Femme Fatale.

33

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Lax's fingers are deft,moving so quickly and smoothly they are no more than a blur in the rainbow colored light.
The sound of a gaming chip striking against another can scarcely heard,drowned out as it is by the shrieks of bawdy laughter which comes from the girls in the corner.
A sardonic smile on his face,the man's eyes constantly flicker away from the game,turning again and again to the girls who are creating such a drunken clamour. His glance passes over the attentive figure of Carla beside him who watches as the wheel spins her fate for the night.
*_*

Songs for the chapter:
Crying In The Club - Camilla Cabello
Suzanna - Sauti Sol
Tragedy  - Nikita

CARLA:
"Cher Dieu, please defend my dignity,I beseech thee." I cross myself,my scepticism on religion completely forgotten as I watch the colorful roulette wheel spin.

"Praying?" The man mocks. "I'll be gentle,you needn't worry and if I cause any pain be assured it is nothing that cannot heal nor that a woman cannot endure. So don't blaspheme now for Christ suffered much worse,Carla!" He says my name sarcastically,his teeth gnashing and his eyes sneering directly into mine.

He leans over to kiss the crown of my head and I flinch under his touch,his insult still coursing through me like a poised weapon.

"Voilà!  Your lover is losing!" He roars,cackling in hysterics like a madman. "Smile for me now, will you?" He commands icily.

Careful not to cross him I swallow my pride; pushing it down my throat though it tastes bitter on my tongue and I smile tightly, trying to contain my fury.

"Of course I'll smile for you. Why would I not when I have a desire so strong to be with a man as yourself." I reply fraudulently and his dark eyes stir with satisfaction that makes me want to slap the cruel smile off his face.

With clenched fists underneath the table,I force myself to be calm and hold back my tongue. My gaze returns to the wheel that moves slowly now,about to stop and reveal my fate.

Then it stops and adrenaline courses through me but I am unsure what to do with it until,in a moment of instinct, I gather my dress in my hands tightly, willing myself to stay calm and resolute but ready for flight,to sprint outside if need be.

Her token is gone, just like the rest. I have not the faintest idea how much she has won then lost and I do not care. It is the finality of this last game that has me sharing her feeling of loss.

A loss of money for her. A probable loss of innocence for me. I feel a loss so great, an emotion so close to bereavement, I might cry.

I am caught in a miserable trance. It is as though my body is present but my mind is absent,trapped by the horrid reality that is about to unfold before my very eyes.

"No!" I scream passionately as though my voice will make the dice take pity on me and roll again or perhaps force the wheel to spin one more round.

A nagging feeling from deep inside my core urges me,begs me to run while I can but a rough hand clutches mine restraining me from bolting.

"Pray,what is the matter mon ange, you seem tensed." He smiles maliciously and bile rises in my throat.

"I am scared." I disclose, surprising myself with my blunt honesty.