Mia Figlia

Chapter 30 ✔️

PoV Riccardo

The casino visit went extremely harmoniously. If I disregarded the poisonous looks of the other women, who wanted to lynch my fiancée on the spot. She ignored all that and walked by my side along the various gaming tables.

At a blackjack table, she gave me a quick tug on the sleeve. Her gaze lay suspiciously on a young man whose eyes wandered restlessly back and forth. Small drops of sweat stood on his forehead. Most likely a complete layman as far as gambling was concerned. Or his polyester suit was too warm. Unimpressed, I pulled Stella with me to the control room, where my father and the casino manager were waiting for us.

"Il mio padrinho," Vicenzo greeted me reverently. Like many other men in higher positions, he had already worked under my father. With ambition and a lot of brains, he had risen from simple croupier to manager. Reliability, willingness to learn and persistence always paid off in our industry, provided you respected the don and his leadership team. Now his gaze slid briefly to the woman at my side.

"Congratulations. Your father has already told me about the upcoming wedding. You have made an excellent choice."

To my relief, Stella refrained from gagging this time and did not roll her eyes. Despite our kiss, I still could not quite believe that she no longer rejected me or a marriage with me.

It was amusing to see how the entire family feverishly followed my life, even if they did so mainly because a successor for me was within reach. Provided I could convince Stella of my merits as a lover. Nonetheless, so far, I had no clue how to do that, considering her trauma.

We men sat down at the table, only my fiancée remained standing. Her gaze was directed at the monitors. Something displeased her. I would take care of it after the meeting, because business came first.

"Bourbon, il mio padrinho?" Vicenzo placed a glass of the amber liquid in front of me. I glanced briefly at Stella, who had made herself comfortable in front of the screens next to one of my security guards and was tensely following the action in the arcade.

"No thanks." I pushed it away from me. My father raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Doctor's orders," I added quickly. It was no one's business that I had promised my fiancée beyond that.

"You spoke about the fact that there have been increased problems in recent weeks," the former don directed his words to the manager.

"Yes, negative reviews are posted anonymously. There are more disputes including fights and the police patrols more often in front of the casino and check our guests as well as they leave the building," Vicenzo reported. I interlaced my fingers to avoid drumming them on the tabletop in annoyance.

"Sounds like a competitor is trying to hurt us." My gaze wandered to the tantalizing amber liquid in the glass still on the table. No, I shook my head vigorously. No longer did I want to be a slave to alcohol. For too long I had tried to drown my sorrows, my problems with it.

"We could plant people at the other casinos," my father interjected, "and as soon as we find the culprit, we will take him out." For the fact that my fiancée was in the room listening to everything, he talked pretty openly about our business. Did he trust that much that she would not harm us? After all, I had kidnapped her daughter, and she was forced into a marriage with me.

"Presumably, then, you are doing exactly what the police officers are hoping for." Stella's soft voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I looked over at her. Her gaze was still fixed on a monitor. Following a flash of inspiration, I stood up and walked over to her, ignoring my father's indignant snort. I put both hands on her shoulders and looked with her at the images the surveillance cameras were showing us.

"That man there," she pointed to the guy at the blackjack table we had noticed earlier, "is counting the cards."

"Are you sure?" I looked closer. The man, who was possibly in his mid-twenties, acted decidedly nervous. This was not fear of losing money. No, he was up to something else.

"Yes, I am," the brunette replied coolly. "Besides, I am assuming he is wired. He keeps grabbing the same spot on his chest. Looks to me like he is checking the proper fit of his equipment." She snorted, bored. "If that is a cop, he is pretty damn ill-suited for the job."

"You could be right. A crook would never act this conspicuous." Proudly, I squeezed her shoulders. "Well, I will go tell him to get out of the house." I turned and walked back into the arcade. At the blackjack table in question, I reared up to my full height behind the guy. The croupier noticed and winced, but the cheater was completely focused on his cards. At least until Stella stood up opposite him. Where did she come from so quickly? Stunned, I looked at my fiancée and noticed an expression on her face that I had never seen before. One eyebrow raised, the corner of her mouth on the same side as well, with an almost arrogant look, she stared at him insistently.

"As I am sure you know, card counting is not welcome in a casino." Her voice sounded foreign to my ears, icy cold and cutting. "Therefore, I am now banning you from all of our casinos for life." Damn, now she was doing my job too! And how she did it! Standing tall with my chest thrust out I glanced at my father. With his head tilted slighted to one side, he looked at my fiancée. I knew exactly what he was thinking. How such a quiet and reserved young woman could suddenly appear this confident. It most likely irritated him as well that she knew something about casino management, because she had not told us about it. I suspected it had to do with her past and wanted to give her a chance to tell me voluntarily at some point. My father would not put the pressure on her to get the information. I would not let that happen under any circumstances!

"Now, if you would please follow our security personnel." Stella pointed at Romano and Lucius, who, with hands clasped behind their backs, were waiting to be allowed to kick the cheater out. The two bouncers from the casino team, on the other hand, backed away, puzzled.

The man slowly stood up, his gaze wandering back and forth between my men and my fiancée. My future wife noticed this. One of the corners of her mouth went up, supporting her mocking gaze that rested on him. Hesitantly, he turned and walked toward the exit. We followed on his heels.

"How dare you kick my friend out!" a young female voice screeched. A red-haired something shot toward us, and I did not see what she was holding until it was too late. A red liquid was dripping from Stella's chin and spreading on her dress as well. She snorted indignantly, then gave the woman in front of her a ravishing smile, but her eyes remained hard.

"Since you are this insistent, as of today, you are both banned from all of our venues, not just our casinos." Serenely, she watched as the two troublemakers were escorted out. She then turned to me, her gaze again gentle and calm.

"Excuse me. Do you mind if Lucius drives me back to the estate? I would like to get rid of this wet dress." Grinning, I took off my jacket and put it around her shoulders before she could protest. Back to the mansion sounded like music to my ears. Particularly since Stella would be sleeping in my room from now on. I would love to help her get undressed.

"We are all going back. Or would you like to stay here, father?" For all I cared, he could come with me, pack up his wife and leave. Not for his sake, but because I could no longer stand the old dragon, who had no maternal feelings, near my fiancée and my daughter.

A little later I ran up the stairs with Stella, after we had convinced ourselves that Isabella was sleeping peacefully in my sotto's house. It was best to leave the girl there for the night.

"I am going to take a shower." The brunette disappeared into the bathroom. I hesitated for a moment, then followed her. She was in the process of getting rid of her dress when I entered the room and undressed as well.

Fear flared briefly in her eyes, then she turned away from me and climbed into the shower, which easily held two people. Quietly, I watched as she washed first her long hair and then her body. My gaze followed the water that ran over her curves. I stepped closer, put my hands on her shoulders, felt how her body trembled slightly under the touch.

"Trust me. I will not hurt you." Gently, I pulled her to my chest, pausing with her in my arms for a brief moment before my hands set out as if of their own accord to explore everything about her.