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“Grim! It’s been a minute.” Sonny Conti gave me a big fake smile. “I’ve got someone I’d like you to meet. This is a friend of Cameron’s.”
Who the fuck allowed them in here?
Jesse moved with me as I stepped out, and I heard the doors close behind us. He tensed with his hand on his gun, and the dogs were ready. I knew any of them just needed my command. It was tempting.I looked at my security team hovering uncertainly near the entrance.
“Sasha Landry.” The man held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Gates. Cameron was just telling me you’re looking for a chef for your new hotel.”
I didn’t offer him my hand. “You don’t look like you cook, Mr. Landry.”
“Ha! Me, no, no. My cousin just left his job in Paris and is looking to relocate here in Vegas. Sonny overheard and offered for me to tour your new hotel, take some pictures, and send them to him.”
“Did he, now?” I glared at Sonny, who had zero fucking business telling him he could do that. “Well, just now, I have somewhere to be. If you don’t mind, we’re still under construction.” I pointed at the entrance then snapped my fingers, and the dogs moved closer to my legs. I hit the screen to lock the elevator doors. Not that anyone could get off on my office floor, but I felt it made a point. “If you leave your information with my men, I’ll be in touch.”
“Ah, sure.” He stepped back as Sonny pushed by him and made a move to go around the dogs.
“Do say hello to Kenna for me.” He laughed, and I whirled around so fast Leal let out a loud snarl. “Easy there, Grim. We’re just due for another dinner. She is, after all, my hostess, and I do love that she’ll doanythingfor her clients.”
“She’s not your hostess,” I corrected him, “as I’m sure you remember the conversation my father had with your father, Victor. Ms. Lodge has a number of clients, and although she brought you to us, she can’t personally handle every one of them.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Jesse put a hand on the back of my shoulder and spoke quietly. “You’re only putting a target on her back. Sonny didn’t give a shit about Kenna until you stepped in. The guys’ll watch them.”
The urge to rip through that asshole’s chest and snap his rib bones made my fingers itch. I spun around and walked toward the doors. Jesse was right; he was just baiting me.
Jesse went to speak to the security team, as he knew I was furious and might fire the whole lot of them.
“Sonny told them they had permission to come look. They won’t fall for that again.”
We drove back to Indulge in silence. I stared out the window and thought about what Trigger had told me, what Kenna shared last night, how I needed to deal with Jerry in Mexico. Sonny hovering around added fuel to the fire.
“You okay, boss?” Jesse pulled me from my thoughts. I nodded slowly, the need to break things building. “Elio’s plane just took off. He said he’ll touch base once he’s in Mexico. He should be here within the hour.”
“Good.” My mind slipped away.
“Winner, winner, winner!” The announcer tossed my hand in the air, and I heaved to catch my breath. My opponent, who’d taken seven and half minutes to bring down, lay in a blood pool on the mat. “Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the Lost Lives Tournament iiissss, The Vegas Reaper!”
I dodged between the ropes and jumped to the floor and caught the towel Ricky tossed at me. He slapped my shoulders in pure joy. “I knew you’d be a champion. You’re a born fighter, Grim. There’s magic in those fists of yours.” We pushed through the doors and almost into the arms of a woman in a bright blue dress.
“Whoa, there, Mr. Gates.” She laughed and held up her hands, palms out. “Claire Cost. Congratulations on your big win. If you’d please follow me, we’ll get the paperwork out of the way.”
I followed her down the hall where she opened a door, stepped through, and waited for me.
“Nice to see you again, Mr. Gates.” The Italian, Mr. Capri, sat at a table and waved at a chair. “So, we meet again. I’m not surprised.” He chuckled.
I stayed standing. I didn’t want to have another conversation about any plans he might have for me to throw a fight. Claire handed me a check, and I took it with a nod. Then I turned and shook my head at the well-dressed Italian.
“I told you once, I won’t throw any fight. I respect and appreciate the opportunity you gave me here, but I’m in it to win. It’s why I do it.” I set the check on the table.
“You don’t want the twenty grand?” He studied me.
“I didn’t do it for the money.”
“So, why do you do it?”
“Let’s just say I like to inflect pain without consequences.” Mr. Capri looked over my shoulder, and his face morphed into a satisfied smile.
“Well?” A deep voice came from behind me.
