Chapter 16

16

Cass

T heodore Russo, II, prefers to be called Theo. He's twenty-five years old, the son of Theodore Russo senior, a man who owns a bunch of retail stores, including the luxury outlets in Vegas.

"I know, I know. Luxury outlets sounds like an oxymoron, right?" he says directly to my breasts while we eat our dinner in an upscale restaurant surrounded by guards at every nearby table. "But it's a string of luxury brands sold at discounted prices because of irregularities that occur during manufacturing. Most of the time you can't even tell. It's just small things, like the lining in a purse is inside out or some shit. Nothing major, but the items sell for a fraction of the original price."

"Sounds…great," I tell him, unsure what else there is to be said. "And, um, you work for your father?"

"I'm the head of the maintenance division," he says proudly, again, to my chest. "We handle anything from changing a lightbulb for the merchants or repairing the air conditioning. That's mostly what we do, change out AC units when they clap out."

"And you enjoy that, repairing things?"

"Oh, yeah. I couldn't just sit at a desk all day. I would go crazy," he says with a smile when he finally lifts his gaze to my face. "What about you? What do you do?" And then a second later he's right back to gawking at my boobs.

My forest green, knee length sleeveless dress isn't even revealing tonight, but my pushup bra is apparently doing its job well.

"Oh, I don't do much, really. I spend a few hours training most days, a variety of martial arts."

Not that I've done that recently.

"Nice. So, you could probably beat my ass?"

"Oh, I could definitely kick your ass," I tell him before taking a long sip of my wine.

"That's hot," he says with a grin. "What do you wear when you're working out? Is it bad that I'm picturing you grappling with another chick in a bikini?"

"Let me guess, and we're also rolling around in a mud pit?"

His eyes widen. "Yes! How did you know?"

"Lucky guess," I say to him. Then to our passing waiter, I hold up my hand to get his attention.

"Are we ready for dessert?" the young man asks.

"No, thanks. Could you bring our check, please?"

"Right away," he says with a wince before hurrying off.

"What…oh, you're ready to leave?" Theo asks. Apparently, he's not the brightest bulb in the box of ones he has to change.

"Yes, I am more than ready to go."

"Do you want to stop by my place? It's nearby."

"No, Theo. I don't want to go back to your place."

He may be a tall, dark, and handsome man, but I'm getting a pervy vibe from him. Not in the way the guards would check me out with lust in their eyes for me, or how Cole looks at me like he's thinking dirty thoughts about the two of us together .

Theo seems like the type of man who wants to fuck every woman in the world just to check them off his list of conquests.

Cole

Cass actually went out on a fucking date with some motherfucker my mom chose for her.

I thought she was just trying to make me jealous, but then she got ready after we got home from the shooting range, put on a sexy green dress with high heels that made her legs looks divine, and left the penthouse with an army of guards.

Which is when I came up with a plan that I have no choice but to execute with my own guards trailing me.

"What are we waiting for?" Mike asks as the three of us lurk around the shadows next to the hotel waiting for Romeo to return from walking Cass up to the penthouse.

"You'll see," I tell him.

The fucker better not get invited inside. There's no way Dante would allow that after the first date, right?

"How long is this going to take?" the guard whines. "I was supposed to get off hours ago."

"Don't blame me for that shit. I'm on property grounds. Do you two really need to babysit me out here?"

"Yes," August answers. "As soon as we walk away, you'll probably leave, then our asses will get fired."

"Then tell your boy to stop complaining," I reply.

A moment later, a man leaves the hotel and heads toward the vehicle parked right where we're waiting.

Once he goes by, I step out of the shadows and have the muzzle of my gun pointed at the back of the fucker's head before his guards even notice me.

"Stop walking and turn around."

"Oh, shit," one of my own guard's grumbles as they both step up beside me to face the pretty boy's security detail.

Dante would not approve of these dickheads' failure. They could never protect Cass.

Finally, I hear their guns cocking behind me.

"What the hell are you doing here, Cole?" August asks me.

"I just want a quick word with Alvin, Simon, and Theodore," I tell them. "Won't take but a second."

"Wh-what do you want?" the jackass stammers. "My cash? My watch?"

"I just wanted to give you a warning, but sure, I'll take your money, your watch, and your phone when we're done here, along with all your guard's devices and shit too. Don't make a move for anything until I tell you to. Oh, and before I forget, what's your passcode?"

"What passcode?"

"The one to get into your phone when it doesn't recognize my face?"

"It's…it's one-two-three-four."

"Jesus. You idiots really should make it a little harder to break into them," I mutter before getting to the point. "So, here's the deal, you're not going to see Cass again. You're not going to call her or even think about her. You and your men are all going to pretend she doesn't fucking exist. Is that understood?"

"Dante will kill you for this," he threatens.

"Who do you think these men holding your guys at gunpoint work for? Or who is watching this go down in the security office right now?" I ask him. "He didn't like how you treated his daughter tonight."

"Oh, shit," he whispers, eyes darting around in search of the surveillance cameras in the parking lot .

"Oh, shit is right. Now, slowly use your right hand to retrieve everything of value you're carrying and then toss it at your feet."

He removes his wallet first and drops the entire thing, then his watch, followed by his phone.

"Good boy. Now, tell your men to place their weapons on the ground, then do the same."

"Do it…do what he said. Nobody fucks with Dante Salvato."

"That's right," I agree, letting him continue to think the mafia king is behind this hold up.

After a few clicks and clacks of shit hitting the pavement, I ask August and Mike, "Is that everything?"

"Looks like it," August answers.

"Then you gentlemen are free to leave and never return. Walk slowly. Keep your hands up in the air until you get to the vehicle, climb inside, and drive the fuck off without looking back."

Nobody moves for a moment, then finally when Theo turns around to walk away his guards follow him. August and Mike come up on either side of me, still aiming their guns at their backs along with my own.

The three men pile inside a silver Bentley with tinted windows then pull off as directed. When the taillights finally disappear, August and Mike lower their guns to their sides, and I do the same.

"What the fuck was that about?" Mike huffs as he puts his piece back into his shoulder holster.

"A little warning would've been nice," August grumbles as he holsters his gun as well.

"Your job is to shadow me, not give me directions," I remind him. Turning around, I take in the bounty left behind on the ground. "This was a damn good haul." I remove my hoodie since it's hot as hell tonight and turn it into a bag.

"Seriously, man, what the fuck are you thinking?" August demands.

"I guess you could say I'm a klepto who doesn't mind getting up close and personal with targets. "

"What does you being a sex fiend have to do with robbing those dicks and nearly getting us all killed?" Mike asks.

August laughs first, then I can't hold my chuckle in either as I stand up, tossing my makeshift sack over my shoulder like a deranged Santa.

"He said klepto, not nympho, dumbass," August explains.

"Po-ta-to, po-tah-to," he huffs.

"No, it's not even close to the same thing," August huffs. "Kleptomaniacs are compulsive thieves while nymphos are sex addicts."

"Oh."

"But the shithead still hasn't answered our question," August mutters. "What were you thinking, Cole?"

"You both saw how shit that guy's security team was, right? Cass wouldn't ever be safe with him, so there's no point in her going out with him again. And I like taking shit from ungrateful assholes."

"That money you gave to that homeless chick, did it come from an ungrateful asshole?"

"Maybe."

"Who the hell do you think you are, Robin Hood?" August demands.

"Why? Do you want to be my Little John?"

"Your Little Jon? That rapper that shouts YEAH! and OH-KAY! in a bunch of songs?" Mike asks.

"Yeah, Mike, that Little Jon," August says, followed by a howling bark of laughter.

As soon as we're back inside the casino and on the elevator heading up to the penthouse, August snickers, and then we both lose it. I belly laugh until my side hurts and tears run down my cheeks.

Mike glares at both of us, only making me howl louder. "What's so damn funny now?"

"You are," August tells him with a shake of his head as he swipes the arm of his suit over his face to dry it too. "I need to find a new job before you two get me killed."