Dante: A Mafia Bad Boy Romance (Sinsations Book 2) Read online

  I knew Lucifer had been involved with the mob before he came to Vegas. Okay, I didn’t know but I wasn’t stupid. His father was a big-time crime boss. That didn’t mean Luc followed in his footsteps, especially since he was here and not Chicago. But troublemakers had a habit of disappearing. Like Krista’s ex-boyfriend. One minute he was here, and then he was gone, just like that. Dante was involved in that somehow.

  But none of that mattered because I had seen a little girl fall down while wandering the casino. She had gotten separated from her parents out on the sidewalk and had come into Sinsations looking for safety. I had glanced down onto the main floor just in time to see her running by the blackjack tables, and then she tripped and fell, hitting the floor hard. I had started to get up when Dante appeared.

  I hadn’t been working for Luc very long at the time but I had seen Dante around. It wasn’t exactly easy to miss that walking wall of muscle. He had approached the little girl and gently helped her to her feet, and then he scooped her up and carried her upstairs so she’d be safe until we could find her parents, disappearing for a few minutes and then returning with ice cream. He had sat down on the floor next to her, the little girl and the gentle giant, eating ice cream together, until her parents finally arrived. I had fallen in lust with Dante the first time I laid eyes on him, but that moment was when I had fallen in love with him. He was handsome and sexy and strong and gentle and kind… and I was just me.

  The door to Luc’s office opened suddenly, startling me. Dante grinned, holding a steaming cup towards me. I took it gratefully, my brain in desperate need of a caffeine boost, even if it didn’t taste good. I took a cautious sip, preparing myself for something similar to the muck that Luc made. I blinked, surprised, took another, longer sip. “Mmm. This is good.”

  “You like it?”

  I nodded, looking up at him. “It’s delicious.”

  He leaned over quickly and before I could react, his lips met mine, his hand sliding behind my head, holding me in place. I gasped, shocked, and his tongue entered my mouth. My eyes fluttered shut and I moaned into his mouth, unable to help myself. He held me tight against his mouth, his hand warm against my head after holding the hot coffee cup. My nipples tightened into hard little buds. I squeezed my thighs together tightly, feeling heat and wetness between my legs. I reached for him, wanting this kiss – this moment – to last forever.

  Someone cleared their throat. Someone close.

  Dante pulled back immediately, rising up to his full height, his eyes shooting daggers at the intruder. I looked up at him, desire and need coursing through my veins, and then looked towards the top of the stairs, ready to unleash every swear word I knew at the person with the world’s worst timing. Instead, when I saw who it was, I gasped, momentarily speechless. I glanced at Dante, only to see the same look of surprise on his face.

  A young man – probably around twenty-five if my math was right – stood at the top of the stairs, leaning against the handrail, thumbs tucked into the front pockets of his beige slacks, mischief in his hazel eyes, a devilish smile on his lips. Aside from his eyes being hazel instead of green, he was almost a perfect copy of his older brother, Lucifer.

  His traveled from Dante to me and then back to Dante, his grin growing wider. “I waited a couple of minutes… but it looked like things might get a little serious up here and I have no desire to see any part of you,” he nodded his head towards Dante, “without clothes.” His eyes fell back on me. “You on the other hand…”

  “Damian!”

  The sharp edge in Dante’s voice pulled the younger man’s attention away from me. “In the office.” He strode swiftly through the door. “Now!”

  Damian glanced at me, winked, and followed Dante. I sat back, trying to catch my breath, resisting the urge to fan myself because I didn’t want Dante looking through the office window and seeing the effect he had on me. “Santo infierno,” I whispered under my breath. Holy hell.

  Chapter 5: Dante

  I glared at Damian as he walked by, closing the door as gently as possible, resisting the urge to slam it with all my might. Damn Damian to Hell. If anyone other than Luc’s brother had interrupted us, I would’ve probably thrown them down the stairs.

  He looked at me and flashed that same damn shit-eating grin I’d seen a thousand times on Luc’s face. “I’d ask how it’s hanging… but something tells me that nothing is hanging right now.”

  I growled at him as I walked by, taking a seat behind the desk. “What are you doing here, Damian?” I shook my head, held up a finger. “No, that’s not right. That’s later.” I leaned forward and glared at him hard, easing up only after he swallowed heavily, the grin vanishing from his face. I pointed towards the window. “The woman out there. Her name is Olivia. Hands off.”

  He opened his mouth, that spark of mischief flaring to life in his eyes again. The kid had always been a smart-ass. It would probably get him killed one of these days. That day might be today. Luckily, he came to his senses and closed his mouth without saying a word. He nodded.

  I leaned back in the plush leather chair. “Okay, now, what are you doing here?”

  He walked to the couch against the far wall, sat down, and leaned back, stretching his arms across the back on either side. “I need a job.”

  I blinked, sure I’d misheard him. I shifted in the chair, my cock hard and uncomfortable after that soul-scorching kiss. Damian was right. If he hadn’t interrupted us, I would’ve taken Olivia right on top of her desk, and to Hell with anyone who saw us. It’s not like they could report us to anyone. “Chicago to Vegas is a hell of a commute.”

  He ran his hands through his long black hair, exhaling loudly. “I’m moving here. Saying goodbye to the family.”

  I chuckled. “You don’t just say goodbye to family, Damian, especially when it’s the family we’re talking about.”

  “Lucifer did it.”

  “That was different.”

  Damian huffed loudly. “Why? Because he killed people? Big damn deal. I’ve killed people.”

  I pinched the bridge of my nose between forefinger and thumb, squeezing my eyes shut against the headache that was trying to start. I looked at him and shook my head. “Here’s the deal, kid. Feel free to hang out here at Sinsations if you want to – no charge on the room – but whatever this is has to be taken up with your brother.” I shrugged. “After all, he’s the boss.”

  Damian nodded. “I still can’t believe he got married.”

  I shrugged. “He found the one.”

  “The one?” Damian chuckled. “Damn! Can you imagine going through life only having sex with one woman?”

  My eyes flicked towards the window, imagining the curvy woman with olive skin sitting on the other side of the glass. I looked back at Damian and nodded. “When you find the right one, one is all you need.”

  Damian shook his head, that grin flashing back into place. “Then I hope I never find the one because life is too short for that kind of nonsense.”

  I chuckled softly. “Better be careful. I might make you eat those words one of these days.”

  He shook his head. “Footloose and fancy-free forever.”

  I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes. “Speaking of the one, weren’t you supposed to get married since Luc wasn’t available for that deal?”

  Damian’s cheeks turned red and he dropped his eyes to the floor. “Yeah. About that.” He looked up at me and I knew. He had that same damn look in his eyes that Luc would get every time he pissed on the rules, usually pissing someone off in the process.

  “The family doesn’t know you’re here, do they?”

  Damian shook his head. “And I’d appreciate it if we could keep it that way.”

  I slammed my hand down on the desk, frustration surging through me. “Goddamn it, Damian. You get us sucked into a mob war and Lucifer will kill you himself.”

  He held up his hands. “Relax. I’m not stupid. I didn’t come straight here. After I left, I gave the first tail
the slip, and let the second tail think I didn’t know about them.” He shrugged. “I ditched them later, after making them think I was headed to Cozumel. Nobody knows I’m here.”

  I nodded. “We keep it that way as long as possible.”

  Damian nodded. I hoped Luc was enjoying his honeymoon. He wasn’t going to be happy when he got back and this mess got dumped in his lap. I glanced back towards the window and felt a tightening in my chest, the memory of Olivia’s lips against mine forever burned into my memory. Life had been so much simpler – and more pleasurable – just a few moments ago. Maybe I should’ve thrown Damian down the stairs after all.

  Chapter 6: Olivia

  The rest of the day was a blur, with me handling almost everything on automatic pilot, my brain still locked into those few moments of the morning. I know I had promised Dante a kiss if I liked his coffee, but I never expected him to collect, and I never expected to want more as badly as I did. The chance to pursue the matter probably wouldn’t come up again for a while, though, because Dante had spent the rest of the day showing Damian around. He had visited once before, when Sinsations had first opened, and the place had changed considerably since then.

  I was just getting ready to shut down the computer when my phone rang. I sucked in a sharp breath when I saw a name from my past on the screen. She had absolutely no reason to call me, and I couldn’t figure out why she’d even try. Curiosity alone made me take the call. “Hello, Linda.”

  “Hi.”

  That one word, filled with anxiety and fear, and then silence. I waited, wondering what she had to say, but she didn’t seem eager to talk. “What’s up, Puta? Whore. Wondering if I have a fiancé you can fuck behind my back?”

  “That’s not fair.”

  “Ha! You want to know what’s not fair? You pretending to be my best friend while you fuck the man I’m engaged to.”

  “I wasn’t pretending to be your friend, Olivia. You know that. We were friends years before Pete entered the picture.”

  “And yet you still had no problem letting him slide his dick into you.” I blinked rapidly, my eyes stinging with tears that wanted to fall. Damn it! This drama was behind me. Why was it being dragged into the present? She was saying something, some lame excuse. I cut her off. “What do you want, Linda?

  I waited a few seconds. Nothing but silence from her end. I sighed. “Goodbye, Linda.”

  “Wait,” she shouted in my ear. “I’m sorry. I know this is weird. But I thought you’d want to know.”

  “Want to know what?”

  “You work at that casino, right? Sinsations?”

  Damn social media. And damn me for sharing too much. “Yes.”

  “Pete got married.”

  I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache trying to break free. “And you thought I’d want to know this why?”

  “Because he and Crystal – that’s his new wife’s name – are headed to Las Vegas right now for their honeymoon. They’re staying there, where you work.”

  Fuck. My. Life.

  “I know I should’ve called sooner,” Linda said. “I mean I’d want to know if something like this happened and I thought –”

  I disconnected the call. Linda had just ruined my life. Again. There was nothing more to say. At least there was nothing more I wanted to hear.

  “Bastardo idiota,” I muttered under my breath. Idiot bastard. Did he still follow me on social media? Did he know where I worked? Was the bastard doing this on purpose? Of course the answer to all three questions had to be yes. That was the passive-aggressive way Pete operated. He’d show up with his new wife and just happen to run into me. He’d make sure of it. He’d also make sure to show plenty of PDA, letting me know how much in love he was. And then the question would come. So how’s life with you, Olivia? Seeing anyone?

  And that question would hurt because, no, I wasn’t seeing anyone. When I told the cheating bastard I was leaving, he said I’d never find anyone else if I left him… and the bastard was apparently right. It didn’t matter that I had been turning down any and all dates because I was trying to work up the courage to ask Dante out. What mattered was that I was single, while that pendejo wasn’t. Asshole.

  Screw this. I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs. I needed a drink… or several.

  Chapter 7: Dante

  I stepped out of the elevator onto the main casino floor, hoping I had taken care of everything. Damian was set-up in a suite, under a fake name, and I had shown him the various exits and places to lay low if things happened to go bad. Lucifer had grown up in a mafia family, and he had spent a few years overseas in the military. He knew shit could go sideways fast, and he had designed Sinsations with that in mind.

  I looked around at the people enjoying themselves playing blackjack, poker, slot machines, and various other games of luck, chance, and skill. If things did go bad, there was no way to keep everyone safe. I just had to cross my fingers and hope things held together until Luc got back to sort the family shit out. I wasn’t Italian or family so they wouldn’t listen to me.

  I glanced up towards Olivia’s desk as I approached the stairs, feeling a heavy weight settle on my shoulders when I realized she wasn’t there. I glanced at my watch and shook my head. Of course, she wasn’t there. Between getting Damian settled in and taking care of a few security tasks I preferred to handle myself, I had lost track of time, not realizing how late it was. Damn! Luc’s brother was a great kid but his timing sucked.

  I glanced into Inferno, the casino’s bar, as I walked by the entrance, and stopped short, my breath catching in my throat, my blood turning to ice in my veins. Olivia was in there. And a man was with her. His hand was on her bare leg, right at the edge of her dress, and slowly sliding up. I started to turn away when I noticed her slide his hand off her leg. He immediately put it back. She shoved it off again, and again he put it back. I finally realized the expression on her face was one of worry. I cracked my knuckles as I entered the bar, the ice in my veins turning into fire. The guy wasn’t getting the hint but I had no problem helping him understand the message that was being sent.

  Neither of them had noticed me yet. I walked up behind the man, putting my hand on his shoulder. “Hello, Olivia. Is this man bothering you?”

  The man started to look over his shoulder at me. “Hey, buddy, watch the hands if…” His eyes met my chest, and then slowly rose up to my face. He swallowed heavily when his eyes met mine.

  “Yes,” I said. “Excellent idea. Let’s watch the hands.” I stared at his hand, once again resting on Olivia’s knee. He removed it quickly, as Olivia’s skin had suddenly burned him.

  “That’s Dante,” Olivia said, her voice slightly slurred. “He’ll kick your ass if you don’t leave me alone.”

  The man swallowed again. “If you try anything, I’ll call for security.”

  I smiled. “No need. I’m in charge of security.”

  “Oh.”

  “You can go now,” I told the man.

  The man glanced at Olivia and my grip on his shoulder tightened. He winced and quickly nodded. I let go and he slid off the barstool, heading quickly towards the exit.

  “You’re so awesome,” Olivia said, sipping her drink and flashing me a huge grin. A huge inebriated grin. “I hoped you would show up. That guy was a pendejo.”

  I blinked, sure I had misheard her. “A what?”

  “A pendejo.” She giggled. “It’s Spanish. It means asshole.”

  I nodded. “Ah.” I glanced at her glass. “What are you drinking?”

  “How do you say it in Russian?”

  “What?” I was obviously too sober for this conversation.

  She giggled again and I couldn’t help but smile at the sound. “Asshole,” she said. “How do you say it in Russian?”

  “Mu’dak.”

  “Yes,” she nodded, as if she had known all along. “That guy was a mu’dak.” Another giggle, and then she drained the rest of her drink, slamming the glass down on the bar. She looked
at me, her eyes glazed and bloodshot. “Jack and Coke.”

  “What?”

  She pointed at the empty glass. “Jack Daniels and Coke. You asked what I was drinking.”

  Yes, I was definitely too sober for this conversation. “How many have you had?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. Two or three, and then Pendejo – I’m sorry, Mu’Dak – bought me one or two… or maybe three.” She shrugged again, and then patted the stool next to her. “Sit down. Have a drink with me.”

  “Haven’t you had enough?”

  She rolled her eyes. “No, Mom, I haven’t.”

  I laughed. Couldn’t help it. I had worked with Olivia for years and had never seen her this way. She was quite the little firecracker when she let her guard down. I sat down next to her. She looked up at me, squinting. “You’re a tall fucker, you know that?”

  I laughed again. Even sitting, I still towered over her. “Yes, I suppose I am.”

  The bartender came over, picking up Olivia’s empty glass. “The usual, Dante?”

  I nodded.

  He glanced at Olivia. “And another drink for the lady?”

  “No,” I said.

  “Yes,” she said.

  The bartender looked from her to me.

  Olivia slapped her open palm down on the bar. “Don’t look at him. I’m the one paying for the drinks and I say I’ll have another.”

  The bartender cut his eyes towards me. I nodded. He nodded back, a look of relief on his face.

  “I liked our kiss earlier,” Olivia said, not a trace of shyness in her voice or expression.

  “Really?”

  She nodded.

  I smiled. “I did, too.”

  She reached over, putting her hand on my thigh. “Want to do it again?”

  The bartender placed our drinks in front of us, shaking his head and grinning as he walked off.