Page 15 of Ravaged and Ruined
“You said you might have a job for me.” I keep my voice steady, and professional but inside, I’m cracking at the edges. Aero’s hands still ghost over my skin like a phantom touch I can’t shake. The memory of his eyes, cold and distant, like I was invisible presses on my chest like a weight. I shove the thoughts aside. That’s not why I’m here. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. Every step I take, I have to wonder if I’m lying to myself.
“There’s plenty of time to discuss business.” His gaze makes my skin prickle. “Let’s enjoy the view for a minute.”
He doesn’t look through me. His eyes follow every shift of my body, every breath I take, like he’s memorizing the way I move.
The casino opens up around us like a cathedral of indulgence. Marble floors stretch out beneath my feet, veined in silver and cream. Chandeliers drip from the ceilings like icicles, casting a soft golden glow over rows of poker tables and roulette wheels. Every inch screams luxury. Money. Control.
“This is gorgeous,” I admit.
“Thank you,” he says, his eyes gliding over me. “I like to think of it as a transformation. You walk through those doors, and the world outside stops mattering. You get to be someone else entirely.” He turns that smile on me again, slow and deliberate. “Tell me, Lacey, who do you want to be?”
I hesitate for a beat, my feet slowing and no longer keeping pace with his.
“Someone with a job.” I finally answer his odd question.
His smile widens and a chuckle rises from his chest, “So, what changed your mind, Lacey? You seemed rather hesitant last night.”
“Let’s just say, I woke up this morning and realized I needed a change. And you were kind enough to offer me one.”
“And did you change your mind about me?” He studies me for a moment, tilting his head.
I laugh, but it’s tight. “I’m not sure I have.
He doesn’t look offended. If anything, he looks intrigued. “Are you sure about that?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Are you always this forward?”
“Only when I see something worth chasing.”
That shouldn’t make my stomach flutter like it does. I’m not sure I’m ready for anything more.
My eyes shift to the marble floor underneath my feet. I came for a job, a distraction to stop my mind from constantly thinking about Aero but I can’t help but wonder about the possibilities of moving on. Garett’s not Aero. He’s charming and smooth and makes me feel seen.
“Let’s stick to the job for now,” I say.
“I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’m a man with much to offer but for now we can focus on a job, and see where time takes us.”
I know what he’s offering comes with a price but right now, I need this job more than I need to play it safe. “That sounds reasonable.”
“Now that we have that settled. Follow me.”
I hadn’t even realized we stopped walking. I place one foot in front of the other and follow him deeper into the casino. Keep moving forward, I chant my new mantra in my head.
The casino floor is massive, glittering with lights and noise. I catch glimpses of roulette wheels spinning, cards flipping, diceclattering across felt. There’s a heartbeat to this place. A rhythm that somehow, Garett moves in time with.
“This way,” he says, guiding me toward a private elevator tucked behind a velvet rope. The elevator doors glide open without him pressing a button.Because of course they do.And we’re rising before I can catch my breath.
I glance sideways at him. “You run all this?”
He chuckles low. “The day-to-day operations. My father handles the empire.”
Empire? No wonder he carries himself with such confidence. He really does own the whole world.
The elevator doors open on the executive level. Plush carpet swallows the sound of my heels. Frosted glass panels line the corridor, and at the end sits a sleek black door with a gold nameplate: Garett Ricci, Operations Director.
He opens it and motions me inside. The door shuts with a soft click behind us.
His office is everything the casino is, everything he is. Sharp, sophisticated, expensive.
