Page 41 of Sin and Deception

Xander and Theo both wanted me by their side. A shiver ran down my spine as Theo's fingers glided over the skin of my wrist while he untied my hands. His body heat radiated from him as he leaned over me, and I fought the urge to wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer.

I yearned to feel his bare skin against mine once more.

Our eyes met, and I caught sight of the same storm brewing in his cloudy gray irises. It was always a battle between us when we were this close, an unspoken contest to see who would give in first and break the tension with a fiery kiss. His gaze flickered to my lips, confirming that our thoughts aligned along the same path.

"Enough!" Xander's voice sliced through our trance. "Getup. We need to hurry. There's no time for you two to begin something you can’t finish."

"He's right," Theo growled. "Stand up."

We both sprang into action, the scarves tumbling onto the bed as I hurried to my feet. Quickly, I threw on my baggy clothes: black cotton panties, oversized jeans, and a massive sweatshirt from UNLV. I barely had time to slip into white sneakers and tuck my hair under a baseball cap before they flanked me, grabbing my arms and rushing me out of the hotel room.

"Did you get all my photos?" I asked.

"Packed in here," Xander replied, holding up the duffel bag.

One hung over his shoulder while Theo carried two more. I prayed they had grabbed everything because I would never return to that apartment again.

“Put these on.” Theo handed me a pair of oversized sunglasses.

I frowned, stuffing the frames into my pocket. “I’ll attract attention wearing that with this outfit.”

“Fine. Just keep your head down.” He tugged at the rim of my hat so I could barely see.

“Like I wasn’t aware of this.”

Tension hung thick as we descended to the tower's ground floor. They shared subtle nods and gestures, silently signaling any potential threats nearby. We wove through the usual crowd at the resort and past the high roller section of the casino, heading toward the hotel lobby.

Thankfully, it was peak check-in time, providing plentyof cover from clueless tourists and onlookers flooding the area.

A wave of sadness washed over me briefly as I realized I wouldn't see Penny or the friends I had made here again. But just as quickly, those emotions shifted to elation, knowing I wouldn't have to deal with all the headaches Las Vegas brought its locals.

I was done with this place. I had never truly enjoyed it in the first place.

My companions stayed as serious as ever, their guard still high as they meticulously scanned for any hidden dangers lurking in the shadows.

“Is that Tobias Stratos’s consigliere?” I whispered.

Andraius and all the nightmares that came with him were born into the Stratos family. To say I blamed them for my countless scars, both physical and emotional, is an understatement. After Andraius’s death, Tobias, his nephew, expected me to jump at his command and marry him with underhanded persuasion.

One Stratos was more than enough for a million lifetimes, and I clarified my position on Tobias’s tactics. The Stratoses wanted revenge for the shame I had brought upon them, and their hatred for me knew no bounds.

"Good eye, Angel," Theo whispered as we hurriedly turned away from them. We maneuvered through the maze-like hallways of the bustling casino, passing rows of flashing slot machines and crowded roulette tables until we arrived at the section leading to the parking garage at the back of the property.

"Wait, I recognize that guy. The one in the corner by the bar," I said. "That’s Dante Galani's nephew. I remember seeing him at a party."

"That’s fucking Rico," Xander muttered as he pulled me to the side, concealing us from view. “Well, that accounts for two families who hate our guts. Why not make it three, and we’ll have a complete set? Galani needs to deal with this shit with his son, not us.”

The former head of the Galani family hated me on a visceral level. Aside from the fact that I had assisted his son Anthony in overthrowing him and that he viewed me as a significant threat to his power, I was a woman in a world where I didn’t belong.

Oh, and there was this little issue of me stabbing him.

According to rumors, Dante named his nephew Marco as his heir. However, no one understood what he would inherit since Anthony held the position of Godfather of the Night for the Galani Family and aligned with our Angelos Syndicate.

Dante's hatred for me burned fiercely after an incident two years ago when I refused to back down from his insults and ended up stabbing him.

He’d learned the meaning of the phrase,fuck around and find out.

“Let’s go,” Xander commanded.

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