Part 1Betting Her Life: A Girlfriend's Vengeance

My girlfriend worked at a club downtown. I thought she was the most precious thing in the world, but then she turned around and crawled into bed with my best friend since childhood. And she told me, her whole goal in working at that club… was always him! I thought she was trying to land a rich guy, but the truth was…

* * *

My buddy Leo hit me up, wanting to go to this club he knew. Said it was crawling with gorgeous women.

Me, single since basically birth, hesitated for like half a second before saying yes.

Leo was a regular there. The second we walked in, a hostess rushed over, practically fawning over him. "Leo, my man! The Velvet Lounge again tonight?"

Leo didn’t say anything, just raised his eyebrows. The hostess got the message immediately and slipped away to get things ready.

Compared to Leo, who navigated the club like he owned the place, I probably looked like a total newbie.

Which, yeah, I was. It was my first time in a place like this. The multi-colored lights flashing everywhere, the dance floor packed with beautiful women… I felt my heart pounding in my throat, adrenaline surging. I felt a little out of place, but also kind of excited about what might happen next.

Leo saw me standing there awkwardly and threw an arm around my shoulder with a laugh. "Dude, relax! This is basically my spot. Don't be so uptight. Let loose. Anything happens, I got your back!"

Hearing that, I managed a smile and nodded.

Leo and I were different, even though we grew up together. Our lives had taken completely different paths.

I went the straight-and-narrow route: four-year college degree, then landed a job at a well-known public company right after graduation. I was doing okay, pulling down a six-figure salary.

He, on the other hand, dropped out of junior high and started running the streets.

His biggest advantage? He hit the genetic lottery. Good old dad. His father was one of the wealthiest businessmen in our area, owned a huge cosmetics company. Leo was born late in their lives, so they treated him like gold. No matter how much of a screw-up Leo was, someone always cleaned up his messes. He wanted to be a street guy? His dad threw money and connections around until he was some kind of big shot with his own crew to boss around.

Seeing Leo live so freely, I couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

Seriously, comparing yourself to others will just make you miserable. They say all roads lead to Rome, but Leo was practically born there. Guys like me, from regular backgrounds, we could bust our asses our whole lives and probably never reach the level he started at.

"Come on, man, what are you still standing there for? Let's go have some real fun," Leo's voice pulled me back.

He gave a little whistle my way, then stuffed his hands in his pockets and swaggered into the VIP section. I hurried to keep up.

Before I even got settled on the plush sofa, a line of ridiculously hot girls came in. They all wore the same tight little uniforms, but each had a different number pinned to her chest. Seeing them lined up like that, ready to be picked, felt weirdly like browsing produce at a farmer's market or something.

Leo didn't waste any time. He pointed out two girls with heavy makeup who looked sharp, like they knew how to work a room. He pulled them down, one on each side, without a hint of awkwardness.

While Leo was getting cozy with his choices, I noticed one girl standing off to the side. She also had heavy makeup, but she looked really young. Her face fell when Leo didn't pick her, and she clenched her fists so hard I could almost hear her knuckles crack. She looked genuinely pissed.

What's her deal? I thought to myself. She's that upset just because Leo didn't choose her? I couldn't help but let out a small, surprised chuckle.

Just then, Leo turned to me. "Jake, you gotta pick one too. Got a few more buddies coming later. Let's get this party started, warm things up."

"Huh? Me? Pick one?" Happiness, or maybe just shock, hit me so suddenly my face flushed bright red.

After shuffling awkwardly for a moment, I pointed to the innocent-looking one who’d been giving Leo the eye.

But she didn't seem thrilled to be chosen by me. Her face screamed reluctance.

Leo noticed and got annoyed. He stepped over and pinched her cheek, his eyes suddenly cold. "Aren't you all here for the same thing? Drop the innocent act. If you disrespect my boy tonight, I'll make you seriously regret it."

The girl didn't say a word, just kept staring at Leo. Her face was blank; I couldn't guess what she was thinking.

"Hey, hey, come on," I quickly jumped in to smooth things over. "We're just here to have fun, right? Don't scare the poor girl."

"This is my best friend, practically my brother," Leo said, letting go of her face but keeping his voice icy. "You better show him some respect." His tone was calm, but the words left no room for argument.

But hearing how close Leo and I apparently were, the girl's expression instantly relaxed. She even managed a smile. "Oh, Leo, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. I'll take really good care of your friend."

Leo nodded, satisfied. Then he leaned close to my ear and whispered, "Nice eye, Jake. Trust my experience, that one looks brand new. You're gonna have some fun tonight."

I just smiled without saying anything back.

Leo really was an expert when it came to women. To put it mildly, he was the king of players, totally wild. But he wasn’t infallible. One time, things got really bad, led to two deaths, apparently. His dad spent a fortune cleaning up that mess. Leo didn't seem to learn much from it, though. It wasn't long before he was right back to playing the field.

Watching him now, looking kind of sleazy as he poured drinks down the throats of the two girls beside him, I pursed my lips. I felt a bit awkward, a bit out of my element.

"Hey, drink some water." The girl I'd picked noticed my discomfort. She held out a glass of water, smiling.

I took the glass from her, looking straight at her for a few moments.

From the way she’d reacted to Leo, it was pretty clear her real interest wasn't me. It was him. Even though she was sitting next to me now, her eyes kept darting over to Leo. Makes sense, I guess. Leo, the bad boy, had this magnetic charm. Plenty of young girls threw themselves at him.

I took a small sip of water. Suddenly, I got this jolt of recognition. There was something familiar about her face, her eyes… like I’d seen her somewhere before.