Free Promises Made (BBW Billionaire Romantic Erotica) (Vegas Billionaire) by Amelia Rose Page B

bad, but now that he had mentioned it, she knew she’d be self-conscious all day if she didn’t change.  Rummaging through their closet, she fou nd a different suit and quickly changed into it.
     
    “For god’s sake, Elle .  Now you look matronly.  I swear, you’re hopeless.”  Ryan grabbed his suit jacket and walked toward the door.  “You’re working late tonight, right?”
     
    “Yeah, sorry, Ryan.  Go ahead and pick up something for your dinner.  I have a late staff meeting scheduled.”
     
    Elle had worked as a beverage manager at the Empyrean Hotel and Casino for the last five years.  Ryan thought her job was all fun and games, since she worked at one of the most opulent hotels in Las Vegas, but she took it seriously.  The hotel attracted some of the wealthiest people in the world, and they could be very demanding.  It was up to her to ensure that at least some of those needs were met.
     
    She looked up to see Ryan continuing out the door and started to say goodbye, but didn’t want to irritate him any further.  He hated it when she didn’t have dinner ready for him in the evenings.  Elle made a face at herself as she took a final glance in the mirror.  He was right, she did look matronly.  She changed back into her fitted jacket and pencil skirt, then grabbed a pair of black heels and tossed them into her briefcase before slipping into a pair of flats. 
     
    *****
     
    Her drive to work was always a hassle.  Tourists never thought about the fact that people actually lived and worked there.   She finally guided her car into the employee parking garage at the Empyrean and started the long hike to her office.  All of the casinos were huge, but at least this one was designed more with luxury in mind.  Quality over quantity was something the staff  heard from upper management regularly.
     
    Most of the casinos were designed to appeal to the masses.  They had kitschy themes or a fake air of wealth, but were little more than gigantic money sinks for the average tourist.  The Empyrean marketed itself to the upper echelon by foregoing penny slot machines and all night cafes in favor of discrete high limit areas and five star restaurants. 
     
    Elle felt a sense of pride as she looked around at the casino bars.  They ran like well oiled machines under her management.  Cocktail waitresses in tiny, cream colored sheath dresses gathered trays of drinks made from top shelf liquors and gracefully made their way to different high limit areas, while tuxedoed bartenders smoothly poured the next round.
     
    She spent a few hours at her desk going over the previous day’s beverage orders and current inventory on hand.  It was important to predict trends and stock for them appropriately.  Currently, it appeared that 30 year old scotch and cognac were in demand, so she placed an order to have more delivered that afternoon.
     
    “ Elle , I hate to do this to you, but I need a favor.”
     
    She looked up from her computer and saw her manager, Julien , standing in her doorway with a pained expression on his face.  He was, as always, impeccably dressed, and his speech was laced with traces of a French accent.  Julien wasn’t only her manager, he was her best friend.
     
    They had met when she was first hired after college and made the requisite rounds as a cocktail waitress.  At the time, Julien had worked as a bartender in the high limit area she was eventually assigned to handle.  His keen sense for the business had allowed him to move up quickly in the casino ranks, and he had always made sure to take Elle along with him.  They were a good pair, and kept things running with a smooth precision.
     
    “Of course, Julien.  Whatever you need.”  Elle was concerned.  Julien never needed favors, so it must be something big.
     
    “I was contacted by one of the hosts about a whale we have coming in this evening, so I checked your staffing rosters to ensure we were prepared.  You’re down