Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 49968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“Right. Fucking. Now,” Aldo’s voice added, barely restrained fury deepening it.
The customer released my arm, and I stepped aside, relief flooding through me. Roman and Aldo stood behind me, looking like walking death. Both were serious. Intense. Threatening.
“I don’t appreciate my staff being harassed, touched, or threatened. Nor do I like the tone, the language, or the insults you are throwing around. You’re disturbing the other diners and upsetting everyone.” Roman tugged his shirt sleeves down and rolled his neck. “This casino and everything associated with it, including the restaurants and my staff, are, without a doubt, impeccable. Even that simple burger you ate is made from the best ingredients we can purchase. So your criticism is more indicative of your shitty frame of mind than actual fact.”
Aldo murmured something, and Roman lifted one eyebrow. “Perhaps the large sum of money you lost has made you forget your manners. I think you need to come with us and be reminded of how to use them.”
“Fuck you, asshole,” the man said, pushing out of the booth.
I watched the scene unfold in front of me. Everyone was watching. Roman laughed at his words, looking at Aldo. “Did you hear that? Fuck you, he said. As I stated, no manners.”
“He called you an asshole, too,” Aldo replied dryly. “Hardly imaginative.”
“I’m leaving,” the customer snarled.
Roman nodded. “Yes. You are. Permanently.”
“What?”
“You are banned. Effective this moment. You are no longer welcome in my buildings. Here, or anywhere.”
The customer’s face darkened. He glowered, almost spitting in his rage. Then he acted like an idiot.
I gasped as he took a swing at Roman. To his credit, Roman didn’t move—he didn’t even blink or look shocked. In an instant, Aldo had the customer in a headlock, and a moment later, two other men appeared and dragged him from the restaurant, with him cursing and yelling the whole time. Then, like a faucet, the noise was shut off.
Roman looked around. “I’m sorry for your meals being interrupted. Everything is on the house. I hope what occurred tonight won’t stop you from coming back.”
The people in the restaurant clapped. Actually clapped.
Roman turned to me, his voice quiet. “Nothing like dinner and a show. Are you all right, Ms. Nelson?”
“Yes.”
He glanced between me and Aldo, who was watching me with narrowed eyes. His shoulders were tense, and he looked as if he was about to explode.
“I’ll leave you two to talk. Aldo, you know where I’ll be.”
Aldo nodded. Roman left, stopping to shake a few hands and speak to Wanda. Aldo looked at me. “My office. Now.”
I could only follow.
ALDO
My blood was boiling with rage. Roman and I had come to the restaurant after Wanda called, worried about a brewing problem. I observed Vi trying to placate the customer to no avail. He became louder, angrier. She remained calm.
When he grabbed her, I was done.
“I will fucking end him,” I growled and rushed into the restaurant, Roman hot on my heels.
I didn’t know what Vi had said to him, but his face turned almost purple. Roman and I heard his last outburst, and I let Roman speak. He liked to deal with assholes and dish out their punishment. Part of me wanted to follow Roman and work this jerk over, but the bottom line was that I was more concerned with Vi. The need to make sure she was all right was paramount.
And that took priority.
We didn’t speak on the way to my office. I walked alongside her, my hand on the small of her back, and I refused to stop.
As soon as we were in my office, I shut the door and ran my hands down her arms, inspecting her. I could see the reddened marks where his fingers had dug into her skin, which only made me angrier.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, Aldo. Really.”
I lifted her arm closer to the light, inspecting the marks. They would be bruises by morning. “He was grabbing you. Hurting you.”
She cupped my face. “And you stopped him. Thank you. He didn’t get a chance to really hurt me. He was just being a complete asshole.”
“What did he say that made you so mad as we got there?”
“He told me to suck his dick. I told him I couldn’t find it unless I had pepper and tweezers, so good luck with that.”
I looked at her, and she grinned. Grinned. She’d been verbally abused and attacked as far as I was concerned, and she was trying to make me smile.
Her hands tightened on my cheeks. “I’m fine, Aldo. Let it go.”
She didn’t know me at all if she thought I was letting this go. Or maybe she was asking, hoping I would.
“He will be banned from the hotel and the casino. He won’t bother you again.”
“Good. Now can I go back to work?”
I stared at her in wonder. “My room. Tonight.”