Concealment (The Cassano Series Book 1) Read online

  “Ms., I’m Kruse, and I need you to come with me. Someone would like to meet with you over this incident.”

  Shit, I’m likely getting fired. “Yes, sir.” Passing a server, I hand off my empty tray. He leads me through the first floor of the hotel and onto an employee only elevator.

  Kruse is closing in on seven feet in height, and the guy manning the elevator is even taller. He nods and holds his hand up to a thumbprint recognition security system. Where are they taking me?

  We ride upward until we hit one floor after the thirty-ninth. The button is unnumbered and black, and there are three more after it that appear the same. Interesting.

  The doors open to an exquisite lobby and a young male, who is sitting behind a curved desk in a white shirt and grey tie. He glances up and smiles.

  Kruse tells me to take a seat in one of the five chairs that are sitting to the left in the sumptuous room. Giving the guy behind the desk a nod, he strolls to a hallway before disappearing from sight.

  Once again, my legs are cautiously crossed, and I feel out of place in this fancy environment. After a few minutes, Kruse returns and holds his hand out.

  “Follow me, Ms. Stuart.”

  I stand, and as I pass the courtesy desk, the young guy smiles at me. It would be nice if someone told me who the hell it is I’m seeing.

  I give a faint smile in return and accompany Kruse down the hallway. We pass several closed doors before we reach one that is open.

  A man in a suit rises from behind an executive desk, and Mr. Head of Security leaves me alone with him.

  “Ms. Stuart, I’m Theo Cassano.” He stretches out his hand and shakes mine. Cassano. This is one of the brothers.

  Am I about to meet Adrian?

  He’s attractive with hazel eyes and dark brown hair that has a hint of auburn highlights throughout.

  His suit, overly tapered at the waist, accentuates the muscles of his upper body.

  “Follow me,” he says, displaying a sober expression. Crossing his large office, he opens a door and steps back.

  “You can go in. Mr. Cassano is waiting.”

  Adrian Cassano is the owner of this hotel and casino. He’s also the man I’m investigating. Theo shuts the door behind me.

  Taking a few steps, I look ahead and see the back of an executive chair sitting behind a massive, cherry wooden desk.

  The view through the wall of glass serving as his backdrop gives away how extremely high up we are. I hear a male’s voice, controlled and smooth, and I assume he’s on the phone.

  Slowly, he swivels to face me, and holy shit, he’s even more attractive in person. He also looks a little younger than thirty-five.

  I feel exposed standing in this distinguished space in my hooker wear.

  “Can you fax it to Theo?” he asks into his phone. “Thank you.” After pushing a button, he lightly tosses his cell onto the desk.

  “Ms. Stuart, please have a seat.” He holds his hand out, signaling for me to take the chair in front of his desk.

  His photos do not do him justice. Mysterious eyes, a dark shade of walnut, stare back at me, and a sheen casts off his black hair.

  Swallowing, I do as he asks, and instead of crossing my legs, I snap my thighs shut and angle my legs to the side a little.

  Do not let him intimidate you, Victoria. No one intimidates you.

  Chapter Three

  Adrian

  “I’m Adrian Cassano, the owner of this hotel and casino. I was quite impressed with your moves, Ms. Victoria Stuart,” I say with a smirk.

  “It’s Vicky, sir, and how did you see that already? I mean–thank you.”

  “Can you explain what transpired?”

  “He grabbed my ass, which I would’ve excused, but he refused to move his hand afterward, so I had to do it for him.”

  I eye her intently. That wasn’t exactly the response I expected. “So, you’re OK with random men grabbing your ass?”

  She scowls. “No, but for the sake of my job, I was willing to let it slide once.” She’s giving me attitude, and damn, she’s gorgeous. This will be more enjoyable than I anticipated.

  “I see.” Staring into her striking, green eyes for several seconds, I find she’s determined to hold my gaze.

  “I think it would be best to move you to an environment where the cliental will not be touching you without your permission.

  “Although the asshole deserved it, I don’t need a lawsuit, and he would not be the last to grab your ass.”

  She continues to scowl. At least her attitude suits her day job. Yes, I believe I’m going to enjoy every second of my time with Victoria.

  She will be easy to torment since she likely feels she has to keep her mouth shut around me. I have a suspicion that is not something she’s used to doing.

  I’m sure she doesn’t want to lose this job and blow her case. The investigation I’m fully aware of.

  “I’m sure you have more important things to do than this, so can you please tell me where to report to, and I’ll be out of your way?” she asks.

  I stay silent. Her eyebrows lift and eyes widen as if she’s wondering what I’m waiting for. Grabbing my desk phone, I hit an extension and lean back in my chair.

  “Blanca, can you please come to my office in fifteen minutes? Thank you.”

  I get up and stroll over to my minibar.

  “Victoria, what do you drink?”

  “It’s Vicky, and no thank you for the drink. I’m on the clock.”

  “You won’t be back on the floor tonight, and is Vicky short for Victoria?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Then Victoria, what can I fix you?”

  She blows out a loud breath.

  “I’m more of a beer kind of girl.” Hearing her chair move, I glance over and find her standing. “Oh, wow, your classic car photos are incredible. Can I look at them closer?”

  “Sure.” After pouring a scotch, I pop the cap on a Corona and walk over to her. She’s standing at the wall to the left of my desk, admiring the six gold framed photographs, which are hanging horizontally across it.

  When she turns her head just long enough to see her drink, the corner of her mouth tilts, but she quickly hides her smile and takes the beer.

  As she stares at the photos of muscle cars, I stand next to her. The scent of roses fills my nose, and I recall what she did to that asshole’s arm. It’s intriguing how she’s both feminine and fiery.

  “You appreciate classic cars,” I say.

  “I helped my father restore a few over the years.”

  With my scotch in my left hand, I point to a photo. “That one there was my father’s.”

  “Was? Why would he ever get rid of it?”

  “He died. I own it now.”

  She peers up at me for a breath before turning back. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  We talk cars, and I find myself liking her as a person. I remind myself that she’s here to take me down … to crumble the empire I’ve built.

  No one is going to stop me from my ultimate goal. No one.

  There is a tap on the door, and Theo enters, letting Blanca in.

  “Please take Ms. Stuart to be fitted for the Elite lounge, and put her on the schedule.”

  “Certainly.” Hesitating, she examines Victoria, who glances around the room.

  “Um, do you have somewhere I can dispose of my beer?” She blushes as I take it from her hand. “Thank you for not firing me.”

  “Have a good night, Victoria.”

  A brief smile edges her full lips before she’s breaking eye contact and walking briskly to the door.

  No sooner than it closes, Theo marches in.

  “Where is Blanca taking her?” he asks anxiously.

  “She caused a scene, so I’m moving her to the Elite lounge.”

  “Why didn’t you leave it alone? I’m sure Janice would’ve fired her.”

  “I don’t want her fired. Another cop might weasel their way in here without me being m
ade aware. If I keep her around and she doesn’t find anything, she’ll leave. Case closed.”

  “You’re practically handing over the evidence by placing her in there.”

  “She thinks we’re running a call-girl service. She won’t find that there. Know your enemies and keep them close, Theo.”

  I shoot my brother a look, warning him to back off.

  He scratches his dark hair. “Fine. As long as you know what you’re doing.”

  Victoria

  One the bus ride home, I feel my phone vibrate against my leg through my purse, so I pull it out to answer.

  “Hi,” I say, already seeing that it’s Reggie.

  “Why the hell didn’t you call on break, and why are you answering now? Your shift isn’t over. I was gonna leave you a message.”

  “Hello to you, too. I had an incident with a customer, so I wasn’t able to take a break.”

  “Did you get fired already?”

  “No, but I came close. I removed a man’s hand from my ass, but guess what?” I can’t help but smile.

  “What?” he asks, exhaling a sharp breath. He worries about me too much.

  “I met Adrian Cassano, and he moved me to another area. I don’t know what that means yet, but I never imagined I would come in contact with him this soon if ever.”

  “I’m headed to your apartment. Since you’re off early, we can talk about it over dinner.”

  Ending the call, I glance around and notice several creepy men staring at me. Thank goodness I now have a locker, so I can change at the hotel.

  One grungy man, who quite possibly could be homeless, grins and licks his lips. Disgusting.

  “Don’t fuck with me,” I say. His eyes widen and smile disappears. “I mean it.”

  A couple of young guys sitting nearby burst into laughter from my remarks. God, I need an everyday car.

  I walk from the bus stop to my apartment building, and as I expected, Reggie’s already there, leaning against his vehicle.

  “I should’ve picked you up down the street, and you need to move somewhere safer. You make enough money.”

  “OK, Dad.” I narrow my eyes on him before I reach my apartment door. He follows me in. “We’ve had this conversation before. I’m saving my money.”

  “I get that classic cars are nice, but a safer location to live should be a priority.”

  I can’t help but think of Adrian and his obvious love for cars. I actually felt sympathy for him when he shared that his father had died.

  I didn’t anticipate him opening up about it, and since I already knew about his father’s passing, I didn’t expect it to affect me.

  “I need to change, so give me a few minutes.”

  I plow into my room and plop onto the bed. Leaning over to remove my boots, I discover my legs are wide open and so is my bedroom door.

  I’m still not used to wearing a skirt, so I do what I’ve been doing a lot lately and snap my thighs shut.

  I hear Reggie chuckle, and when I look up from unzipping a boot, his shoulder is resting against the doorframe.

  “I’m not changing in front of you so out.”

  He gives me his wide, sexy grin before rolling his eyes and pushing off the wooden frame. The door closes, and I stand to remove my skirt.

  Reggie’s dark skin and facial symmetry, along with the muscles he nurtures daily, make him attractive. He shouldn’t be single and hovering over me.

  ***

  Peanut dust covers my jeans, so I brush it off onto the floor of Stopper’s, the local bar we like to crash. Grabbing another nut, I crack it open before tossing it into my mouth.

  “Is it hot in here to you?” I ask as I shift uncomfortably in the booth.

  “No, but it is March. I think it’s eighty degrees today, and you’re wearing jeans.” Reggie smirks. He knows I hate wearing shorts.

  I dislike showing my body period. It’s why this job at Hotel Submission has my nerves on edge. An image of Adrian Cassano flashes in my mind.

  Lord, when he stood right next to me, his presence was dynamic. There is no need for him to utter the words “I take what I want.” I felt it.

  I’ve been around plenty of people with authority who throw around their titles, and that’s just it–they’re titles.

  Adrian owns his. Never have I felt someone demand attention, claiming every speck of space surrounding them with zero effort.

  “Vic,” Reggie says. A peanut hits my chest, so I whip my head up.

  “What the hell happened today? You just checked out completely, and that’s not like you.”

  “Not much. A drunk guy wouldn’t stop touching me, so I put him in his place. I was escorted to Adrian’s office and met his brother, Theo Cassano.

  “Adrian told me he was moving me to an area where guys wouldn’t grab my ass without my permission.”

  “You’re so going to lose this job.” Reggie chuckles before taking a drink of his beer.

  “An overly attractive and snobby blonde took me to her office to measure me. She did not seem happy with me being in Adrian’s space.

  “The way she eyed him gave me the impression there are some feelings there, on her side, anyway.” I hurriedly chew up another peanut.

  “My new uniform is supposed to be waiting for me tomorrow. I do have to work late, so I’ll likely be tired a few days a week, but I promise I’ll keep it together.”

  “You need to tell Bishop.”

  “No, our boss doesn’t need to know shit.”

  “I don’t like this.”

  “I’m fully aware. You’ve told me repeatedly. I’m only checking things out, and I have a right to work a second job if I want.”

  As I stare at him, I keep from blinking, expressing that my reasoning is solid. Feeling out a case on the side isn’t unheard of, and once I confirm that my gut has not steered me wrong, I’ll take it to Bishop.

  “You haven’t told anyone, right?” I ask. Reggie looks away and fiddles with a peanut in his hand. Shit. “Who did you tell?”

  He hangs his head and drops the nut on the table. “I had a few drinks with Tucker and it slipped.”

  “That’s more than a damn slip.” I throw my head back against the seat. “He can’t keep his mouth shut. What’s the real reason you told?”

  “I don’t know.” He looks away. No matter how heavily we’ve been trained in this line of work to recognize when someone is lying, it’s human nature for us to give away the signs, too.

  “Bullshit.”

  His gaze returns and is resolute.

  “Look, I had a few too many drinks and became frustrated about you being in that hotel without me, so it came out.”

  OK, this is uncomfortable now, so I smile, not wanting to discuss feelings. “Aww, poor baby. You were crying over your beers all for me?”

  “Shut the hell up.” He says it but doesn’t mean it rudely. I know because along with the embarrassed red cheeks he’s exhibiting, even on his dark skin, a grin flourishes.

  I take a drink of my beer, and when I glance back up at Reggie, he’s boring a hole through me with his passionate, black eyes.

  It’s similar to the way Adrian was staring at me. I need to stop thinking of Mr. Adrian Cassano, but damn, he is sexy.

  “Uh, I should get home. Are you OK to drive?” I ask.

  “You’re the one putting away the drinks tonight.” An earnest expression flattens his smile as he runs a hand over his hair and stands from the booth.

  His mood has clearly soured, and I’m not looking forward to his silence, which is what I always receive when Reg is sulking.

  Chapter Four

  Victoria

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” My ass drops to the bench in front of my locker before I hold up the black chemise made of taffeta and mesh.

  I don’t care what they call it. It’s not a uniform; it’s a damn nighty. How degrading.

  This is something you should wear in front of your boyfriend or husband, and that would take guts on my par
t, but here in a room full of men … They have no business seeing me this scantily dressed.

  I’ll be lucky to fit my generous size C breasts in the satin cups, which are only covered slightly by a matching bow in the center. A large–fucking–bow.

  The meager fabric has spaghetti straps and a sheer, black mesh that stretches from under my breasts down to my hipbones. It’s attached to a short ruffled skirt trimmed in pink ribbon.

  Suddenly wanting to become a nun, I say a prayer to a higher power to solve this investigation as quickly as possible.

  A couple of women are talking loudly an aisle over from me, so I gather my things and scurry to a restroom with a door and lock.

  This should be fun, trying to put on a pair of thigh high hose in a small stall. They hook to garter belts, and after I have everything on, I reluctantly exit and head back to my locker.

  My clothes are shoved inside, and I wobble in silver, strappy heels to the mirror. At least the pink, bob style wig I decided to wear today matches the ribbon on my outfit.

  I want to groan, but instead, I twist from left to right, becoming angrier by the second as I scrutinize how short my skirt is.

  “Damn, girl, that uniform was made for your body.”

  I pivot and find a pretty blonde wearing the same nighty as me. I don’t know what she’s thinking since it clearly fits her perfectly.

  “Thanks, I guess. I’m Vicky.”

  “Tara. I take it you’re new?” She sticks her manicured hand out for me to shake, and as I attempt to pull mine away, she takes hold of my fingers.

  “Yes, first day,” I mutter, watching her as she studiously looks at my hand.

  “Hon, you need to get your nails done with me. Shannon oversees the lounges, and she’ll have you under a magnifying glass, dissecting every inch of you.”

  Feeling even more nervous and self-conscious, I snap my hand away. “I’ve been too busy to keep up with my nails.”

  “Then you need a girls’ day out.” Her blue eyes sparkle with enthusiasm. “We’ll get manis and pedis, have lunch and shop. When is your next day off?”