6. Chapter 6
Dario
“How did things go with the new attorney?” Gio asks as I enter his office.
The fuck? “You knew about the new attorney?”
Gio looks up from his computer, where I’m sure he’s watching security footage.
His eyes draw in, and he looks so much like our father.
All of us have olive complexions and dark features thanks to our Italian heritage, but Luca and Gio took after my dad, while my sister and I were granted the more delicate features of our mom.
My heart pangs a bit at her memory and the fact she’d hate that my sister isn’t in Vegas with the family, but I shake it off and stare at my sibling.
“Of course I did. Jim Jorgensen called me directly to make me aware of the situation with Megan. I had to do a thorough background check and make sure she could be trusted, but he insisted she would be a good one. He also assured me this new hire was probably one I wouldn’t have to worry about you trying to sleep with. ”
My jaw drops at that comment. Fat fucking chance. Did old Jim not sit in on the interviews and see the drop-dead gorgeous specimen he hired to represent his firm? Jasmine Baker may be a force to be reckoned with, but that fierce attitude only adds to her natural beauty.
“I haven’t slept with anyone in that office,” I remind him.
Gio raises his eyebrows at me. “Not for lack of trying.”
Luca snorts but remains his ever-silent self. Seriously, if the man wasn’t a behemoth who stood out like a sore thumb, you wouldn’t even know he was in the room.
“That was one time,” I say with a roll of my eyes. “And she didn’t wear a ring. How was I supposed to know she was married?”
Gio rolls his eyes. “So, tell me. How did it go?”
I tell my brother about the appointment I have set up with her tomorrow to go over things. Gio reminds me for the millionth time that this needs to move fast, and that we mean business when it comes to, well, business.
With Gio satisfied that I’ll handle things in real estate, he turns to Luca for darker matters. Our middle brother is what we consider the enforcer in the business. He’s the king of torture, and while I love him and know he loves me, I can’t help but be slightly terrified of the giant man.
“The two men who were here last night? You took care of them?”
Luca nods, and I’m slightly miffed that Gio doesn’t ask him for any further clarification. I swear there’s no respect for the baby of the family.
“Any affiliations?”
I may complain about not being taken seriously, but as I listen to Gio, I’m reminded why I don’t envy his position.
While my father may be the don, Gio serves as his second-in-command and is next in line.
They’re the ultimate target, the ones in charge of an entire network of enterprises, and also the caretakers of an intricate family makeup.
I may enjoy giving him grief, but I admire Gio.
“They ran with the Matarazzo crew.” I notice the past tense he uses and shake my head—they chose the wrong Italians to turn to.
“Spies?”
Luca shrugs. “Cugines. Wanting to make a name for themselves.”
“Put a few more guys on the floor. I want them to watch for anyone suspicious.”
I scoff, “You worried about the Mattress Mafia, big bro?”
Gio releases a long, low sigh and shakes his head at the nickname I use for the Matarazzo family.
They’ve been in the drug business for decades, running them in and out of their multiple mattress stores throughout the city.
Hundreds of mattresses come in, but they sell like one a month.
How the feds haven’t figured out their operation makes me question everything I know about the justice system.
“I know their hands aren’t in weapons, but they’ve been making more of a presence around here lately. I just want to make sure everyone stays on their own turf.”
I roll my eyes at his tough-guy vernacular. “Okay, Arthur Fonzarelli, you do that, and I’ll go visit our hot, new attorney.”
“Don’t sleep with her!” Gio shouts at me as I exit his office, and my middle finger waves goodbye.
With minimal flirting, Lindsay-not-Lauren grants me access to Jasmine’s floor, but my curvy bombshell isn’t tucked away in her office.
I meander the hallways of Jorgensen I have to make you aware of the firm boundary between us.
I am your attorney. You are my client. There will be no going back to your place. Ever.”
I’m confused by what she means about a man like me being interested in a woman like her. Does she truly not see how magnificent she is? I clear my throat. “Miss Baker, I’m asking if you would accompany me to Angelo, my hotel-casino. I would love for you to see it.”
I watch her face take a moment to distort from disbelief to professionalism. “Mr. Caruso, I have all the files for each and every one of your properties, including Angelo. I am sure there is sufficient information that your proposal won’t be necessary.”
I gasp dramatically, “A proposal this soon? I haven’t even taken you to dinner yet. What kind of man do you take me for?”
I search for her lips to tilt upward at my cheesy joke and deflate when she simply huffs out a breath and stands. “I don’t see how joining you would be a benefit to our working relationship. The files I have let me know everything I need.”
She’s dismissing me, and that won’t do. “Please, Miss Baker. Don’t deny me the pleasure of accompanying you to my favorite place in the world.”
“You know we won’t deny the Caruso family anything here at Jorgensen & Munson,” a deep voice booms as I look up to see Jim Jorgensen standing in the doorframe behind me.
Jasmine’s boss gives her a glare, and while I don’t like the threat lingering in his eyes, I’ll let it slide if it means getting her to go to my casino with me.
“Of course, Mr. Jorgensen. I was about to accept Mr. Caruso’s offer to stop by the casino he owns. I only meant to explain that I can visit after hours in my free time, so it doesn’t pull me away from any of my work here.”
Jim Jorgensen puffs out his chest and nods before turning to me. “Does that work for you, Mr. Caruso?”
I grimace. “Unfortunately, I have a meeting this evening and was actually hoping I could steal Miss Baker away now. Besides, it’s so much easier to give a tour during the day before it fills up with the nightly crowd.”
“Then it’s settled,” he says, looking back at her. “Miss Baker, you will join Mr. Caruso.” He checks the gold Rolex on his wrist. “Go ahead and take your things with you, and you can head home from there.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary. I have some things I still need to… ” Her voice trails off as her boss pins another stare at her. What the fuck is this guy’s problem? “I mean, yes, sir. Thank you.”
Mr. Jorgensen gives Jasmine a nod, shakes my hand, then walks away. When I fix my view from him to the much more beautiful attorney, she gives me the same glare he had given her. Huh. They must teach you that at law school.
“Is this really necessary?” She huffs, and I can’t help but smile. She’s cute when she’s growly.
“According to the senior partner of this firm, it seems absolutely necessary. Now, go get your things so I can take you out for some fun.”
“You mean show me your property.”
“Same thing.”
Jasmine rolls her eyes, and I wonder if she ever gets headaches from how frequently she completes the motion. She pulls her purse from a drawer in her desk and slings it over her shoulder. “I’m going to get a coffee to go, then I’ll meet you in the downstairs lobby.”
“It’s a date,” I say to her back as she heads down the hallway in the direction of where I found her.
“It’s not a date,” she grumbles.
It’s definitely a date.