“You know,” he said as he came over to me. “I brought you here partially so that anyone who had that shitty article would have zero doubt about who we are.”
“Partially,” I said coyly, raising an eyebrow.
“Partially,” he echoed, “but the full reason I brought you here, Sarah? It’s because I love you. I want you with me everywhere I go and with everything I do. I could care less if the entire world writes hit pieces about you or if the Morrils try to destroy you. Because after all this, I can finally say something with full sincerity.”
He pulled me in close, pressing our bodies together; I could feel his arousal down below. I knew exactly where we’d be minutes from now, and it was utterly delightful.
“You are mine, now and forever.”
EPILOGUE
The wonderful thing about loving Sarah was that even though she was my priority, I did not have toonlylove her.
She did not force me to give up my CEO status of our casino empire, and while she was not hesitant to remind me dinner time and bedtime were ours, she did not get annoyed if I had to step aside mid-afternoon for a meeting. In the same way, I never expected her to give up her mornings for painting or other creative work. It was yet another sign that we were perfect for each other; I would be protective of her no matter what happened, but I did not get jealous that art and friends might take her time.
And it was a damn good thing, too, because the article attack that the Morrils had launched was apparently just the starting point.
I should have known better, frankly. I had gotten so wrapped up in what the Morrils would do to Sarah that I’d never bothered to consider if they’d launch larger hit pieces against us and our business. And honestly, there was juice they could squeeze through legitimate media outlets if they wanted to. We’d never murdered anyone, but suffice to say, Dante’s presence, Adrian’s silver tongue, Lucas’ shrewd thinking, and my finishing touchcould make some people realize they’d been taken only after the fact.
I wasn’t apologetic for it, but I was aware that it was in the works to bite us if we weren’t careful.
And so, just days before the New Year began, I had Adrian in my office.
“You wanted to see me, brother?” Adrian said.
“I’m sure you’re familiar with all that’s going on with the Morrils?” I said. Adrian nodded. It wasn’t a question I didn’t know the answer to. “I don’t currently trust Dante. He’s too volatile and too likely to do something to blow this up. I have no fucking regrets about hitching up with Sarah, but I’m aware it may make me limited in how I respond to the Vales.”
Adrian kept a stoic face, but I could see the grin forming on his face. He liked confrontation as much as Dante did; he was just smarter about how he approached it. But take the shirts off both men, and the difference in tattoos wouldn’t be that dramatic.
“Which is why I’m turning to you and Lucas to figure out a way to nip this shit in the bud before it causes us business problems,” I said. “Las Vegas as a whole is dealing with tourism difficulties. We’re one of the few exceptions, and it’s largely because we’re new without the baggage of the old guard. We need to keep the image that way.”
“Without a doubt,” Adrian said. “I’ve had some ideas, you know.”
“Oh?” I said, arching an eyebrow.
We all always had ideas. Billionaires didn’t become billionaires by dreaming small. But Adrian’s tone made me very curious about what he would say next.
“One of your girl’s friends is a journalist in town,” he said. “Delilah, I believe her name is.”
I had to bite back a laugh. Adrian was as much a philanderer as anyone in the family, but he just happened to know the name of one of Sarah’s friends?
I’d just lived this story. I could see where it was going. But I played dumb; after being knee deep in it, I just wanted to watch from afar.
“Yes, that’s correct. What about her?”
“Well, if we can’t fight a war in the streets, why not fight a war in the press? They’re also up and coming without a lot of past history. Maybe we beat them to the press with heavy baggage.”
I nodded. It would satisfy both my interests—to see the Morrils fucking obliterated, and to see how Adrian might do with one of the first women whose name he bothered to learn before trying to fuck her.
Or maybe he’d been on that trail for months and I’d just been oblivious. Either way, I couldn’t wait to see what unfolded.
“Just be careful,” I said. “I got the nickname King of Hearts, and the thing about press is once it’s loose, no amount of money can corral it.”
“I’ve already thought of that,” Adrian said. “I think the King of Diamonds is a good one for me, don’t you think? A king, of course. I’m not afraid to wear my jewelry and show the work we put in to get it. And I control one of the largest fortunes in Vegas.”
“Whatever makes you sleep at night,” I said with a wave of the hand. “You know what you’re getting yourself into. Be careful.”
But don’t be too careful, Adrian. I want to see how this unfolds.
“Don’t you worry,” Adrian said. “The King of Diamonds won’t so easily become a king for one diamond the way the King of Hearts did.”
I laughed. Oh, someday, I’d sit down and tell Adrian the entirety of the story. He’d see. He’d see that what seemed like the loss of a trade was actually the best decision I’d ever fucking made.
But that was someday. He had to live his own story first.
“You might just be surprised how much you value one diamond when it’s all said and done,” I said. “Good luck, King of Diamonds. I look forward to seeing your story unfold.”
