Page 9 of Sinful Addiction

Mine.

The high-pitched elevator bell brings me back to the now as we reach ground level.As we start walking through the throngs of high-hoped gamblers, I catch Xander with an amused look on his otherwise stone-cold face.The man doesn’t give away emotion, but I know well enough when he’s ridiculing me.

“What?”I’m being defensive, which is against my nature.

“Maybe you should take your own advice.”

“Which is?”I know exactly what he’s about to say.

“Don’t let her get away, Tony.She’s the only woman who’s messed you up so bad you fail to recognize other women throwing themselves at you.You just walked past five of them, not one receiving your attention.”

“That wasn’t my advice.”He’s starting to piss me off.If he keeps this up, I might just go on a pixie hunt.Because that’s what she reminds me of, a feisty little pixie fairy.

“No, it wasn’t.However, mine is better.”The smug bastard.“Now, let’s go and pay Silas a visit.I need to keep myself busy so I don’t lose my bet with Ava, and you need a distraction.”Xander sounds ominous.

“Marriage really has transformed you.”I can’t help getting another jibe in.If he thinks I’m going to stop poking fun at him when I have my own problems, he’s shit out of luck.

I slip into work mode.Regardless of not coming here on ‘business,’ I know there is always business to be done.Normally we wouldn’t interfere with Silas and his engagements, he has his own men to do his dirty work; he doesn’t need us.Tonight’s his lucky night, though, because he gets me.Untamed and thirsty.

Tonight, we’re here to catch the thieving bastard’s red handed.

Scam us once, shame on you.

Scam us twice, I’ll bleed you dry.

I crane my head, cracking my neck before entering Silas’ office.

“Stay in control, Tony,” Xander warns.

“Oh, boss, you’re no fun.”

I disregard his warning by bursting through the door singing Silas’ name and make a scene of going straight to his liquor cabinet to drink his top shelf.

My arrogance has the desired effect.He starts spewing profanity at me for bursting in here and taking advantage of his hospitality.

“Silas, Silas, Silas, I think you’ve forgotten your place on the food chain.See”—I raise my hand above my head—“Alexander and Ava are right up here.This is me”—my hand lowers with each position change.

I’m cut from my fun when Xander walks in the room.

“I think what Antonio is trying to tell you is that it’s good to see you keeping this place running like clockwork.How are you, Silas?”Xander takes a seat in front of Silas’ desk, crossing one foot over his knee while bringing a cigarette to his lips.

“Alexander, what a surprise.It’s good to see you, cousin.”Silas looks to me as if he’s trying to win the pissing competition with his family status.He seems to think it means he pulls rank above me.He doesn’t.After all, we share the same last name.

I don’t need to puff my chest like a caveman.There’s no need.Waltzing in here like I own it is caveman enough.

“Your taste in liquor is poor, Silas.Did Xander not teach you anything?”I draw out the last part with sarcasm.

“Enough, Antonio.Get a drink and sit the fuck down.”Xander turns to Silas and gives him his steel expression.“You can sit the fuck down too.”

Silas shuts up and does as he’s told like a good little boy.Me, I’m still standing at his pitiful excuse for a bar contemplating going to get a real drink from the casino bar.I choose the latter.

“Fuck this.Boss, I’ll be out there getting a real drink.You want one?”He looks at me like I’m an idiot.I salute him then leave without another word.

I take my time getting Xander’s drink for him.Silas will be giving him the rundown on the happenings around here; not that he doesn’t already know.

I turn on my stool, resting my elbows on the bar top ready to people-watch when an attractive blond sidles up next to me, rubbing her fake cleavage against me like its mating season and I need to be marked.I don’t pay her any attention, yet she keeps doing it.Her arm slides in behind me trying to get the bartender’s attention.

“You lost, darlin’?”I keep my voice low.She takes that as the wrong kind of invitation by moving closer to me.With a more observed look, her silky hair is pulled back tightly on the top of her head.Her dress is barely a cream-colored scrap of material and the makeup she wears would better suit a clown.

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