Chapter 5

I pulled the document on the right side of the table toward me and signed my name.

My father's pen hit the hardwood with a sharp clack. He shot to his feet. "Have you lost your mind?"

I looked up at him and smiled. "I'm still young. I don't have enough experience. I'm not ready to manage something the size of a $30 billion fund."

"Besides — you're in great health, Dad. I've got time to learn."

My father studied me for a long moment without saying a word.

"If you take the $1,500, that's all you get. Not a cent more per month. You're sure about this?"

I nodded again to confirm.

He could see I meant it. His voice came out flat. "Johnson. Freeze Dallas's Zurich Bank card."

The next morning, I fished out the two fake cards Gerald had swapped in and tossed them in the trash. Then I followed him and the others out to Las Vegas.

My father was a regular at this casino. He'd brought me here more than once. Even the guys at the door knew my face.

The manager jogged over to greet me. "Mr. Dallas, you're on your own today?"

"I heard some of my classmates were here. Figured I'd come take a look."

He nodded along eagerly. "A group of young people did come in this morning, actually. So those were your classmates, Mr. Dallas! Had I known, we'd have made sure they were taken care of properly."

I waved it off. "It's fine. Just show me to them."

He pressed a stack of ten chips into my palm with a grin. "These are on me, Mr. Dallas. Enjoy yourself."

I tossed one in the air and caught it. Each chip was worth a hundred thousand dollars. I smiled and took them.

The main floor of the casino was blazing with lights, loud and electric with energy.

The moment I walked in, someone at Gerald's table spotted me.

Then came the laughter.

"Well, look who it is." Gerald swirled a champagne flute, the diamond cufflinks at his wrist glinting in the light. "Mr. Dallas, heir to the Franklin fortune. Change your mind about joining us?"

Monica was leaning against him, fresh rhinestones on her nails tapping the stack of chips in front of her. "Should have just lent us the VIP card when we asked. Now you show up like this..." She drew out the pause. "Don't tell me you're here to apologize?"

"Probably just jealous seeing us playing big," Rafael called out, slapping the table with a laugh. "Little late to figure out which side to be on, don't you think?"

I unbuttoned my jacket and took a seat at the next table over.

The dealer was about to start when Gerald kicked back his chair and swaggered over. A cloud of cheap cologne mixed with cigarettes and alcohol hit me before he arrived.

"Drop the act." He threw a stack of chips down on my table with a crash, the pieces rolling to my side. "Get on your knees and maybe I'll let you play with a few of these."

The casino manager moved toward us. I raised a hand to stop him and gently nudged the chips back across the felt.

"Gerald — you know why casinos put carpet on the floors?"