Unspoken Obsession (Casino King #4)

31. Frankie

FRANKIE

I t's been eight weeks since they arrested my father. His lawyers told me he'd like to see me, but I declined his invitation. I admit I was still nervous, thinking that he might be released - that he might pay someone off and buy his freedom - but the detective who came to talk to me has reassured me it isn't possible - and the media is having a field day with his story. No one will touch him for fear that'll taint them; not even money can buy him out this time.

The media has leaked his entire life of crime and all the disgusting things he has been doing behind closed doors, and they are tearing him apart. Trial by social media, his closest 'friend' putting distance between themselves and him publicly denying any alliance. His world is being torn down brick by brick, and now he's the most hated man in the city and even if he got out, which he can't, he would have to flee and never come back because someone would take him out.

He doesn't stand a chance. Even inside I believe they will get to him, to make sure he can't throw any of them under the bus.

He lost his empire, and now he is just an old man in an orange jumpsuit.

I flick the television on and see him on the news as they were leading him from the courthouse back to the cells after his sentencing. He got fifteen consecutive life sentences with no chance of parole. There will be more — they're not done with him yet.

He looks broken and destroyed. His eyes are sunken, his pain visible in his sullen expression.

It gives me satisfaction to see him that way - the way he made so many people suffer - he deserves nothing less than to spend an eternity with only his own company. Stripped of the control he needed, now his every moment is controlled by someone else, it must be torture for him.

"They forced him to wait in absolute agony for three days before bringing in a doctor to operate on his knee. Monroe gave paracetamol for the pain. Nothing else." Dante chuckles, standing behind the sofa, watching the TV screen. "He won't be able to run away from anything ever again."

"I'm glad. After all the people he's made suffer, he deserves to be tortured," I say, not taking my eyes off the screen. I want to watch him being put into that car. I want to see the cuffs on his wrists. It is a reassurance that I need. My mind is still struggling to accept that everything is ok now. That he can't get to us. It will take time for years of trauma to heal, but we've started.

Even with my father locked away and his trial over - we are not out of danger. Dante is moving us into his penthouse later today because we have received threats from my father's allies. They are furious. All of his business connections are falling apart. Not only those involved in human trafficking - but everything else as well. They're scared, and being actively perused by the cops, they blame us.

"Dante, I was wondering about my father's casino. It is in my family name and I can claim it. The lawyers have been hounding me, I presume his associates want to protect their interests. I am his only heir and instead of leaving his allies to fight over his empire - isn't there something I can do?" I'd burn it down if I could.

Dante looks at me in surprise. "Do you want to run a casino?" That was not what I meant, at all.

"I do not know. I've never thought it was where my life would go, but with your help, we could run it together. We could create a new family. I was just thinking about it last night." The emails keep coming and I cannot ignore them forever, eventually, some man in a suit will knock on the door. "His allies are furious about losing money with his business closed and the casino being the only asset not frozen by law enforcement. I can take over anything that I'm comfortable running -- close the rest. It might help keep the peace."

"It's not a bad idea. The people he was working with on the human trafficking -- they are ghosts. We think they've fled the city." He says, and I'm not surprised. The news has had a field day with this, crucifying everyone involved and naming names. Politicians, celebrities, and socialites from all over the globe are being shamed. "Three of his allies are scared he will testify against them for a reduced sentence. They are looking for support. He wasn't even offered that option, but at least those rats are out of business. The other allies that have stayed are linked to the casino and some illegal merchandise he was shipping, along with a money laundering business. They're clean in the trafficking case, but they are not good people. Just remember that if you take this one - you are running an underworld empire. It won't be easy." He means it won't be easy for a woman.

I sit for a moment staring out of the window of the hotel.

It's not how I imagined my life going. But then again, I never thought I was going to have a child, run away, come back and find the mystery man - and after all of that fall in love.

I turn towards Dante with a smile on my face. "Actually, I think I'm up for the challenge. And I think you and I would work very well together. It would piss him off so much to know we control his precious casino."

He grins, leaning over the back of the couch, he wraps his arms around my waist, and lifts me off the seat. Sitting on the back of the sofa with him standing between my legs, I stare at him.

My heart is overwhelmed.

So many things have happened over the last months since I came back to Las Vegas, and this is the first time that I've been free in my entire life.

Free to choose to make mistakes.

Free to go outside and not fear that my father will have me followed, kidnapped, or that he will try to take my child. There are still threats out there, but I trust Dante to manage them.

I feel like someone has lifted a massive burden off my shoulders - one that stayed with me for so long that I got used to living with it. I didn't realize how crippling it was to live beneath the darkness my father poured into my life.

I am still coming to terms with my new reality and how many things will change without him being around.

Dante runs his hands up the sides of my neck and I tilt my head so that my cheek rests against his palm. "No matter what happens I just want to be with you," I say.

"No matter what happens you and Damion will be with me. You belong to me to me, little fox. And my heart belongs to you."

I've never really belonged anywhere. There was always a burning need to escape or run away. I wasn't wanted, I was tolerated, and that has changed. I am about to cry tears of joy.

Dante laughs, a gentle warm laugh that makes me laugh too.

"Let's pack your things and get you two home to my penthouse. Once things have settled down with your father's furious allies - we can all move into the mansion, outside of town. Damion will love the garden. And I was thinking of getting him a few ducks seeing as they make him so happy." It's safer in the casino for now; the security is world-class, and I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to try to get to us there.

The rest of the day, we pack up the hotel room and the few things from my apartment that I no longer need. I don't have a lot and neither does Damion. We have been on the run for so long that we always lived with the bare minimum. I have a feeling that all of that is going to change. Soon, Damion will have a proper home and a real family.

The penthouse is bigger than my apartment and when we arrive Damion is running everywhere, touching everything and exploring every corner. I cover my eyes, then move priceless art, and glassware around — we have a childproofing issue that will have to be fixed fast.

I set my purse on the kitchen counter. "Dante, this is amazing," I say.

"Wait until you see what I did to his room." He holds out his hand towards me and I take it. He pulls me down the hall to what used to be his office.

The room has been painted pale blue on three of the four walls. One wall has a custom mural - a jungle theme - giant tropical leaves cover the wall and in between the leaves dinosaurs peek out.

The little bed is made to look like a plane wreck, crash-landed in the jungle. The floor has a thick green mat on it that looks like grass and there are shelves and shelves of toys.

Even the lighting changes color with the touch of a button and Damion can choose the mood he wants.

"His night light looks like stars across the ceiling," Dante says, sounding proud of himself.

I stare in disbelief. It is a little boy's dream room.

"Do you think he will like it?" He asks me when I say nothing.

"He is going to love this." I stammer. "I love this. But we need to childproof this because he is going to give me a coronary touching things that cost more than a small island. Please." He thinks it's funny, but my heart will actually stop.

"Shall we call him and see his reaction?"

I nod, grinning. I've always wanted to do these things for my little boy - and now he has a father who is doing it for him.

Again, I am fighting tears of joy.

Everything is just so perfect.

"Damion?" Dante calls down the passage. "Come and look here, little buddy."

Damion comes speeding down the hall and Dante catches him before he can speed-wobble into the jungle.

"Ok, little man, this is very important - are you paying attention?" Dante says. Damion puts on his serious face too.

"Are you listening?" Dante asks, and Damion nods. His little brows wrinkled.

"I want you to know that this room that you are about to see - this is your bedroom. It is your special place. It is just for you and no one else. Do you understand?"

Damion wiggles and grins. "Mine. Mine room for me." He shouts.

"That's right. Your room for you. Do you want to see what your room looks like?"

Damion is throwing himself backward trying to get out of Dante's arms so that he can see his new room. I can't stop laughing.

Dante sets him on the ground and the little boy bolts straight through the doors.

Inside the room he comes to a screeching halt, staring wide eyes, in total disbelief -- his mouth in a little 'o' as he takes it in.

We hold our breaths, waiting for his reaction to come.

Damion is dead still. Not moving a muscle.

Then suddenly he screams "Dinosaur." And leaps onto the bed, rolling around and tugging at the blankets. He rolls off the bed and runs to the toy shelf, grabbing a giant velociraptor teddy bear and carrying it to the bed. He keeps grabbing toys, shouting random words, and building a mountain of toys on the bed.

Dante steps close to me and pulls me against his side. "I think it's safe to say he loves it."

"I don't think we are ever going to see him again. I think he will never leave this room." I laugh, turning towards Dante. "Thank you so much for this. You don't understand what this means to me - for Damion to have such a special place to call his own."

"I understand. And I want him to know that he has a home here with me. Just like you do."

Damion is very busy in the room. So, I slip my hands beneath Dante's shirt, and with a cheeky grin I ask him, "Do you want to show me my bedroom now?"

His smile is naughty, and so is the reaction from his body. Without a second of hesitation, he lifts me up and throws me over his shoulder. I scream with laughter as he carries me to our bedroom and drops me onto the bed.

"Welcome home, little fox." He grins, tugging at my clothes and tossing them over his shoulder. "Now be a good girl and spread your legs wide for me."