by Jolie Day
Table of Contents
About this Novel
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
About the Author
Table of Contents
BOSS
Hard Deal
Jolie Day
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the author.
The characters, places, and events portrayed in this book are completely fiction and are in no way meant to represent real people or places.
Warning: This story contains mature themes and language. It is intended to be enjoyed by an 18+ audience only.
Copyright © Jolie Day
Table of Contents
About this Novel
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
About the Author
About this Novel
I always get what I want. Only this time, I want it all.
Life’s full of hard deals, that’s all I’ve ever learned, but I’ve never let that stop me from getting what I want. And I want her.
The day she walked into my office is the day I knew I need her on my side … and in my bed.
Her innocent smile.
The sweet way she looks at me.
The dirty way she whispers my name.
I own a multi-billion dollar business and everything a man like me could desire.
But there’s one major hurdle standing in my way.
I’ve got a past that could come back to haunt me.
I’ll face anything if it means I can be with her. But will my past dealings push her away? Or will she see me for the man I’ve become, not the man I was?
Chapter One
Brooke could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage as she drove through the crowded streets of Newark. At 08:00 p.m. on a Tuesday, she honestly didn’t expect the city to be as alive as it was, even being a native New Yorker herself. New York was known as the city that never slept, but Brooke couldn’t imagine any others with that reputation.
Until she drove across the bridge.
But it wasn’t all the people and the sounds and the lights that made her nervous as she drove through traffic; it was the prospect of starting real work, well, her probation period anyway, at Alenna, the newest and hottest establishment in New Jersey. It had only been open a few months, but already it was all anybody on the East Coast could talk about. Or, at least, at NYU, where Brooke had been working toward her degree in History.
After her graduation, she’d decided to take a year off from school. She’d never done anything but study and get good grades, it seemed, and she’d even taken an extra year of classes to better fit herself toward the scholarships offered for graduate school, but now she just wanted to relax a little bit. She had planned to take the year to travel and see some of the historic landscapes that she’d only ever seen in books.
Her father, on the other hand, had a different idea of how she could spend the year. Namely, getting a job.
So, Brooke had applied for and got a job in the new casino’s training program. Here, she spent just over a month learning the skills she would need to work at the tables and the rules of the different games. Just last week she had passed her in-house table dealing tests for Black Jack and the several varieties of Poker, and now she was ready to get out onto the floor, under the watchful eye of her trainer/supervisor, of course.
It wasn’t like they needed the money, but Brooke had never really had a job in her life—unless you counted babysitting the neighbor’s kids as a teenager, which she didn’t—and her father wanted her to have the experience before she actually embarked on what might be her ‘actual’ career as a historian.
Brooke suspected there was a different reason, altogether.
When she heard a car honk its horn behind her, Brooke jumped and stepped on the gas just as the light above her head turned yellow. She followed her GPS’s robotic voice as it led her straight to the casino and restaurant establishment where she’d be working for the foreseeable future.
She followed the signs from the entrance of the parking lot, all the way to the section marked “For Employees Only” and checked to make sure that her ID tag was hanging on the rear view mirror and that she hadn’t left it at home. Again.
Last time, she’d been hit with a hundred-dollar fine which her father wasn’t too happy about, since he’d had to pay it. Brooke had promised that she would pay it back and she wasn’t too keen on racking up another hundred before she’d even started her first real day at work. Thankfully, the tag was there and she wouldn’t have to worry about finding a red-striped piece of paper underneath her windshield wipers.
Taking a deep, calming breath, Brooke stepped out of the car and smoothed down the white blouse and red skirt that was the uniform for the dealers—well, the female dealers; the male dealers received special red slacks that, in her opinion, looked hideous. She was glad that she’d been able to buy her own stuff.
She stumbled a bit on her heels, but she had had a full six weeks of practice in them and now she was almost able to strut into the building, her purse hanging off her arm and her golden name tag pinned over her left breast. Her strawberry-blonde hair was up in a neat bun and she had outlined the emerald of her eyes with smoky eyeshadow. Her full lips were painted the same red as her skirt and it all did very well to mask the fear in her heart as she entered the crowded casino.
Waiters dressed in full red suits shuffled past her, drinks balanced precariously on the trays in their hands. Cocktail waitresses carried drinks one or two at a time and offered them to men with loose ties and bags under their eyes, flirting heavily with them and encouraging them to bet more by blowing on their dice. Brooke wasn’t surprised that it seemed to work.
“Are you Brooke Abernathy?” She jumped at the sudden voice in her ear and turned to see a familiar face. A wave of relief swept through her and she smiled.
“Tessa! Hey. Wait, don’t you remember me from school? You’re the one that got me this job.”
“Right,” Tessa replied, laughing. “But you just look so different with all that makeup on your face. And those clothes…do a little spin for me, doll?”
Brooke spun around and Tessa admired her outfit with a thoughtful nod.
“Yes, that is perfect,” she said. “Not too flashy or short, but enough to entice our customers into joining your game. Now, if you just pop one of the buttons on your blouse, we’ll be good to go.” Without waiting for a response, Tessa went right in and undid a button on Brooke’s blouse, revealing a bit more of her cleavage than Brooke had been intending to show…well, ever. She flushed and glanced around, wondering if anybody had noticed, then turned back to a grinning Tessa. “Amazing,” Tessa said, looking quite satisfied with herself. “You’re like a whole new person! Alright, let’s go. My break is almost up and you still need to clock in before we get back to my table.”
“Your table?” Brooke asked. “Aren’t you just going to supervise me on my own table?”
“Not quite yet,” Tessa said. “First night or so, you work with me as a shadow. I’ll let you take a few hands after you’ve learned the ins and outs, but I’m like your mentor here. You tell me if you need any help with anything, alright? I’ll be right there.”
“Okay,” Brooke said, taking a deep breath. “Is there anywhere I can put my bag?”
“Break room; that’s where we gotta go to clock in and out, anyway.” Tessa took Brooke by the wrist and led her down a long hall, past the casino’s washrooms and through a bustling kitchen, to a lounge-like room with couches and wood-paneled lockers. “Pick one without a padlock,” Tessa said, “and it’s yours for the rest of the time you work here.”
“I didn’t know I needed a padlock,” Brooke admitted.
“Oh, sorry about that,” Tessa laughed, reaching into a cupboard right next to the door and pulling out an unopened padlock, complete with a key. She handed them to Brooke. “The company provides those. Saves them a lot of money in stolen property. Each one has its own, unique key, so you don’t gotta worry about losses. Now go ahead and put your stuff away so I can teach you about clocking in and out. I’m supposed to relieve Mouse in two seconds.”
“Mouse?” Brooke asked.
“One of the male dealers here,” Tessa informed her. “His name is really Morton, but he don’t like it too much. So we call him Mouse; like the old cartoon. He thinks it’s funny, so he don’t bash our heads in. He’s a quiet guy, but real sensitive, too. And big as a truck, you’ll see. You do not want to mess with Mouse Carella.”
“Noted,” Brooke said as she picked a locker at eye level and stowed her bag inside, making sure that her phone was on silent and her wallet was hidden at the bottom. She shut it and stuck the padlock in, before following Tessa to a tiny computer in the corner.
“Now, this thing is internet capable and has a bunch of games that we’re all allowed to play during our breaks, but there’s rules. Like, if somebody gotta clock in, you stop whatever you’re doing and let them do their business, even if it means you lose the game.” Brooke nodded. “And you only get five consecutive minutes to do what you gotta do on the computer. Sometimes there will be two or three of us in here on break and we only get fifteen minutes each, so we gotta make them count. There’s really no cell service in the entire building and it’s a pain climbing all those stairs to get to street-level for it, so sending a message or checking your email is best done from here, capisce?”
“Yeah,” Brooke said, nodding.
“Okay, now go ahead and put in your employee identification number and the system will automatically clock you in.” Brooke did as she was told, entering the six-digit number that she’d received in an email from the HR department, before pressing ‘enter’.
Brooke A. clocked in at: 08:28 p.m.
“You’re working a four-hour shift for your first day, right?”
“Yeah,” Brooke confirmed. “Does it feel like forever?”
“It can,” Tessa admitted, leading her back out to the casino floor, “but usually it flies right by. Only if there’s no big issues, though. And there’s always big issues around here, it seems. Just stick by me and you should be A-OK.”
Brooke chuckled as she followed Tessa to her poker table in the center of the casino floor. “Noted,” she said.
*****
Tessa’s game was high-stakes poker and she was a pro at shuffling and dealing the cards, as well as dealing with the inevitable anger that came with the expensive gambles. More than one customer had attempted to flip the table or steal back his chips from her, but they were always stopped by the hulking security guard that stood just a few feet away. The guards didn’t carry guns, but they had a small arsenal of weapons on their belts that worked to threaten the patrons into submission. It was impressive, to say the least.
But, even with the imposing threat of a muscular Adonis at their backs, a few of the patrons started to become agitated the more they lost. Especially those who had been there for hours risking all they had on the game.
After one man lost fifty-thousand on his most recent bet, he became enraged and accused Tessa of cheating. Brooke had nearly fallen out of her chair when he got to his feet and leaned across the table, calling them all sorts of horrible names and demanding that he receive a refund. Tessa, surprisingly, remained calm and collected. She crossed her arms over her chest and refused him, telling him that he should leave before she called security over.
The man laughed in their faces and made a grab for Tessa’s hair, but before he could grab a handful, another hand was wrapping around his wrist and tugging him so hard from the table that Brooke could swear she heard his shoulder pop out of the socket. She winced and covered her eyes as the man screamed and writhed as one of the security guards tasered him, then dragged his limp body out of the casino.
“Are you okay?” Tessa asked, placing her hand on Brooke’s shoulder.
“M-me?” Brooke exclaimed. “What about you? That must have been terrifying!”
Tessa shrugged. “I’ve dealt with worse,” she said, then snorted. “Dealt with. Ha. Get it?”
Brooke didn’t get it. How could Tessa be so calm? Even if she was used to this sort of thing, it was insane how close they had both gotten to being harmed. And at work, too!
She wondered if this was something she should be wary of, as well, in the months to come.
“Don’t worry,” Tessa said, seeing the look of distress on Brooke’s face. “It’s not always like this. Just be wary of the guys that sit here for longer than an hour at a time. They usually have an addiction, you know? And they’re likely on a gambling high. All you gotta do is make eye contact with a guard and motion to the man he needs to watch for and he’ll get there before you can even bat an eye if you get any trouble. We look out for our own here, okay?” Brooke nodded and Tessa looked down at her watch. “Alright, boys,” she said. “Last game before I retire for the night. Then we take a break and my girl, Brooke, here is gonna take over. Be nice to her now.”
There were some mutters and mumbles as Tessa shuffled the cards, making sure to keep them in full view of her patrons so nobody could accuse her of cheating. She was about to deal when she suddenly stopped and turned to Brooke with a grin.
“Here,” she said, “you deal.”
Brooke’s eyes widened. “Really?” she asked.
“Yeah!” Tessa nodded. “You’ve been watching me for a couple of hours. You know the game. Besides, you’re gonna have to do this on your own soon enough, so you might as well, right?”
“I guess so,” Brooke said, taking the deck. “Thanks, Tessa.”
“Anytime, sweets,” Tessa replied. “Now deal.”
Chapter Two
There was only one other person in the break room when Tessa and Brooke entered. Tessa yawned and stretched out her arms before reaching into the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. She tossed a second one to Brooke, who just barely caught it. “Hydrate,” she ordered. “It’s not a lot of physical labor, but you get thirsty with all the people milling around, making the room hotter. Trust me.”
“Thanks,” Brooke replied, uncapping the bottle and taking a long sip. The water was nice and cold. She took a deep breath and sat down in one of the lounge chairs. “Are you sure I’ll be able to do this on my own, in a few days?” she asked Tessa as the other woman rifled through her locker for her things.”
“Of course!” Tessa assured her. “It’s only Blackjack, to start, and you’ll have the support of everybody who works here. Especially the owner. That guy takes care of his employees. And he’s a pretty tough guy, as is. He doesn’t look too nicely on crime or impropriety, you know? He should actually be in his office by now, so any complaints you have will go straight to his ears. Ya know?”
“He sounds powerful,” Brooke commented, feeling a slight flutter in her stomach. She’d always been attracted to powe
r, though she very rarely acted on her attractions. She was practically a virgin, according to most of her college friends—Tessa, included.
“Oh, he is,” Tessa laughed. “And fine as hell.” She purred and shimmied her shoulders, making Brooke laugh. “I’m serious. If he wasn’t my boss and I didn’t already have a drop-dead gorgeous fiancé of my own, I’d be all over that.” She sighed. “But, from what I’ve heard, he is totally against employee dating of any kind.” She shrugged. “His loss.” Brooke laughed again as Tessa popped her hip and slammed her locker closed, locking it up before she headed toward the door. “I’ll introduce you to him tomorrow,” she said. “Haven’t seen him around today; must be on a business trip.” Tessa stopped and looked at Brooke. “Did you know that he owns more than just this place? He’s also got several luxury establishments in New York and L.A. But that doesn’t keep him from stopping by on the ‘ground level’ every now and then to check in with his employees.” Tessa gave Brooke a wink and turned back toward the door to leave.
“Don’t you have to clock out?” Brooke asked.
“Already done,” the man sitting at the computer said, before standing and straightening his clothes. “See you tomorrow, Tessie.”
“Later, Bobby!” Tessa called over her shoulder. “Love y’all!”
“She’s something else,” Brooke murmured as she took another sip of her water.
Bobby gave a gravelly laugh. “You got that right,” he said, making his way to the door. “Welcome to Alenna, by the way, fresh meat.”
Brooke furrowed her brow at the nickname; she really hoped that wouldn’t stick.
*****
Four days later, Brooke finally found herself at her own table. She took deep, even breaths as she shuffled each new deck of cards, making sure to carry on a casual conversation with the casino patrons to keep them calm. Most of them were men, who had bags under their eyes and the beginnings of beards on their chins and jawlines. There was a small scattering of women, as well, but they didn’t stay for very long before moving on to other games or the slot machines on the other side of the room. Brooke admired their lavish jewelry and expensive clothing.