Seven

Chapter 42

"The casino? I thought we were going for dinner?" I'm not mad, the atmosphere in here is a whirlwind and I'm absolutely okay with getting caught up in it. I could use some fun.

"We are, there's a restaurant up stairs. I thought we could eat and then come down here to try our luck." Seven smirks at me.

Luck is something I'm struggling to attract recently so I don't know if this will work out as well as he's hoping. I smooth a hand over my hair and Seven pulls me further into the casino, making our way to the elevators to go to the restaurant.

The restaurant above the casino is just as beautiful as downstairs. Blue lights cast up the white curtained walls and I'm glad to see literally everyone here is dressed to the nines. I don't miss the eyes that watch me walk through the room to the bar, Seven notices too and I feel his hand rest proprietorially on the small of my back as he glares at the male gazes. I would never usually encourage such behaviour but something about Seven being protective and jealous over me sets me a little high.

I take a seat at the bar and Seven sits next to me on the tall stools.

"What can I get you?" The bar tender asks me, completely ignoring Seven.

"She'll have a glass of champagne, and I'll have a tonic on its own." Seven answers for us both and the bar tender looks to him.

"We only sell our champagne by the bottle, sir." He explains, looking at the tattoos on Seven's hands, a judgement behind his gaze. I don't miss the slight condescending tone of the barmen and neither does Seven.

"Bring the bottle then." Seven snaps and turns to me.

"I'm gonna go sort our table out so we don't have to sit with this melt serving us long." He says to me but makes sure he's loud enough for the barmen to hear his harmless insult.

"Okay." I give Seven a smile to try lighten his sour mood he's in from the judgmental barmen and am relieved when he answers with a quick kiss to my lips. It catches me off guard. I am not use to him showing any affection so publicly and when I look around fearing someone may have seen us I notice literally no one is watching. Looking at the diners in the place I start to understand why Seven may have chosen a place like this to so publicly step out with me. Everyone is older, much older than the two of us. The age range seems to be between fifty to seventy possibly and everyone looks expensive and well established. These are not the type of people to know who Seven is, and even if they did they are not the type to worry themselves about him being with a woman here.

It's almost ironic to me, that we are safe from curious eyes in a room full of people.

"Your champagne, madam." The barmen pulls my attention from surveying the room to the tall flute he has placed in front of me, joined by the rest of the bottle resting in a cool bucket of ice.

"Thank you." I grab the glass and take a swig immediately. It's sweet and permeated as I exhale the fumes of the alcohol through my nose. The bubbles snap crisply on my tongue and I'm left with that mouthwatering dryness after I swallow. It's a good champagne and I cringe to think how much this bottle has cost Seven.

I'm almost halfway through gulping down my first glass when a man joins the bar next to me.

"Bourbon and coke." He requests and I refill my glass.

"Drinking alone?" It takes me a moment to realise the man is talking to me.

"Oh, no." I politely smile hoping he'll leave it at that. I can feel the mans eyes fixed on me and when I glance over at him again he doesn't shy away from his stare. He's dressed in a nice dark suit, dark hair slicked back with a thick grey streak down the sides of his head. Gold rings on his fingers that clink against his newly served drink.