Prologue
Blood, money, lust, love. It’s all right here. Las Vegas. The place where people come to try to win against the odds. The thing is… the house always wins. And me? Iamthe house.
This city is my playground. There isn’t a single thing I can’t have. How did I get to the position I’m in? At the top of the food chain? That’s where blood comes into play. I worked myway up from the gutter, alongside my three best friends. Each of us poured our ownbloodand sweat into becoming who we are today.
And who are we?
I’m Carlo Bianchi, orphaned at eight years old when my parents were murdered. I went through a few foster homes before I landed in the streets, right alongside Louie and Sammie.
Louie, aka bossman, is the one who led us all in the right direction. He had a goal of owning this city and he made sure he achieved it. But he didn’t do it alone. He brought us all up with him. Where some would have easily left us in the dirt, he didn’t. I owe a lot to the guy. He has saved my life in more ways than one.
Sammie, the gentle giant. And I mean that. The guy’s agiant. But nothing about him is gentle. He never shies away from the blood and gore part of the job. It’s up to us to make sure that the fear we’ve instilled in this city sticks. Every fucker wants to be at the top, but there’s only room for one—or, in our case, three.
Then there’s Emmanuel. He’s… Well, let’s just say if “psychotic mess” were in the dictionary, you’d probably find his name as the definition. He found out early in our teens that he was the heir to a Mexican cartel. His father came and swooped him up, groomed him for the day he’d finally take over. Which happened a year ago. He still visits Vegas; we do business with him. It’s how we get our coke. There’s not too many people I’d fear. Emmanuel, though, you’d have to be a fucking idiot not to fear that man.
Louie bought up a couple of casinos on the strip. We clean our dirty money through all three. Sammie manages Wild Card, Louie runs the Royal Flush, and I’m here at Aces High.
“Yo, Carlo, been looking for you.” Sammie walks into my office.
“Someone die?” I ask, looking at the clock. It’s early. He’s usually not out of bed until at least midday.
“Not yet.” He shrugs.
“Someone about to be?” I raise a brow at him. It’s early but it’s never too early to spill a little blood. The phone on my desk rings. “Hold that thought.” I look to Sammie, as he sits in front of me, before answering the call. “Hello.”
“Ah, Mr. Bianchi, there’s someone at the front desk for you,” a nervous-sounding woman says.
“Tell them I’m busy,” I grunt.
“Ah, sir, I think you should come out here,” she replies. “It’s a… sensitive matter.”
“Got it.” I cut the call and pick up the pistol from my desk.
Sammie stands and follows me out. “What’s going on?”
“No idea,” I tell him. “Be ready.” I don’t know what’sso sensitive, but I didn’t like the woman’s tone. She seemed scared.
When I get to the front desk, I scan the entire area. People are milling about as usual and I don’t see anything out of the ordinary.
“Sir, over here.” A young redhead waves to me.
“What’s going on?” I ask her.
“She just came up and mentioned you by name. She won’t tell me anything else. And I don’t know where her parents are.”Nicole, according to the name tag, points to a little girl standing over by the side of the counter.
My brow furrows.Who the fuck leaves a kid at a casino?
“Thanks, Nicole,” I say before approaching the little girl. I kneel down so I’m at her level. “Hi, I’m Carlo. You were asking for me?”
“Mhmm, this is for you.” She hands me an envelope with my name on it. “I’m Jasmine, but you can call me Jazzy. My mama says you’re my daddy.”
I’m frozen to the spot.Who said I’m what now?
I glance up to Sammie, whose face looks just as shocked as I feel. “What the fuck?” he mouths.
“Who is your mama, Jazzy?” I question the kid as I rip the envelope open.
Dear Carlo,
