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“Not here, in my office. What are you still doing in Blackwood?” His jaw ticks.
“Oh.” I place my index finger on my lips as if I’m considering something. “I thought it was obvious—I’m working.”
He slowly lets out a breath through his nose, trying to control himself, and my stomach flutters, thrilled that I’m getting under his skin.
“I thought I had been clear before. You’re not welcome in this town. You need to leave.”
I bristle. “Youmay not want me here, but there are others who do.”
“Trust me, it’s better foreveryoneif you leave.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
His lips lift in a cruel smirk. “And how exactly are you planning to stay here with no job, or a roof over your head?”
“You can’t fire me.” My heart stutters. Could he really be this malicious?
“Oh, but I can,Stevie. I own this place, andyou’refired.”
Fuck. It’s worse than I thought. “Martina said the spending in the room has increased since I started dancing.”
His jaw ticks again, his fist clenching. “I’m not desperate for money, Miss Jones. The casino is doing great just on its own.”
“Alessa,” I snap, desperate for him to see me as a human being.
“In fact,Alessa.I’m thinking we’ll stop the entertainmentfor the private boxes altogether. This is a casino, after all. Not a strip club where desperategirlsdance wearing next to nothing.”
Hatred fills my heart as I watch his handsome face turn ruthless. “Leave the other dancers out of it,” I whisper.
“I don’t think so. I should probably tell them they lost their jobs because of you, too.”
They will never forgive me. “They need the money.” I try to plead with him.
“There are other jobs in Blackwood.”
I shake my head, opening my mouth to protest, but he interrupts me.
“Just not foryou.”
My eyes start to sting. “Why?”
“Why what,Alessa?” He says my name like it offends him.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“Because I can.”
8
ALESSA
It takes everything in me not to let the tears fall and look strong in front of Dante. There’s no point in arguing with him right now. So, without a word, I turn around and leave his office, passing Angelo along the way and ignoring his call.
I have no strength in me to talk to anyone. Not even Mel, whom by some miracle I manage to avoid as I make my way out of the casino. The streets are dark, the ever present mist settling on my cheeks and mixing with the one tear that sneaks out, before I quickly wipe it away and tell myself I’m stronger than some entitled asshole in a suit. I’ve dealt with thugs and dickheads who like to intimidate women all my life. I survived them—I’ll survive him.
One way or another, I’m going to figure this out. He can’t do anything else to me. I’m just back to square one. I need to get back to my room and regroup.
Except, when I get to the hotel I find out I was very wrong. Therewasone more thing he could have taken away from me. And he did.
