Unspoken Obsession (Casino King #4)

17. Frankie

FRANKIE

D ante Russo.

The only man who rivals my father in all of Las Vegas. I know exactly who he is - I've just never known what he looked like - until now. The enemy is awfully handsome, and I fell for him. Forbidden. Any man who is not an ally is an enemy — and this man has had my father seething for years.

My heart is beating so fast, and my breath is catching in my throat. I can't believe that all this time I've been spending with Dante and my father never realized. The risk I was taking was a hundred times worse than I thought. This could cause a war. They'll kill each other.

And Dante threatening to kick me out of Las Vegas - my father's reaction to that would be horrific. I don't know if he would come after me or Dante. Whatever his reaction to this, to 'us', it would be devastating.

For a long time, I am just frozen in place, trying to process his words.

He would have the person banned - but he would not do that to me. He'd hurt them. If I was a man, he would've cut off my finger. You hear these things, but they're so outrageous you convince yourself they're not real.

I'm relieved. I almost don't believe I could be that lucky.

I'm dizzy with the reality of being caught.

Reaching out to touch the wall, I hold myself up and take a few deep breaths.

"Thank you," I say after being silent for too long. "I understand the position I put you in and I am so grateful that you are being lenient with me. I'm sorry."

His eyes soften, but he is still looking at me.

He also confessed to liking me. He said he really liked me. I guess he wants me to respond to that as well.

I am drowning right now. So my mind is swimming with all the ways this could have gone wrong, and it's hard to understand exactly what happened.

I am terrified. I've heard the rumors about Dante Russo—The Shadow. I know what he is capable of. I've heard what he has done to men who've betrayed him. I've been toying with a very dangerous man and putting myself in far more danger than I could ever comprehend. This explains the glimpses of darkness that I keep seeing just beneath the surface of his gaze.

I need to be so much more careful now. I need to handle this situation with grace and confidence. I can't let him see I am afraid of him.

I've become addicted to this man. He is a drug, and I can't get enough of him.

I roll my shoulders back and sigh, then smile, tilting my chin up, doing my best not to look terrified.

"Can I make it up to you?" I ask, softening my gaze as I search those blue eyes for answers.

"Make it up to me?" He asks, confused, but interested in what I'm saying.

"Yes, let me take you to dinner. As an apology."

As soon as I invite him to dinner my blood begins to pulse faster through my veins. There's a rush, the same sensation I used to get playing cards. I'm playing with fire, not cards. I have been playing with matches from the start - but now that I know who he is, the thrill just got more intense.

But at least by making this bold move, I'm trying to regain control over the situation.

He chuckles, narrowing his eyes.

"I just told you I am Dante Russo, and your response is to invite me to dinner?" He is amused - amused is better than angry.

"Well, you did also tell me you like me and wanted to spend more time with me. And something about cutting fingers off." I raise my eyebrows at him, a cheeky smile on my face.

"I said that." He nods, taking a step towards me. "Yes, I would love to join you for dinner."

My skin tingles as he slips his arm around my waist and pulls me up against him. "You are a problem, Frankie -- one that I hope to understand one day." He leans close and whispers against my lips, then he presses his mouth over mine and kisses me, sending shivers down my spine. I stand on my tiptoes and wrap my arms around his neck, holding onto him, savoring the moment.

When he pulls away from me, I smile and say, "Right now - I need to go and I was hoping - seeing as you know this casino so well - that you could point me out the back door so that I can avoid being followed by my father's goons. I don't need them knowing I got into trouble." I ask, knowing I am pushing my luck a little.

He laughs and shakes his head. "Come on, I'll walk you around the back."

Dante walks me to my car, the long way around, avoiding going back onto the gaming floor, where my idiot guards are waiting.

He kisses me goodbye again at the car, and then I climb in and drive home with a mixed sense of fear and relief.

I know his name.

He must care about me because otherwise, he would have had me banned; he wouldn't even have taken the time to tell me what was happening. I am so relieved that isn't the outcome - my son and I can still stay here in Las Vegas. The nightmare I almost caused for myself just because of the stupid card games is a sharp reminder of what really matters to me - my son. My son and his safety are all that matter.

I've heard my father rage about Dante Russo many times in the meetings he hosted inside his mansion with his allies. His name came up a lot - sometimes in annoyance and sometimes in respect. The bottom line is that I understand Dante's power in this city. For my father to be giving him that much attention can only mean that he is wary of him.

Someone that makes my father wary - makes me nervous. That man is afraid of nothing. If my father catches on that I am spending time with him, it will be an automatic assumption that I am plotting against him -- that I have turned.

My life just got even more complicated.

I park the car underground and head upstairs where Clarissa is waiting for me. She says goodnight and leaves. I sit alone on my sofa, thinking about everything that has happened.

In all honesty, the most logical and safe thing for me to do is never see Dante again. My mind is already at war with that idea.

I am still convinced he is the father of my child, and while I've got no concrete evidence, I want to wait and try to confirm it.

In fact - learning who he is and that he owns both casinos - it makes it even more likely he is the man from the gala that night. He lives there. He was at an event for the mafia families; it has to be him. He called himself a shadow.

I want it to be him.

I want him to be Damion's father because I have fallen in love with him.

"Shit," I mutter, annoyed with myself for getting into this situation.

Why did I fall for Dante Russo?

It's times like these that I really wish I had a friend I could call and talk to about everything. I need advice. I need someone to tell me I'm not crazy - or that I am - who knows?

I stand up from my spot on the sofa, shaking my head. I go to bed because I can't sit here all night thinking about nothing. I need sleep. And tomorrow I need to plan a dinner date for Dante Russo and myself.

Living out in peaceful Canada in that little wooden cottage at the edge of the forest - it seems so distant now - like it was a life that didn't even belong to me - yet I crave that kind of peace. I want to be safe like that again.

I strip out of my dress, hanging it up behind my door. In the bathroom I splash a little make-up remover onto a cotton pad and clean my skin, staring at my reflection and wondering what Dante sees and thinks when he looks at me.

He makes me feel pretty. The way he looks at me makes me feel really beautiful.

He told me he likes me.

I smile at myself in the mirror.

He likes me. I laugh.

I brush my teeth and put on some moisturizer - then I throw on my oversized shirt and climb into bed.

Luckily, I am so tired that almost as soon as I rest my head on the pillow I fall asleep.

My dreams are busy though - flashing between being chased by my father's men - and being safe in Dante's arms - then being banned from Las Vegas and not being able to see my son again.

I wake up drenched in sweat. My shirt sticks to my skin.

I kick the blankets off me and take a deep breath, trying to calm my body down.

It was just a dream.

That will not happen.

Dante already promised he wouldn't ban you from Las Vegas.

Glancing over at the bedside clock I see it is five in the morning. I could sleep for another hour. Damion won't be up until six or six thirty - but with the way my heart is racing, I doubt I'll fall asleep again.

I get up and walk towards the kitchen to make coffee.

I guess I can research interesting places to go for dinner. A man like Dante can get anything he wants; he has probably been everywhere in Las Vegas. I want to do something different for him, something he will remember and be impressed by.

He has already impressed me with the amazing places he has taken me.

I want to return that favor.

With my steaming hot coffee, I carry my laptop to the sofa and curl my legs beneath me as I get comfortable.

After a few very generic search attempts I sigh in frustration. Typing in what is the best restaurant in Las Vegas is not how I am going to impress this man.

I need to think outside of the box.

Perhaps something that will take us away from the casinos and the city for a little while.

I smile as an idea forms.

I type in a search and find what I am looking for. It seems like something Dante might have never done. Also - I know I've cause trouble for him at the casinos, so it will be nice to avoid anything that reminds him of that. Even my father's goons will have a hard time following us. I grin.

I book two tickets for this afternoon and message Dante to let him know.

Me: Hello Mr. Russo. This is to confirm our dinner date. I will meet you at the Russo River Casino at four o'clock and we can go together from there.

Dante: That sounds perfect. I will be ready and waiting.

I am so excited all day that my mood lifts drastically. I have not felt this excited for something in such a long time and I really hope he likes it as much as I do.

At four o'clock I am ready and waiting outside the Russo River Casino. I'm wearing my white sneakers and a soft lace summer dress that sits just about my knees. My hair is braided over one shoulder and I am wearing the widest smile. When Dante walks out to greet me, he smiles at me. He puts his hand on my lower back as he leads me to his car.

"Where are we going?" He asks, still grinning at me.

"Why are you smiling so much?" I giggle.

"I don't know - it's just the way you are smiling. It makes me happy."

I laugh and point ahead of us. "Drive. I'll guide you as we go."

"Oh - you are keeping it a secret I see."

"It makes it that much more exciting."