Chapter Eighteen

I didn’t want her to go. Not really. I realized I was worried about letting her out of my sight for even a second, and I had to force myself to not stare after her. Something close to anxiety gripped me, I shoved it away.

“What was Monato doing here?” I demanded.

Leo shrugged. Sometimes the man’s casual indifference grated on me.

“He came in, cool as ice, and offered us a deal,” Leo told me.

“What was the deal?”

“All our debt to you. Plus a million even. For a girl with blonde hair and a bad attitude,” he explained.

I fought for control.

“A million,” I stated. “Split how many ways?”

“My guys. Two of my hired men. So ten altogether,” Leo said. “If you don’t count Gary. And I don’t, since you pay him directly.”

I examined the other man carefully. He was an unusual kind of businessman. His casinos did well on their own, and the two I had backed always saw return. Leo was never in a hurry, never got rattled, and never made overly quick decisions.

Most of us have an admittedly short fuse.

“So one hundred thousand each,” I said.

“And a vacation from paying you,” Leo added. “He said he’d pay you your usual fees directly.”

“A vacation,” I repeated. “So what did you tell him?”

“To get the fuck out.”

I let myself smile just a little bit. I would’ve loved to have seen Monato’s reaction. I was sure Leo would’ve told him in his typically calm way.

“Some of the men were interested,” Leo said. “In the girls as well as the money. He left them as a show of good faith.”

It explained the tense vibe in the room. My anxiety spiked again as I pictured Cass alone with some of the “interested” men.

“Which ones wanted to take the deal?” I wanted to know.

“I can’t tell you that.”

“No, I suppose not,” I sighed.

“They won’t move right now,” Leo told me. “Not while you’re here. But after you’ve gone it’s hard to say what they’ll consider doing. There’s more than a few loose cannons on my team. And when I start collecting fees again for next month’s payments…”

“Do you have that little control?” I asked irritably.

“You and I both know I’m not the kind of boss who follows his guys around monitoring their behaviour. Especially when money is involved. Sometimes it’s better not to know,” he replied easily.

I grunted. He was right, even if I didn’t like it.

“Thanks for keeping me informed, Leo,” I said.

“Mind if I ask what’s up with you and Monato?” Leo asked.

“I don’t like him,” I replied.

“I know the guy’s an idiot—we all do—but with you, it seems personal,” Leo stated.

I pushed down my instant anger. I’d already put my hands on the guy once. He’d taken it in stride, but I didn’t want to push my luck twice in one day. I forced myself to shrug.

“You heard what he did to Cass,” I offered. “Or at least I’m assuming he gave you his part of the story.”

“He just said you were encroaching on his territory. That you’d jumped in when he was clearly interested.”

“The man came into my club. Was he really expecting to leave with one of my guests over his shoulder and not have to face the consequences?”

“I also heard that you just met the girl yourself,” Leo replied.

“Love at first sight,” I said.

Leo tapped his chin thoughtfully. “I’m in the card business. You’re in the finance business. Monato is in the girl business. I don’t always agree with his methods, but interfering can be…”

“Bad for business?” I filled in.

“Pick another girl,” he suggested with a nod, and held up the signed marriage license.

“I can’t.”

It was the truth, and I was certain Leo could tell I meant it. We’d had enough dealings together to know each other at least that well. He lifted his hand in a surrendering gesture. I yanked Gary’s briefcase open and tossed the accounting requisitions to Leo.

I wanted nothing more than to get paid and get Cass out of there are quickly as I could.