Page 67 of Casino King

Hi, Leo, it’s Tessa. Is it possible to visit Enzo today? I don’t know where he was taken or if I’d have access to the room on my own.

A message comes in not five minutes later.

No, you can’t see him, Tessa. He died a few hours ago.

My head spins.

What? No.

He’s dead?

Enzo is dead?

A few hours ago?

Alec was here a few hours ago…

Did he already know? Did he come here knowing?

That fucking bastard.

He killed him and then came here to fuck me before I could find out. Then he left before I could I hold him accountable.

Chapter 23

Alec

Another death on my hands. Another soul constricting mine. As the number grows, the tighter I feel. Only when I’m with Tessa does it all lift from my chest and I can breathe again.

But when she finds out about Enzo, I know she’ll feel the beginnings of the weight I carry every day. And being with me will only guarantee that weight will get heavier.

There will always be more death. More blood. More betrayal.

My world is the dark and dirty side to life that everyone likes to pretend doesn’t exist, when in fact they live amongst it every day.

All bright and good things cast shadows, and that’s where my family lurks, waiting for those good ones to fall wayward where we’ll happily take their demons for them – for a price.

Looking at my phone buzzing on the table in front of me, I pick it up reluctantly. “What do you want?” I bark at Leo.

“Watch your fucking tone, brother.”

“What do you want?” I repeat.

“I told her.”

My blood runs cold. “Told who, what? You better not mean you told Tessa about Enzo.”

“Of course I do. She texted me to ask if she could visit him, so I told her.”

“That wasn’t your place.”

“It is my place,” he starts, but I hang up on him before I can hear the rest of his shit.

FUCK!

I got the call shortly after Tessa passed out from coming so hard her eyes rolled back. She can try and fight her need for me, I’ll even welcome the fight, but I know what she needs, and I’m the only one who can give it to her.

No other man will ever be able to give her everything that I can. Even the thought of another man trying to take away what’s mine has me reaching for my gun in my desk drawer.

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