Page 12 of The Bratva King

“Clean,” he says.

After verifying the deposits, Pasha and I leave.

“You know, you could just call down here,” Pasha says.

“I could, but my people need to see me. It’s harder to steal from a man you have to look in the eye.”

In my office, Pasha goes to the sidebar and pulls the top off a carafe of whiskey. He pours himself two fingers and one for me.

“The Italians.” I sip my drink.

Pasha settles into the chair across from my desk.

“Sal Vitale is the name that keeps coming up,” he says. “Not the don. No one directly connected to the Castellano family. Which means it’s sanctioned but they want distance.”

“Cowards.”

“Smart cowards.” He leans forward with his elbows on his knees. “They’re not trying to stop the hotel anymore, Nik. That ship has sailed. They’re trying to make it cost you enough that you think twice about the next property.”

“But if they can stop it, they will.”

“Of course. Right now, they can fuck with you. Slow you down. Scare the locals.”

“And we’ve got the opening stuff handled.”

“I’ve got three interviews with marketing firms lined up for the Tatiana launch campaign. End of next week. Your assistant put it on your schedule.”

“Handle it.”

He looks up.

“I’m not sitting through marketing presentations,” I say. “I have no patience for people who spend forty-five minutes clicking through slides to tell me something that belongs in two sentences.”

He laughed softly. “You need to approve the direction.”

“You know the direction. Luxury. Exclusive. Palace-level service. High-roller privacy.”

“Fine. I’ll handle the interviews.”

“Good.”

I turn back to the window. The Strip bakes in the July heat. Tourists in every state of dress crowd the sidewalks. Even the triple-digit temperatures won’t keep them away.

“The dealer,” I say after a minute.

“Be specific.”

“Last night’s table. The blonde.”

“What about her?”

“How long has she been on staff?”

He smiles. “Thought you’d ask, so I pulled her file.” He swipes his finger across his phone screen.

“Three months,” he says. “Clean background check. Solid reviews from the pit bosses. No issues before last night. Doesn’t hang out with any of the other staff. Keeps to herself.”

“Where did she come from?” I ask. “Another casino?”