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Ella
Ihave no smart remarks left. In fact, I have no words at all because I am stunned into silence. Walking around the most expensive resort in Vegas is an eye opener of the most decadent kind. It’s like walking beside royalty - the king because everyone it seems bows down before him. The further we go, the quieter I get because it’s so overwhelming. The sheer scale of this enterprise has rendered me speechless, and I am so intimidated right now—by him.
We walk through the vast space and it feels as if just about everyone watches us. Lucas is obviously proud of his business as he points out little details here and there and I say slightly reverently, “This is impressive, Lucas, you must be very proud.”
I stare at him in awe and he nods. “I am. In just this resort we have 350,000 feet of gambling space that contain 380 gaming tables, 6300 slot machines, and a bingo hall that can accommodate up to 5000 players.”
I stare around me at an explosion of stone animals, twisting metal art, glittering chandeliers and decadent furnishings and he says with obvious pride. “Games include poker, blackjack, roulette, craps and baccarat, and there’s a private room where the more affluent customers can stake large sums of money and play high-stakes games in relative privacy. For beginners, there’s an excellent gaming school with lessons on technique and, just as importantly, casino etiquette. Alongside the casino, the resort offers a water park for the kids, shows, 38 restaurants and trips to the Grand Canyon by helicopter if you prefer.”
“It’s so vast, so amazing, I never knew.”
I say in disbelief, “I never knew it was, well, fantastic.”
He stares at me in surprise. “But you live in Vegas, surely you were curious, are you seriously telling me you have never been here before?”
“No, I haven’t because I don’t have money to waste, you know. You’re right, I do live here and know how these things operate and only a fool would venture inside your domain and expect to leave richer for it.”
I feel my disapproval radiating off me and Lucas laughs. “This is nothing, I have bigger, better, more luxurious resorts spreading the whole of the country, the world even. Maybe I’ll take you on a tour of them. It may reverse your opinion of gambling.”
“I doubt that, anyway, I have a business to run, haven’t you forgotten that, not everyone has the luxury of time?”
“You think I have the luxury of time?” He laughs softly. “I have the luxury of life, money and everything that goes with it. What I am poorer for is time. Every waking hour is planned, filled with meetings, events, social engagements and business meetings. Not one hour of my day is mine to enjoy until the door closes behind me in my apartment of an evening. If I’m traveling, it’s much the same. No vacation is without business attached and so you, my dear Ella, are richer than me where it counts.”
His words make me feel sad and instinctively I move a little closer to him, itching to grab his hand and show him how sorry I am, then a woman stops before us and I feel him tense up as she drawls, “Lucas, you’ve been avoiding me.”
She turns her attention to me and looks me up and down and curls her lip. “What’s that?”
I shrink under her malicious gaze because this woman is well out of my league. Polished perfection with nothing left to chance. Her blonde hair is swept high on her head and looks effortlessly chic. Her make-up is a perfect work of art, and her red painted lips turn up in a smile as she bats her eyelashes at Lucas. She reaches out and drags a polished fingernail down his chest that has me clenching my fist with a mixture of shame and anger and she whispers, “I’ve missed you.”
“Sarah.” Lucas nods and then turns to me and says roughly, “Ella, meet Sarah, the biggest bitch in Vegas.”
My mouth drops open at the same time as hers as he snarls, “I’m surprised security let you in after that stunt you pulled last time you were here. I’m guessing the governor didn’t press charges after you tried to blackmail him for hundreds of thousands of dollars. To be honest, I was a little surprised he went for you at all after I warned him off. Then again, you’ve always made it easy for men who want a meaningless fuck with a dirty whore.”
She blinks in surprise and I hold my breath as he pulls me past and nods to a man I never even saw walking behind us. As another man takes his place, I watch the previous one take her arm and whisper something in her ear. Lucas carries on walking, but I can tell he’s angry and I whisper, “What was that all about?”
“Sarah Merton, high-class prostitute who thinks she can operate in my casino and blackmail my guests. She made a big mistake last time she was here and tried to blackmail a governor who was here for the weekend. It’s not uncommon for them to request company, and she used to be discreet. The trouble is, she got greedy and now I won’t have her anywhere near my business. If anything, I’m angry she was allowed in at all.”
Suddenly, he stops and turns to face me and I see the dark storm building in his eyes. To my surprise, he reaches out and holds the palm of his hands to my face and just stares into my eyes. It feels awkward as fuck because people are staring and then he leans down and whispers, “I hated how she looked at you. Nobody will ever get away with looking, or talking to you like that when I’m around.”
He seems genuinely upset and I shrug, “It’s fine, I’ve had worse.”
“Not when you’re with me, you deserve respect and I will not have anyone treat you differently.”
Thinking it best to keep the whole Nathan conversation to myself, I just laugh self-consciously, “Anyway, you were saying before we were so rudely interrupted.”
He seems to breathe a little easier and smiles. “As I was saying, I have bigger, better, more luxurious resorts than this one. We should take that trip, let me convert you, let me corrupt your soul and drag you over to the dark side.”
Feeling a delicious shiver pass through my body, I say huskily, “Are you trying to ruin me, Lucas Emiliano?”
“Miss. Quinn, if I want to ruin you, you will love every second of it and crave more. This life is a drug, it’s hard, unyielding and addictive.”
“I’m not talking about this life, Lucas, it’s the man who fascinates me.”
For a moment, he just stares and something shifts between us. I see the desire heavy in his eyes as he gazes at me long and hard. It makes me hitch my breath as I see the desire mixed with yearning and the passion he can’t contain. All around us is the sound of slot machines, talking, laughing and music. The noise tells us there is life going on, but I think both of ours stop for a moment of realization.
I feel the wind changing direction and I struggle to breathe. Lucas is battling with something; I can tell and then without another word, he reaches out and takes my hand and pulls me along with him.
“Come. There’s somewhere I need to show you.”
My heart pounds so fast I can almost hear it over the noise, and as I follow him to yet another elevator, I am surprised when he takes a key from his pocket and grins wickedly. “Prepare for the unexpected, Miss. Quinn. It’s time to show you who you’re really dealing with.”
