Page 36 of Dangerous Games

If Nate noticed me retreating, he didn’t bring it up again, which I’m thankful for. Lately, I feel like all anyone has done is question me, and I’m over it. I want a night where nobody talks to me.

And that’s what I decide I’m going to do on my way home. I hope Wiz is online and up for a game. Getting lost in a world that isn’t the shit show of my life sounds amazing right about now.

Chapter

Twelve

GIO

“Iheard you had fun last night.” Alessio smirks as I walk into Matteo’s office. “Win anything big?”

“Nope, and if I did, I wouldn’t be telling you.”

Alessio snorts. “You wouldn’t have to. Dimitri has a big enough mouth for the both of you. He called Matteo as soon as you were in that room to let him know you were at one of his tables.”

Of course, he did. Like Matteo wouldn’t know what the fuck I was up to last night.

“He didn’t have a problem with you coming in unannounced?” Matteo asks from behind his desk.

“No.” I shake my head. “Funny thing is, there was an open seat.”

Matteo’s brows raise. “An open seat at that kind of table? I’m not buying it.”

“Me neither.”

“You think it was meant for Brian?” Alessio asks.

I shrug. “I don’t know for sure, but I don’t believe in coincidences like that.”

“I agree,” Matteo says as he twirls his tumbler around. “Did you find her dad?”

“I did.” I sigh. “He looks exactly how I would expect him to from what little Bronwyn has told me about him. From what I saw on the cameras when he came to her house, that was the cleaned-up version.”

“That bad?” Alessio asks with a wince.

“He looked like he was coming off a five-day bender and hadn’t showered in a week. And that’s putting it nicely.”

“How does someone like him afford a spot at a high-roller table?” Alessio asks.

“It’s simple. He borrows money from the Bratva to be able to sit. The house always wins; therefore, he always loses, which makes him borrow more money from the Bratva. Before he knows it, he’s in so much debt he has no choice but to work for them to pay it off,” Matteo states. “It’s not a bad business to be in. Not one I would personally pick, but not bad nonetheless.”

“And at that point, you’re essentially working for free and they have complete control over you,” Alessio concludes.

Matteo nods his head. “Exactly. It’s their way of owning people without them even realizing it, and when they do, they’re already in too deep to be able to do anything about it.”

“How much do you want to bet that Brian was working for them to pay off a debt and Dennis is heading down the same path to that life right now?” I ask.

“I think that open seat was Brian’s,” Matteo concludes. “It’s hard to say for sure without having more proof, but all signs are leading toward that. And I agree Dennis is heading down that path if he isn’t already on it.”

Shit.

Releasing a heavy sigh, I tip my head back.

Bronwyn is not going to like this. I had already decided before I stepped foot into the casino that I’m going to do everything in my power to shield her from this. It’s obvious she’s lived her life without anyone in her corner. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s done carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. It’s time for her to breathe easy.

“Am I wrong to think that Dennis gave up information on his daughter to the Bratva to help with his debt?” I ask the ceiling.

“No, I don’t think you’re wrong to think that. As fucked up as it is, it’s looking like it’s one of only two options. And that makes me want to strangle Dennis myself because I can picture Viviana in Bronwyn’s shoes, and it makes me real fucking ragey,” Matteo says, his tone hard.