Page 398 of Sinfully Savage Mafia

“Well, what the fuck do we have here?” A deep voice comes up behind us as we head toward the elevator and I jump at the intrusion. A beefy, dark-haired guy who looks to be about Dante’s age fixes a glare at us and folds his arms over his ample chest. “Since when do you slum it around these parts, Villani?” he snips sarcastically.

Dante chuckles as he turns toward the man. “Petey, when the fuck are you gonna ditch this place and come work for the hottest place on the Strip?”

“Oh, you mean the Hard Rock?”

They both laugh and Aisling chimes in with her own brand of belly laugh.

Petey shrugs. “Jimmy took me back after I got out. It was a no-brainer. You’re picking ’em real young these days, huh?” Petey says with a nod at Aisling.

Dante rolls his eyes. “She’s my niece, prick.”

“Good to know. I thought you mighta knocked up some broad.” His eyes flicker in my direction and he tries to bite back his words. “Uh, girl.”

“Nah. Nobody’s been able to pin me down yet.” He looks over at me and winks. “But ya never know when that may change. Shit happens when you least expect it, right?”

“I guess. I mean, that’s what happened when I got shipped off. I didn’t expect that shit.”

Dante laughs, dropping his voice. “Well, when you get caught with a bag full of cash that doesn’t belong to you, is it really that much of a shock?”

“I guess I just thought I was better.”

“That kind of thinking will get you pinched in a hot second.”

“Yup. It sure as hell did. So why the hell are you here? If the boss sees you, he’ll exterminate your ass, so if you’re running some kind of a scam, do it fast and I’ll turn my back on it.”

“I appreciate the show of loyalty, but I’m here to pack up my niece’s new au pair. She’s found greener pastures, away from this tenement.”

“Nice. So she’s the nanny,” he murmurs, giving me an appraising look.

“I am standing right here,” I snip. “You don’t have to eye me like a freaking beef kabob.”

Petey does a double take and Dante smirks. “You never were too smooth about shit like that,” he says.

Petey throws his hands in the air. “Eh, sue me. I just got outta the clink, for fuck’s sake.”

Dante nods. “Yep, smooth as fucking silk.” He slaps Petey on the back. “Listen, we’re gonna go, but if you ever want a better gig, you know where to find it. I’ll make it happen.”

“Thanks, Dante.” He looks at me again and my skin crawls under his lewd stare. “And good luck, nanny.”

“Au pair,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Yeah, whatever. Enjoy the diaper part of the job.” He gives Dante a little salute and walks around a corner, disappearing into the casino.

“What a fucking tool,” I mutter as we walk toward the elevator bank.

“He’s okay. You’ve got to learn not to take yourself so seriously. The guy’s a little pent up. He’s harmless.”

Harmless. Yes, I could split his ass in two without a second’s hesitation.

“And how exactly do you know Petey?” I ask as we step into the elevator. I stab the button for my floor and the door closes. “Do you know him through your real estate investment business?” I ask lightly, playing the part of the dumb blonde. I tilt my head to the side, wondering if he buys it.

“He’s not an investments kind of guy,” Dante says. “But you already know that, don’t you?”

I shrug. There is a hell of a lot I don’t know, things I’d very much like to know, but nobody seems to be cooperating. Like my uncle, who hasn’t answered the text I sent earlier about getting the job.

“He did security work for my family back when we started out here. But he’s got sticky fingers. It’s why he got pinched in the first place.”

“So why’d you dangle a job in front of him?” I ask. “Why would you want to deal with that?”

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