Push

58. She Discovered the Truth

💔 Content Warning 💔
Discusses gambling and addiction

GWEN

The limo pulled up outside the last place in the universe where I wanted to spend my Wednesday night.

The casino.

"Fancy digs," Toby said, peering at the tinted window. "When we drove into Pyrmont, I was worried Liam was sending us to his usual haunt."

I tapped an annoyed finger on the armrest. Honestly, I would've preferred the Red Room. Sure, boobs and the odd flash of a bare ass were unavoidable at the club—unless you were Toby—but at least the Red Room had yummy snacks, and there wasn't the never-ending bleep of poker machines screeching in the background.

After we wriggled out of the limo, I stood up tall and straightened my dress. I could've lived without stuffing myself into an evening dress at least a size too small and tottering around on heels with my bad knee, too. Yet here we were.

"Smokin' hot, doll," Toby said with a wink.

"Right back at ya, big guy."

"Aw, shucks." Toby's joking around didn't hide the blush on his cheeks. He was always a sucker for a compliment. "Shall we?" He presented his elbow, and I hooked my arm around his.

We followed Liam's directions to find a stuffy, balding man in a suit behind a glass-paneled reception desk. The twinkle of chandeliers bounced off the crystal walls to light up his shiny head. The Sovereign Room was invitation only—or so the man sniffed at us before Toby interrupted to explain just who'd invited us.

"Oh, I, ah... Yes. Monsieur Montillet has already arrived," the man said, flustered, dashing out from behind the reception desk. "If you will both follow me. He has arranged a seat for you with the best view."

Toby was unimpressed on our journey across the marble floors and through the people dotted around different gaming tables. "How is this the best view?" he whispered to me. "You can't even see the harbor from all the way back here!"

"Liam does love lurking in darkened corners."

Toby grunted in agreement. "Him and his brooding."

The balding man stopped. He stretched out his hand, motioning for us to continue on our own. "This way. I trust I don't need to remind you that phones are not permitted at the gaming tables. Monsieur Montillet has instructed that I'm not to, well..." He stammered to a stop. "This is as far as I'm permitted to go."

"Dude seems nervous," Toby whispered as the man scurried off.

"Liam must be in one of his moods."

"Who stole his KitKat this time?"

"If the staff-wide email is anything to go by, the fridge thief helped themselves to his raspberry macron."

"Naughty, Gwen. No work emails. You're supposed to be on vacation, remember?"

"What are you gonna do about it?"

Toby's grin was sly. "I will teach you a lesson by defiling you later."

Feeling ten years younger, I giggled and snuggled closer to Toby. We approached the velvet lounges on the back wall in perfect step together.

Liam sat with his legs crossed, yellow socks with pineapples on display, busy tapping on his phone. A pretty blonde with pouty red lips sat beside him with her chin in her hand. She blinked wistfully at the gaming tables. The click of our shoes hadn't quite reached the table when Liam whispered something into the crook of her neck, and she rose, smiling when he dropped some casino chips in her outstretched hand. She breezed past us without a glance.