Page 78 of Casino King

“Of course you do,” she huffs. “You’re not unintelligent. I also know my son can be distracted easily by a beautiful young woman who dances for a living.” She sneers the word ‘dances’ like it’s a dirty job, or as if I was a stripper. “Being with him requires more than the ability to be flexible.”

Shocked, my eyes widen as I struggle to find the right words to say so I’m not disrespectful.

“Mother,” Leo says harshly from the entryway. “That’s enough. You know Alec wouldn’t like you talking to his woman like that.”

“It’s okay, Leo. Thank you, though,” I say, finally finding my voice. “Mrs. Carfano, I’m not with Alec because he can give me anything other than himself. He knows that. I also know who he is and it doesn’t scare me. And yes, I’m a dancer. It’s my passion. I wouldn’t give it up for anything, and Alec also knows that. He sees me, and I see him.”

She just stares at me, assessing me, and when I flit my eyes to Leo, I see respect shining back at me in his.

“I see,” Mrs. Carfano says, the same look of respect in her eyes as Leo has in his. “Well, if my sons and nephew are so taken with you, I guess I should get to know you better.”

“I’d like that.”

“Good.” She nods, leaving me alone with Leo as she walks back out to the dining room.

I breathe a sigh of relief and sag against the counter.

“You did good, Tessa,” Leo praises. “She was testing you, but you stood your ground, and that’s what she respects.”

Nodding once, I play with the ring I always wear on my middle finger. It was my mother’s, and it brings me comfort to touch it whenever I’m feeling vulnerable. His mom may have been testing me, but she also insinuated that I might have been a dirty stripper who lured her son in with my body so he could buy me things.

“Tessa–” Leo says, but I cut him off.

“It’s fine. I’m fine. I just need a minute. Where’s the bathroom?”

“Down the hall and to the right.”

“Thanks.” Turning on my heel, I make a beeline out of the kitchen, but the house is so big, I picked the wrong direction and don’t find the bathroom in any of the doors I pass.

I go to turn back, but hear Alec and Vinny’s hushed voices yelling at one another angrily from the next door down the hall. I approach slowly.

“Are you going to avoid telling her forever? She asked me if something was wrong with you tonight and I had to lie to cover your ass,” Vinny says. “And you had me introduce her to the family? That’s bullshit, Alec. You should’ve been here.”

“Don’t fucking tell me how to handle this.”

“I will, because you’re not handling it. Grow a pair and tell her. Let her decide your fate. Or are you too chickenshit to find out how she’ll react?”

I hear scuffling of feet and rustling of clothes. What are they talking about? What hasn’t Alec told me?

“Stay out of this,” Alec growls, angrier than I’ve ever heard him. “Tessa isn’t your concern.”

When I hear footsteps getting closer to the cracked door I’ve been standing near, I duck into the room across the hall and hide. Looking through the crack in the door, I wait for the two of them to leave and go back to the dining room before sneaking out to find the bathroom. I lock myself inside for five minutes, needing to get my shaking hands under control.

Alec’s been hiding something from me that is clearly going to upset me or Vinny wouldn’t be arguing with him on why he hasn’t told me.

I can’t bring it up here. Not at his mom’s house, and certainly not in the presence of almost his entire family. Washing my hands, I take a deep breath and steel my spine before returning to the table. I feel Alec’s eyes on me as I take the seat next to him, but I ignore him. If I look at him, I know I’ll want to ask him all the questions I have swimming in my head, so I keep my eyes on either my dessert or the other women around the table.

I know he can sense a change in me, but he, too, doesn’t dare bring it up now.

When we say our goodbyes, I get hugs from all the women, but his mother just nods respectfully at me. As do the men around the table who are all so serious. They have an edge to them that would make me quiver if I met them under different circumstances. But I think I’m starting to get used to these Carfano men and their constant stern demeanors.

Alec guides me over to a sleek Aston Martin at the back of the car line taking up the entire driveway. He must have driven separately from his brothers from Manhattan since they get into a Mercedes in front of us.

Opening the passenger door for me, I feel his eyes on me as I slide inside, but he doesn’t say anything. He also doesn’t say anything for most of the ride back to Atlantic City. Neither one of us is willing to breach the subject of his absence and distance this week, I guess.

But when we turn off of the Parkway, I know I have to ask him while we’re still in the car. He can’t avoid me or walk away if he’s driving. Turning down the music, I look over at him. “Alec, I have to ask you something.”

“What is it?” His voice is strained and his hands tighten around the steering wheel.

---