High Stakes Read Online Free

head. My hair is already straight, but she takes out her straightener and goes through every strand carefully.
    Finally, she lets me get up to look at myself in the mirror. My jaw drops, because the girl in the mirror is not me. She’s the woman I’ve always admired at clubs, the girl who knows exactly how to show off her beauty. She’s stunning. I have flawless, shining hair and the moisturizer she used makes my face shine. To my surprise, there’s not too much makeup, but what little there is makes a huge different. My eyes pop.
    Maria utters another squeal and grabs my hand. I squeeze it back and my throat closes up.
    “Maria, you’re amazing. Thank you.”
    She fusses a little bit. “I wonder if we should put your hair up, actually. You have such delicate features. No, I don’t want to overdo it.”
    Then she glances at her phone and shrieks. “Shit! We were supposed to be downstairs ten minutes ago—I got so caught up in everything.”
    I tear my eyes from the mirror and grab my clutch. Jackie is waiting for us downstairs. We leave the dorm and lock it up, me trying to keep up with Maria’s frantic pace in these ridiculous heels. Thankfully, we take the elevator down and see Jackie’s car waiting for us. It’s so lucky that there isn’t traffic.
    Ever the gentleman, Jackie steps out to open the door. His dark eyes pass over me, not recognizing me at first.
    “Whoa.”
    My face burns when he looks back at me with a shocked look on his face.
    “Isn’t she beautiful?”
    “Maria!”
    She’s making me even more self-conscious, but Jackie’s face goes pink as he nods and agrees. I’ve never seen him look so shy.
    I slide into the backseat with Maria as her crazed energy overfills the car.
    “I’m so fucking pumped,” she screams.
    “Jesus, keep it down!” Jackie grimaces as we both erupt with laughter.
    I watch the rolling, bright streets of Manhattan, my heart flying with happiness. I feel young and alive, for the first time in a long while.
    Tonight is going to be great.
    He drives us to a Hilton hotel, but parking is a bitch. We find a garage five blocks away, but I don’t mind. People stare at us as we walk by, perhaps wondering what we’re doing in this part of town, dressed up so nice. A car filled with young guys honk at us and a smile pulls at my face.
    Maria hollers at them with another one of her energetic screams and I can’t help but join in. Jackie, looking sharp in his suit, shoves his hands deep in his pockets and shakes his head at us.
    We head inside the hotel, my heels clacking loudly on the marble floor, and enter the elevators. Jackie presses the button for the twelfth floor.
    His quiet voice cuts through our chatter. “So, I probably should mention that this card game we’re going to is not exactly—ah— legal .”
    “What?” Maria shrieks.
    “It’s no big deal,” he shrugs. “Just don’t mention this to anyone else, okay? My brother said we could come, but he doesn’t want any other outsiders.”
    His brother? I didn’t know much about Jackie’s brother, other than the fact that he was older than Jackie.
    “Uh, ok.”
    Maria and I exchange a strange look. Illegal card games? What exactly am I getting myself into?
    It’s too late to turn back now. The elevator pings and the doors slide open. We can already hear it before we see it. Somewhere down these halls is a party. Dozens of people’s muffled voices and laughter reach us.
    Jackie smiles. “They bought the rooms down the hallway, so there wouldn’t be complaints.”
    Whoa.
    A couple dressed like us stops in front of a huge bouncer who guards the door. He checks their IDs and a list on phone before letting them in. The door opens and I catch a glimpse of people dressed to the nines.
    He’s an intimidating guy. At least 6’5” with a bald, shiny head. He’s more fat than muscle, but it’s clear that one swipe of his ham-like fists could knock us back to last month.
    “Name,” he barks.
    “Jackie