by L. P. Dover
He smiled and ushered a hand toward the couch. “Have a seat.”
I walked over to the couch and sat down on one end while he took up the other. “Layla said you wanted to talk to me,” I revealed, turning my body to face him.
He nodded. “She told me what happened yesterday. I just wanted you to know that you can stay in the princess suite for as long as you want. There’s no need to fear for your safety here.”
It took me a few seconds to understand what he had implied. The laugh that came out of my mouth caught him by surprise. “Are you saying that because of what you are? Surely, it’s not because of my ex. That man couldn’t scare the tits off a warthog.”
Dominic chuckled. “I can see that. Makes me wonder what you ever saw in the fucker.”
I shrugged. “Stupidity. He was charming in the beginning, but then it was too late. I got sucked in.”
His jaw clenched. “If he comes here, he’ll never make it past the lobby.” He stared at me, his expression serious. “I’m to assume you’re not afraid of being here then?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen my fair share of mafia movies, but I’m hoping you don’t have enemies waiting to kill you.”
“What if I do?” he asked.
Being involved with the Corsinos was a dangerous game, but I was loyal to Layla and she loved her brother. And I had no one else. I’d given up all my friends besides Layla when I married Philip. My life revolved around the law firm. No way would I involve my family either.
“Then I guess I just have to hope and pray no one comes after me,” I joked. He didn’t see the humor in it. Clearing my throat, I shifted in my chair and sighed. “Sorry. You know I babble when I’m nervous.”
“Yes, you do,” he agreed, his lips tilting slightly.
My heart raced. “All I know is that Layla was so afraid I’d abandon her after I found out that you guys were part of the mafia. The thing is, she’s my family too, and she’s told me everything about the things you and your father have done.” He tensed and I held up a hand. “I’m not judging you. Hell, Bryce is an assassin working for the FBI, and I love him to death. Layla’s my best friend, and with you being her brother I’ve gotten to know you a little bit over the years. I’d like to think of you as a friend as well.”
“It’s hard to have friends you can trust in my line of work,” he stated. “All I have is family.”
I shrugged. “You got me now. Not that you’ll ever need my help, but you have it if you want it.”
That little tilt of his lips spread into a smile. “Happy to hear you say that. I have some news that might make you feel a little more comfortable. It turns out that a couple of people you know will be joining us here soon.”
I had no clue who he could be talking about. “Who?” I wondered.
“Reed Chandler and Micah Perry. I know you’ve met them both. Bryce has another guy coming too, but I don’t think you know him. His name’s Connor MacCabe.”
Shock couldn’t begin to describe the way I felt. Not that I was actually scared to be around Dominic and the men in his family, but having two FBI agents around definitely made things more comfortable. Especially when I absolutely adored Reed. He’d taken me out horseback riding when I visited Layla and Bryce in Wyoming.
“That’s amazing news, but I have to ask … why do you need them?” Dominic stared right into my eyes, clearly debating if he should answer by the look on his face. I held up a hand. “You don’t have to answer. I shouldn’t have asked. It’s not my place.”
He shook his head. “It’s not that. Bryce is supposed to tell Layla. As of right now, she doesn’t know they’re coming.” With a heavy sigh, he averted his gaze. “Ever since my father died, the other families in the city have been trying to stake their claim. We’ve even had families from Boston sniffing around.” This time, he met my gaze. “The city has belonged to my family for years. I’m not about to lose it now.”
It didn’t take a genius to figure it out. With the downsize of his family, he needed men around he could trust. Maybe with Reed and Micah being with the FBI, it’ll keep Dominic on the right side of the law. At least, one could hope.
“I understand,” I murmured. “You need backup. I’m glad Bryce was able to help you.”
Dominic nodded. “I owe him a lot. And back to the matter at hand, I’m hoping you and I can help each other.”
My stomach did that flippy floppy thing again. “How?”
His gaze hardened just a tiny bit. “I already know that cocksucker of a husband took all your money. Believe me, I’ve already thought of plenty of ways to make him pay for that, but I don’t want to cause you anymore problems.” The growl in his voice made everything inside of me tremble. It was sexy.
Feeling the heat flood to my cheeks, I waved him on. “Do whatever you want. He’ll piss himself if he sees you coming. Should be pretty entertaining. I don’t have anything else to lose.” Was it bad that I really wanted to see that confrontation? Philip deserved everything he got.
From the look on Dominic’s face, he actually appeared to be contemplating the thought. “I won’t do anything unless you ask me to,” he disclosed. “In the meantime, you need money.”
I shook my head. “I’m not taking your money, Dominic. You and Layla are already letting me stay in the princess suite. I refuse to ask for anything else. Once I’m done here with you, I’m going out to look for a job.”
“What if you worked for me?” he countered.
The breath whooshed out of my lungs and I gasped. “Seriously? Doing what?”
He shrugged. “You could be my assistant. You graduated with a business degree, right?”
“Yeah,” I answered, definitely curious.
He stood and held out his hand. “That can be useful to me, especially regarding the hotel and other business aspects.” I took his hand and he helped me up, his fingers sliding against mine as he let go. “What do you say?”
“Do I have to get coffee and run errands for you?”
He snorted. “No. You’re too valuable for that.” His gaze raked down my body again and I held my breath. “I’m sure we can find more useful things for you to do.”
“Like what?” I asked breathlessly.
Before he could answer, the door opened and Isaiah walked in. “Sorry to interrupt, but Reed’s on his way from the airport. He’ll be here in fifteen minutes.”
Dominic glanced down at his watch. “Perfect. Thanks, Isaiah.”
Isaiah shut the door, and Dominic turned back to me. “Is there anything you have to do today?”
I shrugged. “Other than clean out my condo, get my car, and grab my things from the firm, no. I’ve been told I have until the end of the week.”
His eyes flashed with anger. “I see.” He pulled out his phone and typed away. “Today I want you to take it easy. I’m having the girls from the spa downstairs to come to your room. They’ll give you a massage, facial, and whatever you want. Tomorrow, I’ll go with you to get your things.”
“Dominic,” I pleaded. “You don’t have to do that. I can handle it on my own.”
“I know, but I want to. I may have a few things up my sleeve.” He winked, and nodded toward the door. “Enjoy your day, Faith. Dinner will be ready around six if you want to join me and Reed.”
“I might,” I replied, when all I really wanted to say was hell yes. Turning on my heel, I went straight for the door. I had no clue what all was happening, but it felt good. For once in my life, I was excited about the unknown.
Chapter Five
Dominic
Out of all the years I’d known Faith, we’d had some moments together where it was just us, but that was a long time ago. When she’d visit Layla at the hotel, I’d always make a point to run into her one way or another. Back then, she didn’t know about my family. It was a simpler time, and I loved every minute I got to spend with her. I liked having her with me now. Offering her a job might’ve been selfish of me, b
ut it was the only thing I could think of to keep her close yet also at a distance. I wasn’t ready for her to see the real me, and she probably never would if I could help it. She thought she knew about my family, but if that was true, she would’ve run far and fast. Then again, she could totally surprise me.
I could hear the ding of the elevator door just outside the hall, and it wasn’t long before the door opened and Isaiah walked in with Reed behind him. Isaiah nodded toward the hall. “The ladies just went into Faith’s room.”
“Good.” Grinning wide, Reed walked over to me and I held out my hand. “Thanks for coming, Reed.”
“No problem,” he replied, shaking my hand. “It feels good to get away from Wyoming. I talked to Micah this morning. He and Connor will be in tomorrow night.” From what Bryce told me, Micah and Connor were hardcore fighters. I had a feeling I was going to need them more than anything. Reed was twenty-seven-years old with the same dark brown hair as his brothers, but with a slightly smaller build. He was the one with all the brains. I’d picked that up the first time I met him.
“Did Bryce fill you in on everything?” I asked.
He nodded. “Every sordid detail. He told me to let him know if you turn to the dark side.”
I had no doubt he did. “And will you?”
A smirk spread across his face. “Depends. If you do things halfway right, I’ll keep my mouth shut. There’s nothing wrong with breaking some of the rules every now and again.”
Chuckling, I placed a hand on his shoulder. “I think we’re going to get along perfectly then. Come on, I want you to meet my cousin and a couple of fighters who got in early this morning from Vegas.”
We walked out of the suite and Isaiah joined us in the elevator. “Tell me about these fights,” Reed mentioned. “I’m assuming the other families are getting their own fighters as well.”
“That’s the plan.” I swiped my key in the card reader and pressed the button for the basement level. “The Cartwrights and O’Briens have already challenged each other, and the Salvatores want a match against us.”
Reed snorted. “Damn. They’re not wasting any time, are they?”
The elevator door opened. “Nope. That’s why we have to be ready. I have two fighters, but I’ll need more.” He followed me down the hallway to the red door at the end. There used to be hundreds of people waiting in line to enter the casino, and soon, it’d be that way again for something new. I pushed through the door, and Reed followed in behind me.
Luca circled around the ring as he watched Taylor Benning and Darius McKinney spar. They were both young middle-weight fighters, and they were vicious. Both were banned from the UFC for brawling outside of the circuit. Those were the kind of guys I needed in the ring, but not in my ranks.
Luca jumped down from the platform with a big smile on his face. “What do ya think? They look good, right?”
“They do, but we need to be careful. Don’t tell them anything they don’t need to know.”
Luca nodded. “Got it. All they care about is fighting and reaping the rewards.” He turned to Reed and held out his hand. “You must be Bryce’s brother.”
Reed shook his hand. “Reed Chandler.”
Luca let his hand go and slapped Reed’s shoulder. “I’m Luca. Welcome to the family.”
Luca focused on me and I nodded toward Taylor and Darius. “Which one do you think should fight the Salvatore fighter?”
Brows furrowed, Luca studied both men. Taylor was sharp and fast on his feet, with cunning agility. With his shaved head, you could see the scars in his skin from past fights. Darius was a little bigger than Taylor, and slower on his feet, but his punches carried a lot of weight. He had more TKO’s under his belt.
“Well,” Luca began, “I think Taylor might be the one we need for the Salvatores. He’s cocky and a complete douche in the ring. Might be the kind of edge we need.”
“As long as he wins,” I said loud enough for Taylor to hear me.
Luca chuckled. “He’ll fucking win.”
Taylor smacked his gloved fists together, and snarled. “Not gonna let you down, boss. Their asses are mine.”
That was what I wanted to hear. I slapped Reed’s shoulder. “Come on, I’ll show you to your room. You’ll be staying here at the hotel. You can eat dinner up in my suite with me tonight and we’ll discuss everything.” We walked out of the room and down the long hallway to the elevators. Reed scanned the area as if searching for something. “What are you looking for?” I asked.
Then his focus transfixed on a small spot on the ceiling. “Never mind. I see one. I was looking for cameras. Just curious to see what kind of security you have here.”
I pointed out the rest of the hidden cameras. There were ten of them just in the hallway alone. “I have twenty-four-hour surveillance,” I told him. “No one except for my people are allowed down here during off hours. When the fights start, we have a back entrance that we’ll let people come in from.”
The elevator doors opened and we stepped inside. “What exactly will I be doing?” Reed asked.
I slapped his shoulder. “All I need from you is your presence. The annual gala is coming up in a couple of days. It’d be nice to have you by my side. That way you can help me keep an eye on Faith. She knows you.”
His eyes widened. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to have her around? What about her safety?”
The thought of anyone hurting Faith made my blood boil. “Nothing’s going to happen to her,” I promised. “She’ll be safe with me. You’ll see her tonight at dinner.”
Reed nodded toward the red door. “Does she know about all of this? About the fighting?”
I shook my head. “She doesn’t need to know. Neither does my sister. At least, not yet. I’m trusting you to keep it to yourself.”
Reed chuckled. “Good luck with that. I’ll keep quiet, but I think you’re underestimating them both. This won’t stay a secret for long.”
He was right, but I had no choice. I wasn’t sure what she’d think about all of this because business is business, and reality is this is a mafia business. I just don’t want to throw that in her face yet. I’m not ready for Faith to find out .
I want to make sure I’ve got her in my corner— first.
Chapter Six
Faith
After the ladies from the spa left from giving me a massage, I felt completely rejuvenated. It’d been years since I’d enjoyed that kind of luxury. Dominic had sent me a text, reminding me that dinner was at six if I wanted to come. I had thirty minutes left until I needed to be there. I’d been around him a million times, but something was different now. I was nervous … but in a good way.
I was just about to put on my black heels when a knock sounded on the door. The only person it could be was Dominic. My pulse spiked and I rushed into the bathroom to take one last look in the mirror. I ran a hand down my black and white polka dot blouse, and turned to the side to make sure it looked okay with my jeans. I kept it simple with my caramel colored hair and flat ironed it straight. Another knock sounded on the door.
Taking a deep breath, I rushed out of the bathroom. “Coming,” I shouted. However, when I opened the door, it wasn’t Dominic. Instead, it was a familiar face I’d been dying to see again. He was still as charming as ever, but he looked different. I was used to seeing him in flannel shirts, jeans, and boots, but those had been replaced by an expensive suit and perfectly coifed dark brown hair. “Reed,” I squealed, flinging my arms around his neck. “Dominic said you were coming into town.”
Reed chuckled and hugged me back. “Someone has to make sure you don’t get into any trouble.” He let me go and his smile faded. “As good as it is to see you, are you sure you want to be here? Wyoming is a much better place. You’d have Layla and you can start up that restaurant you’ve always wanted.”
Rolling my eyes, I grabbed his arm and pulled him inside the suite. “That takes money, Chandler. Didn’t you know my cocksucker of an ex-husband took everything fr
om me?”
His jaw clenched. “Yeah, I heard. You can always borrow the money from my family.”
I scoffed. “Definitely, not. I want to start a new life, but I have to do it on my own. It was my stupid choice to marry a scumbag, and it’s my punishment to pay for it.” It’d be so easy to take him up on his offer, but I just couldn’t do it.
Reed shrugged. “Offer’s still on the table if you change your mind.”
Gaze narrowed, I studied him. With all the time I’d spent with him in Wyoming, I knew there was something going on by the mischievous smirk on his face. “Layla put you up to this, didn’t she?”
He leaned against the bar counter. “Maybe a little, but I also enjoyed having you on the ranch too. We had some good times.”
I smiled. “Yes, we did. I’ve been dying to go riding again.” I wasn’t going to lie, Reed was a good-looking man. When I wasn’t with Layla, I was with him, but we kept things strictly platonic. That was what I enjoyed most about Reed. I needed a friend and he was there. We rode horses and hiked the entire time I visited his ranch. He was twenty-seven years old, just two years younger than me. Out of all the Chandler men, he was the sweetest and most charming. Being around him was so easy and comfortable. Even with being a trained assassin for the FBI, you couldn’t tell it.
Reed glanced down at his watch. “It’s almost six. We better go.”
He held out his arm, and I took it. “What exactly are you going to be doing for Dominic?” Reed was a good guy. I couldn’t imagine him being involved with the mafia.
Reed opened the door and we stopped out into the hallway where Isaiah stood by the presidential suite door at the far end. He watched us closely with a curious eye. Reed cleared his throat and turned his back on Isaiah, his voice low. “Don’t worry, Faith. I’m not going to do anything stupid. Now that I know you’ve been drawn into this, my top priority is keeping you safe.”