Page 14 of Jackpot Joker

I shrug. “People seem to have a preconceived notion about people with my accent. Like we aren’t smart enough to accomplish great things.”

Dario lifts my chin—I didn’t realize I had tucked it down. “Anyone who doesn’t see you as brilliant is a damn fool, Miss Baker.”

I stare into his eyes for long enough that my belly begins to flutter and pull away. He takes this as an opportunity to ask more questions. “Did you move here for the job?”

I nod, then, figuring he’ll expect me to elaborate, expand my answer. “I worked at my dad’s law firm back home but always knew I wanted more than what the small town had to offer.”

“Do you miss it?”

I think about his question and decide to be honest with both of us. “No. I mean, I miss my family. My parents are great and have always been supportive. I worked with my brother, and I suppose I even miss him. But the job? No. It was mundane and repetitive. I wanted more.”

“And you think you’ve found that at Jorgensen & Munson?” he asks.

“I guess we’ll see. I’m hopeful it will take me where I want to go. There’s a lot of opportunity here.” I give him a small smile. I’m only two days in and have already met one of the most frustrating, yet fascinating people I’ve ever come across. I can’t wait to see what else this position brings me.

We walk past a restaurant that smells absolutely delicious, and I stop to look at the menu. Dario halts his movements along with me, bending down close enough I can feel his breath against my ear. “Are you hungry?”

I shake my head.

“Perhaps I can take you to dinner sometime when you are.”

I stop a shudder from running through me and cough to clear my throat. “That would be inappropriate, Mr. Caruso. You’re my client.”

“Are your clients not allowed to eat?” he teases.

“Not with me. Not alone in an expensive restaurant.”

He tilts his handsome head. “Why is that, Miss Baker?”

“I don’t date my clients.”

“And going to dinner with me would be a date?”

I contemplate his question. “Yes. Maybe? I don’t know.”

Dario’s tongue darts out over his bottom lip, then he straightens his posture to his full height. “If I took you on a date, Miss Baker, you would definitely know.”

Chapter 8

Dario

Showing Jasmine around my place may be the highlight of my year. I delight in the way she gasps and stares at the beauty of it. I find myself doing the same when I look at her.

When my siblings and I purchased the twin properties, we named them Angelo and Demone, after our angel of a mother and devil of a father. The outsides of the towers are both sleek, black glass with neon signs displaying their names. Angelo is featured in gold, naturally, while the script for Demone is in red. The major design changes are found inside.

Stepping into Demone is like falling into a Gothic dream. The tiles on the walls and floors are the color of midnight. Modern furniture shares the dark hue, though they did manage to toss a few red throw pillows to brighten up the place. Hell, even the front desk is black; your only way of discovering it is by the red neon lights dimly glowing behind it. It’s stunning, I’ll give my brothers that, but it’s depressing as hell.

I smile to myself as I consider that my companion today may be better suited for my brothers’ casino with her black cat energy, but boy, does she shine here in my place.

Despite having my own space at the family estate, nothing quite feels like home the way Angelo does. It would explain why I keep a suite here for me and stay in it more often than not. I enjoy the sounds of laughter that fill the hallways as opposed to the silence of my father’s home, only interrupted by the occasional grunt of approval or derision. Unlike my brother Luca, my father isn’t the strong, silent type, but by the time I came along, his heir had been born, and he had no use for me. He has no problem reminding me that’s still the case.

“I can see why you’re so proud of this place,” Jasmine says, returning me to our conversation. “It’s incredible. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.”

I take her in. Jasmine’s black jumpsuit makes her stand out in the sea of light, her golden hair a halo. She’s the angel who came to rescue my darkened soul, and she’s the most exquisite thing I’ve ever seen. “I have.”

Her eyes stop roaming the expansive lobby we’ve returned to and fix on mine. I offer a soft smile, and for a moment, I think her beautiful face will reciprocate. Instead, she clears her throat.

“I appreciate the tour of the grounds, but I think it’s best if I head home now. Goodbye, Mr. Caruso.”