The casino was filled with the clamor of many voices talking at once and there was the sound of cards being shuffled and dealt. Smoke billowed from the room, and bursts of laughter rang out.
One corner stood out among the commotion as though it had its own gravity. There, surrounded by admirers and hangers-on, sat Vivian Devereux.
Her appearance was as lavish as her surroundings, with a crimson gown that clung to her figure and diamonds that caught the light with each graceful movement.
While playing, she hardly looked at her cards; instead, her attention was drawn to the conversation she was having with everyone in the vicinity.
