Page 51 of The Gambler

He grinned his signature smile. “I’m your father. Do I need a reason to visit my daughter?”

Father. When had he ever been a father? Back in Las Vegas she hadn’t been allowed to call him that word, afraid as he was people would catch on to their scam.

Before she could get another word in, he simply walked past her.

Taking a deep sigh, she traipsed after him. “How did you even find this place?”

Rufus dropped onto the leather couch in front of the TV and crossed his ankles. She hated when he did that thing where he pretended to own every room he entered. It was how he entered a casino; like he was a high roller, while in reality he was a scam artist who was always out of money.

“Your crazy grandfather told me.”

“He’s not crazy,” she said through gritted teeth.

He snorted. “When I heard my girl was getting hitched, I just had to see you. I’m actually upset that you haven’t told me about your engagement yourself.”

Tess swallowed. A part of her knew he was here for something else. That he was playing her, just like he did with everyone else. Another part of her though remembered the father he had once been. A man who braided her hair and made her dinosaur pancake breakfasts. A father in the true sense of the word who had been there for her when kids picked on her because she was a geek. And that part of her just couldn’t kick him out. That little girl inside her couldn’t give up on him, no matter how often he got her into trouble. Rufus had never been the same after his wife died. It was as if a part of him had died with her, and he never took anything seriously again, not even his own flesh and blood.

She dropped into the chair next to him. “It was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

Also, we’re not really engaged, but you don’t need to know that.

“So tell me about this man of yours. Looks like he’s doing pretty well for himself. The lucky, rich bastard.”

“Could you please keep your voice down?” she hissed. She had to get him out of here before he would meet Luca. Before he would con himself into Luciano Detta’s life, trying to take his money. If there was one thing her father was good at, it was taking people’s money. It was like he could smell someone’s bank account from afar. Though, in Luca’s case, his high-rise apartment spoke for itself. She knew Rufus was mentally putting a price tag on every item he saw. He was assessing the room, contemplating how this situation would benefit him and his gambling addiction.

He also looked fidgety as he kept eying the front door.

She recognized that look. It didn’t bode well for her. “Tell me why you are really here.” When he gave her an innocent look, she raised a finger in warning. “Tell me the truth, or I’ll have you tossed out of here. You know I will.”

Please don’t tell me you have another loan shark after you.

Rufus sighed. “I need a place to crash for a few days.”

Crap. She knew what that meant. “Who are you hiding from this time?”

“Pumpkin… what makes you think—”

“Dad,” she cut him off, her patience wearing thin.

He raised his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. See, I told this guy I’d have his money yesterday, but—”

She closed her eyes in defeat, as he told another story of how he’d ended up owing someone.

“So, you see, pumpkin, I was thinking this new man of yours could give me a loan.”

Her eyes snapped open. “What?”

“Looks like he’s loaded, and wearefamily after all.”

Just as Tess was about to give him a piece of her mind, the intercom buzzed again.

Rufus froze, and his fear-filled eyes darted to the door.

An icy nugget of fear formed in her stomach.

***

LUCA

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