Page 47 of Vicious Little Games

“Eli?” I say in surprise. Now that he mentions it, the psycho does live in the penthouse. He’s always around, making him easy prey for Cass to sink her claws in.

“Eli is a sadist. He's the last person I want near my girls.”

“No kidding,” I agree. “So, who will you let near your daughter?”

“That's the question I'm trying to figure out. I have a feeling that Vanessa isn't going to let me put it off for long either. Her and Cass are ganging up on me every time I turn around.”

I feel the exact same way.

For the first time in my life, it feels like my mom is doing everything she can to screw me over.

Being so gung-ho against me becoming Dante’s heir I can understand. She grew up in the mafia and hates everything about it except Dante, apparently. But helping Cass not only beat me but also find her a husband? It’s so fucked up.

Not that my mom knows that the thought of Cass dating other men makes me crave violence more than I ever have in my entire life.

An hour later, and I’m in my sweats and a tee, ready for the first competition to take place in the second-floor gym.

Dante and my mom come in with an older, gray-haired man in tow.

“Vanessa, Cole, I want you to meet Saul,” Dante says. “He's been Cass's instructor for years and he's agreed to be the punching bag and judge today.”

“Won't he be biased toward Cass?” I ask honestly.

“I wish,” Cass huffs when she strolls in last. Seeing her in her tiny black shorts and matching sports bra feels obscene with her father in the same room. That’s probably why she wore it, to try and throw me off. In fact, I stare long enough that I forgot what we were even talking about when she joins our huddle. “But Saul is a man with strict morals,” Cass says. “He wouldn’t let me win just because I’m his favorite student.”

“You’re my only student currently,” Saul remarks. “And I have no favorite. I only have pupils who are willing to work hard to become whatever they desire.”

Cass rolls her eyes but smiles fondly at the man.

“Cassandra is right,” the man says, using her full name. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever heard it. “I've got no skin in this game, as they say. Dante is paying me ten grand to be a fair judge. Besides, Cass may be rusty since she’s been slacking off on her training lately.”

“What do you mean she's been slacking off?” Dante asks the guy, voicing my same question. When I first got here a few weeks ago, training was all she did, not once but twice a day.

“Cass didn’t tell you? She’s canceled our lessons every day for the past week.”

Cass busies herself pulling her long red waves up into a messy bun when everyone turns their attention to her. “I had PMS,” she mutters. “And I don't have to train unless I want to, right?”

“That’s right, honey,” my mother agrees. “Cole, do you have any problem going against Cass’s instructor?”

“Nope.”

Seeing that the instructor is in fact as old as Cass claimed he was, and that he doesn’t seem to have any interest in her, I don’t have any ill-will toward the old man. Still, I won’t mind throwing down with him. While Cass may have years of training, I’ll at least have a height and weight advantage.

“Ladies first?” I ask. “And what are the rules?”

“There are no rules,” Dante says. “Cass?”

“I’d rather go last.”

“Fine. I’ll go,” I offer.

I pull my tee off over my head so the other man can’t use the material to grab me, and also to try and throw Cass off-balance.

“Let’s go, old man.”

“Being so cocky will only lead you to quick embarrassment,” Saul replies before the two of us meet in the center of the mat and then begin circling each other.

I’ve never seen the man fight, so I have no idea how he plans to attack.

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