Lake wiped her tear-stained face using the backs of her hands, coming to the realization that reminiscing about her past tortures wasn’t going to help her stop crying, and crying wasn’t going to solve any of her problems.
She had to work that night and pull herself together if she was going to solve her biggest problem.
For an eighteen-year-old girl, it was sad to think that the only way she could save her and her father’s lives was to work in a sexed-up casino. Sometimes, life just wasn’t fair.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Was It A Mother or Daughter This Time? Or Fuck, Was It Both?
The second day of work wasn’t any easier than the first. Her feet were still sore from the day before, and coming out from behind the curtain dressed like a playboy bunny still scared the shit out of her. It took her until halfway through her shift before she became used to the whole thing again.
Making her rounds, she went to a poker table. Holding her pad and pen, she wrote down orders of the men as she quickly went around the table.
“Can I get you anything?” she asked the man at the end while she jotted down the last one’s order. Usually, she didn’t have to ask when it was at a poker table; they quickly spit out what they wanted, and she never even had to look up.
“So, it’s true. I have to say, when I heard what happened, I didn’t believe you’d have the balls to work down here.”
She didn’t even need to look up from her paper to know whose scary, dark voice it was. Stunned, she didn’t know what to say as she looked into the terrifying blue-green eyes.
“Don’t worry, darlin’. I’m just as shocked as you,” Lucca said, looking at her transformation.
Feeling embarrassed and self-conscious of her revealing outfit, she wanted to get away. “C-Can I get you anything?”
Lucca looked back at his cards then slid a huge pile of chips in the middle of the table. “I’ll take some Jack, darlin’.”
Going to the bar, her heart began to race, wondering who all knew about her debt. Who else knows? What if Adalyn finds out?
Trying to calm her nerves, she grabbed the huge tray of drinks. Don’t spill it! She was shaking so badly the liquids were sloshing wildly in their glasses.
Taking a huge, deep breath, she went back to the poker table and handed out the drinks. As she set down the dark liquid in front of Lucca, he didn’t even look up from his game. Thank you. Running off, she went to her next table.
The night continued and every time she visited Lucca’s poker game, he paid her no attention. The only words he spoke to her were to order a new glass of Jack, but not once did he look at her. She was beyond grateful for this and after the first few times, she paid him no mind, as well, forgetting the fact that she knew him as the underboss. Hell, she never would have thought it, but she preferred serving him over everyone else since he never stared at her ass or tits.
Going once again back to the poker table, she noticed how huge Lucca’s pile of chips had gotten.
“Would you like some more to drink?”
“No, thanks, darlin’,” he said, standing up. Reaching into the back pocket of his dark jeans, he pulled out a wad of cash held in a silver money clip.
Lake stared at him in shock as he peeled off five one hundred dollar bills from the clip. She didn’t know how to take it. No one had given her a tip that big yet, especially not someone who had only drunk a bottle of Jack.
“Take it, darlin’,” he said, bringing it closer to her. When she finally took the bills, he stopped her. “And you don’t need to stuff it in your tits. That’s not why I’m giving you the money.”
“Thank you,” she said in disbelief as he started packing up his chips.
When he didn’t say anything else, she headed back to the bar. What the hell just happened?
* * *
Vincent went into Lucca’s office, wondering why he had asked him there.
Walking in, he saw Nero and Amo were already there. This is either going to be really good or really fucking bad.
“Did you take fucking long enough?” Lucca asked as he lit up a cigarette.
“Sorry, I was busy.”
Lucca looked at his wet hair. “Yeah, I can see that. Was it a mother or daughter this time? Or fuck, was it both?”
Vincent took a seat and smiled at him. “This one didn’t have a mother or father; she had some real parent issues.”
Nero and Amo merely shook their heads.
“Let me guess, you helped solve her problems in ten minutes?” Lucca tapped his ashes in an ashtray.
More like an hour.
“What about Lake’s issues? You solved hers yet?” he continued.
“Yeah, he fixed her car, right after he stared at her ass while she tried to fix it. You still owe me for that.” Amo was clearly still mad at him.
“I told you last time, Lucca; Lake isn’t mine. She’ll be gone in a couple months, and you won’t have to listen to her mouth anymore. It’s not like you ever see her, anyways.” Vincent was getting aggravated, not understanding why Lucca cared so much.
“That’s going to be a fucking shame. I was hoping her car would break down again. Do you think you could get Elle to ask her to go shopping again?” Amo asked Nero.
Nero looked at him stupidly. “Did you really just ask me to get Elle to go shopping in hopes you’ll get lucky that her car breaks down again?”
Amo shrugged. “I mean, with that car it was pretty much a given, but I was going to make sure it happened.”
Vincent squeezed the arms of the chair, making his knuckles go white. He grew angrier listening to Amo; however, he couldn’t wring his neck in front of Lucca, no matter how much he wanted to. If he did, it would have seemed like he had feelings for Lake. The only feeling I have for her is wanting to fuck her.