AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She looks at me defiantly, that fire back in her eyes. “I’m leaving, and I don’t need you to help me anymore. Okay?”
“So, we’re back on this,” I say, rubbing the nape of my neck.
“Yes, we are.”
“Whatever you say, dolcezza. But I make no promises. I’m looking forward to you coming back here and kissing me like that again.” I wink, licking my lips.
She opens her mouth and then snaps it shut, clenching her jaw. “We’ll see,” she huffs.
Turning quickly, she throws my door open and storms out, her hands fisting her hair in front of her to keep it covering her chest.
I can’t help but grin as I watch her go and I pull my phone out, dialing Manny. “Escort Ms. Manzato through the casino and to her car to make sure no one bothers her.”
“Got it,” he says, and hangs up.
I immediately dial Carthwright. “Any leads?” I ask as soon as he answers.
“We went to Pastorelli’s home, but he wasn’t there, and his parents haven’t seen him since that night or know where he went. We’re waiting on the fingerprints to come back which won’t be right away since we’re backlogged. Same with DNA. One of them was an idiot and spit on the floor by the register. It could be the partner.”
“Move it all to the top of the pile,” I demand. “Whatever it takes, make it happen.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” he mumbles and hangs up.
Yeah, he better do better than just seeing what he can do or he’ll be directing traffic by the end of the day.
I wasn’t going to get involved aside from fixing the door and installing a security system, but it looks like I need to.
Taking off my suit jacket, I straighten my shirt where Lexi crumpled it in her hands and smile to myself.
She doesn’t think she’ll come back to me angry again? I’ll just have to step my game up and find something bigger to help her with so she’ll have no choice.
I decide to call my brother before I determine if I should go to Alec or not with the robbery.
Alec and I run The Aces and we have our hand in everything that goes on in Atlantic City. This is our territory, and we shut down anyone who tries to have any foothold. We had a challenge with the Triads about a year and a half ago when they tried to start their own underground gambling operation here, but we shut that shit down real fucking quick. They even took Alec’s girl as leverage, but that only signed their death sentences in blood. No one fucks with us.
My brother, cousins, and I hadn’t had to worry about having someone that meant so much to us that could be used as leverage or a threat before that moment.
Adding someone to our lives is a risk that none of us wanted to take. In fact, I know Alec and his brothers made a pact with each other that they wouldn’t let a woman become their weakness. Their dad, Michael, who was the head of the family before Leo took over after his death, was a man who raised his sons to be in his likeness.
He had a ruthlessness that was unmatched and he was tougher on his own kids than he was his nephews. That doesn’t mean we don’t all have the same Carfano blood running through our veins, though. We know how to turn into ruthless pricks who show no mercy when it comes to protecting what’s ours. Both in our business and personal lives.
“Hey, brother,” Nico says when he picks up my call. “You come out of your room yet with her?” I can hear the smile in his voice.
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”
His dark chuckle is all I need to let me know he’s been in bed with my girl’s friend for at least one night. “Let’s just say I haven’t gone back to the city yet.”
“Good. I need your help.”
He pauses, then says with no trace of joking, “You in your office?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll be right down.”
I don’t ever ask Nico for help, so he knows I’m serious, and fifteen minutes later, he’s standing in my office.
“That was fast.”
