Chapter 5: Little Trouble
Luca's POV
I stared into her eyes. She shook her head, breaking off from the spell and pushed me off her.
"You're a jerk," she said, moving backwards.
I laughed, moving the strands of her from my face with my hand.
"You sure didn't think of that before kissing me," I answered.
"That was an accident," she defended.
"Didn't seem like it," I countered.
"God damn it. Get out," she spat.
"Okay," I said. No one dared to order me around, but I was willing to make an exception just this once.
My eyes slowly glanced down at her body. It was hard not to look and she quickly covered her chest again. Her hands did nothing to hide them. I'm
"Pervert," she hissed.
The water dripped from her hair to her arms. I had to leave or I wouldn't be able to control myself.
I still had time. She could run all she wanted for now.
I stepped out of the fountain and got dressed quickly, taking my time as I slipped on my clothes.
"Have lunch with me," I said, buttoning my shirt.
"No, I'm good," Seraphina answered.
"Oh, I wasn't asking," I said, and turned away.
She didn't say anything, just stared, but I could tell she was still flustered. It was amusing.
I walked toward the dining room, my mind shifting back to business. I needed to focus. There was always something to handle, something that demanded my attention. But even as I sat down at the table, I could feel her eyes on me. I ignored it, though. She was here now.
A few minutes into lunch, my phone buzzed. I pulled it out, scanning the screen for the name that flashed in front of me. My face hardened. I could feel the change in my expression before I even realized it. The calm, collected exterior I always maintained slipped for just a moment.
"Boss, we need you at the casino. It's big," the voice said.
"Alright, I'll be there," I answered and hung up.
"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice cautious but curious.
"Nothing. It's just business," I said, my voice more controlled now.
I stood up, making my way to the door. "I need to step out. Stay here," I said, without looking back.
The guards outside followed me, and I gave them quick instructions. "Keep an eye on her. I don't want any trick happening. Got that? Don't let anything happen to her."
They nodded.
*******
I stepped out of the vehicle. The casino's light lightening the entrance. My men and I walked in, meeting a mess.
Some men surrounded Marco, my manager backing him to a corner.
One of the men raised his hand to hit him and I lost it.
"What the hell is going on here?" I asked, my voice thundering and catching their attention.
The gang immediately spaced out, walking towards me.
"Are you the owner of this place?" A shorter man, I assumed was their leader asked.
"Yes," I answered calmly.
"Your man's being cheating is," the man continued.
"That's unlikely," I answered, looking right at him.
"Let him go," I warned.
One of the gang members held Marco by the collar, pushing him to the wall.
"Give me back my money," the gang leader demanded.
"How much?" I asked, taking the cheque book from one of my men.
"I lost five hundred thousand. Make it a million for wasting my time," the leader responded.
I smiled, closing the cheque book.
"I think it's time you learned that everything in this city is my business," I replied coolly. "No one orders me around."
One of the other men in the gang stepped forward, his eyes wild, clearly looking for a fight. But I wasn't in the mood for games.
I made a swift move, knocking the man off balance with a quick jab. The leader's eyes went wide in surprise, but I wasn't done. The message had to be clear.
"You're making a mistake, and I am getting pissed," I said to the leader. My voice had turned colder now.
"Let him go, and I'll let this pass."
The gang leader scoffed again, this time signaling for his men.
"Piss off. I'll have your casino destroyed before you know it."
That was his final mistake.
I was already moving. My fist hit him with a brutal force. He staggered back, his men looking uncertain now. I wasn't one for hesitation, so I delivered another blow, faster and harder this time.
He grunted, but didn't fall.
I grabbed his collar, dragging him up to meet my eyes. "You can either walk out of here with your life, or you can stay and keep making noise. Your choice."
"Ah, damn it," the man yelled and immediately pulled out his gun. Unfortunately for him, I was faster, taking the gun from him, and pointing at his temple.
"I'm not asking twice," I said.
The leader hesitated, looking over at his men. Their guns were already out meeting my men.
"I'm pretty sure you can tell which group is faster. Will you leave in a bag?" I asked. The gang leader waved his hand, and his men returned their gun to the Lord waist, same as my men.
Satisfied, I let him go. He stumbled and his gang caught him.
"Now, get out!" I warned.
They backed off, finally. The leader spat on the ground, glaring at me, but he walked out with his men, leaving Marco behind.
I stood there for a moment, watching them leave, the silence settling over the casino. Marco stood up shakily, wiping his face. He looked at me, his expression full of gratitude.
I looked around at the shattered table and pieces of wood on the floor. Half of the games were out of place.
"Thanks, boss," he said, his voice crack
ing slightly.
I nodded. "Make sure they're never allowed again."
"Yes, boss," Marco answered.
"Get back to work," I ordered.