The Gambler's Fate: Johnny Luck

The Ultimate Game Begins

The unmistakable hum of conversation and clinking of glasses greeted me as I entered the saloon-made-casino. The elegant chandeliers bathed the room in a warm golden hue, but I could feel the chill from every gaze that turned my way. Among them was Bill Blackgate, extending a hand with a smirk.

"Thought you were our man for a moment," he drawled. "But either you've got ice in your veins or you're innocent."

"Let's hope it's the former," I replied, "given tonight's stakes."

Before I could mingle or grab a drink, one of Max's imposing bodyguards gestured for me to follow. My gut tightened. But showing hesitation now would be a mistake.

I was led to a secluded room where Max stood, whiskey in hand. But it was Lucy, dressed as she was the first time we met, that truly caught my attention. The sight of her was both a relief and a fresh wave of tension. Max dismissed the guards, leaving us in an electrifying silence.

"Do you have the cufflinks?" Max's voice was smooth but carried an edge.

Before I could respond, he raised his hand. "I'd appreciate the truth for now. We can lie to each other at the poker table."

I nodded and showed him the cufflinks. Sighing, he asked if I could please put them on, even offering to have Lucy help me. As I put them on, Max's next words sent shivers down my spine.

"Do you know who I truly am?"

"A very, very rich man?" I ventured.

Max's chuckle held no warmth. "No, who I really am."

Lucy's plea for Max to stop was met with a chilling glare. She looked at me, sorrow evident in her eyes. But before I could process that, Max's next words hit me like a sledgehammer.

"Tell me, have you ever truly loved a woman, Mr. Ashford? Loved in a way that you're torn between joy and agony each time you look at her? Have you felt the pain when she gifts pieces of herself, her heart to another? Takes who you are and twist it around you; until you find yourself at odds with your very nature?"

Confusion reigned, but then, in a split second, Max transformed. The man I knew as Max Destiny was now a celestial being. Stars adorned his form and the cosmos swirled around him. I beheld Fate himself, in all his glory and wrath.

"I am Fate, forever bound by my beloved wife, Lady Luck," his voice resonated, echoing with the sorrows of eternity. I staggered, reaching for a gun that was missing.

Outside, guards shouted, questioning the commotion. Max reverted back to his human form, his eyes locking onto mine with a challenge. "A wager, Mr. Ashford! My hands for those cufflinks that were so willingly gifted to you. The ability to control your destiny and the power to change your luck. All for a simple game of poker; winner takes all."

My mind raced and my hand was cold. Whatever I decided, leaving that room would alter the course of my life.

The decision made, though not revealed through words, we headed to the gaming table. All eyes were on us. The room's atmosphere was thick with anticipation. The ultimate game had begun.