Andrew's POV
Although Bethany had no idea, I was awake much earlier than she was. I laid in bed with my eyes fixed on the ceiling as I had nowhere to be in a hurry. I watched her through the thin slits that my eyelids created as she walked into the shower.
I would have gladly followed her in, but she looked like she was in a hurry to get away from me. I couldn't place my finger on the reason, but I forced my eyes shut.
When she stepped out later, she stared at me with a sad face before she dried her hair. Normally, I wouldn't bother but there was something about Bethany that made me want to ask.
I knew something was wrong, and it wasn't the fact that she had shared a bed with a stranger. Looking beyond her eyes and focusing on how tense her body seemed, I could sense deep stress and pain.
She pulled open the closet, grabbing one of my shirts. I stared at the gown she had worn yesterday as it lay at the head of the bed.
What was she trying to do?
I watched as she pulled out a pair of blue jeans that was neatly folded in the corner of my suitcase. She pressed the jeans against her legs, nodding after looking herself in the mirror.
In a hurry, she pulled it over her thighs and they were just the right size.
I was in shock but I couldn't say a thing. I had been pretending to be asleep for too long, so moving now might throw Bethany into shock.
She grabbed her gown, folding it into a plastic bag before tossing it into her handbag. She stared at the three pairs of sneakers I had in the closet, her gaze shifting between the sneakers and her heels.
If she had taken my sneakers, I would have jumped out of bed to stand in front of the door.
She left wearing her heels, her bag slung over her shoulder. A few minutes later, I walked over to check if she had taken anything else.
I had a few wads of cash in my suitcase that had been covered by the pair of jeans she had taken earlier.
The cash amounted to roughly twenty grand, an amount I made a necessity whenever I went on one of my adventures. Having cash on you can get you basically anything.
The cash was still lying there untouched and I marvelled at her integrity. She could have taken it and I honestly wouldn't bother to go after her.
I didn't have her number or know which city she lived in, so if she wanted to run, she'd be completely free.
I walked to the window, peering down the street as I watched Bethany exit the hotel. She looked around before hailing a taxi, and at the back of my mind, I imagined I would never see her again.
Naked, I walked to the bathroom.
I had no plans, with most of my fire for adventure quenched by the incredible night that I had with Bethany.
It was wild. Crazy. Unexpected, but extremely satisfying
I went to the club to relax and let off some steam, with the hopes of meeting someone completely different.
Vegas is a crazy city and to experience the best parts of it, you need an equally crazy crew or a crazy partner. In my blind search for crazy, I found Bethany.
But Bethany wasn't who I was looking for.
She was pure, too pure for the scene I found her in. Her heart was warm and cheerful, opening up to me after a few words.
Her voice was charming, not the kind that would seduce you but the kind that would make you smile all night as you listened to her talk.
I didn't like seeing her leave. Although I didn't want anything more, I still couldn't let go of the burning need in my chest to protect her. She seemed to have so much weighing down on her and I wanted to help.
I showered, dressed, and then walked out of the hotel, glancing at my watch as I waited for a taxi.
I hopped in the first one I saw, and just before we drove off, a lady called out and waved at the driver from across the road. The driver waited, looking at me for approval and I nodded. I didn't mind another rider.
"Hi. Thanks for letting me join you," she said as she hopped inside.
I stared at her, my hands staying crossed over my chest. I had no particular reason for letting her in, but as I looked at her frame, a devilish grin formed on my face. I offered her my hand as I introduced myself.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Andrew."
"Judy."
She shuffled closer to me, her dark skin glistened under the sunlight that filtered in through the shutting windows.
"So where are you headed? You could get off first since I'm heading to a casino."
I might be enamoured, but not ensnared. No matter how gorgeous and highly seductive she was, she would have to make the first move, or things would just remain a wild possibility.
"Well, I was on my way to do some shopping but you might need some company at the casino. Am I welcome to join?"
I smiled in response, turning my head forward as I called out to the driver, telling him to take me to the most expensive casino in Vegas. I would definitely play big and risky.
Judy had no complaints, the glint in her eyes shining as she stared at me.
I pulled out my phone, leaving her to do as she liked. Although it was the weekend, my company never slept.
I would keep getting emails and forms that needed my approval, things that I honestly couldn't delay for more than a few hours.
I scanned my inbox, reading the different proposals and reports that had been sent to me.
It's never easy to run a conglomerate. Managing the many divisions to ensure maximum profit had always been a challenge.
The proposals and reports were poorly done, and I had to curse in regret and annoyance. I knew how much time and money I had spent on training, with a special focus on division managers and team leaders.
I texted my secretary and personal assistant, giving them instructions on what to do.
It's a bit inefficient to have a personal assistant and a secretary, but I needed the extra help and I could afford it. I had employed them at the same time, an idea that's been showing amazing results since day one.
I told them to schedule a meeting with the division managers, leaving the team leaders aside. I got replies almost immediately from Bridget and Annalise, a perfect working combo.
We got to the casino and I tipped the driver well, putting a wide smile on his face.
We walked into the casino, and I could feel heads turning around to stare at us. I paid them no heed as I toed a direct path to the VIP section. The guard at the door stopped me, asking for identification.
I suppose he just wanted to see how much I'm worth and I'm definitely worth a lot.
The minute I walked in, I found a seat at the roulette table, feeling lucky this morning. I made a quick transfer with my card and they stacked my chips in front of me.
For the first round, I smiled at Judy and asked her to pick. I bet five thousand dollars at a go, and I could see Judy's eyes brighten. I shut my eyes for a bit, listening to the sound of the roulette spinning and the ball bouncing around.
The speed steadily decreased before finally coming to a stop. The ball rolled a bit, stopping on a red number. Immediately, the smile on Judy's face disappeared as she stared at me in shock.
"I'm sorry."
"Hmm. Let's go again."
She picked for the next three rounds, losing each one and twenty thousand dollars more. I could see her shiver and I just smiled.