Trina sobbed mercilessly in his arms. It was as if she’d been waiting for over a year for a shoulder to cry on. She never dreamed it would be Mick’s of all people. But it was. He held her and let her cry.
And when she stopped sobbing, and he released her, they looked into each other’s eyes. Mick loved Trina. She was as much a Gabrini as Reno, Sal, and Tommy were, and she would always be near and dear to his heart despite whatever shit wasgoing to come out about her. But neither said a mumbling word. They didn’t need to. And Mick left.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Later that night Reno sat atop his perch, inside his nearly 200,000 square feet casino, and he was overlooking everything that was happening. With the microphone in his ear, his Security department were alerting him to what they suspected were the big-money, organized cheaters. And there were many that night. If he gave the go, they would round them up, take them in the back, and Reno would find out who, or what organization, was the ringleader. If he gave the no-go, they would hold back and Reno would continue to watch them, size them up, and then make a decision.
But tonight, he was eyeing a big one. They’d already stolen half-a-mill in thirty minutes. But he wanted to see how far they were willing to push it. He wanted to see if it was a test run, or the real thing. “It’s a no-go,” he said to Security. “Let’s wait and see.”
But while he waited, and while he eyed those high-tech crooks as he searched for the move that would give him more insight into their calculations, he occasionally allowed his bodyguard to let vacationers come over and shake his hand or take a selfie with him or gripe about how his casino ruined their good time by taking all of their money.
But when one particular lady came over, and Reno’s bodyguard looked to see if he wanted to be bothered, he quickly gave the nod to let her through. She was the talent agent for one of the more popular circus acts appearing at the PaLargio and he liked her spunk. She was never above pushing the envelope as far as she could for her clients, and he respected that too.
“The answer is no,” he said as soon as she made her way up to his seating area and sat beside him.
“You’re a bastard,” she responded with a smile. “You know that right?”
“Who me?” Reno asked, and then they laughed. “What’s up this time, Bev?”
“More money, more money, more money. What else?”
“Forget it.”
“This isn’t working out, Reno. That flash mob tried to tear this place down to the ground. It shook my clients to their core.”
“What that had to do with them? Those kids weren’t looking to steal nogotdamn elephants.”
“But that doesn’t mean they won’t try to disrupt our shows. What if they scare the audience away? It’s treacherous out there. They want combat pay.”
“Shit,” said Reno. “I got their combat pay right over here,” he said and squeezed his balls.
“Nice. A grown man squeezing his balls in front of a sweet little lady like me. You ever hear of theMe Tomovement, Reno?”
“I got that right over here too.”
Bev laughed. “You’re incorrigible!”
“Takes one to know one.”
“But I’m just the lil’ old messenger. I’m innocent in this situation. That’s all I am. Miss Innocent.”
Reno smiled. “Yeah right.” Then he looked over near the entrance and saw Trina heading his way. And his smile was gone. “Ah shit!” he said.
“What?” asked Bev.
But Reno jumped down from his perch and hurried toward Trina. “I forgot, Tree,” he said as they met up in the middle of the casino.
“Don’t even try that, Reno.”
“I forgot. I honestly forgot.”
Trina clenched her teeth. “Reno!”
He took her by the arm and escorted her into one of his side offices because he knew Trina. She was not above showing her ass when she was angry enough. “We got a lot going on tonight. Going to dinner didn’t even cross my mind. I got a lot going on.”
“When do you not have a lot going on? I told you we were going to have dinner with Sal and Gemma. I told this morning. I told you that repeatedly. But youstillforgot? I don’t wanna hear that shit again, Reno. I don’t wanna hear that bullshit!”
“I forgot. I got a lot going on, yes I do. Dammit, Tree, what more you want from me?”
