Chapter 13
“I want them separated into three accounts.” I stare at Caesar, the man I pay to run my shell company. “Better yet, add another for extra precaution. If even one account leads back to me, they’ll never find your body in the ocean.”
Caesar nods, scribbling down notes.
The average person wouldn’t understand his notes.
They’re coded.
Doing business with me is like getting in bed with the devil.
No changing your mind or going back.
No way in hell will I part ways with a man who knows where I hide my money. You end business with me, you cease business with everyone. I kill you, and your poor family spends the next week planning your funeral.
The casket will be empty, of course.
No body, no crime.
I grab my phone when it rings, answering a call. “Yeah?”
“Boss, we have a problem,” Franko, the head of casino security, tells me. “We have ourselves a card counter.”
Fuck.
Since Genesis is here, I hoped I wouldn’t have to get my hands dirty tonight.
Stupid of me to think that.
There hasn’t been a night in over a year that I haven’t gotten my hands dirty. Whether it’s violence or corruption, I always have blood on my hands.
I never take it easy on card counters. Who do motherfuckers think they are, coming into my casino and stealing from me? I’m the one who does the stealing.
I’ll cut off every one of their fingers and shove them down their fucking throat. Then, so they can’t count another card again, I’ll plunge out their dirty-ass eyes.
Though that tactic is growing old.
I like to keep my punishments creative.
It helps me from growing bored.
“Be right there.” I end the call and point at Caesar. “I want this done by morning.”
Caesar shoves his papers inside his briefcase. “Can you give me until tomorrow night? It’s my daughter’s high school graduation tonight.” Pride flickers on his face, alongside optimism.
I’m usually not one to give extensions. Normally, I’d tell someone it could be their birth of their daughter and I wouldn’t give a shit.
Though, tonight, I’m feeling somewhat generous. Blame it on Genesis.
“Julian,” Caesar says slowly, noticing my irritation, “you know I’m never behind. I’m telling you this: I can’t make it happen. I won’t let my daughter down.”
He waits for my reaction, anticipating violence.
“I want it done by tomorrow evening, eight at the latest,” I demand.
“Thank you.” He buckles and locks his briefcase.
I show him out, then head straight to the security room.
For a moment, I consider stopping by my office to check on Genesis.
I’ll do it after.
Card counters usually don’t stay in casinos long. They get as much cash as they can and haul ass.
Franko is drinking an energy drink when I enter the security room. He wheels closer to the screen in his chair and hits the rewind button on the keyboard.
“Table ten,” he says. “Woman. White shirt.” He whistles. “Gotta say, she’s the hottest card counter I’ve seen.”
I step closer, shoving his chair to the side, and he gulps down his drink.
“Son of a bitch,” I snarl, staring at the screen.
Franko picks up his two-way radio. “I’ll tell Mossimo to bring her to us.” Mossimo is one of our security men.
I shake my head. “No, I’ll go down and get her myself.”
I backtrack a step to leave but freeze when I notice a man take the stool next to her.
I slam my finger against the computer screen. “This man, find him.”
“Okay, b?—”
I storm out so fast that I don’t hear the rest of Franko’s sentence.
I grit my teeth so hard that my jaw burns as I charge straight to the casino floor.
I’m going to fucking kill her .
I’m going to fucking kill him .
Genesis is still at the table, and the dealer deals another round.
Dima is gone.
The closer I get to her, the more my anger skyrockets.
She turns, as if sensing me, seconds before I reach the table.
Snatching her by the elbow, I pull her off the stool.
The dealer abruptly stops, and the other men at the table gape at me.
I thrust my finger toward the dealer’s face. “Don’t you ever fucking deal her a card again.”
The dealer’s Adam’s apple bobs. “Yes … yes, sir.”
Genesis attempts to jerk out of my hold, but I only tighten my grip. She’s lucky I’m not throwing her out of here and making her walk home.
Or better yet, chasing down Dima and handing her ass over to him.
No one fucks with my money.
It seems Genesis is doing that in every damn way.
I grab the chips she’s won, shove them into my pocket, and don’t say a word while dragging her off the casino floor.
Luckily, for once, she’s smart enough to keep her mouth shut.
As soon as we reach my office, I open the door and shove her inside. I smile when she trips on her feet and nearly face-plants on my desk.
Serves her fucking right.
“What the hell?” she yells, gaining her balance and swatting loose strands of hair from her face.
I advance toward her, anger pouring from my body. “Where the fuck is he?”
I didn’t watch the footage for long, but I saw him touch her.
Saw his slimy-ass hand brush her thigh and hair.
The fucker had the audacity to touch what’s mine.
As soon as I’m done with Genesis, I’ll pull up the audio and listen to every word of their conversation.
She squints, backing up against the desk. “Dima?”
“No, fucking Barney. Of course, Dima.”
“He left.”
“You didn’t think to tell me he was here?” I snarl. “Matter of fact, why did you leave this office? I was very clear when I told you not to.”
“I got bored.”
“Maybe I should get bored with you and give you to the Russians.”
“Maybe I should go to the Russians because I’m sick and tired of hearing you threaten me with it.”
“You want him to kill you?” I ask, advancing toward her.
“You want him to beat and rape you? Is that what you want? Because trust me, Genesis, he won’t give a shit about a contract, or clauses you want, or taking care of you.
He will fuck you, over and over and over, when he wants and how he wants. Is being a pain in my ass worth that?”
I’m toe to toe with her, pressing her body against the desk so tight that she can’t move. Forcing her legs open, I stand between them.
“I was in a private place,” she breathes out. “In your business. I’m safe here.”
Raising my hand, I cup her face. “You’re not safe anywhere.” I squeeze her cheek. “What’d the fucker say to you?”
She tries to look away, but I don’t allow it.
“He said soon, I’ll be his.”
I get in her face, my nose against hers. “Those words led you to believe you were safe?”
It seems Dima isn’t giving up on his plan to wed Genesis.
He’s about to become a goddamn problem.
I make a mental note to call Yaroslav and ask what the fuck. This isn’t how deals are done. This is how men die over deals.
First, though, I need to handle Genesis.
I drop my hand to her throat to press her flat against the desk. Her pleated skirt rises, showing off her toned thighs and black panties. I lick my lips, hovering over her body, and smile at the feel of her pulse in her neck against my thumb.
Using my free hand, I push her skirt up farther and slip my hand beneath her panties. She’s soaked for me.
“I don’t tolerate disobedience.” I spread her pussy lips, tilt her ass up, and shove two fingers inside her.
She gasps, her hips jerking backward.
I smile again and slowly drag them out of her. She fights for breaths as I backtrack a step and yank her upright.
Her lust-filled eyes clash with mine.
I smell the alcohol on her lips.
Crowding her again, I lower my head to run my tongue along her lips, tasting the liquor. “Tequila.”
“Does it taste good?” she whispers.
Her pussy would taste better.
I ease my hand between her legs again but refuse to give her what she desperately wants.
“Please,” she whimpers.
“I only reward good girls.” I rip her panties, shove them in my pocket, and step away.
Thank fuck I’m a mentally strong man.
Any other human with a beating pulse would cave to Genesis’s sweet pussy.
“That sure isn’t a way to get me pregnant,” she huffs, glaring at me. “Do I need to go into teacher mode and teach you sex ed? In case you didn’t know, fingers don’t jizz, meaning they won’t get me pregnant.”
The fuck is wrong with this woman?
Where does she even come up with the words that leave her mouth?
“The first time I fuck you, it won’t be in my office.” I harden my eyes on her in impatience. “And right now, I’m so fucking pissed that I’d fuck you so viciously that you wouldn’t be able to walk for a week. Do you want me to fuck you like I want to kill you?”
Interest lights up on her face.
Fuck, she might actually .
Oh, I’m going to have some fun fucking her when the day comes.
But like I said, I don’t reward disobedience.
I obviously can’t gouge her eyes out, but I can withhold an orgasm.
That’ll be her torture for her card counting and defiance.
She’s lucky I’m not in the mood, or I’d force her to her knees and make her suck my cock.
“Is that what you want, Genesis?” My voice grows hoarse. When she doesn’t answer, I stress the words. “Is it?”
She bites her lower lip. “I’m debating.”
I start to loosen my tie, feeling the need to wrap it around her mouth so she doesn’t say anything else to tempt me, but stop at a knock on the door.
“Boss,” Franko says on the other side.
“Keep your fucking ass in this room,” I snarl at her through gritted teeth. “Do you goddamn hear me? I’ll have a man standing guard. If the door so much as opens, he’ll kill you.”
I don’t wait for her response before charging out of the room. I lock the door and walk alongside Franko to the security room.
“He’s gone,” Franko tells me. “I have the tape ready for you.”
“You’d better fucking have audio.”
“I do.”
Sitting in the security room, I listen to their conversation five times. I watch the video from four different camera spans and follow Dima’s every move in my casino.
He knew where Genesis was and waited to get her alone.
I ball my hands into fists, pissed at my incompetence.
People don’t usually trip me up.
I want to hunt him down and kill that motherfucker.
Genesis is only one day into our contract and already becoming a major pain in my ass.
Maybe I should let the Russians have her.
I don’t need this goddamn headache.