“Stefano will take good care of you because if he doesn’t he will answer to me,” he says.
“Is that how it will be? Always threatening him to be a good husband?”
“If that’s what it takes. But he has ensured me he will be good to you,” he replies.
“Alright father,” I give him a small smile.
“I know it’s not love, not right now, but I’m sure you will grow to love each other,” he says.
“I hope so,” I tell him. He knows I want to marry for love since I was a little girl. But this is tradition and I can’t stop it.
But I will make the best of it, and make sure my dad is happy, though I don’t want to leave him alone in this big house.
Seven
Ivan
I punch the guy in the face, leering at him when he stumbles back into the dumpster and then scurrying off like a scared rat in a sewer of alligators. The man was lurking around the front of the building, Michael alerted me. I know I told my father I would take a break, but this was self-defense, except that’s laughable since the man was tiny compared to me. I stalked outside and the minute he saw me he took off, so I followed suit, cornering him in an alley. I tried talking to him, but like a feral dog he lashed out, comically might I add. When he punched me it was like a gnat fluttered in front of my face and he realized at this time that I could kill him with my bare hands. I punched him and then he ran off, I just wished I could have gotten a little information out of him.
I need to inform my uncle that others are aware of our presence in town. We knew we wouldn’t be laid out a welcome mat, just have to roll with the punches. I take the elevator to his floor and knock, Tim answers the door.
“Good morning,” he sing-songs, looking like he was just thoroughly fucked.
“Yeah,” I chuckle as a girl rushes out, trying to dress as she leaves.
“Bye,” he calls after her and she blushes, jumping into the elevator before the doors closed.
“Bye?”
“She might come back. I introduced her to my dark side,” he snorts.
“And she stayed?”
“She did. Her name is Irina,” he says, pouring a cup of coffee for me as I sit on a stool at the island.
“You know her name? So unlike you,” I grumble.
“I know her name,” he snickers.
“Morning,” my uncle greets us. Yesterday we started mapping out the work that needs to be done on the lounge and then hiring men to do what we need done, and keep their mouths closed. Timfur made some calls yesterday and we break ground tomorrow. There are a couple of buildings on the lot already and we’re fixing them up. Byki can stay on-site as security, especially when the girls are here. The casino will run twenty-four hours a day, we need men for that. But step by step, it will come together.
“Someone was casing the front door this morning,” I inform my uncle.
“Who?”
“I don’t know. He will have a nice bruise on his face, but I wasn’t able to get a name when he ran off,” I shrug.
“He lives?” Tim asks.
“He does. I figured a murder this soon to our arrival would bring some unwanted attention to us, we don’t know how the local law enforcement works,” I reply.
“I’ll get the men patrolling,” my uncle states.
“That’s good,” I nod.
“Anything else to report?”
“No, I’m going to check out the lot again today and see where we can put guards for the best security,” I say.
