Page 18 of Hitched to My Enemy
His phone chimed, breaking the moment. He checked the screen and exhaled slowly.
"Torres says there's a situation on the casino floor," he said, his reluctance evident in the way his eyes lingered on mine.
My phone rang before I could respond. As I answered Carmen Torres's urgent call, the ghost of his touch remained, a distraction I couldn't afford.
***
The casino floor buzzed with controlled tension. Security personnel had cordoned off three slot machines in the high-limit area while early gamblers watched from a safe distance, their curiosity palpable.
"What happened?" Easton asked Carmen Torres, the Jade Petal's head of security—a woman whose compact frame and vigilant eyes suggested she could neutralize threats twice her size without breaking stride.
"Overnight maintenance found these machines tampered with," Torres reported. "Programming altered to favor the house beyond legal parameters. If players had used them, they would have been systematically cheated."
My investigative instincts crystallized into focus. "Has anyone accessed these machines since discovery?"
"No ma'am. We secured the area immediately and contacted Mr. Hardwick."
"Good." I examined the nearest machine, noting the nearly imperceptible signs of manipulation that most would overlook. "Who possesses access to the programming codes for these units?"
Torres consulted her tablet. "High-level maintenance personnel, IT department heads, and anyone with executive override privileges."
"A very select group," Easton observed, his expression hardening.
I traced my fingers along the access panel, conscious of Easton studying my movements. "This isn't random vandalism. The precision here indicates someone with technical expertise and the right equipment." Rising, I smoothed my borrowed skirt. "They also navigated around security patrols with suspicious expertise."
"Inside job," Torres concluded.
"Coordinated inside job," I clarified. "This has the hallmarks of a systematic operation, not an isolated incident. Someone's manufacturing evidence of regulatory violations."
Easton's jaw tightened as he processed the implications. "They're framing us for running rigged games."
"Which would trigger immediate license suspension," I continued. "Potentially forcing the Jade Petal into bankruptcy before you even officially open."
The puzzle pieces aligned with disturbing clarity. Enzo's surveillance, the sabotaged machines, his convenient timing—this was methodical corporate sabotage designed to destroy Easton's business and my career simultaneously.
"Sir?" Torres glanced at her phone. "Mr. Delacroix is heading down. Should I brief him?"
"Yes, he should see this," Easton replied, though something flickered across his features—a shadow of uncertainty.
Moments later, Bryce Delacroix emerged from the elevator looking distinctly disheveled. His normally impeccable appearance had deteriorated—tie askew, hair mussed, dark circles beneath bloodshot eyes.
"Christ, what's happened?" he asked, taking in the security cordon.
"Someone tampered with the programming overnight," Easton explained. "Rigged to cheat customers."
The color drained from Bryce's face. "How many machines?"
"Three confirmed," Torres replied. "We're examining the entire floor."
"This is catastrophic," Bryce muttered, pulling out his phone. "The investors will panic if this leaks. We're already navigating regulatory delays—"
"It won't leak," Easton interjected firmly. "We're handling this internally with commission oversight."
Bryce's attention snapped to me, his expression more anxious than relieved. "Has she uncovered anything? About the... irregularities?"
"Investigator Clarke's expertise is exactly what we need," Easton said smoothly.
I studied Bryce's reactions carefully. Most financial officers would immediately question operational impact, security protocols, potential liability. Instead, his concern centered on what I might have discovered.
