The Truth by Katrina Alba Read Free Book Online

isn’t in my personality to take risks. Grant seems to bring out the lighthearted, fun side of me. I mean, the fact I’m in Vegas in the first place when I should be preparing for my new position says a lot.
    We ride down the elevator, hand in hand, and both with a couple of goofy, satisfied grins on our faces. I feel like a million dollars when we step out of the elevator onto the casino floor.
    The alcohol is flowing all night and we miss our dinner reservation at some fancy restaurant because I’m too engulfed at the Blackjack table to leave. I’m up two-thousand dollars. I know it’s nothing to Grant, but to me, it’s huge. He sits, patiently advising me as I play. 
    The dealer always looks to me like he is pulling some tricks. He is constantly waving his hands around as he deals like he’s some sort of magician. He lays an ace down in front of me. After dealing the other two players at the table their cards, he lays a king of hearts down in front of me. Grant just smiles at me knowingly and nods.
    When I finally walk away, I’m up a little over three-grand. I don’t know what gets into me, probably the mass amount of vodka flowing through my veins, but I walk Grant over to the roulette table and confidently place it all on black, twenty-four. “What are you doing?” He chides.
    As soon as the chips leave my hands, I can feel a panic well up and nearly choke me. “I can’t watch this,” I say turning my back to the table. A few others walk past me and place their bets. I block out everything around me watching Grant’s face for clues. A minute later, his serious face turns into a frown and my heart sinks.
    “Well, crap. It was fun while it lasted at least.” I laugh.
    But then his frown turns into the mischievous smile of his I love so much. “Don’t quit your day job just yet, but you can pay off your student loans with the chunk of change you just won.”
    “Huh? I don’t have student loans. I went to school on a scholarship. Wait, what? I won?” I just about scream. I swing around and see the guy running the table waving to security. “I don’t get it, what’s going on?”
    “Alyssa, you bet thirty-five to one odds. They’ll take you to get settled. The table can’t pay out this kind of winnings.”
    The shock of what has just happened hits me. ‘Thirty-five to one odds’ is repeating in my head. “Holy shit, over a hundred thousand dollars? That can’t be right. Oh, my God. Oh, my God!” I throw my arms around Grant’s neck and he picks me up in a hug. When he places me back on the ground, it hits me again. “Oh, my God! That’s a helluva lot of money!”
    “Yeah, it’s some serious beginner’s luck you’re having there.”
    After I get everything squared away with the house, we go back out to the casino floor. “Let’s hit the slots!”
    “Uh, oh. This is how the addiction starts,” he teases.
    “Hey, I can afford it.”
     
    * * *
    I am so comfortable, I don’t want to move a single muscle. I lie in bed and smile with my eyes still closed when I remember where I am. The events of last night start to seep into my memory. The casino. I won more money than I can even comprehend. We went to a cabaret show and I got a lap dance. Wait, was it a Cabaret show or did we go to a strip club? Apparently, I drank entirely too much last night. I remember us practically crawling back to our room. Mostly, I remember laughing, so much so my ribs are sore today. We had so much fun together last night. 
    Suddenly, I have the eerie feeling someone is watching me, yet my eyes are still closed. This is the softest bed I’ve ever slept in. I stretch a little before opening my eyes to blue eyes and a toothy grin. “Finally. Good morning, sleepy head.”
    “How long have you been watching me sleep?” I smile and I’m sure I blush.
    “About an hour.”
    “You know that’s borderline creepy, right?”
    “Meh.” He shrugs.
    “You can’t ever sleep in, can you?”
    “Nope, not in my