Page 23 of Cassio (Belles & Mobsters 3)

ChapterSix

CASSIO

With my business settled in New York, I arrived in Las Vegas.

Callahan’s women were here too. Áine Evans, my little butterfly. I hadn’t touched her nor spoken to her since that night at my club. I could have gone against Callahan and taken her, but it wasn’t the right move or the right time. It would have put her in harm’s way back then. It wasn’t worth risking her life like that. But now, it was time to take what was mine. What had been mine from the moment she took her first breath.

She was mine to protect. Mine to love. She was simply all mine.

So, I had finished up some business, and now would decompress and trap my future wife into my little web. Three for one. The latter would be the sweetest conquest.

I wanted to get married quickly. I had the perfect excuse with Nonno’s latest request, his wish to see me and Luca married. He said it many times, over and over again, that he would refuse to die until he saw his grandsons married. It never had so much merit as it did now. It put extra pressure on me since Luca made it clear he had no intention of getting married. Ever. I would have had the same response before my rendezvous with Áine two years ago.

Collecting Callahan’s debt and getting married was my sole purpose now, and with a certain red haired woman in mind, it would be no hardship at all. The wedding would happen, and I’d take my wife to visit my grandfather in Sicily. His time on this earth was coming to an end. I didn’t like to think about it; he was the only real family Luca and I had growing up. He was our mother, father, grandparent, and everything in between. He taught Luca and I how to be strong, fight our father with more than just guns. It was thanks to him that we became lethal and worthy opponents to the unscrupulous men that worked with the King empire.

“Ready, brother?” I asked Luca.

We resembled each other, at least we were always told that, but our personalities were nothing alike. He was laid back, quick with his smiles and charm. Me, not so much. Our father’s brutality, viciousness, and cunning left a mark on my soul. A stain. I was too ruthless, too emotionless, too harsh, like a dark threatening cloud. Maybe I was more like him than I cared to admit. Or maybe I saw too much of my father’s cruelty before Nonno took us away. Either way, I was too much.

Too much of something that makes you a perfect killer, my grandfather would say smiling.

He always hoped to live long enough to see Benito King fall. When he heard Benito’s own daughter killed him, he grinned like a shark. Bianca had become his adopted granddaughter with that act alone. The bastard deserved his death; we all knew it. For what he’d done to our mother and numerous other women.

“Let’s rock-n-roll,” he replied. My three men stood in all-black suits, guns tucked in under their jackets, wearing their earpieces and ready to go. I didn’t need bodyguards to defend myself, but it was always better to have backup than to lack it at a time of need. Besides, we needed them on standby.

The walk from the penthouse hotel suite to the nightclub was short. The moment I entered the club on the top floor, the entirety of Vegas at our feet, I headed for the private VIP suit. The entire club had glass walls that allowed the never sleeping Las Vegas lights to glitter, like the sins this city was made out of.

A woman waited for us in the VIP suit. She wore a dark red dress, accenting her black hair, her curved body more uncovered than covered. She didn’t do anything for me. There was only one woman for me, and soon, she’d be my wife. If our interaction from two years ago was any indication, the two of us would be a perfect fit.

Our hostess for tonight assured us we would have anything we needed - from drinks and food, all the way to drugs and women. Everything was on the menu in the city of sin. Thankfully neither my brother nor I were into any of that shit, only drinks would do for us. We were capable of finding our own women. Besides, I’d already found mine.

Drinks, whiskey, scotch, champagne, and bourbon bottles had been placed on the table, waiting for us.

“Can I pour you a glass?” the woman asked, her voice husky, insinuating. Her eyes were hungrily roaming my body, not even bothering to be discreet. She wanted to ensure I knew I could have her right now and right here, but I had no intention of taking her up on her offer. Or any other woman.

But soon, I’d collect the debt Callahan owed me. Right now, I’d have to use a decoy. Callahan didn’t know I knew his secret, and once my plan played out, I was certain he wouldn’t be happy.

“Scotch,” I answered. Dismissing her out of my mind, I looked around the room. There was nobody around that would catch my attention. Our area was closed off from view of the public, but we could see them all there.

“Bourbon.” My brother only drank bourbon when he was celebrating or found a woman to fuck. I followed his gaze, and once I saw what, or rather who, he was staring at, I grinned. Margaret Callahan and Áine Evans. They just strode in, their steps sure and in sync. Like they owned the club.

Two years without her were too long. Way too long. Her hair gave off flickering fire colors that changed shade each time she moved. I watched her lean over and whisper something in Margaret’s ear and the two shared a smile. I knew from her background that those two spent a lot of time together. Their personalities were very different, yet they seemed very close.

After a few more exchanged words, they joined a crowd of women on the dance floor who were clearly celebrating. Margaret Callahan and Áine Evans quickly became the center of it all. I couldn’t peel my eyes off Áine. She had turned into the most exquisite woman I have ever seen. Her long red hair, colors of burning embers, reflecting under the dim lights of the nightclub caught everyone’s eyes.

Two fucking years and I could still hear her moans, remember how soft her skin felt under my palms. I wanted her more than anything. Nobody and nothing would keep me away from her. I told Nonno I would marry her no matter what. And I meant it.

I’ll cheat, steal, and kill as long as she becomes mine at the end of it all.

Except, the readiness to go to that length reminded me too much of Benito.

Shoving any thoughts of my resemblance to that bastard out of my mind, I focused on the woman my heart desired. Her hair flowed down past the swell of her breast and I couldn’t help but remember how her silky strands felt wrapped around my fingers. The images of gripping those soft ember strands flashed in my mind, how her mouth parted when she was turned on…. I remembered it all. Every second of that night.

At that exact moment, she smiled at one of her friends and my cock stirred. Fuck, that smile! Every goddamn time, it lit her whole face up.Will she smile like that for me?She smiled like that for me that night two years ago.

She twirled around, her back exposed to me, and it took all I had not to walk over to her and drag her into an empty room. Just like I had two years ago.

Sweet Jesus!I couldn’t remember when was the last time my cock stirred from just looking at a woman.I guess it was two years ago, I thought wryly. It all went back to that night.

---