Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
“Have you guys met my wife?” Lorenzo says, his tone playful, obviously having had too much to drink.
The guy is a total lightweight, but when he drinks, he turns into a shameless flirt, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.
Only he usually drinks and flirts in the privacy of his home.
I dip my head in embarrassment, and Dominick and Matteo chuckle.
“C’mere, wifey.” Lorenzo hooks his arm around my waist and pulls me into his lap.
“Lorenzo!” I hiss through my laughter at his antics.
“What?” He pouts, nuzzling his face into the crook of my neck.
In this position, I can smell his woodsy scent, mixed with the spiciness of the whiskey he’s been drinking, and it’s a total aphrodisiac.
“Do you know how hard it is to watch you strut around in this sexy outfit and flirt with all those men, knowing I can’t have you?” he mutters as he situates me on his lap.
Like this, I can feel his bulge between his legs, and while I don’t have any bulges to compare his to, it feels long and thick.
“I’m working,” I breathe, but I make no move to climb off him. “And I need to talk to Dominick.”
“Of course you do,” Lorenzo groans. “Everyone gets your attention but me.”
Kane, who’s sitting the closest to Lorenzo, snorts out a laugh, telling me he can hear everything that’s being said, and I feel my face heat up.
“Everything okay?” Dominick asks.
“Yeah.” I try to get up, but Lorenzo tightens his hold on me, and for some crazy reason, I give in and sigh back into him. “The guy at the blackjack table … the one closest to us,” I murmur, leaning in so nobody else can hear, “he’s counting cards. Has been doing it for several rounds.”
Dominick’s gaze flits over to where I’m talking about.
“How do you know that?” Matteo asks.
“She’s a shark,” Lorenzo says with a smirk, kissing the top of my shoulder. “Kicks my ass in blackjack damn near every time we play.”
Dominick, Matteo, and Kane all look at me with renewed eyes, and I shrug, not liking the spotlight on me.
“I’ll handle it,” Matteo says, standing.
I nod and push off Lorenzo.
When he pouts like a child, I shake my head. “I need to get back to work.”
“Or … you could come home with me. I’m sure I could find a way for you to earn some money that didn’t involve you flaunting those perfect tits and ass around for other men.”
My eyes widen at his words, and I take a step back.
“Did you just offer to pay me for sex?” I hiss.
“Oh shit,” Kane says with a low whistle.
“What? No,” Lorenzo splutters. “I was just—”
I lift my hand to silence him. “Stop talking. You’ve said enough.”
I go back to the bar, and because it picks up, I don’t pay attention to what happens with the guy or notice when Lorenzo leaves. But when my shift ends, instead of the manager giving me my payout for the night, I’m met with Dominick.
“You were right,” he says. “My security went over the footage. They’re usually good about catching that shit, but he was damn good.”
“I guess it takes one to know one,” I mutter.
“It could’ve cost the casino a lot of money, and he’s a regular, so who knows how many times he’s done it or planned to do it in the future? We also found out he was paying off the dealer.” He hands me my envelope. “I put a little extra in there as a thank-you. I appreciate when our employees are loyal.”
“Thank you.” I reach out to take it, but he doesn’t release it.
“Lorenzo’s been through some shit,” he says. “His parents being murdered in their sleep, his ex being a conniving bitch. Then some woman shows up and cons him into marrying her.” He quirks a brow.
“Lorenzo’s a big boy.”
“He wears his heart on his sleeve. Just go easy on him, Vanessa.” He releases the envelope and takes a step back. “What he said earlier … he’d been drinking, and I think you’ve gotten his head all fucked up.”
I can relate, I think, but don’t voice out loud.
Instead, I hold up the envelope and thank him again and then hightail it out of there.
Sal is waiting for me, and once I’m back at the condo, I tiptoe through the place, not wanting to wake Lorenzo or Leo.
But when I peek into Leo’s room to check on him, his crib is empty.
“He’s spending the night at my sister’s,” Lorenzo says, leaning against the doorway.
Tonight, he’s sporting his usual basketball shorts, sans shirt, and I’m given an up-close look at the ink that dances across his skin.
“I drank too much and didn’t want to drive with him in the car.”
“You drove home?” I quirk a brow.
“No, I had Sal take me.” He steps toward me and cups the side of my face. “I’m sorry about what I implied earlier. It was only meant to be a joke, but it came out wrong. You’re driving me insane,” he murmurs, running his fingers along my cheek and to my jaw. “I feel like I’ve lost all control of my life since you walked into it.”