Page 101 of Casino King

I know Alec’s not a man who grew up with people around him voicing their love for one another. They showed it in their loyalty, respect, and actions, and he shows me in the same way. It just makes when he does say the words, all that more powerful. Any man can say they love you. It takes a real man to show you, and make you feel his love and devotion every single day.

Chapter 36

Alec

Shrugging on my suit jacket, Tessa comes up behind me and slides her hands around me as she circles around to my front.

“Can I help you pick out a tie? I wouldn’t want you to clash with my dress.”

My mouth tilts up in the ghost of a smile when I look into her hazel eyes, but then I look down at her dress and holy fuck. Every curve of her lithe, tight little body is on display. “I’m going to have to kill every man who looks at you. Are you trying to make me crazy, bella?”

“Maybe.” She smiles coyly. “I like when you get crazy.” Pressing against me, she leans up on her toes to whisper in my ear, “You always fuck me harder when you do.”

Growling, I grab the side of her neck and bring her mouth to mine. Her innocence is all mine. And even though I’ve taken it from her, and tainted her beyond belief, I can still taste its sweet remnants no matter how many times I kiss her.

“I wasn’t going to wear a tie.”

“You do look plenty sexy like this,” she tells me, her fingers trailing along my neck and under the collar of my shirt.

I run my hands down her hips and around to cup her firm ass. “And you look too sexy.”

“Are you complaining, Mr. Carfano?” She cocks her head to the side. “I picked this dress with you in mind. I thought after a few drinks that I’d maybe let your hands wander.”

A small groan leaves me and I grip her ass tighter, making her teeth sink into her bottom lip.

“Does that not interest you? I could always change into something a lot less accessible.”

“No,” I bark, and she smiles, my chest tightening.

“That’s what I thought. We better go so we’re not late.”

“Katarina won't even notice.”

“It’s her birthday party. She’ll notice. Let’s go.”

When we get to the main casino floor, Tito meets us there at the elevator, walking behind us as we make our way around to the entrance of Royals. Tessa told me not to kill him since she thinks it was her fault that she was taken. I know Tito couldn’t have foreseen her ditching him, and we both know she’s not going to do it again, so I saw her reasoning not to hurt him. For now.

Tessa’s hand squeezes mine when we approach the front of the line and I stop, facing her so she’ll look at me. “No one will touch you in there. Jess and Kayla have been banned and security has been upped with how many Carfanos will be present. But above all, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I took care of Jess and Kayla for Tessa. She reconsidered her need for punishing them herself, and let me handle it, so long as I didn’t totally destroy them. I had them fired from the show and banned for life from The Aces and all casinos in town so they can’t work in this city again.

I gave direct orders to every security team around not to let them inside their establishments, and they have the both of them flagged on their facial recognition systems in case they try and slip through. Those two have nowhere to go in my city anymore.

“I know that, Alec,” she says, squeezing my hand. She has no idea how much her trust means.

I’ll never forgive myself for the pain she’s already endured because of me, and I’m one lucky bastard that she has the heart capable of forgiving a man like me. But I’ll be damned if she’s ever hurt again while with me.

Passing the new bouncer with a nod, I walk into Royals with my woman by my side. I had Santiago fired real fucking quickly after that night.

Instead of heading down the stairs into the crowd of people on the dancefloor, we go through a black curtain to the left of the staircase that leads to the VIP balcony section, and I nod at the two men guarding the entrance.

The area spans halfway around the club in a crescent moon shape and overlooks the entirety of the dancefloor below.

Music pumps out of speakers all around, and I can feel the bass jump through my veins. I used to frequent the club’s VIP section almost every weekend before I took over after my uncle Sal. Vinny and I would invite as many women as we could fit up here and make sure we showed them a good time.

Then I had to get serious, and I didn’t have time to waste partying and drinking my way through the weekend.

I had to grow up.

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