Page 52 of Casino King

I’ve yet to venture over to that side of his house, and my curiosity gets the better of me when he keeps yelling. Tentatively, I make my way towards him. I know I shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but I feel like this is my chance to discover if what I think is true.

I need to know.

Rounding the corner, I inch my way down the hall, his muffled voice through the closed door at the end of the hall becoming clearer the closer I get.

“Leave her out of this,” he growls. “Her safety is my priority along with the family’s. Don’t ever fucking question that again, brother.”

My heartbeat is in my throat as I stop right outside his office door. Is he talking about me?

“My men are gathering intel on the Triads every day, collections from the other casinos have been picked up, I have a man working on Katarina’s party, and The Broker’s party next weekend is mapped out with contingency plans in place. I have everything under control. And next time you want to question my loyalty, don’t,” he emphasizes. “You know I’d never jeopardize us. Any of us. Including myself.”

The Triads? Collections? Loyalty?

My breathing quickens as it hits me that my suspicions were right. I’ve lived in Jersey my entire life. I know what that all means.

He slams the phone down with a snarl and I hear the sound of glass shattering like he threw his drink against the wall. His fast approaching footsteps give me little warning, and before I have the chance to move, his office door flings open. Alec’s eyes widen and then narrow when he sees me standing there. They’re so dark and angry that I can’t even see any good within them at the moment.

“What’re you doing?” he asks, his voice hard and full of suspicion. “Were you listening to my phone call?”

“No,” I say quickly, taking a step back. “I heard you yelling…”

“So, you stayed to listen? How much did you hear?” He takes another step closer.

I debate whether or not I should play dumb, but I need to know. I need to know who he is. “You don’t just own The Aces, do you?”

“I told you my family has a lot of businesses. The Aces I claim as my own.”

“Your family…” I start, trailing off, not wanting to say what I think out loud.

“My family, what?” he asks, tilting his head to the side, gauging my every reaction.

“Nothing,” I say quickly, shaking my head.

“Tessa,” he says firmly, caging me against the wall with his hands on either side of my head.

“Alec, please,” I whisper, so softly I can barely hear it.

“Are you afraid to say it? Are you afraid of me?”

“No,” I breathe out with a little shake of my head.

“Are you sure? Your eyes are saying the opposite, bella.” The roll of his tongue on the sweet endearment makes my heart skip and makes me wish he was using that skillful tongue to bring me to heaven instead of asking me the hard questions.

“I’m not afraid of you,” I say a little stronger, my voice surprisingly never wavering. I’ve never been afraid to be with him. I’ve only ever been afraid of how I feel about him. Of what he makes me feel about myself.

“No?”

“No. But the reason you’re so concerned for my safety…that has to do with your family.”

“Yes.”

“Because your family is involved in things that aren’t legal.” I say it as a statement, already knowing it’s the truth.

“You could say that.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Your family…you… you’re in the…” I don’t know why I can’t say the word.

Mafia.

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