Chasing His Scentless Mate-Chapter 368 Lucky Strike in Sin City

Ava’s POV

I blinked twice, still unable to believe where I was. The plush leather chairs and crystal chandeliers of this VIP room in Vegas’s most exclusive casino sparkled around me.

"Another drink, Miss Flynn?" A server appeared with champagne on a tray.

"She’ll have water for now," Kenneth said before I could answer. "We want to keep her sharp for the tables." He smiled at me. "Unless you’d prefer something else?"

"Water is perfect," I said. I was still trying to understand how I’d gone from shopping to sitting in a Vegas casino in four hours.

The private jet had been incredible. Leather seats, a full bar, staff treating Kenneth like royalty. When he said he wanted to take me somewhere to clear my head, I thought he meant a local restaurant. Not a flight to Vegas.

"You still look shocked," Kenneth said with amusement. "The games are much less scary than they look."

"It’s not the games. It’s all of this." I gestured around us. "I’ve never seen anything like it."

Kenneth leaned closer. "That’s exactly why I brought you here. Sometimes we need to step outside our normal lives to see things clearly."

A staff member approached with chips on a velvet tray. Stacks of different colors, arranged in neat piles.

"Your chips, Alpha Kenneth," the man said.

"Thank you, Martin." Kenneth placed the tray between us and explained the chip values. The amounts were huge. Black chips were $100 each, purple ones $500.

"These are for you." He pushed a pile toward me.

I froze. "Kenneth, I can’t take these. That’s thousands of dollars!"

"Ten thousand, to be exact," he said casually. "Consider it an investment in your happiness."

"But what if I lose it all?"

Kenneth laughed. "Then you lose it all! That’s the experience." He relaxed in his chair. "I have plenty of money, Ava. And you might have beginner’s luck tonight."

A woman approached our table. "Alpha Kenneth, always a pleasure. Your usual baccarat?"

"Not tonight, Vivian. Ms. Flynn is new here. Let’s start with roulette."

"Excellent. I’ll arrange a private table."

Everyone treated Kenneth with such respect. Like he owned the place.

"Do you come here often?" I asked.

"A few times a year. It clears my mind when I have heavy decisions." His eyes met mine. "Like you’re dealing with now."

I nodded. He seemed to understand so easily.

"Well then," he said, standing and offering his hand. "Shall we see if Lady Luck favors you tonight?"

Turns out, Lady Luck didn’t just favor me—she practically adopted me.

"Red 23!" the croupier announced. I gasped as the little white ball settled into place.

"That’s three wins in a row!" I couldn’t hide my excitement as more chips were pushed toward me.

Kenneth looked impressed. "I knew you had something special, Ava, but this is remarkable."

My chips had grown from $10,000 to over $30,000 in less than an hour. We moved from roulette to blackjack, and I kept winning.

"Maybe I should have been a professional gambler," I joked, feeling lighter.

"Perhaps you have hidden talents," Kenneth replied, watching me with interest.

As I placed another bet, I wondered if my witch heritage had anything to do with my luck. Grandma Hilary never mentioned gambling as a witch talent, but who knows? If I’d known about this luck, I could have paid off my student loans ages ago.

"You’re a natural," Kenneth said as I won another hand. "Your intuition is extraordinary."

I smiled, enjoying the rush. For hours, I barely thought about Joseph or our problems. Here I was just Ava, a woman on a lucky streak.

"I think I need a break," I finally said after winning my twentieth hand.

"Of course. Let’s cash in your chips and get dinner. The restaurant here is exceptional."

Kenneth’s hand rested lightly on my lower back as we walked to the cashier.

The cashier counted my winnings: $47,320.

"Congratulations, Ms. Flynn," she said. "How would you like your winnings?"

I looked at Kenneth, unsure.

"A check would be safest," he suggested.

"A check is fine," I agreed, still stunned.

Kenneth led me to an elegant restaurant overlooking the Strip. The host immediately recognized him.

"Alpha Kenneth! Your usual table is ready."

As we sat at a window table with a view, I asked, "Do you own part of this casino? Everyone treats you like royalty."

Kenneth smiled. "I’ve been a valued customer for many years. I have some investments in hospitality."

The way he said it made me think "some investments" was huge.

Over dinner, Kenneth asked thoughtful questions about my life, my dreams, my interests. He listened with genuine interest.

"You’re incredibly talented, Ava," he said as we shared chocolate dessert. "Your business degree, your fashion sense. You should run your own boutique."

"That’s the dream," I admitted. "Someday."

"Why someday? Why not now?"

I laughed nervously. "Money. Opening a boutique needs capital."

"You just won nearly fifty thousand dollars," he pointed out.

"That’s actually a good point." The possibility suddenly seemed real.

"The universe gave you a sign tonight, Ava. Maybe it’s time to believe in yourself the way I do."

His words warmed something inside me. When was the last time someone had such faith in my abilities?

After dinner, Kenneth said we should head back. "I have business in the morning, so we need to return tonight."

On the private jet back to Harbor Bay, I felt exhausted. The leather seat turned into a comfortable bed. Despite wanting to stay awake, my eyelids grew heavy.

"Rest," Kenneth said gently, putting a soft blanket over me. "It’s been quite a day."

Just before I fell asleep, I felt his hand brush hair from my face. The gesture was so tender, like a father would do. Tears came to my eyes. When was the last time someone took care of me like this? No demands, no expectations. Just kindness.

I woke up as the plane started landing in Harbor Bay. The city lights sparkled below us.

"We’re almost home," Kenneth said, seeing I was awake. "Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in weeks," I said. "Kenneth, I don’t know how to thank you for today."

"Seeing you smile is enough," he replied. "You carry too many problems for someone so young, Ava."

As the plane landed at a private hangar, I felt sad the day was ending. Back to reality, back to my troubles. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Kenneth’s car was waiting. A black Bentley. His driver put my shopping bags in the trunk.

"I’ll take you home," Kenneth said, opening the car door for me.

The ride to my apartment was quiet but nice. When we stopped outside my building, Kenneth walked me to the door.

"I had a wonderful time today," I said, feeling suddenly shy.

"So did I." His smile was warm under the porch light. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a business card. "If you ever need anything, advice, someone to talk to, or just another day away from troubles, please call. Day or night."

He gave me the card with a little bow that made me laugh.

"I wrote my personal number on the back. Only a few people have it."

"Thank you, Kenneth. For everything." I stepped forward and hugged him. He seemed surprised but hugged me back.

"Take care of yourself, Ava. Remember what I said. You deserve to be treasured."