Lucifer: A Mafia Bad Boy Romance (Sinsations Book 1) (2 page)

My best friend and former military buddy, Dante, waited at the bottom of the stairs, a huge shit-eating grin on his face.

“What are you smiling about?” I asked.

“We were supposed to play cards last night.”

I shrugged. “Something came up.”

Dante laughed. “Yeah, I bet. Was it a blonde, brunette, or redhead that made the something come up?”

I chuckled as we bumped fists. “You know me too well.”

“And yet I still call you my best friend.” He glanced around, always keeping an eye on things, always alert, even when shooting the shit.

Dante was the best damn head of security anyone could hope for. In another life, before Vegas, before the military, he had worked for the Bratva – the Russian Mafia – as a bodyguard for a powerful family. Cosa Nostra and Bratva sometimes didn’t play well with each other but it had never caused us any problems, probably because we met in the military, where having someone you could trust to watch your back was more important than family affiliation. I was lucky to have him on my team.

“Everything is running as smooth as a bathing suit model’s butt,” Dante continued. “Someone tried to get handsy with one of the servers but he didn’t cause any problems when I told him to leave.”

“Did you ban him?”

Dante grimaced. “He’s one of the whales so I told him he couldn’t come back until next week but he’d be banned if it happened again.”

I nodded. I hated to risk losing big spenders but Sinsations had a rep for having the hottest cocktail servers around, and I kept that rep alive and well by not letting anyone fuck with my girls. The high-rollers got the perk of a second chance but nobody got a third shot. When it got right down to it, this was Vegas and there were always people around looking to hand over their money. Even whales could be replaced.

Dante glanced at his watch. “Security will be picking up the cash from the cages soon. Gotta go.”

I nodded absently as Dante walked off, my attention focused towards the blackjack tables, my eyes drawn to the finest ass I’d ever seen, wrapped in blue denim so tight it looked like her pants had been painted on. I let my eyes wander up her hips and back, the long blonde hair that fell just below her shoulder blades. I gasped. No fucking way. It couldn’t be.

I moved slowly to the side to get a look at her face, but I already knew. It was her. The sexy little firecracker from last night. Just like last night, she was rocking what she had without even trying. The only thing that ruined the view was the blackjack dealer –
my
blackjack dealer – laughing like a jackass.

The sexy blonde had just scattered a deck of cards across the table, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink that almost matched her t-shirt. It was the hottest thing I’d seen all day.

The dealer shook his head, laughing loudly. “No, honey. Ain’t no way you can deal blackjack like that. You gotta have skills.” He scooped up the cards, fanning them out, cutting the deck one-handed, and assorted other tricks. He leered at the woman he thought he was impressing. “Today’s your lucky day, though, because I have truly gifted fingers… and I’d be willing to give you a few private lessons.”

“Private?” She frowned. “Why can’t you teach me here?”

The dealer shrugged. “Don’t want to share what I got with just anyone.” He leaned over the table, his face practically in her tits. “Just with you, baby.” He smiled. The girl stepped back. He straightened back up. “Come on, baby. Let me show you what I know and I guarantee I can get you a job here.”

That was enough. I stepped up to the table. “Well, isn’t that interesting.” I glanced at the blonde bombshell and smiled, enjoying the shocked look on her face when she recognized me. “Hello again.” Looked back at the dealer. “What’s your name? Bobby, right?”

The young kid – couldn’t have been older than twenty-two – stood tall. “I prefer William.”

I nodded. “Yeah, well here’s the deal, Bobby. I don’t give a fuck what you prefer. What I do give a fuck about is you shutting down a table just to try to score a piece of ass. What I do give a fuck about is spouting lies to the people who come here.” I glanced back at the blonde. “He’s nobody. Couldn’t get you a job washing dishes, much less dealing blackjack.” Looked back at Bobby. “What I do give a fuck about is a limp-dicked little shit like you giving Sinsations a bad rap.” I jerked my thumb in the direction of the front doors. “You’re done. Out.”

“Mr. Libonati –”

I shook my head. “No. Out. Now.” I stared hard at the kid. “Don’t make me say it again.”

As he walked by me, I reached out and grabbed his arm, leaning in close. “Get gone but make sure you’re not
accidentally
carrying any chips out with you, because if you are…” I shook my head. “You won’t like it.”

The kid stared at me, trying to act tough. After a few seconds he realized who the big dog really was and dropped his eyes to the floor. I let him go. He opened his mouth as if he was actually stupid enough to say more, shook his head, and headed for the exit. I immediately forgot all about him, looking at the blonde, my eyes roaming up and down her body, remembering how she felt the night before. Bobby thought he was a player but he was an idiot. There was no way he was ready for the kind of action this woman delivered.

I flashed my most charming smile. “I’m sorry about that.” I extended my hand. “I don’t think we were formally introduced last night. Lucifer Libonati, owner of Sinsations.”

She raised an eyebrow as she took my hand, a small smile playing across her lips. “Lucifer? Like the devil?”

I bowed at the waist, kissing her hand, looking up into her eyes. “The devil could probably learn a thing or two from me.” I straightened back up, never breaking eye contact. She had the sexiest blue eyes that I’d ever seen, sparkling like sapphires. It had been too dark in the bar – and the restroom – to really notice. “And you are?”

The blush returned to her cheeks. “Krista. Krista Stanton.”

I stepped closer to her, still holding her hand. “Well, Ms. Krista Stanton, I get the impression that you might be looking for a job… and as someone who does actually have a say over who does and doesn’t get hired, let me just say I think you’re shooting way too low if you’re looking to be a blackjack dealer.”

“How so?”

I shrugged. “Dealers are only popular when players win, which means you only get tips when they win. On the other hand, cocktail servers are popular every time they deliver drinks.” I let my eyes roam over her curves again. “And you would be very popular.”

She glanced around, eyeing a few of the servers, examining their tight corsets, fishnet stockings, skimpy skirts, and tiny little angel wings. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously, making my cock twitch. Damn! This girl was seriously sexy, but she didn’t act like she knew it. That delicious innocence excited me in ways that surprised me.

She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s something I could do.”

Still holding her hand, I stepped beside her, wrapping my other arm around her waist and pulling her close. “You’d look sexy as hell as one of my angels but there are other job opportunities.” I started guiding her towards the stairs. “We’ll just go up to my office and –”

“Libonati!”

I looked around, my jaw clenching as I looked for the person insulting me. Only a handful of people got away with using my last name without putting Mr. in front of it. None of them were in Vegas.

The kid I’d just canned was charging towards me, light reflecting off something in the hand he held in front of him. Stupid punk thought it was a good idea to pull a knife on me in my own place? He was about get educated.

I stepped in front of Krista, knocked the punk’s hand away with my forearm, and lashed out with my other hand, slamming my palm into the punk’s chin. He crashed to the floor on his back, the knife sliding across the carpet. I knelt down, grabbed the kid, flipped him over, and put my knee in the small of his back as I pulled his arm behind him.

“Bad move, Bobby. Your luck just ran out.” I twisted his arm and yanked it back savagely until I heard a satisfying snap that sounded like a tree breaking in half, followed by an even more satisfying scream. “That’s for being stupid enough to attack me.” I grabbed a handful of his greasy hair, lifted his head up, and slammed his face into the floor. “And that’s for disrespecting me. The name is
Mr.
Libonati, you sorry sack of shit.”

I climbed to my feet as Dante emerged from the crowd. He glanced down, then looked at me. “Shit, sorry about that, Luc.”

I ran a hand through my hair and straightened my jacket. “No big deal. Get this sack of shit out of here.”

Dante reached down and yanked the kid to his feet. I stepped closer, my face inches away from his. “Take the next bus out of town, Bobby,” I said, my voice low. “Things will get very, very bad for you if you don’t.”

I looked around as Dante dragged the punk towards the front doors. Bobby’s little show had attracted attention. “Sorry about that, folks.” I said in a loud voice so everyone in the area could hear. “Everyone on the slots gets the next half-hour free. Everyone on the tables gets a $100 chip on the house. Party it up.”

The cheers around the floor were deafening. Everyone liked money. Especially in Vegas. I looked around for the hot blonde, ready to get back to the business I’d been so rudely pulled away from. She was gone. Damn it. That punk kid needed to thank his lucky stars that Dante had already tossed him out. He cost me a piece of ass.

Holy. Crap. Talk about close calls. I ran my hand through my hair, trying to catch my breath as I stood outside Sinsations. That big guy had just tossed that jerkwad dealer who had laughed at me out on the sidewalk like he was yesterday’s trash waiting to be picked up. I watched as he slowly climbed to his feet and started walking down the sidewalk, clutching his arm to his side. I knew what breaking bones sounded like. The kid needed a hospital.

I looked back through the glass front doors of the casino. Everyone was laughing and partying and having a good time, as if nothing at all had happened. I shook my head. Something almost happened, though. The owner of this place – the owner? seriously? – almost got in my pants… again. Damn it! I needed a job and a chance to lay low for a while. I did not need to get laid.

Except I kind of did, which is how last night happened in the first place. It had been months and a girl has needs, and Mr. Lucifer Libonati – although I didn’t know his name at the time – seemed more than capable of scratching that itch. Better yet, he didn’t seem like the settling down type. No strings, no commitments, just a good time in the sack and then we both get on with our lives.

It was the perfect set-up… except for the part where he owned the place I was trying to get a job at. Sinsations had become
the
place to be within two years of it opening its doors. High-rollers and celebrities could always be spotted hanging around. I had read an article about the casino when I first got into town. Too bad that article didn’t include a picture of the owner.

I had managed to keep my cool when he had appeared out of nowhere. He was keeping things professional and I could work with that, and then he had started leading me towards his office, and I knew how that would probably end up. I had wanted to say no. At least part of me did, but part of me – the part that got warm and tingly every time I thought about him pounding me against the wall – had no interest in saying no.

But then that fight happened. Lucifer had seemed so brave, so gallant when he pushed me behind him, shielding me with his body, and the way he took that guy down took my breath away. If I hadn’t been ready to sleep with him before, I was ready after that move.

And then everything went to Hell. He broke that guy’s arm… and he had enjoyed it. I saw the look on his face, the anger and the savagery. He was pissed, but he was also enjoying it. A part of him enjoyed inflicting pain, got off on showing everyone who the boss was.

I had more than enough experience with someone like that. I didn’t need more of the same, even if it was dressed in a package any woman would die for. Hair as dark as midnight, emerald eyes that had seemed to blaze with green fire when he looked at me, and just enough stubble along that strong jaw to make me wonder what it would feel like brushing against my thighs.

I squeezed my thighs together, trying to ignore the sudden surge of heat, the clenching of muscles. Fuck! I could practically taste the lust radiating off his body. I could probably walk back in and pick up where we left off. But I couldn’t. Experience had taught me. If he enjoyed hurting others, it would only be a matter of time before he hurt me, and I couldn’t risk getting involved with someone like that, couldn’t risk it accidentally becoming something more than a casual fling.

I watched a cocktail server walk across the casino floor, a large tray of drinks in her hand. Her breasts were pushed up by her corset to create an insane amount of cleavage, and the tiny skirt she wore wasn’t even long enough to completely cover her butt cheeks. And the angel wings. I rolled my eyes. I could already hear the pick-up lines in my head. ‘Hey, baby, did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?’ I chuckled. I’d already heard that line dozens of times, without being dressed like a sexy angel, and I had survived each cheesy attempt at getting in my pants.

My stomach grumbled. I sighed. Money was getting tight. I had enough savings left to maybe last another month, and that was if I only ate one meal a day. Dress in skimpy clothes and serve drinks all day? Surely I could do that. And now that I knew Lucifer was dangerous, it would be easy to ignore his advances… if he even noticed me again. A man like that could pick and choose the women he took to bed. He probably wouldn’t even remember me tomorrow.

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and then back again, chewing on my lip as I watched the servers do their jobs. I could do this. I
needed
to do this. There were a lot of jobs to be had in Vegas but almost all of them were in casinos or strip clubs, and I wasn’t dancing around a pole for any amount of money.