my heart faltered.

Elias.

Even amidst the ocean of black suits and sparkling gowns, he stood out. He looked sharp and deadly as he always did and at that moment, his eyes locked with mine.

My throat went dry.

I dropped my head hastily, concentrating on the drink orders crackling in my ear.

Hours blurred by in a daze. I gave a smile where necessary, served and nod when I was mandated to. It was a boring chore really.

By the time midnight rolled around, my ribs ached severely and my legs trembled under the strain of standing for too long.

I slipped behind the bar to take a breather, massaging and flexing my throbbing fingers. This job was more tasking than I initially thought, but if anyone could carry the load, it was definitely me.

At that moment, something happened.

A bunch of sloppy, drunk high-rollers stumbled up to the bar.

One of them, a big guy with slicked-back hair and diamond rings, caught sight of me and leered.

"Hey, pretty boy," he slurred. "C'mere."

I forced a polite smile and took a step closer.

Bad idea.

His hand shot out before I could react, catching a fistful of my shirt and yanking me closer to him.

"You’ve got a sweet face you know," he growled, his whiskey-rotten breath washing over me. "Bet you're sweet all over, huh?"

My heart pounded fiercely in my chest.

Panic flared, the old panic, and I tried to pull away.

His grip on my shirt grew tighter, hurting me.

"I said, c'mere," he said, more aggressive this time around.

I opened my mouth to protest—to yell for security —but I didn’t have to because in a split second, a hand descended on the man's wrist with cruel force causing him to yelp in pain as Elias twisted his arm back, slamming him to his knees with scary efficiency.

"You have two seconds to take your filthy hands off him," Elias said, his voice low and lethal, "before I shatter every finger you touched him with."

The entire bar area went deathly quiet.

I was frozen, my breath trapped somewhere between terror and awe.

The man whimpered—actually whimpered—and retreated, cradling his hand with the good one on his chest.

Elias straightened up, dusting off imaginary specks from his sleeve.

His eyes, cold and turbulent, turned to me.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded stiffly in response, not giving him another response.

He stared a second longer, then leaned in too close.

"You don't let scum like that touch you. Ever. Got it?"

"Y-yes," I stuttered.

"Good boy." That phrase did something to me, but I ignored the feeling it evoked.

Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving a confused crowd behind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I spent the next hour shaking.

Not from fear nor from adrenaline but from something worse. Something dangerous.

Later, after the casino floor started to clear and the music mellowed, I saw him again.

He was sitting alone, at the end of the bar, his beauty, a haunting one that made me want to paint—a hobby that had never once crossed my mind.

Summoning all my courage, I walked towards him. He didn't look up right away but just kept sipping his drink and waited.

"You didn't have to do that," I blurted, my heart pounding.

Slowly, he lifted his eyes and looked at me.

Those eyes pinned me where I stood.

"I did," he said simply.

"Why?"

A beat of silence.

His mouth opened like he wanted to say something, but then he closed it and said nothing. But I saw a flash of something I couldn’t name flick through his eyes.

Pity? Concern?

But when I blinked, it was gone. Like it was never there in the first place. I hadn't even had time to respond before a deep voice called Elias.

It was one of his men—the same towering enforcer from earlier.

"Boss," he said quietly. "There’s a meeting upstairs."

Elias's lips tightened then he looked at me again before jerking his head.

"Go home, Louis," he said. "Rest up. You have a log day tomorrow."

He said it like he knew. Like he could see all the bruises hidden under my clothes.

With that, he left and I watched him go, my heart thudding violently against my ribs.

.