I led them toward the roulette table, all smiles, and soon they began to throw away money with hardly a care, too busy bragging and impressing me. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Dante talking to Enzo before leaving the casino. I knew he was busy but I wished he’d stayed a little longer. I didn’t have much time for that thought, however; I had to be the perfect hostess for another group of high rollers eager to schmooze the wife of the Capo.
It was past midnight when things had progressed enough for me to take my leave. Several of the high rollers had disappeared into back rooms with girls, or were too immersed in gambling to need my attention. I was exhausted, more exhausted than a few hours of talking and listening should make a person.
After I’d slipped into the passenger seat of the car, I let out a quiet sigh of relief to be finally off my feet. My legs ached from standing for so long, especially in my uncomfortable heels. Men had it easier. They could wear their oxfords or Budapest shoes, and not squeeze their toes into pointy heels.
I must have dozed off because the next thing I remembered was Enzo turning off the engine in the garage. I sat up, embarrassed. “I’m sorry I fell asleep. That was rude.”
Enzo shook his head. “I don’t mind.”
I was too tired to analyze that statement. I made my way into the house, my eyes sliding toward the door to Dante’s office, wondering if he was still in there. Deciding I was too exhausted to give him a recount of the evening’s event, I headed upstairs, wincing every time my feet hit the floor. I needed to get out of my heels as soon as possible or I’d go crazy. I walked into the bedroom and froze. Dante was in bed, reading something on his tablet. As usual his upper body was naked, but now as my eyes raked over the scars marring his skin, I couldn’t help but imagine Dante at age fourteen, being tortured by his father to toughen him up.
“Did everything go well after I left?” Dante asked, barely glancing up from whatever he was reading.
“Yes, the high rollers lost quite a bit of money.” I slipped out of my heels and could have wept from relief. “I’m going to grab a quick shower.” Dante only nodded distractedly. I was too exhausted to care about it. After the shower, I put on a satin chemise and matching panties, and returned to the bedroom where I sat down on the edge of the bed, my back to Dante. I wasn’t in the mood to make an effort. I lifted my foot and started massaging it. Maybe next time I should switch to ballet flats. They would still look elegant but not hurt as much. The mattress shifted and then Dante’s voice was at my ear. “Let me.”
Before I could protest, he made me lie back and put my feet in his lap. His fingers started rubbing my tired feet and calves with just the right amount of pressure.
“Tonight was an exception. The high rollers needed to get to know you. You don’t have to stay that long in the future. Just make an appearance, greet them, make them feel welcome and then leave. Leo is a capable man.”
I hummed, my eyes closed as I relaxed under his massage. Now and then Dante’s finger strayed higher, stroking my knees or even thighs, and my breathing deepened. Dante, too, wasn’t unaffected. I could feel his erection pressing against my feet still resting in his lap. “Turn around,” Dante ordered.
I rolled over so I was lying on my stomach, knowing exactly what Dante wanted. Tonight I wasn’t even bothered by the fact that he never wanted to look at my face. I raised my butt when his fingers hooked under the waistband of my panties and slid them down my legs. Sighing into the pillow, I let Dante waken my exhausted body with his touch.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Dante was right. The next few weeks I made sure to be out of the casino by ten at the latest. I enjoyed the time I spent talking to the girls, the bartenders or the croupiers, but listening to most of the customers was strenuous. At least Raffaele had made sure to stay away from me, which was a huge plus.
When Enzo took me home at night, I always checked the street for a sign of Frank, but the only person I saw regularly on the sidewalk was an elderly woman walking her Yorkshire Terrier. By now, I’d almost convinced myself that I’d imagined seeing him. Maybe my mind was unconsciously missing Antonio, and conjuring up Frank had been a way to cope with it. Dante wasn’t the presence I wanted him to be in my life. He took me every night, mostly in the dark, and always with my back to him, sometimes with me kneeling, sometimes lying flat on my stomach. Not that I was complaining. He always made sure I came at least once while he was in me, but I was starting to long for something else. This felt too much like mere fucking, almost like I was nothing more to him than a way to relieve tension; but whenever Dante’s hand slipped between my legs at night, I promised myself to talk to him next time, too desperate for his touch.
As usual my eyes wandered over the sidewalk when Enzo steered the car through the gates to the house. But tonight I saw him again. Frank was strolling along the sidewalk across the street, trying to look as if he was only catching some fresh air. He wasn’t succeeding. He looked suspicious to me, so I didn’t dare to think how he would appear to Dante’s guards. I would have to find a way to send him away. It was too risky for him to be here. I headed straight up to the guest bedroom that allowed me to view the street, but like last time, Frank seemed to have disappeared.
My phone rang and for a moment I was sure it was Frank, but he knew better than to call me. There was no saying who was tracking my calls, after all, and I’d changed my number a few months ago. The screen flashed with Bibiana’s name. I picked up. “Hey, Bibi.”
“Val,” Bibi said in a whisper. Her voice was shaking. She sounded terrified. “Can you come over?”
I tensed, turning my back to the window. “What’s wrong?”
“Tommaso, he…” She sniffed. “He was in a foul mood today.”
“What did he do? Is he still there?”
“No, he left because of a meeting with Raffaele, but he’ll be back soon. Can you come over? I’m scared of what he’ll do when he comes back.” My eyes darted to the clock that said it was almost nine.
“I’ll be there in ten minutes, Bibi.”
I rushed out of the guest bedroom and down the stairs. I wasn’t sure where Enzo was. It probably would have been easy to find him, but I wasn’t in the mood to explain myself. Instead I grabbed the keys from the hook in the garage and took the SUV. Before the doors had glided up all the way, I pressed the gas and shot out of the garage, the car roof missing the bottom of the door by inches. I slowed only as I waited for the gate to part for me. Dante would be furious.
As I turned around the corner at the end of the street, I spotted a familiar back and hit the brakes. Frank jumped, and threw a panicked look over his shoulder. He had his phone pressed against his ear but ended the call when he saw me. I checked our surroundings before I rolled down the window and gestured for him to come closer. “What are you doing here?”
He crept closer, eyes darting around nervously. I understood his anxiety only too well. He was risking too much by being here. “I need to talk to you in private.”
I frowned. “About what?”
“About Antonio, about the Outfit, about everything.”
I checked the rearview mirror again. “I can’t talk right now. Meet me tomorrow around five thirty.” I explained the way to the street where the storehouse was that hid the casino, but didn’t tell him what was inside.