Chapter 12

selena

"I'm ready now Franco, let's go."I rushed downstairs, took a long time in shower and dressed well. I'm going to the casino, so I should be ready to attract all the eyes. I wore a sexy sleeveless red dress showing almost my body. I stepped closer to Franco who was just hanging up his mouth flabbergasted. Well, I think my mission will be accomplished. His reaction means I'm hot.

"Wow! You look gorgeous!" Franco blinked, staring at me.

"Thanks!" I scrunch my nose shyly.

"But, I think you can't go inside the casino alone!" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why? Is it for couples?" I narrowed my eyes asking him curiosity, I don't want anything to hinder me now. I will never accept that.

"No! But I'm afraid that you might be kidnapped! Sorry but your beauty is too much to be resisted!" Franco shook his head explaining to me. Oh how cute?! He thinks that anyone could touch a strand of my hair?! Well, he could be deceived easily by the surface appearance I guess.

"Don't worry! I could handle it, don't underestimate me, I could protect myself." I tapped his shoulder gently and winked at him.

"How? You look so sweet, fragile." he furrowed his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Don't judge a book by its cover, I am more strong than you could even imagine, now let's go please." I threw him with a sheepish smile.

"Okay, but save my cell phone number, if anything happened to you, just call me. I will be waiting for you outside the casino." He grabbed my phone and saved his number in my contact list.

"You don't have to wait, I will call you later to drive me home," I informed him. While we are getting into the car.

"I will wait for you! End of discussion," he said sternly, I chuckled at his facial expressions.

"Huh? Italian guys are so stubborn." I smirked.

"I guess, let's go miss Lily." He winked and started up the car and drove fast until we reached a very sparkling fantastic place. The lights were everywhere around this place. It was so obvious to the blind that places not for ordinary people.

"Oh, that's such a gigantic place." I blurted out when he stopped the car.

"Yes, it's the best, but I have to warn you it's too expensive." He opened the door for me.

"Don't worry I'm the best at gambling." I smiled and nodded.

"Huh? What do you mean?" He dropped his jaw shockingly. I guess that guy too naive or too stupid.

"I will play poker, I will win and I will pay for my check. bye for now." I shrugged my shoulders and I waved to him. I stepped inside confidently.

"Excuse me, I want a VIP table." I snapped at the manager. Well, I'm too arrogant, I know. but I know how I could act from the A class because I used to be one of them.

"welcome miss. all the tables here are VIP, please pick anyone you would like to sit on." The manager bows his head in respect for Mr and greets me politely.

"I want one in the middle and I want to play poker first, please tell the bartender that I want a special drink, mix tequila with triple sec and some coconut." I pointed by my finger to the middle tables. I want everyone to see me.

"one shot and one shot?" the manager asked me.

"Not all the checkers," I smirked devilishly.

"huh? that means six shots!" he cleared his shock flabbergasted.

"actually no! it means eight shots, hurry up please.oh and friend shrimps as snacks." I raised my brows correcting what he said. because actually, he was totally wrong.

"Oh! you are a definitely strong woman! welcome to our country miss." he chirped.

"Lily! my name is lily." I smiled back giving him my fake name. because I want everyone to know this name.

"Okay, Miss Lily, let's show you the poker table and I will serve your order in a few minutes." the manager informed me and walked in front of me, I trailed him to the poker table.

"so, can I have a seat here?" I asked the dealer of the table.

"Sure, but are you sure you want to play on this table, miss?" he trembled and asked me in curiosity.

"yeah! why?" I raised my brows.

"This is the table of Mr. Jacob!" he cleared his throat, as if he wanted to warn me of something. definitely, after I have seen his facial expressions, I won't move my butt from my seat.

"what about him?" I rubbed my chin gazing at him.

"He is the owner of this casino! He never loses!" he sighed, explaining to me.

"Not this time, I guess, maybe you will put me in these casinos' history." I blurted out confidently. he shrugged his shoulders.

but I spotted an exquisite man surrounded by too many guards stepping closer to the table, I couldn't stop my tongue, the words just slipped out "hell dammit! who is that hot man?"

"he is Mr. Jacob miss." the dealer informed me.

"Oh, I see we have a new player, welcome." Mr. Jacob leaned closer from my ear and whispered.

"thank you, Mr. Jacob." I smiled politely.

"are you ready to lose?" Mr. Jacob pulled a chair next to me and sat down, he raised his head arrogantly asking me with a huge smirk.

"I never lose," I mumbled.

"so brave! wild woman as well, I like that." he clapped praising me.

"So where are you from?" he asked me with a long stare.

"somewhere in this world! let's play now." I ignored his eyes and snapped my finger to him to play,

"miss, this your checker." the manager came closer and poured some shots for me.

"thank you." I thanked the manager. who remained in his place watching the game. actually, everyone in this casino paid attention to our game.

"Oh! heavy drinker too! I guess I'm so grateful for you." Mr. Jacob rubbed his chin gazing at me and the shots that I was gulping one after one in less than a minute.

"why?" I swung my head to Jacob.

"Because I met someone like you, no one dares to sit on my table before," he shrugged.

"I'm not like anyone, I'm only one woman." I raised an eyebrow and smirked. After one hour we finished our game.

"Wow! you hit me! you beat me! do I have to kneel down for giving me this chance to lose?!" he stood up and placed a soft kiss on my hand.

"what?" I asked in disbelief, he is different I admit it.

"Could you accept my invitation for dinner?" he asked me out of the blue. well, this was fast actually.

"well, I guess I can, as a compensation for making you lose twenty thousand dollars." I nodded and agreed.

"I can lose more for you," he winked at me.

"what a gentleman!" I faked a smile and I stood up. his time is up now, I can't give him more tonight. I know what I want, I know when I should start and should end it.

"a pretty woman like you should be a queen." he pulled my arm while I was leaving and said huskily.

"a pretty woman like me will never depend on a man, I have to go now to play on another table." I murmured and waved to him giving him my back. I know that he will stop me and that's what happened.

"so, can I have your cell phone number?" he raised his voice to stop me and to make me turn around.

"I will be here tomorrow, don't worry," I informed him and smiled slightly.

"But at least tell me your name?" he furrowed his brows and huffed annoyed.

"Lily, my name is lily," I said softly and bow my head slightly in respect for him.

"and you are definitely the most precious flower I have ever seen." he sighed, praising me.

"the flower has a thorn so keep your hands away or you will be injured." I giggled, warning him, he looks so smart and actually good poker players must be smart to win, definitely, he is not that easy man that will kneel down for my beauty in just a night.

"to reach what you want you to have to pass through some obstacles, and I don't like easy ways," he said confidently.

"See you soon Mr. Jacob." I waved to him with a bare face, I wanted to stay all night with a puzzled mind about the woman he just met and refused him boldly.

Mr. Noah

I was in a middle of meeting waiting for a call of any one of my men to tell me any good news about Selena, my cell phone rang, I answered immediately ending the meeting "yes,"

"Sir, I found her," Jacob blurted out.

"Okay, I'm coming." I slammed the tale with my both hands and stood up.

"no sir, just wait for tomorrow, she will be with me. in my casino." Jacob explained to me.

"good job Jacob," I said.

"I'm one of your men sir, But It's hard for me to say that, I lost in poker," Jacob informed me.

"on purpose to drag her feet again to your club?" I asked with curiosity. please don't tell me that she could do anything in this life?!

"to be honest! No! She beat me fairly! I didn't notice who she was until she beat me, she's like a hero with supernatural powers." Jacob sighed, curbing his anger. I know how Jacob plays, he's professional, actually he is an international player, never lose, that's why I handed him this casino that I do own. He is just the owner in front of the others, but the casino belongs to me in reality. He is just a cover.

"see you tomorrow." I hang up with Jacob. but I couldn't wait until tomorrow, at least I want to track her moves, I want to know where she is! what if she disappeared again?!

That's why I asked one of my men to go fast to the casino to trail her and tell me all her steps one after another.