Chapter 448
“What? Again? She’s a damn nightmare.”
To casinos, few things were worse than a gambler who actually knew what they were doing. And Boa, the alias Shermaine was using in the Kingdom of Xyperia, was one of the best they’d ever seen.
The first night she showed up, she’d walked off with a hundred thousand Xyperia Tokens. In a place like Yorksland, where people were used to scraping by, that kind of money was unheard of, equal to half a year’s salary for the average resident.
That very night, she checked herself into the most luxurious hotel in the city. Since then, every time her funds ran low, she’d return to the casino and leave with another tidy haul, always around a hundred grand, almost as if she’d calculated the maximum she could take.
If she ever got greedy, the owner was sure she could wipe them out completely.
Yorksland wasn’t exactly flooded with rich gamblers to begin with. The house barely stayed afloat.
And then there was the matter of her looks. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman anyone in Yorksland had ever seen. It drove the regulars crazy and drove the staff even crazier.
“She’s not walking out with another hundred thousand tonight,” the boss growled. “If she tries, I swear she’s not walking out at all.”
“Sir,” the staffer replied dryly, “you say that every time.”
The owner grunted, but didn’t argue. Truth was, he couldn’t bring himself to do anything. She was too damn stunning. He didn’t have the nerve to lay a finger on her.
Worse still, she didn’t even see him. She took his money without ever acknowledging his existence.
“Fine. Just… if you see her, give her a little warning. Tell her to go easy tonight.”
“Right.” The staffer rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. He liked watching her work the tables anyway. The way she sat there, eyes sharp and calm, brushing her chips forward like she owned the place, was magnetic.
He was just about to hang up when the door swung open, and trouble walked in.
Yorksland’s crown prince of sleaze had arrived. It was the city lord’s son.
Leto Sanchez had a reputation that preceded him, and not in a good way. He was notorious for his arrogance, his appetites, and his utter lack of respect for women. Forced encounters, public harassment… everyone knew his name for all the wrong reasons.
In the Kingdom of Xyperia, men were generally raised to respect women. But there were always exceptions. Leto was the worst kind.
Still, plenty of women threw themselves at him, hoping his wealth might be worth the cost.
“Sir,” the staffer said quickly, “Mr. Sanchez just walked in.”
The owner only groaned.
Meanwhile, the usual crowd had noticed Shermaine’s arrival. The room buzzed with quiet excitement. If she bet big, they followed. Because more often than not, she won. And when she won, they did too.
At that moment, she was sitting at one of the dice tables, casually stacking chips.
She bet on high. The regulars followed her lead without hesitation.
As the roll landed high, the table erupted in cheers.
As expected, Shermaine played two more rounds, then stood, collected her winnings, and drifted off toward another game.
Her stack of chips was growing, and she stifled a yawn.
Just then, the crowd around her parted. Someone was approaching.
He was tall, thin, and walked like he owned the room. His eyes locked on Shermaine, hungry and vulgar.
Every woman he’d ever chased before faded into nothing compared to her.
He’d heard about her too, about the way she won, like magic. If he could get his hands on her, she’d be an asset, a living vault.
Shermaine didn’t even glance at him. She scooped up her winnings and turned toward the cashier. Time to wrap up the night.
But just as she stood, the man stepped closer, arm reaching out as if to stop her. “Hey, gorgeous. Where you off to in such a hurry?”
Shermaine’s body stiffened. She didn’t tolerate any men getting close, not unless they were Joshua.
The moment he leaned in, a clean slap cracked across his wrist. She stepped back, her gaze icy and direct. “Do I know you?”