68.6: Parlay/Writers Muses
(Rated R for language)
Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
He could feed bills into the machine, but, there was a certain amount of satisfaction to be gained by the sound of the coins as each dropped into the slot. Satisfaction, it was something he was lacking today, not that this was helping all that much with the way his luck was running. He slid his hand into his pocket for the pack of cigarettes as the wheels came to a stop and yet again produced no pay-out.
What was he going to tell Nagel? The question was the sole reason he had come to the casino instead of going straight to the older man's office. How was he going to tell him that he had once again ended up empty-handed instead of returning with the money he'd been sent to collect? What was it about this woman that was making this so difficult? She was a mark, it should have been a piece of cake, but, it wasn't, and he didn't know why.
Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
He took a long pull off the cigarette as he watched the spin of the wheels. in all of the years he had been doing Nagel's bidding, he'd never questioned anything the man had told him to do, he didn't dare. He'd seen the consequences to those who had dared to cross him, or worse to cheat him, he'd been forced to deliver the punishments himself on more occasions then he cared to count. In his early days with the man he'd been on the receiving end of his anger far too many times until he learned it was best to stay in his favors. So, why now, what in this woman undid all of those years of experiences?
Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
It'd be easy to blame it on her children, even the old man, but, he wasn't the type to be swayed by people playing the sympathy card on him. Besides, it was far too common with those who gambled beyond their means. So, what was it about Margaret that made him willing to not just fore-go his half of the money, but dare to risk Nagel's wrath on top of it?
Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
He'd barely released the last coin when he felt the bite of the fingers as Carlie Nagel grabbed his shoulder from behind.
"Where the hell have you been, I've been calling you for hours?" His anger was all too clear, not just in the sound of his voice, but, in his demeanor as well, and to further hammer his point home he tightened his hold until Alek had to react to it.
"I had nothing to say." He tried to shrug off the man's grip, which only further angered him.
"You had nothing to say. Where the hell is my fucking money, Alek?" It took everything in Carlie not to knock the younger man off the stool he sat on, so instead he dug his thumb deeper, only to smile as it elicited a gasp in response.
"She wasn't able to get it, I'm going back tomorrow." They were drawing the attention of others now, and he knew from past experience that having an audience often brought out Nagel's more vicious side.
"I'm sorry, but, she couldn't get it today, she said she'd have it tomorrow." He intentionally lowered his eyes as he explained, then removed his cigarette as he felt the bile rise. He hated having to submit to the submissive role in front of an audience, but, he knew too just how far he could push the man before it was too much, and he'd come too close to that edge. Even if he escaped punishment now, it was all too likely that he'd pay for his disobedience later, he might not like it, but, it was a pattern he'd grown accustomed to.
"You'd better get my damn money tomorrow. If I have to go after it, they'll be pulling more then Darby's body from that lake, you hear me Alek? Don't make me have to go up there myself"
"Yes." It took every ounce of self control he could muster to force the single word out, but, it seemed to satisfy the man and he finally released his hold.
"I mean it Alek, I want my fucking money tomorrow." As his final insult he raised his hand, then flicked his finger, striking the younger man in the center of his forehead to punctuate his words. Without another word Nagel picked up the plastic container of coins that sat beside Alek's slot machine and with a final glare, he turned and walked away.
As Carlie walked away, Alek could feel the heat from the blush of unwanted attention, without even looking he could feel the eyes of those at the near-by machines upon him, the lack of noise telling him that even they had yet to return to their own play. Why couldn't he have at least left his coin? He wouldn't run away, he wouldn't play the coward. The decision made, he abandoned the stub of his cigarette to the ashtray and snagged his wallet from his pocket. Pulling several bills from it he fed them one by one into the machine, before hitting "max bet."
Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
One by one the wheels began their spins. He refused to run away, he refused to let Carlie Nagel win.
Muse: Alek Spera
Fandom: The Deep End
Words: 813
Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
He could feed bills into the machine, but, there was a certain amount of satisfaction to be gained by the sound of the coins as each dropped into the slot. Satisfaction, it was something he was lacking today, not that this was helping all that much with the way his luck was running. He slid his hand into his pocket for the pack of cigarettes as the wheels came to a stop and yet again produced no pay-out.
What was he going to tell Nagel? The question was the sole reason he had come to the casino instead of going straight to the older man's office. How was he going to tell him that he had once again ended up empty-handed instead of returning with the money he'd been sent to collect? What was it about this woman that was making this so difficult? She was a mark, it should have been a piece of cake, but, it wasn't, and he didn't know why.
Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
He took a long pull off the cigarette as he watched the spin of the wheels. in all of the years he had been doing Nagel's bidding, he'd never questioned anything the man had told him to do, he didn't dare. He'd seen the consequences to those who had dared to cross him, or worse to cheat him, he'd been forced to deliver the punishments himself on more occasions then he cared to count. In his early days with the man he'd been on the receiving end of his anger far too many times until he learned it was best to stay in his favors. So, why now, what in this woman undid all of those years of experiences?
Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
It'd be easy to blame it on her children, even the old man, but, he wasn't the type to be swayed by people playing the sympathy card on him. Besides, it was far too common with those who gambled beyond their means. So, what was it about Margaret that made him willing to not just fore-go his half of the money, but dare to risk Nagel's wrath on top of it?
Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
He'd barely released the last coin when he felt the bite of the fingers as Carlie Nagel grabbed his shoulder from behind.
"Where the hell have you been, I've been calling you for hours?" His anger was all too clear, not just in the sound of his voice, but, in his demeanor as well, and to further hammer his point home he tightened his hold until Alek had to react to it.
"I had nothing to say." He tried to shrug off the man's grip, which only further angered him.
"You had nothing to say. Where the hell is my fucking money, Alek?" It took everything in Carlie not to knock the younger man off the stool he sat on, so instead he dug his thumb deeper, only to smile as it elicited a gasp in response.
"She wasn't able to get it, I'm going back tomorrow." They were drawing the attention of others now, and he knew from past experience that having an audience often brought out Nagel's more vicious side.
"I'm sorry, but, she couldn't get it today, she said she'd have it tomorrow." He intentionally lowered his eyes as he explained, then removed his cigarette as he felt the bile rise. He hated having to submit to the submissive role in front of an audience, but, he knew too just how far he could push the man before it was too much, and he'd come too close to that edge. Even if he escaped punishment now, it was all too likely that he'd pay for his disobedience later, he might not like it, but, it was a pattern he'd grown accustomed to.
"You'd better get my damn money tomorrow. If I have to go after it, they'll be pulling more then Darby's body from that lake, you hear me Alek? Don't make me have to go up there myself"
"Yes." It took every ounce of self control he could muster to force the single word out, but, it seemed to satisfy the man and he finally released his hold.
"I mean it Alek, I want my fucking money tomorrow." As his final insult he raised his hand, then flicked his finger, striking the younger man in the center of his forehead to punctuate his words. Without another word Nagel picked up the plastic container of coins that sat beside Alek's slot machine and with a final glare, he turned and walked away.
As Carlie walked away, Alek could feel the heat from the blush of unwanted attention, without even looking he could feel the eyes of those at the near-by machines upon him, the lack of noise telling him that even they had yet to return to their own play. Why couldn't he have at least left his coin? He wouldn't run away, he wouldn't play the coward. The decision made, he abandoned the stub of his cigarette to the ashtray and snagged his wallet from his pocket. Pulling several bills from it he fed them one by one into the machine, before hitting "max bet."
Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
One by one the wheels began their spins. He refused to run away, he refused to let Carlie Nagel win.
Muse: Alek Spera
Fandom: The Deep End
Words: 813