Page 56 of Vicious Little Games

“Okay, yeah, I can do that,” I agree.

“And if he plays into being one of them, he'll be safer,” Vanessa remarks. "But Cass, they’ll only ever see her as the enemy’s daughter.”

“That’s true, butterfly,” Dante agrees as he looks to Cass. “You'll need to make sure they all know that you won't take anyone's shit. Got it?”

“So, I can kick their asses if I want?” she asks.

“If they provoke you, then yes. Punch them, shoot them, whatever. I don’t care. The guards will be there to make sure it doesn't get out of hand. Just be aware of your surroundings. Don't start anything, and don't get dragged into shit if you're heavily outnumbered.”

“Understood,” she replies with a twinkle of what looks like anticipation in her eye.

“I have some people looking into all the accounting books for the Russian's businesses, making sure nobody is skimming off the top. So far, every penny has been accounted for. But I wouldn't put anything past the bastards who stayed once Petrov was killed. They're still loyal to him, no matter what lip service they may pay me. And they always will be, which is why we have to keep them close.”

“Why not just kick them all out of the city?” I ask him.

“Because I don't have enough employees that I trust to run all the fronts. It shouldn't come as a surprise to you that I'm laundering money through the places, just like Kozlov did, but on a much larger scale. So, for now, I need them. If I could, I would sell every last building and give your mother all the proceeds.”

My mom scoffs. “I don't want a dime of his dirty money.”

“When should we get started?” I ask.

“As soon as you two are ready.”

“Tonight?” I suggest looking to Cass. “Unless you have another hot date to get to.”

“Tonight is fine with me,” she agrees.

“Then let's head out at ten, give everyone time to get good and wasted before we start trying to get them to talk.”

A little after ten, I’m waiting downstairs on the main floor, leaning my forearms on the stair rail when Cass’s heels finally start the click-clap down them.

While I figured she would dress up, I didn’t expect her to look so damn sexy.

The lime green halter-top dress decorated with iridescent glass beads connects to the short skirt by thin straps similar to the one across her sternum. Other than that one-inch strap, the V at the front plunges down clear past her belly button, down to the top of the skirt hugging her hips.

“You like?” she asks when she reaches the bottom of the stairs, even doing a full circle in her gold heels to show me her bare back other than the tiny skirt and her long red waves that sway at the top of her ass.

“I…” When I try to make a comment, nothing comes out. In my white dress shirt and black pants, I’m going to look like a chump next to her.

“We should leave before Daddy sees me and makes me change,” Cass says, strutting over to the door where four male guards are gathered waiting for our departure.

They all freeze as if being held at gunpoint when she approaches. Finally, August, working overtime tonight, moves. He opens the main door for Cass to walk through.

No wonder Dante doesn’t let her leave the casino grounds. The woman makes smart men stupid just by walking toward them. I’m surprised Cass doesn’t start a riot every time she leaves the premises.

Maybe she does.

I can already tell that it’s going to be a long fucking night.

Dante gave our guards a list of formerly Russian-owned establishments listed by what he believed to be safest to most dangerous. No surprise, we’re heading to the first one on the list, a sports bar that’s only a few blocks from the Royal Palace. Dante could have an army of guards there in seconds.

We haven't been in the bar for ten minutes, barely enough time to order two beers, and Cass to ask for a glass, when two older men approach us at the counter where we’re waiting for our drinks.

“Can I help you, gentlemen?” I ask.

The taller, leaner man with bushy eyebrows says something in Russian.

“Sorry, I don’t have a clue what you just said,” I tell him.

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