“It was no trouble,” I mutter. They’re the first words I’ve managed to say since he arrived. And he’s gone.
I stand in silence, trying not to sway until a hand on my arm pulls me back.
“You okay, babe?” Andy murmurs. I stare at her, trying not to let my mouth hang open.
“That’s him,” I whisper, and her eyes grow wide.
“Himhim?” she whispers back. I nod. “Holy crap!” She stares at the doors that are swinging shut, then turns to me. “And the hottie with the bad attitude?”
“Mateo Ricci,” I say. “They work together.”
She mulls it over for a second, then asks, “Wanna trade places?”
I remain silent as the vision of that man and his small son remains burned into my mind. There’s no way she could understand how screwed up this all is.
I’m pretty sure I’m going to find out.
Chapter 9
Dario Caraldi
Idon’t know why I’m surprised, but Nikki Love is doing better than I expected. Behind that beautiful face is a razor-sharp wit. It’s taken a week, and she’s hit the ground running. Already she’s learned the routines of all the table games and knows how to read a room.
I’m impressed.
And that doesn’t happen easily.
“She’s doing good, huh?” Mateo says as he sees me running an eye over the screens in the security room. We have cameras that show every inch of the place. It’s impossible to run a casino without the back room. Security has to be top-notch.
It’s also a convenient way to keep an eye on my new prize. And I find myself doing it a lot.
“Yes, she’s okay,” I say grudgingly. Better than okay. The sleek red cocktail dress that is our hostess uniform could have been made for her. Every curve is on display. Today, her blonde hair is a mirror-smooth curtain that frames her face and streams down to the center of her back. But she was just as beautiful in rumpled sweats, with golden waves tumbling over her shoulders. I dismiss the image.
“Easy on the eye, too,” Mateo adds. I raise an eyebrow at him.
“What’s that got to do with anything?” I snap.
“Nothing. Just saying.” He grins at me.Fucker.
She’s hovering beside a thickset guy who’s leering down her cleavage. I feel my teeth set on edge. The guy’s in a flashy suit and has a gleaming ring on almost every finger. I recognize him as one of our regulars. He’s in here several times a month and drops millions. Or wins them. Either way, he’s good for business. But the way he’s looking at her makes me want him thrown out.
“Call her to my office,” I mutter to Mateo. He frowns at me, but I don’t give him an explanation as I turn and stalk out.
I’m at my desk when there’s a knock at the door ten minutes later.
“Come,” I call out, and the door opens to reveal Nikki. She pauses, then steps in, stopping a few meters from my desk. I stand and head over to her, then walk around her, running my eyes up and down her sleek form. “Uniform fits well,” I say. Now that she’s here, it occurs to me that I had no real reason to call her in. I just didn’t want that fucker touching her.
“Yes,” she replies, looking stiffly forward. “Thank you.” We’ve had no other interaction till now. Mateo’s handled everything. The tension between us is palpable.
I stop in front of her. “You’re settling in well?”
“I am, thank you,” she says. Now she’s staring at the top button of my shirt. The urge to tilt her head up is riding me hard.
“I’m moving you,” I say, and she stiffens. “From tomorrow, you’ll be working exclusively in the VIP zone.”
“Okay,” she says. Her voice is husky. Fuck it, she smells so damn good.
“It’s a tougher environment,” I add. “You’ll be interacting with some of the biggest fish on the circuit. These are our ‘whales’.” I’m not joking. The asshole who just had his eyes all over her is small fry by comparison. And if anyone gets to feel her up, at least it should be someone who makes it worth my while.
