Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
And fuck if that doesn’t complicate shit.
“Lorenzo, what are you doing here?” Vanessa asks when I have a seat at the bar.
“Can’t a man visit his wife at work?” I say, making the man next to me do a double take.
“You’re married?” he asks Vanessa. “I don’t see a ring.”
I glance at her finger, which, until now, has been sporting the cheap silver wedding band from the Bahamas. I considered taking mine off, but I told myself that the only way to keep her safe was to go along with her scheme, and that meant wearing the ring—while hoping it didn’t turn my finger green.
“Yes, she’s married,” I growl. “And before you get any ideas, the only thing she’ll be serving you is a drink.”
“Now, now, husband,” Vanessa says, forcing a smile onto her face, “there’s no need to piss all over me.”
The guy chokes on his laughter, and I glare at her.
“I wouldn’t have to if you wore your ring like a good little wife.”
She glances sheepishly at me. “I didn’t want to risk it cracking a glass.”
“We’ll have to get you one that won’t do that,” I say, making her eyes go wide.
And I don’t blame her. I have no fucking clue what I’m doing right now. It’s like an alien has invaded my body.
“I need to get back to work,” she chokes out. “And I believe you need to get home to your son.”
She turns her back on me and saunters over to the other side of the bar, and my gaze goes to her backside. The top she’s wearing ties in the back, showing off her shoulders and back, along with every one of her curves. I knew the shorts were small from the camera in the hallway of my building, but in person, I can make out her ass cheeks, which are peeking out from the bottom, leading to her smooth, toned legs.
“I was in a meeting with my team when I was told by my head of security that a jealous husband was disturbing one of my bartenders,” Dominick says with a smirk as he sits down next to me. “So, imagine my surprise when it turned out to be you.”
“I’m not jealous,” I mutter. “I’m concerned about her safety.”
Dominick shakes his head. “Keep telling yourself that, but you can’t stay here if you’re going to be fucking with our regulars.” He nods toward the asshole who’s practically drooling over Vanessa.
“Maybe if you didn’t have your bartenders dress like they were at a strip club instead of serving drinks at a high-class casino …”
Dominick chuckles. “You approved those outfits.”
Fuck, I did. And of course he would remember that.
Russo Property Group is a major investor in Hotel Blu as well as the underground casino. It was one of our first projects that didn’t involve our fathers, and we wanted to be hands-on with everything, including the uniforms. I’ve sat at this bar too many times to count and never thought twice about them … until now.
“Look,” Dominick says. “I would never stop you from sitting at the bar you partly own, but if you’re going to cause a scene …”
“I know.” I sigh. “I don’t know what the fuck is happening to me. She’s all wrong for me, yet I can’t stop thinking about her.”
I’m about to stand and leave, knowing I need to get out of here before I do something stupid, like drag her out, when one of the guys leans over and grabs her wrist to stop her from walking away … and all I see is red.
Before I think about what I’m doing, I’m across the bar and shoving the guy off his seat and against the wall.
“Keep your fucking hands off my wife!” I bark.
“Lorenzo!” Vanessa shrieks. “Stop it.”
“No,” I grit out as I tighten my hold on the guy, who looks ready to piss his pants. “You don’t belong here.”
“And you don’t get to make that decision,” she argues. “Now, let go of him and leave.”
My eyes bounce between the guy I’m damn near choking, Vanessa, and Dominick, who’s looking at me like I’ve lost my fucking mind.
And it hits me—I have.
What she does and where she works aren’t my fucking business.
She’s not my fucking business.
But I want her to be.
And that thought is what has me letting go of the guy and stalking out of the casino and hotel and as far away from Vanessa as possible.
15
Vanessa
The nerve of Lorenzo.
To show up at the casino and act like some jealous husband when the man doesn’t even want to be married to me. Has he lost his mind?
The rest of my shift thankfully goes smoothly. And when it’s time to cash out, I’m shocked by the amount in tips I’ve earned tonight. It’s quadruple what I earned at the pub.