“I want you to manage one of the smaller casinos of the Outfit. The man who’s been in charge for the last three years was laid off yesterday.”
Was that what Dante had done after he’d slept with me? For a few moments, Dante and I stared at each other as if we’d been thinking the same thing, but now wasn’t the moment to bring up sex. “Laid off?” I echoed his words, which I was fairly sure were a euphemism for something else, since it was hard to be fired from a position in the mob. If you messed up in one mob business, it was unlikely that you’d get a position somewhere else, unless you were someone’s son, nephew, etc. And if you weren’t…
Dante watched me closely when he said his next words. “I found out that he filled his pockets with Outfit money.”
“So you killed him,” I finished for him. I knew how things worked in our world. Maybe I’d never been allowed in the midst of it, but I heard the stories.
Dante nodded. “I did. And if you want you can have his job.”
“I’ve never managed a casino before. Why are you giving such an important position to me?”
“The assistant manager can do the main work in the background. I need someone to make the high rollers feel welcome.”
I stiffened. Dante, of course, picked up on it. “I think you misunderstand me.” He stood and stepped in front of me. He rested his hands lightly on my thighs, making my skin tingle even through my tights. “You are mine, Valentina.”
I had to bite back a smile at the possessiveness in his voice. “So what exactly am I supposed to do?”
He removed his hands and strode over to the window, hands in his pockets. “I want you to welcome the high rollers. Show them to their table. Introduce them to our complimentary girls.”
“Complimentary girls, really?”
Dante turned. “Gambling and prostitution are our main businesses, and both can easily be combined.”
“Okay. I can do that.” Even if the words “complimentary girls” made me want to tear my hair out. “That doesn’t sound like a lot though.”
“Also, you’ll organize special events. We have event nights once a month, and I think a female touch might make them more appealing. You’ll also make sure that everything goes smoothly. I want you to be my eyes. I have a feeling I haven’t weeded out all the rotten fruit yet.”
“You want me to spy on your employees.”
“Yes. I want you to keep your eyes open.”
“Is it because you think they’ll be less cautious around me, or because you don’t have anyone else you trust with the task?”
“I have enough men I trust. But you are right, I think many men will underestimate you and be less vigilant around you.” He leaned against the windowsill. “I don’t trust anyone unconditionally.”
“Not even me?” It was said in a teasing voice, but Dante’s eyes became cool. “You haven’t given me reason to. You lied to me about your marriage to Antonio, and you refuse to give me the name of an outsider who might be privy to compromising information about the Outfit.”
The way he worded it made me sound like a notorious liar. “I didn’t lie to you about the marriage. I told you that I’ve never been with Antonio.”
“Yes, you did, but it was a truth I suspect you gave up only because you feared I’d uncover it eventually.”
Of course he hit the nail on the head. I couldn’t deny it. He would have known I lied and that wouldn’t really have helped my situation. “Does it matter why I decided to tell you the truth?”
“It matters greatly, Valentina. Because I don’t know if you’ll be as forthcoming with future truths when you don’t feel cornered. If I counted every coerced truth as redeeming, I would have to spare every traitor who gives away his knowledge under duress.”
Under duress—what a mild word for what the Outfit did to traitors. “I know what you do to traitors, and that’s exactly why I won’t give you the name of Antonio’s lover.”
“You realize that by aiding Antonio in his deceit you became his accomplice and thus a traitor to the Outfit, and that you keep betraying the Outfit and me by withholding information.”
I pushed off the desk, unable to sit still any longer. “I know. But no matter what you think of me, I am loyal to those I care about. I was loyal to Antonio. If he were still alive, I would have taken his secret to the grave with me to protect him.”
Dante shook his head. “That’s something you can’t say for sure. You’ve never suffered through excruciating pain. Torture is a powerful motivator.”
“I guess we’ll never know, unless you intend to test the theory on me and try to coerce the name of Antonio’s lover out of me,” I said insolently.
Dante fixed me with a hard look. “Because you are my wife and because you are a woman, you are safe. You know that very well.”
Because I was his wife, not because he liked me or even cared for me. “I know,” I said, then because I couldn’t bear the tension between us I added, “If you had a secret you needed to hide, I would keep it for you. I would try to brave torture, pain and death to hide it for you.”
Dante didn’t say anything, didn’t even bridge the distance between us, only gazed at me with his unreadable eyes. I decided to take my exit before I said something sentimental, or before Dante could send me out. Dante didn’t stop me, but I could feel his eyes on my back.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
After a dinner of almost silence, except for the few snippets of conversation about my visit to the casino tomorrow, Dante had returned into his office and I had gone to the library as was becoming habit. Instead of choosing the Russian textbook, I decided to read one of the books on gambling and casinos that crowded the shelves but was distracted by the sound of male voices through the walls. They didn’t sound like Enzo and Taft, so I assumed Dante was having a meeting with other members of the Outfit.
When I went to bed hours later, the halls were dark and Dante was still in his office. I guessed that meant another late night. Would Dante really make me ask for a second round of sex?
* * *
Much later, I was woken by a hand on my hip. My eyes shot open but I stared into near blackness. The curtains were drawn and allowed only a sliver of moonlight to penetrate the room. My gaze found the pale glow of the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was almost midnight. I had been asleep for less than one hour. What was wrong?
I realized Dante was pressed up against my back, his fingers stroking my hip. “Dante?” I whispered, twisting my head to peer over my shoulder, but his face was covered by shadows. He was close though. His breath fanned over my shoulder, raising the little hairs on my arms. “What’s the—”
He silenced me with a fierce kiss that made me gasp. He didn’t hesitate; his tongue claimed my mouth. I tried to roll over so I was facing his way, but Dante’s firm chest against my back and his tight grip on my hip kept me immobilized. His kiss sent waves of arousal down my center, but eventually I pulled back to draw in a deep breath and because my neck hurt from the awkward position. He pressed his erection against my butt. I exhaled audibly. “Tell me you’re not sore,” he rumbled against my shoulder before he bit down lightly.