Sacrifice

Chapter One

“ T he Christmas party is going off without a hitch.” Mossimo walks up to me and stares straight ahead. When we are in the casino, we don’t ever look at each other. No. We are too damn busy canvassing for cheaters.

“Let the high rollers enjoy their night. They’ll be drunk soon enough,” I laugh and hold the banister while I watch as more partygoers come in the front entrance..

“Who the fuck is that?” The words slip out before I can gain control of myself.

The huffing from Mossimo makes me angry and I break eye contact with the doors, and stare straight at the woman he’s noticed.

“Carlos Tremaine. The woman is his sister. She’s barely turned twenty-one and already he dares to bring her here.”

Ah, now I understand his agitation. He doesn’t like young people coming into the casino. The moral compass of my right-hand man is crazy. He’ll kill a bastard and won’t even flinch. But a young person indulging in a sinful act bothers him. He mutters something about corrupting an innocent.

“Look at her. She’s as fresh-faced as it gets, and looks like she doesn’t want to be here. Besides, Carlos has been banned by four casinos for card counting.”

“He has an invitation for a reason. Keep your eyes on the floor. I’m going to see if his sister is actually as innocent as she appears.”

“Wait...”

I don’t stick around to hear his protests. Walking into the party, I spot Carlos, who is wrapped around a woman. This is obviously not his sister. Moving along the far right wall, I spot her. My breath hitches as I take her in. She’s gorgeous. I’ve never seen anyone like her. Her almond brown hair is twisted into a sexy updo, with tendrils of hair falling strategically along her neck.

She’s tall and elegant. The ball gown hugs her curves perfectly. My cock throbs to life. Hell, I thought the fucker didn’t work anymore. It’s been years since I’ve been tempted.

As I make my way toward her, I notice she’s all alone standing against a wall. A laugh escapes me as I see the book in her hands. The woman is at a casino, standing as far away from everyone as she can get, and she’s reading a goddamn book. Fuck, Mossimo is right. She’s beyond innocent.

Her cinnamon scent hits my nose and cum my cock starts seeping precum. Before I can make it to her, though, a commotion takes my attention away.

“You bastard!” Looking at the person screaming their head off, I realize it’s the chief of police. “You’re a cheater.” The chief gives the person he’s screaming at an uppercut and the man falls to the floor.

That fucker is more corrupt than I am. Sighing; I motion for the guards to escort the chief out of the area while Mossimo picks up his victim.

“Carlos, dude, this is the last straw,” another man says and shakes his head.

Mossimo slightly inclines his head, silently telling me not to move any further toward them.

“Alonzo, I didn’t do anything. Your chief has a temper.”

The man who I can only assume is Alonzo takes a swing at Carlos, but Mossimo stops him.

“That’s enough. Both of you. Out of the party.”

Damn it. I wanted a chance to meet Carlos’s sister. When Carlos walks past me, I let him. Now isn’t the time to show my hand. He takes his sister by the arm so roughly, she drops her book.

When she goes to pick it up, he snaps at her. “Leave it.”

My mind rages, but Mossimo puts his hand on my shoulder as my youngest brother, Leo, comes up to my right side. Sometimes I want to kill Mossimo, but I know he’s only trying to keep me from doing something rash.

“Leo, I want you to tail them. I want to know every move that fucker makes.” He looks at me and nods.

“You got it, Vincent.” He leaves, making sure to not tail behind them too closely.

“Find out everything you can about Carlos and his sister.” I glare at Mossimo as I pick up the book. A picture of a fluffy Siamese cat falls out, and I smile. So fucking innocent.

“Leave no stone unturned,” I growl as I look at the book title.

How fucking appropriate - Beauty and the Beast.

One Year Later

Only true gamblers are out past midnight on Christmas Eve. I chuckle as the high rollers keep dropping out of the Texas Hold’em tournament I’ve carefully orchestrated.

I’ve been planning this night for a fucking year. Hell, I had to bribe players out of state to come participate. Every player worth their salt around here knows that Carlos is a card counter and will be able to beat them outright. Looking around the table, I realize that the only player that I didn’t buy is Carlos Tremiane himself. He sits across from me with a disgusting smirk on his face. I can’t wait to rid him of it.

“Carlos, it seems you and I are the last two standing,” I say, taunting the cocky son of a bitch for sport. He’s the key to everything I need to unlock. Tonight, though, is when I take his card shark ass down. The casino’s biggest investors are counting on it.

Still, I respect the fact that he’s worked his way through the ranks to sit at this table with me. If he had worked for me, I’d not be here, about to end his world. Instead, he’s slipped past every trap I’ve laid out for him.

“Yes. Shall we do an all-in round to close out the night?” He’s fidgeting with two poker chips, trying to read the cards. If I only had one deck in the shuffler, he would have won this hands down and I’d be out a lot of damn money. Too bad I have eight decks intermingling and skipping cards every time the dealer deals. It was Mossimo’s idea to have the deck skip every four cards when it deals them out. Originally, it was going to be three decks all in the shuffler together, but Mossimo’s idea is genius. This way no one can tell if there are two cards of the same suit somewhere on the table.

Those sunglasses he’s wearing aren't helping him any, and the twitch in his upper lip gives him away. Even with all the security measures and the traps I’ve set, he still has a shot. My respect for the exceptional player irritates me. Why couldn’t he have taken the job I’d offered?

Instead, he’s taken my cousins, my brother, and four other casino owners for twenty million each. He’s on the kill list, and while I don’t want to shed blood, I will. This fucking charade of a dance we’ve been doing for months has to end.

“Agreed, all-in.” I push my chips in and watch as he does the same.

Eye on the prize, I remind myself. You carved him under a mile-high pile of debt for his sister.

The dealer presses the shuffle button on the card machine. Once it stops, she deals the cards out to us. The community cards are dealt upwards and I peer at my two.

“Turn your cards up,” she requests, and I notice Carlos worrying at his bottom lip.

My two queens sit before me, and I look up at the cards on the table. Carlos has a king and a jack. Not bad. The community cards are eight, ten, and five. Both of us have the opportunity for a straight. Fuck, that’s not what I was expecting.

Carlos’s fidgeting is getting worse as we wait for the dealer to turn the fourth card over. For the first time tonight, I’m worried he may walk. If it comes down to that, the next step of my plan won’t work. To get his sister immediately under my thumb. I’m not sure I’m ready to kidnap her. No, I’d prefer he bargains his life for hers.

A ten is dealt, which gives me two pairs. He has no chance of winning. The dealer lays the river card down, sealing his fate. Carlos sits there, clearly realizing what this means for him. But, so am I. This year hasn’t been shot to shit after all. My insides grow warm with the knowledge that I’m about to get everything I want. My cock throbs with need.

Taking a moment to compose myself, I stand up and straighten my clothes.

“You must pay in full the notes on the table before you leave,” I demand as Carlos stands up. The frantic look on his face is priceless. Had he won, he’d have walked out of here a free man who could pay off over half his debt. I would let him leave, too. I may be a bastard, but I’m fair.

“I’ll need twenty-four hours to come up with that kind of money,” he whispers as he sees each casino’s name written on a card with the amount he owes. I’ll give it to him, he’s trying very hard to cover up how nervous he is. Too bad I have his fucking number.

The dealer leaves the room as Mossimo, Leo and a few other guards come into the room. “You knew the rules of the tournament. The minute you signed up, you were given the buy-in fee and how much you would win or have to pay if there were any debts to your name. Hell, every player that made the final table had to show proof of payment.”

I shake my head and run my hand down the left sleeve of my suit jacket. “The buy-in you used is deducted from the total amount due.” I walk around the table and come up to him. “Don’t tell me you came here with no money?”

Carlos’s once cocky smirk is gone, and he’s ashen faced and sweating.

“No... No, of course not. I’ll have to have a few days to get the bank to move that kind of money around. That’s all.” He shakes his head and won’t make eye contact with me. “I honestly didn’t think I’d lose tonight.”

His shoulders slump, and for a moment, I feel a twinge of remorse. I quickly swallow my emotions. This is business. He has something I want and I’m going to have it. One way or a fucking nother.

Of course, he didn’t think he’d lose. Cocky son of a bitch. He hadn’t counted on me being here tonight to rig this entire tournament. The sunglasses he has on slip down his nose from all the sweating he’s doing.

“Well, this is unfortunate. You hustled millions from the casinos around here. The last straw was when you tried to do it here—at my casino. It looks like you were trying to run another swindle.”

Stepping in front of him, I crowd him against the table. This move gets his attention and I smile coolly at him.

“Give me one good reason not to kill you.”

“Wh-what?” His head jerks back so he can see my eyes. Oh, he didn’t think I’d get rough with him. Stupid on his part. “I was overconfident. It was a mistake.”

Carlos gulps and I stand there unmoving like a brick wall. “There’s no need for all of this,” he pleads.

Sighing heavily, I pull my nine-millimeter out and point it at his head.

“That’s what you have to say for yourself? That’s too bad because this ends tonight, Carlos.” To prove my point, I cock the hammer on the gun, and he shakes.

“Wait. Wait!” he screams as my finger finds the trigger.

His hands come up and I watch as his entire body shivers and he pisses himself.

He’ll get no fucking sympathy from me. Pushing the tip to his temple, I growl.

“This is your one chance, Carlos. It better be good. What can you possibly have to offer?”

He gulps looking guilty. What the fuck? Is he going to be this pathetic and give his sister to me? I wait with an agonizing feeling in my stomach.

“My sister. I will trade my sister for my life and debts.”

The other casino owners said he’d do it. He would selfishly give his sister’s life in exchange for his own. Sick bastard. My anger boils over to the point where I can’t stop my itching finger. The bullet comes out the other side of his head, spraying blood and brains everywhere.

“I hate being wrong,” I snarl into the silent room. Looking at Mossimo, I wave my gun in a dismissive gesture.

“Get rid of this piece of shit.” I smile to myself as Mossimo and Leo move Carlos’ body.