<div class="floatleft">(http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac135/PhotoFaerie/Elliquiy/emma-watson-20090714030201651_640w.jpg)</div>Melanie stretched out on her bed, head hanging over the edge feet up on her bedroom wall as she stared at the invitation.  It was for a high stakes Texas Hold 'Em tournament, the entry fee a cool two hundred and fifty<em>thousand</em>dollars.  That was more than her undergraduate and graduate degrees would cost her combine.  She'd done the math, that was more than tuition, room, board<em>and</em>books would cost her to get her Bachelor's in photography and business and subsequently a Master's in photography.  Richard had to be crazy.  That was all there was to it.  Or playing some kind of sick joke on her.  He had offered to to front her the cash for the entry fee and let her keep half her winnings to help pay for college and if she was lucky seed money to set up her own photography studio upon her graduation. It was a tempting deal.<br/><br/>She had met Richard last year after she took a job as a cocktail waitress in one of the smaller casinos.  She coudln't pass up the tips she was making and then Richard ordered a scotch on the rocks.  She'd happily brought it to him with a smile.  After several rounds at the craps table he seemed to win anytime she came by so being the high roller he was, he spoke with the casino owner and managed to have her assigned as his personal waitress.  Her tip grew with margin of his winnings. Now anytime he was going to be in gambling he called to have his good luck waitress present.  Mel had no problem rearranging her schedule for a guaranteed five hundred dollars or better for a couple ours of making sure Richard's glass stayed full.  Over the last year he'd learned either from her or doing his research that she was a struggling college student who wanted to be an artist.  He even showed up at the end of last year for the student art show and bought several of her self portraits.<br/><br/>Somewhere in the back of her mind that creeped her out and made her hesitate in accepting his deal.  Well that, and what would happen if she lost.  She'd owe him the whole of the two hundred and fifty thousand plus the cost of a dress and would be working it off as his full service casino hostess, catering to his<em>every</em>whim.  He left no room for wondering if that included sexual favors in the way he looked at her; like he just wanted devour her.  But no more having to beg, borrow plead to pay her tuition and rent.  The possibility of going straight into business for herself.  And it's not like Richard was bad looking, rude, obnoxious or a heinous person.  True he was eleven years her senior, but damn he made thirty look good.  He was independently wealthy at the rate he tipped it's not like she'd be in his debt forever.  When he first mentioned it she was tempted to ask if he'd just loan her the money for school on the agreement that she'd pay him back when she graduated, but was too scared.  And this way, if she won, she walked away from the deal owing him nothing but her gratitude.<br/><br/>"What the hell?" She murmured and made the call.<br/><br/>Two weeks later Richard had taught her to bluff better and a good deal about the strategies she could use to convince others to bet higher or fold so she could take the pot.  She checked in the mirror one last time.  The green dress Richard had delivered fit her perfectly as did the shoes.  There was a note with the black pearl necklace and earrings saying they were hers to keep, win or lose.  She closed her eyes, said a little prayer and went down the limo waiting to take her from her crappy apartment to the game.  Once again, the limo was courtesy of Richard, who wanted her to completely look the part when she arrived for the game.  She felt naked with no bra or underwear but the invite specified<em>only</em>four articles of clothing, including jewelery and Richard had demanded she wear the pearls.  Not knowing if he would some how know that she didn't she'd put them on.