Victor’s assistant meets us at a private elevator, a bucket of cleaning supplies and a vacuum by his feet. He looks younger than I expected considering he has such a prestigious role in the casino—early twenties, like me—but he nods at Victor with brisk efficiency as we arrive.

“I got what you asked for. Should I go up there too and keep an eye on her?”

For a moment, the assistant’s gaze slides to me, a hint of apology in his expression. As if he feels bad for talking about me like I’m not here. But when Victor speaks, the assistant turns away again, and hey—I may as well be...