Page 44 of Fate's Dice

"Six. Four have taken guard at the corners of the block to see who is coming and going. The other two guard her door. Do you want me to send more men?"

"No, I want her brought here. I don't want too many men spread throughout the city. I'll check with Dice and if her mother is having difficulties accepting this, we'll just have to bring her, regardless."

I start to walk away but my mother's voice hits my back, "If your goal is to lose her respect, Leo, you're headed in the right direction."

I hear her heels click as she walks away. That's my mother. Hard-to-take-advice in spades, but she is right.

Shrugging off my suit jacket, I enter the bedroom. Dice hasn't heard me enter since her back is to me and her ear to her phone.

I stand there, unclipping my cufflinks as I watch her trace her finger along the window like she's following the rise and fall of the surrounding skyscrapers.

She's wearing dark red leggings. Must be what my mother bought her this morning when I got the call about the club. But the shirt she's wearing is one of my Henley's.

Her hair is in a bun on top of her head, but the loose tendrils that curl around the nape of her neck and forehead make her entire look sweet and sexy at the same time.

"I understand very well, mama, I just don't feel like we need to uproot ourselves."

Her mother must say something wrong because Dice's spine straightens and her voice turns accusatory, "You should have told me about dad. About whom he was and what happened to him. I spent my life practically hating him. Not only that, now I have some fucking stalker after me. A stalker who might be the one that killed those people at Leo’s club."

Dice stops and pinches the bridge of her nose.

I want nothing more than to go to her, comfort her in some way, but this is a private conversation.

I turn and go into the walk-in closet, but it doesn't completely block out her words, especially when her voice rises once again.

"I understand that, but when I was old enough to take such news, you should have said something... You don't know that for sure. I would have thought of you and not done something so reckless... So? Being a hothead does not mean I lack common sense, mother... Fine, I'll see you when you get here... Yeah, I love you too."

I smirk when that last part is said with a growl, completely opposite of the words.

I mull over what she said. The first person I thought of when I got the call about the club was in fact Danny Reyes. I’ve never once had issues with the Reyes Familia and I’ve never had communication with Danny. Sure, I’ve spoken to the man a few times, but I do no business with him and his territories are so small that they’re not even worth the effort of taking them.

But I can’t deny that the stalker has a connection to Danny. It may even be him or one of his fucked-in-the-head sicarios who has been hiding in the shadows.

Either way, I know there is a connection with the shooting and the stalker. After all, I haven’t had any issues with the Reyes Don until I threatened the cocksucking bastard who has been watching Dice.

With a black Henley shirt and jeans on, I walk out of the closet to find Dice still standing at the window. I walk over to her and begin massaging her shoulders. She tenses at my touch, but when she sees me through the reflection of the window, she softens.

"I'm sorry I had to leave you alone this morning. That was not what I had planned, but the emergency meeting with my attorney was unavoidable."

I continue my ministrations on her muscles and when she drops her chin to her chest; I rub my thumbs into the knot on her neck. I'm sure this is all unnerving to her, having her life uprooted as she calls it. The fact is, I need her safe and the only place I trust to keep her safe is here with me.

My princess in my tower.

"No apologies needed, Leo. I completely understand. Next time, maybe call me?"

I grin at that, "Next time? You foresee things like this happening again?"

Dice turns to me, her eyes serious and clear, "Yes, I do actually. You're a mob boss and your life is one of risk and death. On top of that, your interest in me has brought Reyes trouble to your doorstep. This isn’t the life I’ve ever wanted but it was my father’s life. It’s in my blood, but I can’t lie and say I’m not worried."

Taking her hand, I lead her to the edge of the bed and sit, pulling her down onto my lap.

"You're right, Dice. This isn't a life anyone should want. If I were anything other than what I am, I'd have you and your mother flown across the world to a place where you'd never be scared again... but I am me, a selfish bastard who won't let you go without a fight."

I trace her lips and jaw with my fingers, ghosting the tips along her beautiful skin as I talk, "But you are wrong in one thing. I am not a mob boss. The word mob describes a disorderly and unorganized group of people with only violence on their minds. My Familia is exactly that, a family. I am their don, boss, mero, whatever you want to call me, and they follow me willingly because I take care of them. I make sure they and their families are cared for and protected. Before this morning, I’ve had no problems with other Families. Not the Italians, French, Irish, or Latins. My men are organized and well trained. Most of them, aside from Hector and Brian, are ex-military, so they respect the rules and follow them without failure.”

I lay a few kisses to her neck before turning her face to mine. I need her to see my eyes, to see the truth in them because nothing will take her from me. Not the bitches who will pay for their crimes and not her fears, as valid as they are.

“My lifestyle does have many risks, but I came into this life knowing that. Therefore, I am ready for anything. As for the trouble you feel you’ve brought on… Fate rolled her Dice, and I’m a willing participant."

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