Addie puts a hand on each of my shoulders. “Stop worrying, Anna. Let the protection of the families keep you safe. They are better at this than anyone I’ve ever known. Believe me, I’ve heard the stories. You have lived them, you know it’s true.”
Slowly my mind clears as the cloud of fear lifts. She’s right, maybe being out of town when they arrive is the best place that I could be. And who says they’re even stateside looking for me. Maybe they’re doing something else that has absolutely nothing to do with me at all.
Addie’s driver pulls up to the entrance and a valet opens my door before I’ve had a chance to text Mr. D that I’ve arrived. Addie grabs my hand and ushers me into the casino giving the doorman a nod as she walks hurriedly past him into the protection of the DeLuca property.
I’m half out of breath by the time she stops moving through the reception and casino area, intent on getting to one place. Addie turns to me as we reach the high rolling table, well as high rolling as it gets down here on the main floor. I think everyone knows the real stakes money is played up top. No way down for anyone who loses and doesn’t plan on paying their debts, if they’re due.
She urges me to take a seat with her at the bar and begins texting. “I’m going to see if Valentina can hang out with you until your man meets you. I have to take a quick call, and I need to do it in private, for a client.” She needs say no more. Addie takes her job very seriously.
“I’ll be fine without anyone. I was just going to text Mr. D.”
Addie smiles. “I sent Valentina a text anyway. You don’t move from this area until one of us join you, okay?” She looks around again and lowers her voice, leaning in so only I can hear.“These men have guards with them, soldiers are surrounding the tables, you’ll be fine here.” Her phone buzzes again and she grimaces.
“Go,” I tell her, immediately messaging Mr. D to let him know where I am as she leaves to find a confidential area to take a call.
I’ve barely been waiting five minutes when Mr. D appears. I would know that dark hair and those dark eyes with or without a mask no matter what. I don’t know why I’m so nervous now that the masks are off, but there’s something so much more dangerous about this now that we’re both completely without disguises.
He places a hand beneath my hair and kisses my forehead, inhaling my scent. “Princessa, you look and smell amazing. I’ve been thinking about nothing but you all week.” His phone buzzes, and he looks down at it in frustration. “Excuse me for just a moment. I’ll be right back.”
He walks away to deal with his message, but someone at the end of the bar not that far away stands and puts out a hand. “Vincenzo DeLuca,” he bellows. “So good to see you.”
My chest tightens and my heart begins to race with unprecedented fear. Mr. D … how could I be so fucking stupid. A fucking DeLuca. The one who owed the Rosellis and carried me out that night. Of course he knows what I look like and who I am. I swallow past my unease. He doesn’t look over to see if I’m watching but the shift in his jaw is undeniable. He knows I heard his name.
My heart beats faster, with instincts drilled into me since my youth taking over. There is no such thing as coincidence with crime families. I watch as he walks to a recessed part of the club and makes a call. I scan the casino, looking past all the bright lights, loud machines and glitz, using all the observation skills we were taught, the guns not noticeable unless you know theexact little bulge under the suit jacket you’re looking for, or for some, the undeniable tattoos of one affiliate or another, and all of these men, they are screaming DeLuca.
As they should, and just moments ago, when I didn’t know Mr. D was the boss of the DeLuca family, the very same one who rescued me, I felt safe. Only because I didn’t think they knew who I was. But he has to know exactly who I am. Has probably known from the very first time he saw me. Now I just need to learn more because him not knowing who I am doesn’t seem to be the case at all.
I see Valentina looking this way and that for me over the crowd. I slide off the chair and should make my way towards her, to safety. But I’m not sure who to fucking trust now. I’m drawn to the dark-suited silhouette in the recessed corner with his back to me. To answers about questions that won’t stop racing through my mind.
Valentina doesn’t see me and heads in the opposite direction, giving me an opportunity to inch my way closer to the man who may want to do anything but protect me.
My name on his lips as I get close causes me to stop. Self-preservation instincts kick in, causing me to press my back to the wall, seemingly just waiting for someone in the restroom while giving me the advantage of watching his soldiers and listening to his call.
Spying on him and eavesdropping on conversations is not the way to start out a relationship, if you can call this thing we have one of those, but neither is lying about who you are.
“Anna’s at the high rollers’ bar. She’s surrounded by my soldiers; they won’t have their eyes off her for a minute.”
My soldiers…
“How far out are you? Soon, we’re going to have every crime family in the state involved in this shit. Nobody wants to turn down a billion-dollar reward for turning her over to a Gallini.They’re all going to know I have her as soon as they follow you here.”
He pauses briefly, while my heart almost pounds right out of my chest.
“Good. In the meantime, she’s secure and ready for you to pick her up.” He pauses for another brief moment. “Yeah, we can talk about payback when you get here.”
My mouth goes dry, and I find it hard to breathe, but I have to get away. Before I can really decide what to do my feet start moving.Never stay in one place, never look the same, never go to the same place twice.All of the Cassone soldiers’ instructions race through my mind as my feet find their stride and I quicken my step while I try to blend in and not look like I’m in a hurry at all.
I weave in and out of the crowd, sliding behind first one slot machine, then another, making my way to the mall area outside of the casino quickly hoping Vincenzo hasn’t yet put his soldiers on my tail. I duck into a small tourist shop and grab a hat, a sundress, and a pair of flat white leather sandals and pay for them, shoving them into my purse before making my way back the same way I came.
This time, knowing that I’m walking toward trouble, intentionally.
Vincenzo DeLuca is like an adonis with his dark hair, dark eyes, black suit and gold jewelry. The double-crossing asshole. I’ve heard the stories about why he rescued me. He had no choice since Massimo found out his family was involved in one of Massimo Roselli’s product mishaps. And now he’s going to sell me for a billion fucking dollars.
I inhale deeply, smile, and wave as he catches my eyes.Two can play this deceitful little game.
His posture immediately relaxes. Yeah, that’s what almost losing a billion dollars looks like fuck face. I point to the ladies’ room and hold up a one finger gesture.
He nods, and I don’t miss the soft shake of his head to his soldiers before he leans against the wall. I just hope that none of his soldiers saw me buy those clothes. But I was pretty quick and discreet. I honestly don’t think he realized I was gone right away. Probably too fucking busy talking and imagining the money he’s going to make by handing me over.