Page 52 of Unspoken Obsession

She is looking from my eyes to my lips, scanning my face, and I can see the conflict in her eyes.

She must be wondering about all the times we've spent together, every moment when I did not reveal who I really was. I never lied to her except about what I do for a living. Even that was a half-truth; I do import and export goods. Everything else between us was genuine.

"Have you really kicked people out for card counting - I mean banned them from Las Vegas?" She says after a long time, and I nod.

"Yes. And worse, you're a lady so we won't cut off any fingers. We've got no choice; if we let one cheater get away with it, the news spreads fast and the casino can't win. The house always wins, Frankie. Always."

"Please - Dante - I - I don't do it to make money. It's not about the money. I'm not stealing anything." She stammers, stressed and fidgeting with her hands.

"I know it's not about the money. And we can't even prove you are doing it - but that doesn't make it any less serious, Frankie."

Staring into her eyes my heart sinks. I need her to understand the position she has put me in - and I want to know what she is thinking.

Right now, she just looks terrified.

I can see the terror flashing across her face as she watches me. I don't think she knows what to say.

"Frankie," I say her name. "Do you understand you can't play cards anymore? Do you understand what I am telling you?"

"I understand. Are your men escorting me out? What is going to happen?" She asks with a tight nervous voice and her eyes looking as though she is fighting tears.

I sigh, shaking my head.

"I will not make a scene or tell other casinos. I can't bring myself to do that. If I wanted to kick you out, I would've done it ages ago. I like you too much. I really like you, Frankie. I want to spend more time with you. But the card counting has to stop. You need a new hobby -- learn to knit or some shit. This is a one-time free pass, Frankie. If you get caught again, there will be consequences." My head is pounding with a headache. I just threatened her and told her I liked her all at the same time.

FRANKIE

Dante Russo.

The only man who rivals my father in all of Las Vegas. I know exactly who he is - I've just never known what he looked like - until now. The enemy is awfully handsome, and I fell for him. Forbidden. Any man who is not an ally is an enemy — and this man has had my father seething for years.

My heart is beating so fast, and my breath is catching in my throat. I can't believe that all this time I've been spending with Dante and my father never realized. The risk I was taking was a hundred times worse than I thought. This could cause a war. They'll kill each other.

And Dante threatening to kick me out of Las Vegas - my father's reaction to that would be horrific. I don't know if he would come after me or Dante. Whatever his reaction to this, to 'us', it would be devastating.

For a long time, I am just frozen in place, trying to process his words.

He would have the person banned - but he would not do that to me. He'd hurt them. If I was a man, he would've cut off my finger. You hear these things, but they're so outrageous you convince yourself they're not real.

I'm relieved. I almost don't believe I could be that lucky.

I'm dizzy with the reality of being caught.

Reaching out to touch the wall, I hold myself up and take a few deep breaths.

"Thank you," I say after being silent for too long. "I understand the position I put you in and I am so grateful that you are being lenient with me. I'm sorry."

His eyes soften, but he is still looking at me.

He also confessed to liking me. He said he really liked me. I guess he wants me to respond to that as well.

I am drowning right now. So my mind is swimming with all the ways this could have gone wrong, and it's hard to understand exactly what happened.

I am terrified. I've heard the rumors about Dante Russo—The Shadow. I know what he is capable of. I've heard what he has done to men who've betrayed him. I've been toying with a very dangerous man and putting myself in far more danger than I could ever comprehend. This explains the glimpses of darkness that I keep seeing just beneath the surface of his gaze.

I need to be so much more careful now. I need to handle this situation with grace and confidence. I can't let him see I am afraid of him.

I've become addicted to this man. He is a drug, and I can't get enough of him.

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