Croupier Page #14

MAN:

You don't recognise me? You had me

barred. You f***ing little worm.

JACK:

Wait a minute. You got yourself

barred.

MAN:

It was you, you sh*t.

The MAN reaches forward and grabs JACK'S tie. He yanks it

with farce. JACK gasps. He rams his elbow into the MAN'S

chest.

The MAN kicks JACK on the shins. JACK topples. The MAN

leaps at him. JACK, knees him in the groin.

The fight is untidy and vicious. Both men collapse

struggling onto the pavement.

A car appears, a Mini-Cooper. BELLA is driving. She sees

the fight.

JACK'S nose is bleeding. The MAN kicks him in the back.

JACK yells with pain, gets to his feet.

JACK:

Now I'm going to kill you.

He boots the MAN in the head. BELLA gets out of her car

and runs over to them.

BELLA:

Jack!

The MAN is screening under JACK'S repeated blows. BELLA

pulls JACK away.

BELLA:

Jack. Leave him! Come on!

JACK'S face is masked with blood and fury. BELLA is

frightened by JACK'S violence.

BELLA:

Let's go. We don't want the cops

here.

Before she can get JACK into her car, he goes back to the

MAN groaning on the floor. He stamps on the MAN's hand.

BELLA is shocked.

JACK:

(coldly)

He won't cheat again.

BELLA pulls him away, bundles JACK into her car, gets in,

drives away.

INT. BELLA'S FLAT - BATHROOM - NIGHT

Water is running in the basin. BELLA puts JACK'S jacket on

the lavatory seat. She starts to undo his tie. JACK wipes

his blood-stained nose with a wet flannel.

BELLA:

You're shaking.

JACK:

It's the tension.

She undoes his shirt and takes it off. He winces. She washes

his torso, cleans him up.

JACK looks at his shaking hands. BELLA takes him by the

hand, leads him into the bedroom.

INT. BELLA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

She sits him on the bed. The room is lit with coloured

lamps.

BELLA:

Excuse the mess.

JACK pulls her suddenly into his arms, pulls her onto the

bed. She is startled.

BELLA:

Careful.

JACK'S hands open her blouse. He reaches for her breast.

BELLA'S surprise becomes excitement. He kisses her hungrily,

his hands rummaging in her clothes. She reaches for a side

zip in her skirt.

BELLA:

Don't tear anything.

BELLA kicks off her shoes. There is a burst of passion

between them. For JACK, a continuation of the violence

with the MAN on the street.

For BELLA, it's a sudden release. Her naked foot knocks

over the bedside lamp.

JACK spreads BELLA on the bed. She tugs his trousers down.

He rips her black underwear away.

INT. BELLA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Later. JACK is lying sprawled on the bed with BELLA. She

reaches across him and retrieves the fallen lamp.

BELLA:

It's funny, isn't it? If that guy

hadn't come up to you, you wouldn't

be here now.

JACK strokes her bottom.

JACK:

I hate cheats.

BELLA:

All men are cheats.

BELLA picks up a joint from the bedside and lights it.

BELLA:

I spent two years on the game. I

don't mind telling you that.

JACK looks at her.

BELLA:

But don't worry, I'm clean as a

whistle. I only did S & M.

(she hands the joint

to JACK,)

No blow jobs. No screwing.

JACK:

Why did you quit?

BELLA:

I got scared.

JACK:

(inhales)

I can imagine.

BELLA:

Can you? I'm happy being a dealer.

At least the punters keep their

hands to themselves.

JACK:

You called the casino a cesspit.

BELLA:

Well it is. But I know where I am.

JACK hands the joint back to BELLA.

BELLA:

I've been watching you work. You're

the best in the place. But you

know that.

JACK:

I despise the job.

BELLA:

Ah, we all say that. But if we

hate it, why do we do it?

JACK doesn't answer.

JACK'S VOICE

Jack wanted to say we do it for

the money. But that wasn't really

true.

BELLA leans over JACK and begins gently to massage his

flesh.

BELLA:

What do you really want to do?

She puts the joint in an ashtray.

JACK:

The Indian rope-trick.

BELLA:

Look, now I'm pumping you. I'm

sorry. It's none of my business.

It's just that you're not like the

others.

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