The Bondsman (a King Dice x Reader story)

Chapter Twelve: Truth Hurts, Lies Kill

Song: Love Flew Away by Laufey & Adam Melchor

       At 6:30 in the morning, you clambered out of bed with the most excruciating bout of muscle pain you had experienced in a long time.

       Your tussle with Cagney had all but left you unscathed (the burn on your wrist being particularly itchy), your late night with Dice had left you exhausted, and the rain had left you with a slight sniffle. All in all, you felt terrible...and yet you couldn't wait to get out of your apartment, sprint to Isle Two, and earn your freedom. After nearly two years of Hell on Earth, literally, you were nearly out of it. Your pain was pushed to the back of your mind as soon as your feet hit the floor, and it stayed there within the amount of time it took you to bathe, dress, and eat.

       This was it.

       You knew where the cups were (vaguely) and you knew what they looked like (vaguely). You mentally repeated Dice's description to yourself as you strapped your revolver to your hip, replacing your coat with a grand flourish as it arched before resting on your shoulders. Your eyes wandered to your briefcase, ceasing a moment before you shook your head.

       No...it would slow you down. You could pack some extra ammo in your coat, should the need arise.

       After doing such, you were out the door, feet pounding down the hallway as you entered the elevator and rode it to the lobby.

       This was it.

~~~

       At 6:30 in the morning, Dice woke up with a heavy conscience and a crick in his back. Sleeping at his desk was a habit that had been causing him issues for a while, but right now it felt like he deserved it.

       It would still be a few hours before the morning rush came in. Though the casino never closed, there were specific times of the day that patrons preferred to drop by, typically beginning around 8 AM.

       He would have until then to find you and, as the boss had put it, "cut ties."

       Groaning, he slowly peeled himself away from the chair, mind still foggy and drained from the day before. His joints popped as he stood, stance wavering for a moment before retrieving his jacket from the floor. A deep and aggravated sigh escaped him as he worked to smooth out any wrinkles left behind.

       He really didn't want to do this...

       It wasn't like he had known you long enough to establish a real connection with you. In fact, though he knew a lot about you, there were still plenty of things that he didn't know. Would it really be a huge loss if he washed his hands of you?

       ...yes.

       He gave up on the wrinkles, pulling the jacket on as he exited the office and retreated down the hallway. A few of the staff members were already bustling at their stations, eyes half-lidded and tired within the early morning haze. Dice nodded to a skeleton working over a craps table nearby as he veered toward the door.

       "I'm going out," he said.

       The skeleton nodded, giving him a soft salute as Dice disappeared through the front entrance.

       He really didn't want to do this.

~~~

       Your shoes were soaked.

       It had been a muddy trek through the maze of puddles and gunk left over from yesterday's downpour, not to mention the cars that drove past and spewed up waves of water from the gutters. It was a tad inconvenient...but you didn't have the time to be aggravated over it.