Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Panting, dripping, exhausted.
I rested my head on her shoulder, my body shaking with the intensity. The ecstasy I had never experienced with anyone else was powerful. I pressed a kiss to her skin, then stilled in abject horror.
She was crying.
I had fucking hurt her, and she was crying.
“Fuck, no, Effie,” I pleaded.
“Let me up.”
I eased myself from her, reaching out to help her off the desk. She cringed away from my touch, and I dropped my hand. “Effie—”
“I’m fine. You didn’t hurt me.”
“But you don’t want me to touch you.”
“No.” She skirted around me, trying to cover herself. She stopped and looked at me, her expression unreadable. “You said you liked to fuck me. I hope you enjoyed it because that was the first and last time. Ever.”
She disappeared down the hall, leaving me alone. The intensity and passion of the last few moments drained away, making me feel cold and shaken. I walked to Nonna’s suite and used the shower.
Effie was in bed when I went back, curled around the pillow, as close to the edge of the bed as possible. Everything about her screamed to leave her alone.
I turned and went back to the adjoining suite and stretched out on the sofa there. Effie’s scent clung to the pillow from earlier, and I shut my eyes with a frustrated groan.
It was going to be a long night.
I was up and gone by five. I was in a mood all morning, walking the casino, doing an inspection with my managers. Aldo trailed behind me as I pointed out problems and items needing to be addressed.
“That is filthy. Have it cleaned. Now.”
“Who allowed the table to fall into such disrepair?” I snapped, running my finger over a gouge in the wood.
“It happened last night, Mr. Costas. I have already called the repair company,” one of the managers assured me. “Two tables were damaged. A patron was intoxicated and got upset when his luck turned.”
“Bill whoever did it,” I ordered.
“Already taken care of,” Aldo said calmly. “And they have been banned for a month.”
“Any uncollected debt?” I asked, turning around and glaring at the group following me.
“No.”
“Good. I’d fucking fire you all if there were.”
I finished, then headed to the office and went through the numbers. We were so deep in the black we’d never come out. I made some transfers to offshore accounts, worked on a few things for Luca, then saved the files.
Aldo came in, bringing coffee.
“You’re in a mood,” he said after a while of silence. “I thought yesterday went well.”
“It did. Effie did exactly what I needed her to do. Hopefully it will get Nonna off my back for a while.”
“Was that all it was, Roman? The two of you playing a part? Looked like more to me.”
I opened my mouth to reply, but his phone rang and he frowned, looking at the screen.
He answered, listening and asking some questions as I looked at the feed from my suite. Effie was awake now, staring out the window of the suite. Her back was to the camera, but I could see the tense set of her shoulders.
I had no idea what to do. How to fix this. How to start the conversation.
How to apologize.
Roman Costas never apologized.
I was at a total loss.
“Roman.”
I looked up at Aldo’s serious expression. “What happened?”
“There’s been a fire.”
I stood, instantly on edge. “Where? Nonna?”
He shook his head. “Bagels and Bites. The building burned down this morning.”
“Let’s go.”
I surveyed the damage. What was left of the building. Effie’s business and home. There wasn’t much. Smoke was heavy in the air. Bricks, glass, wood, and steel were bent and broken. There were smoldering embers the fire department was still pouring water on. The roof had collapsed, and everything inside destroyed.
“Did the men get in yet?”
“Yes.” He paused. “At least there is that.”
I nodded. Margi and Anne stood to the side, both women in tears. I approached them. “No one was inside?” I asked, knowing how devastated Effie would be if one of her staff was injured—or worse.
“No. We’re closed Sundays, and I came in yesterday and worked ahead so I was later this morning.” Margi shook her head. “They said it was a gas leak.”
I exchanged a look with Aldo. Everything in me told me this wasn’t a gas leak. This was retaliation. The Santini brothers found the bodies of their dead men and had somehow traced it back to me. Traced Effie back to me.
She was in more danger now than before.
Aldo was already walking away, his phone to his ear. He would be adding more security.
I turned back to the women. “Send me all the payroll information. All the staff will be paid for the next three months until they can find other jobs. Get me your résumés. I can find you something at the casino if you’re interested. We’re always hiring in the restaurants.”