Chapter 47: Running with Wolves

HAYLEY

When Hayley got up the next day, she was still floating on a high from the night before, still up in the night sky overlooking New York City.

Luca had to leave early, but he left her with a kiss and a promise to meet her that night to escort her to his casino party.

After she got dressed and ready, Nic drove her to a coffee shop to meet Ava, who updated her on all the latest Venetian gossip, repeatedly telling Hayley how much she missed her at work. And in all honesty, Hayley felt the same.

“How’s Ben doing?” Hayley asked, then took a sip of her skinny latte.

“He’s been busy. He’s gotten a second job. In an office, I think, as an intern,” Ava said. “I think he wants a normal job. He seems done with being a bartender in an underground club.”

“What about you? Do you not want to find a regular job?”

“Are you crazy?” Ava snorted through her laughter. “I’m doing what I love. I dance, and I make an ~insane~ amount of money for sitting with old guys.”

“But what about the sex?” Hayley asked, keeping her voice down.

“Unlike Arianna, I don’t have sex with every guy in there, you know. Most of the time they just want to hang out with a pretty girl who isn’t their wife.”

It was true the feather girls weren’t always about sex. Sometimes men just needed companionship—somebody to hold for a night.

“Well…you’ll never find a man,” Hayley teased, but then she noticed her friend’s guilty face. “Wait, ~have~ you found someone?”

“Maybe.” Ava shrugged as Hayley’s jaw dropped. “I mean, we’ve been off and on again more times than Arianna’s panties. It’s complicated, Hayley.”

“Is he married?”

“What? No! No, he’s a workaholic, and now isn’t the right time for either of us. Maybe when I retire from my feather girl lifestyle.”

Hayley told Ava all about the party she was going to that night, and Ava sighed.

“I have to admit, I haven’t been all that keen on you being with someone like Luca, but I can’t help but envy how he isn’t afraid to show you off—to claim you publicly.”

She sighed again, and Hayley wondered if she was thinking about her mysterious new man.

***

Later that day, the house was a buzz of activity. Luca and his guys were all there getting ready for the party, and Hayley was getting pampered by Leo, a very charming stylist that Luca had brought in.

She sat quietly as Leo did his work, playing with the silver bangle she wished she didn’t have to wear.

When her hair and makeup were done, Leo helped Hayley into the glamorous blue lace mermaid dress she’d picked out with Luca. It had a cutout back and a V neckline, and Leo had put her hair in a sleek updo to show off her neck.

She wore the bangle on her right wrist, beside the charm bracelet she always wore, and simple drop earrings dangled from her ears. She felt like a traitor—a glamorous traitor, but a traitor nonetheless.

“You look beautiful, cara mia.”

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard Luca’s voice behind her. She checked him out in the mirror—he was dressed in a tuxedo and looked devastatingly handsome.

“È una ragazza bellissima, Capo. Sono impressionato,” Leo said to him.

Hayley was surprised Leo spoke Italian and also surprised by the teasing tone he took with Luca.

“Leo, you can go now. See Nic before you leave.” Luca’s tone was cold.

Hayley turned around and smiled brightly at the stylist.

“Thank you, Leo. I love everything.” She gave him a big hug, and he squeezed her tight in return.

“I knew I should have hired a gay hairdresser,” Luca muttered.

Leo just laughed as he walked to the door. “Enjoy the party, Hayley. I’ll go see Nic now, Boss.”

“I liked him,” Hayley said once he was gone.

Luca walked toward her and placed his hands gently on her waist, then looked her up and down. “Hmm, I suppose he ~is~ good at what he does.”

She blushed. “You look good too, by the way.”

As he pulled her in for a kiss, she closed her eyes and drank him in, reveling in the taste of his lips and the scent of his cologne, which was now her favorite smell.

But she couldn’t keep her nerves at bay. She kept wondering what the detective had planned for tonight. She pulled away and took a deep breath, then released it.

“We’d better go,” Luca said, and she nodded.

He must have sensed her inner turmoil, because he slid his hand up to her cheek and cupped her face reassuringly. “Tonight will be fine, I promise. I won’t let Lorenzo near you. Nic, myself, and Frankie will be nearby.

“One of us will always be at your side. Just stay close to us. Don’t go with anyone you don’t know, and trust me.”

“I do.” The words just fell from her mouth. Because it was the truth—she ~did~ trust him.

It was herself she didn’t trust.

***

“Are you sure about this, Boss?” Frankie’s voice was gruff as the three of them walked through the doors of the casino.

They hadn’t gone directly into the main room like she had last time; instead, they stood in a large hall that was beyond the entrance and before the huge casino room.

She saw Nic at the entrance, looking at guest tickets and handing each person a little card. Hayley had no clue what was going on, and she fingered her bracelets nervously.

“I’m sure,” Luca answered.

A guest passed Nic and walked to the table that was in front of them. Frankie stepped forward.

“Any weapons?” he asked, taking the card that Nic had handed the guy. When the guy looked at Frankie, then Luca, it was clear he wasn’t a Marcello man. But he just nodded, opened his jacket, and placed a gun on the table.

“Number 101.” Frankie took the gun, and that was when Hayley noticed a large metal cube with tiny lockers or safes.

They were taking everyone’s weapons.

“Go over to those guys,” Frankie said, pointing to Ric and Dom, who then frisked and searched the man before allowing him into the casino room.

“Hayley?” Luca said as he walked over to the weapon safe. “Do you have your knife?”

He opened a slightly larger locker, then opened his jacket, took out his two guns, and placed them in the locker, along with a small knife. He turned to face her and held out his hand.

“C’mon, I know you have it.”

She sighed. “But what if I—”

“Hayley. Every man will be searched. Myself, Genovese, and even Borroni.” He wiggled his fingers and smiled mischievously. “I promise not to steal it.”

Reluctantly, she opened the blue clutch that matched her dress and handed over the little knife. He thanked her before placing it in the safe with his weapons.

She felt exposed and defenseless without her trusty switchblade.

Luca took her hand and kissed the back of it, then left Frankie and led her into the main room of the casino.

It took her breath away like it did the first time, despite feeling quite different. The servers were dressed in white blouses and skirts, and the decor had an air of elegance, but the party lacked the 1920s charm she’d fallen in love with.

“A drink?” Luca took two champagne flutes from a passing waitress and handed her one, and they clinked the expensive crystal together.

Luca placed a hand on her lower back, then guided her through the light crowds that were starting to appear as more and more guests passed the strict security measures.

“Is the no-gun policy really necessary, Marcello?” a voice said from behind them.

They both turned, and Hayley recognized the head of the Genovese family.

“Yes,” was all Luca said in reply, and Hayley felt him move closer to her, protectively. It made her shift uncomfortably.

“And you must be the famous Hayley.”

LUCA

Luca watched with silent anger as Genovese took Hayley’s hand and kissed the back of it. He felt her stiffen at his rival’s touch.

“È una ragazza bellissima, Luca,” Matteo said to Luca as he carefully let go of Hayley’s hand.

“Grazie, come sta tua moglie?”

Matteo laughed. “My wife is doing well, Luca. She couldn’t make it tonight, but thanks for her invitation all the same.”

Luca had always envied Matteo Genovese. He fell in love in school, and they married and seemed happy. Of course, Matteo was no saint, but Luca knew he did everything he could for his wife.

He’d also known Gianna would decline the invitation. She was a strong Mafia woman, but Genovese never exposed her to the dangers of his world.

“Ah!” a voice sang out. “If it isn’t my favorite frenemies.”

Luca felt Hayley shudder beside him, then move a little closer.

Lorenzo eyed Hayley as he approached—“Oh, ~darling~, you’re here too!”—then turned to Luca. “What’s with the no-gun thing, Marcello?”

“Trust me, Borroni, I’m on top of this.”

“Ha! Trust you? I don’t think so.”

“Let’s just enjoy tonight,” Hayley chimed in, and Luca looked down at his brave girl and smiled.

“Yes. Please enjoy yourselves, gentlemen,” Luca said to his so-called allies before leading Hayley toward the bar where Nic and Frankie were ordering themselves a couple of drinks.

“Boss.” Frankie nodded toward Luca, then smiled at Hayley. “Hayley.”

“How were the security checks?” Luca asked him.

“Fine. A few complainers, but in general, everyone complied.”

Luca nodded as he looked around the casino.

Frankie had strategically placed some of his men around the room. They were able to see everything, which made Luca a little happier.

Nic chuckled. “Now it’s just a waiting game.”

“Come, Hayley,” Luca said. “Let’s explore the tables.”

HAYLEY

“You doing okay?” Luca whispered in her ear as they stood talking to a couple of Marcello men and some sort of court judge.

“Yes,” she whispered back, though she wasn’t sure she ~was~ doing okay.

But she had to act brave; she had to act tough. She was in a room filled with Mafia men, one of whom was her mortal enemy, and the bracelet was heavy on both her wrist and her mind.

“Hayley!”

Her stomach dropped at the voice, but she turned to look behind her.

The crowd parted, and she saw Lorenzo Borroni standing next to a roulette table and playing with some casino chips in his hand.

He gave her a wicked grin. “I heard you love a good game of roulette, darling.”

“Son of a bi—” Luca growled, but Hayley squeezed his hand.

She refused to be intimidated by this man any longer. Tonight ~she~ would become the wolf, would gain the strength to stand up to him.

“I’ve gone off the game recently, ~darling~.”

There were a couple of gasps at her audacity, but Lorenzo just chuckled.

“La amo. So feisty.”

Hayley didn’t move, just continued to stare him down.

“I understand why, darling. My intense versions of casino games have that effect on people. I heard you’re a fan of poker, though. How about a game?”

“With you, Lorenzo? I’d rather not,” she said, sarcastically polite.

“Oh, come on. I promise I’ll play fairly.”

She shook her head. “Like I’d trust you.”

“What makes me so different from the man standing beside you?”

Hayley found it hard to argue the point. Luca and Lorenzo were both fierce Mafia bosses. Both killed and both were ruthless. Yet she’d allowed herself to trust Luca. Why?

“Come on, darling, one game to settle that old score.”

“Fine.”

LUCA

Luca groaned. He usually loved Hayley’s fire, but in times like these, he wished she were a quieter sort of girl.

In an ideal world he would have already bashed Borroni’s skull in, and Hayley wouldn’t have to deal with the asshole ever again.

“I’m in too.”

Luca turned to see that Matteo Genovese had come up beside them.

“Fuck’s sake,” he muttered. Both of these men were hardcore poker players. They played all the time during business talks—it was just something they did.

“I’ll be the fourth man,” Nic said, walking toward him with Frankie right behind. Nic put his hand on Luca’s shoulder. “You need a Marcello at the table.”

HAYLEY

Hayley had never played poker games as intense as these ones. Each of the three men insulted each other and tried to outwit each other in both Italian and English—and it was rather amusing to watch.

But like most men, they’d underestimated her poker-playing abilities.

“You’re an excellent player,” Genovese said as he reluctantly folded his hand. He leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his whiskey.

She raised an eyebrow at the mob boss. “I have many hidden talents.”

“I bet you do.” Genovese chuckled, then looked pointedly at Luca, who was standing behind her. “Luca likes them with talent.”

She heard Luca give a low growl.

Nic sighed. “I fold.”

Hayley looked at the devil that was Lorenzo Borroni. Despite her immaculate poker face, she was shaking inside. But this wasn’t about the game or the money for her. This was about her standing up to him.

“Looks like it’s just me and you, darling,” he cooed.

LUCA

“~Luca, does Hayley know about the bullet?~” Borroni asked him in Italian.

Luca didn’t reply. Of course he hadn’t told her. And he refused to participate in Borroni’s little games.

Lorenzo laughed. “~I didn’t think so.~”

“You know speaking Italian doesn’t intimidate me,” Hayley spat. “It just pisses me off.”

“~Does the girl have a death wish, Luca?~” Matteo muttered in Italian.

But Luca said nothing—he just kept his eyes on Borroni.

Lorenzo leaned over the table and placed his hand down. “A straight and—just for you, darling—in diamonds.”

It was a hard hand to beat.

The Borroni members standing around the table looked impressed with their boss, but everyone waited for Hayley to show her hand.

“Well, ~darling,~” she said coolly. “You can call me Your Majesty, because I’ve got a royal flush.” She put down her hand.

Nic laughed, and the Marcello men in the audience cheered.

HAYLEY

“I’ll leave you gents to another game,” Hayley said as a very proud-looking Luca took her hand to help her from the chair.

“Well done, baby,” he murmured before taking her place at the table.

Nic stood up and led Hayley to the bar. “That was impressive,” he said after ordering her a drink. “Borroni likes to make people feel small compared to him.”

She shrugged and said, “Small manhood syndrome,” which made Nic laugh.

Nic stayed by her side, keeping her entertained with little stories and explaining who the guests were, while the three Mafia dons played hand after hand of poker, joined by a different fourth person each time.

They finally seemed to be winding down when she was startled by people screaming and the sound of glass smashing.

The doors of the room burst open, and people in bulletproof vests and helmets flooded into the room, shouting and holding guns.

“NYPD! Get on the ground!”