Fic: Club my Diamond Heart of Spades [Nellis]
There was always something about the moment before he walked into a casino. He refused to call that moment uncertainty, because it wasn’t, just a slight crack in the mask before he smoothed it back onto his face. Brushing off the invisible dust on his suit, its normal pristine white, he walked up the doors and flung them open.
“Welcome, sir.” The doorman greeted, Nick glanced over and nodded in confirmation that he had heard him. As he walked forward he could feel eyes on him- just the way he liked it. Years ago he had found the key to success when it came to getting more than enough from these places; blending in was not part of it.
You had to be brash, always scrutinized under the securities gaze, throw your money around, and act like a cocky son-of-a-bitch the moment you won anything. If you actually act like you know that you are going to win, everyone else starts to believe you. It was a wonder that more people hadn’t figured it out.
First stop was the bar, eyes scanning over the different inhabitants. The snobby rich carting their port and the weekend gamblers either blatantly sporting beer or trying on a touch of class by uttering the only high-class drink they could think of. The request to the bartender usually ended with the phrase ‘shaken, not stirred.’ Putting in an order for his own drink, simple flavored rum, his eyes went back to the different people.
Then he found her. This specimen would be the perfect start to his image. A slow easy smirk came to his lips; grabbing his drink off the bar he made his way over to where she was sitting. The man she was with looked at least fifteen years older… if not more… and was not holding very good company if her grimacing smile was any indication.
Absolutely perfect.
Standing beside her he put his arm out for her, her hazel eyes met his green in question. “Names Nick,” her eyes lit up and she stood immediately latching onto his outstretched arm. He couldn’t help his dark chuckle seeing the look that plastered itself on the other man’s face as they walked away.
Too easy, too perfect.
If everything was going to be like this then by the end of the night he was going to be at least another half-million richer. He ignored the insistent chattering of the woman o his arm- his first wife had given him practice at blocking it out and nodding at the appropriate times. He was glad that the female population tended to like him better when he didn’t talk- made him more mysterious or some shit.
He haphazardly threw a few bets around, not caring if he won or not. I n the long run he would win out; trick was making it look like he wasn’t trying for it. Heading around the non-card tables he put down a few more bets.
In truth he was biding his time, reading the dealers from the corner of his eye. All the money that could be made in his profession was at the card tables- it was all about reading people and genuine skill. Nick was glad to be fairly well off on both fronts. The girl he had stolen was somewhere getting a refill on her drink. He had placed another bet, coming ahead by only a few chips, by the time she got back.
“Oh Nick, you should listen to this one dealer! He is such a riot telling these stories over there…” she pointed off in the general direction she had just come from, “…His claims are so out there! He has the whole table just cracking up, talking about one of his friends. Oh I forgot his friend’s name, but I guess it doesn’t matter. Anyway he was telling all of them about some sort of bumper cars they made and….”
At this point he phased her out. What had interested him was the fact there was a table of completely unfocused players somewhere in the casino. Now that was extremely good to know.
“Where did you say this guy was?” He asked, not caring if he cut off her chattering or not. It didn’t seem to bother her any, either, if the sudden rush of happiness that overtook her as she started to drag him over was any indication. The closer they got the conman started to dread his decision. He heard a southern voice chattering on and he had a distinct feeling that it was exactly where they were headed. Sometimes he hated being right.
“…so there we was runnin’ from the cops and, oh hey there Miss.” He waved lightly and she smiled warmly at him. Nick sized him up. The man looked out of place in his button-down shirt that sported the name of the casino across it. His unkempt brown hair was coinciding with the loosened tie and undone buttons on his shirt, which looked like it hadn’t seen an iron in its life. To put it simply the kid looked out of place with all of these upscale people surrounding him.
Even his name [found on the nametag that he wore] seemed to be unsophisticated; who seriously name their child Ellis?
In a way it was ironic; well off people in the world being dealt cards by a southern hick. Reminded him that he wasn’t in Vegas anymore; instead he was located in one of the few decent places to gamble in the South. After what happened last time he had stepped into Caesar’s Palace he had to leave town for a while.
He had taken a nice vacation in Texas before more matters forced him to where he was now. In that simple moment of time he realized that the moment of now was ruining him image. His girl was enthralled with this dealer and making him seem like a chump. That just wasn’t going to fly.
Nick sat at the last remaining spot at the table and glared at the kid in front of him. “There a reason you dress like that?” He asked while simultaneously motioning for his cards.
“Oh ya know, more comfort and all. Oh and man? Don’t want to speak outta term or nothin’ but you have one fine lady.” He winked at the girl who giggled behind her hand in the way females always do when they want to look coy.
“Right,” he glowered and motioned for him to lay down another card. Nick didn’t really have an opinion on her, himself. All he knew was that she made him look good, this hick was threatening that, and if woman were all like his ex-wife then he would just stick to men for his relations, thank you.
“ ‘minds me of the time me and my buddy Keith went to prom! Big party an’ all that, we had a good time- be we couldn’t get any dates. I was gunna ‘press this one girl with my new car… but the engine broke down ‘cause I knew nothing ‘bout cars back then so I didn’t have it in time. Keith though, ya know what he did to ‘press Miss Lindy Sue? Ah shit…”
Nick ground his teeth together and tried to ignore the ramblings of the man. All he had to do was get some money out of him and then he would assert the victory and move on.
He focused on his cards and looked at the others around him; all of them were listening to Ellis’ hair-brained story. He truly wasn’t listening, but he thought he had heard the terms ‘pool’ ‘jello’ ‘roof’ and ‘motorcycle’. In no context did those go together. Fucking Georgia.
He must have been far more distracted then he first assumed, however, because the next thing that left the dealer’s mouth was by far the most surprising thing he had ever heard. “Aw shit, looks like I win this one!”
The conman’s eyes immediately searched the table, scanning the different player’s hand and disappearing chips. No emotions slipped through his mask; inside he was panicking. He hadn’t lost a game of cards, when he was trying to win, in five fucking years! Even then it had been one game and he had easily wont he next few rounds.
It had to be a fluke. Being too close to the sheer stupidity that was spewing from Ellis’ mouth must have thrown him off and he merely needed to concentrate more.
He lost the next hand.
Then he lost again.
Nick was growing angry and the girl at his side was cooing about his terrible luck. But he knew when he was being cheated, mainly because he made a living at cheating everyone else. He also didn’t miss the knowing smirk on the hick’s lips.
It was then and there that he knew that he needed to beat this guy; it wouldn’t leave him alone until he did.
“Hit me.” He growled out menacingly, to where the dealer cheerfully complied.
“Ya know you’re right pretty when you get angry like that.” Ellis teased as he laid down another card. “But gettin’ that way ain’t gunna help you win the game.”
“Not going to get me flustered by doing that.” Nick sharply responded, even if it wasn’t entirely true. He had admitted a few hands back that the kid was attractive but not really his type; too chatty and ditzy for his taste.
Nick left with a headache due to all the stories about some guy name Keith he had suffered through, one severely confused girl who kept asking him if he was alright, a smiling dealer with mirth behind his eyes, and for the first time in a long time less chips in his pockets going out then when he had first arrived.
So the hick wasn’t as stupid as he pretended to be, and Nick was determined to beat him. He couldn’t win all the games- he was going to make sure of that. Tomorrow would be a whole different story.
---Part II