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“I never accepted your offer.” I cross my arms.
“You’re accepting it now,” he informs me.
“Why would you even want a ‘rat’ like me having that much access to your business?’ As soon as the question is out of my mouth, it hits me. I’m being tested to see if I’ll snitch to John Davis. “This is getting to a ridiculous level of paranoia, but if that’s how you want to play it, fine.”
It’s his turn to grit his teeth. “Let’s go.”
“Not so fast. I expect a signing bonus; a safer vehicle since I’ll be driving to and from sketchy parts of town; a work phone to contact you since you deleted your number from my old phone; my own office and control room with access to all gaming cameras; my meals and beverages comped; and assurance of our side bet about me getting my old job back with seniority.”
He chuckles. “There’s the Shark. You’ve got a deal.”
I roll my eyes as we shake on it, even though I’m secretly jumping for joy. It’s not under ideal circumstances, but who gives a fuck—I’m a pit boss!
Fabio
How the hell am I supposed to get any work done with this woman in my house? I lurk in the corner, watching Katerina monitor the floor while politely chatting with the players. She’s a natural boss, no two ways about it.
She takes the place of a dealer at a poker table so he can take a break, and I watch enthralled as she expertly shuffles with a smile on her face. I glance over at Sal, who’s also watching her. He shifts his gaze to me, and I point to my eyes with my fingers, reminding him of the threat I’m more than happy to carry out. He wisely ducks his head.
I force myself to walk upstairs and check on the restaurant before returning to my office. I grab my phone, calling Romeo. “Katerina’s at the restaurant gambling hall overseeing the floor. She’s doing a hell of a job as pit boss,” I report.
“Make sure she overhears about a five o’clock shipment this morning at the docks, and we’ll wait for our little buddy John to make an appearance.”
“Alright, boss, but I don’t think she’s dirty.” If I’m being honest, my insecurities were always about me, not her.
“Won’t hurt to float her the information either way. What’s the word on the street about John?” Romeo asks.
“Got eyes and ears everywhere. Put out a fifty grand bounty, but no takers. The man’s a fucking ghost.”
“No, the man’s a fucking corpse who doesn’t have the good sense to lay down,” Romeo says in an ice-cold tone.
“You’re in Darius’ head; he said the exact thing,” I tell him.
“What a disturbing place to be,” he muses. “Up the bounty to a hundred grand.”
Kat
My shift’s coming to an end, and I’m absolutely on cloud nine. My first night on the job as pit boss has been more amazing than I could have ever imagined. Other than a couple of drunk players who gave me a bit of gruff, it went smooth as silk.
Walking to Fabio’s office, his door is cracked open, and I go to knock, but I hear him say loudly, “This morning at five o’clock we’re receiving a huge shipment at the docks. I need you there on transport.” He’s quiet before saying, “Will do.”
I knock loudly, he calls, “Enter.”
Stepping inside, I grab my phone from my purse, holding it to my ear. “This is the rat Katerina. Get my John Davis on the line. I’ve got important Parisi family information he’ll want to know.”
Fabio stalks around his desk with a wild look, and I take a few steps back, wondering if I pushed him too far. He cages me against the wall, his hand wrapping around my throat. “You’re too damn smart for your own good,” he menaces, his eyes growing heavy; his dick is also growing heavy against my stomach.
“My shift’s over,” I say in a throatier tone than I intended. Prying his hand away from my neck, I give him a little shove back. Clearing my throat, I ask, “Do I need to keep up with my time?”
“No. I trust you to do the job.”
“You trust me to do the job, but you don’t trust me with your heart,” I say before I can stop myself.
He runs a hand over his face in frustration. “Katerina?—”
“There are several things I’d like to implement, including additional training for the dealers and additional breaks for them too,” I interrupt him, getting back to business. “A mentally tired dealer is a sloppy dealer. I’d also like to see you add a ladies night. Women will spend money gambling, but they have to be comfortable doing so. Right now, it’s a men-only club.”
“You train the dealers however you see fit. Yes to one additional break; you work out the logistics. As for a ladies night, I’ll think about it.”
