The Mafia's Captive: An Enemies To Lovers Romance

By Piper Knox

I’ve watched her. Wanting her. Needing her.
An obsession driving me close to the edge.
I’m content with only watching her from afar.
I cannot taint her with my dark heart.
Until I found out her true nature.
Not only is she a liar and a thief,
She’s also working with my nemesis
That, I cannot tolerate
For that, she has to pay.
Not only with her body but with so much more
After I’m done with her, she will know not to cross a man like Dante Morelli.

The Mafia's Captive is part of a series but can be read as a standalone

• Language: English
• Publisher: Letter B Press
• Release date: Aug 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9791222434582

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The Mafia's Captive by Piper Knox

Copyright © 2022 Piper Knox

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

ASIN: B0B9HDW1TZ

Cover design by: Piper Knox

Printed in the United States of America

1

Corina

The five people sitting at this table have a combined net worth larger than that of a small country, but the only person making me nervous is the man sitting opposite me. Dante Morelli. My boss. Or rather, my boss’s boss. I want to impress him. Make him see I am a valuable component of his business. And so far, I am fucking up royally.

Round one of this high-stakes poker game begins with me spilling a drink as I deal the cards. My hand knocks the glass, and it rolls down the table as the amber liquid washes all over the black marble. Luckily, Dante’s deft hand grabs the glass before it crashes to the floor, and Jesse, my only friend in this VVIP room, comes in time with a napkin to wipe the mess. I steal a glance at Dante, and it is difficult to tell if he is angry or irritated. Or both. His face is nothing but a blank slate and when I mumble a sorry, he only grunts in response. Thankfully, the other players laugh. They seem to think it’s funny and aren’t bothered by the accident.

But that’s not all. The second time I attempt to deal the cards, I hear the player to my left say, You gave me four, darling, he raises the cards, And a bad hand at that.

I’m so sorry. I take back the cards as fast as I can, so mortified I want to rush out of this room and never show myself again. How can I make such a rookie mistake? With this level of incompetence, Dante will ask Jesse to take my place and kick me out, I’m sure. But he says nothing. The guy on my right leans in and whispers, First time playing with the big boys?

I nod, afraid to say anything, as I shuffle the cards.

It happens to the best of us. Try imagining us naked.

It’s at that moment I glance at Dante. His blazing gaze is on me. The mask he had is gone and, in its place, pure anger. Fuck. I’ve fucked it up. He’s going to kick me out now. But he says nothing, and the game continues.

The second and third rounds go on uneventfully. I’m getting comfortable now, and my initial fear has dissipated, so I can listen to the conversation going around the table. There are two tech bros who came together, an NFL player and the guy on my left, is some sort of financier who works on Wall Street. From the way he speaks, he seems closer to Dante than anyone on the table and is bank rolling the NFL player. The footballer is the first to be eliminated.

You went all in too soon! Wall street guy says to him, Dante’s going to drain us tonight.

Dante casually collects the chips and says nothing.

I warned you, Hunter, the football player says, I’m shit at poker. He stands up and throws a chip at me. I catch the tip and thank him as he makes his way to the bar. It’s a five-hundred-dollar chip. Jesse winks at me as she brings in another round of drinks. Not bad for a first night, and there were probably more tips to come.

The geeky tech bro is the second to go. He, too, loses to Dante, leaving him, the other tech bro, and Hunter.

As they play, I learn that the other tech bro, the one left at the table, is called Nate, the other is Justin, and the NFL player is Connor. His name does not ring a bell, but then again, I don’t watch sports of any kind.

Dante is killing us, Nate, Hunter said.

Not at all, Dante mumbles, you’re still at the table.

Yeah, but you have a pile bigger than all of us. We’ve gotta even the game a little. Give us a handicap.

Dante chuckles.

What do you think? For a moment, I ignore Hunter, thinking he’s speaking to Nate, but when I notice that all eyes are on me, I scramble for an answer.

I don’t think I have a say in the matter.

Sure you do. A dealer is part of the game.

Why does it feel like there’s more to what he’s saying than what’s obvious? I can’t pinpoint what it is, but if I answer incorrectly, I might have my ass thrown out. From what I hear, Dante is unforgiving and doesn’t take kindly to employees who over-step their bounds. According to Jesse, he once fired a girl after slipping a note to one of his friends. I glance at Dante for a cue. That blank mask is on again, and I feel like I’ve been thrown into the deep end without a life jacket. I try to think of something to punt the topic away from me.

That’s for the host to decide.

Hunter smiles, Smart. His eyes are still on me when he says, she doesn’t want to jeopardize her job. I get it.

I shrug slightly, so slight that I think no one will notice, but Hunter does, and he breaks into laughter. The game resumes once more, and in this round, Hunter takes Nate out. Leaving Hunter and Dante. Hunter’s stack is half Dante’s. The other three are casually watching the game while nursing their drinks.

After I deal the hand, Hunter leans back in his seat and huffs. Playing with money is boring, don’t you think? He speaks as if it’s monopoly money and not millions of real dollars.

Dante takes a sip of his drink. Do you have anything in mind?

Hunter’s gaze goes to me. There’s a glint in his eye, How about raising the stakes a little? 

Dante slowly lowers the glass in his hand. No.

Come on. It will be fun. Better than playing with chips.

Leave my employees out of it.

You didn’t even ask her. What if she’s game?

Dante’s icy gaze lands on me. His eyes narrow. My heart thumps a bit faster. Fine, he says between sips, Ask her.

Corina, Hunter says. I’m too shocked to respond. How does he know my name? I’m sure I never gave it, and I don’t have a name tag or anything of the sort. What do you think about adding yourself to the pot?

Adding myself, I don’t understand? I glance at my boss, but I get nothing except a clenched jaw.

How about, Hunter leans in and grabs my hand. His is bigger than mine, and while he’s not as good-looking as the other person sitting at the table, he has a smooth baritone that is difficult to resist, we play for your lovely hand. Whoever wins gets to spend the night with you.

She’s not a hooker Dante grunts.

No, but anyone can be bought if the price is right. You won’t lose out. You get to keep something of your own as well. How about ten thousand dollars?

That’s a lot of money for me. Even though I have already made a couple of thousand in terms of tips, there was no guaranteeing my return to the private tables after my poor showing in front of the boss and his famous and rich friends.

I don’t think I—

Twenty thousand.

I—

My gaze darts around the room. Connor, Justin, and Nate look riveted. Jesse is subtly encouraging me to say yes. Everyone’s attention is on us except for the bartender wiping the counter as if something like this happens every day. I turned my gaze back to Hunter, who says, Thirty thousand. And don’t think about him, between me and you, he leaned and whispers into my ear, he’s been eager to fuck you too, but is too shy to say it. 

I glance at Dante. I doubt that. Hunter sits back in his chair and laughs. She doesn’t know, does she? This is beautiful. He glances back at Dante. It makes me want her even more.

How about this, fifty thousand dollars? Final offer.

Fifty thousand dollars is a life-changing sum for me. There is so much I could do. I could go back to school put down a deposit on a house. But I don’t want to sleep with him. The thought never crossed my mind. To me, he is a client, nothing more. As tempting as his offer is, I can’t bring myself to sleep with someone for money, especially a sum that large. What if he thinks I’m horrible in bed and wants his money back? I just don’t have the confidence to do it, I guess. I’m about to give him my response when Dante cuts in.

Let’s play a game to see if you can win the opportunity to even ask her in the first place, he says. His tone is dull and bored. You would think they are talking about a Rolex.

You can’t just change the rules! Hunter exclaims like a small child denied a toy. Dante doesn’t respond. The silence says, ‘Yes, I can, and I’ve just did.’ Hunter’s gaze is still on me, and at last, he flashes a cryptic smile and then says, Deal. To me, he says, Give us the cards, darling, and wish me luck.

If I was nervous before, I’m even nervous now that I’m part of their game. This time, however, I make sure to act as professional as I can and deal.

Just as they both pick up their cards, there is a knock on the door. I watch as Jesse goes to answer it and lets in a giant of a man who always looked like he was about to burst out of his suits, enter. Sal, the head of security at the casino. His eyes dart in my direction, unnerving me. He is part of ‘security’, but we all know what his actual job is and why he and other guys like him have unfettered access to the casino. They aren’t just security. They are also Family. That kind of family.

Lately, Sal, who never cares for someone like me, has taken to leering at me whenever I’m in proximity as he’s doing now. The Family guys never interact with the regular employees of the casino. Nevertheless, I’ve heard stories. Stories of girls who couldn’t resist the danger and got caught up in that part of the business.

He hovers near the door, standing at attention as the game continues. Maybe it’s only me, but he brought with him a tension that wasn’t there before. The cards feel like lead as I deal the river. Both Dante and Hunter have their poker faces on. If they are aware of the recent presence, they do not show it. I focus back on the game and notice that there is a potential for a flush and three aces of a kind. I shift in my chair; the air suddenly dry.

I think I have you beat this time, Hunter says as he reveals his hand. A flush. My heart races. I hope he is wrong. Even though he offered me the chance to say no, part of me thinks it’s an illusion. And who knows what he would do if I refuse him? Hunter doesn’t look like the sort of person who takes no for an answer. Dante, however, places his own hand on the table silently, and Hunter, seeing what the other player has, closes his eyes and sighs, defeated.

Royal flush, Jesse squeals. She puts a hand on her mouth as soon as she utters the words.

Sal takes this opportunity to make his way to Dante. It is clear in the deferential way he stoops down to whisper in his ear that he recognized Dante’s power, not just as an employee, but so much more. As he speaks, Dante’s gaze shoots directly at me, his face changing, the poker mask falling to reveal anger and revulsion. The longer he stares at me, the more constricting the room feels. As if the walls are closing in, removing everyone in it until it was just a small space with me and Dante. Dante nods once and says something back to Sal, and when his eyes are on me again, his mask is back in place.

As Sal is leaving, a malicious smirk flashes across his face. Before I can parse its meaning, Dante stands up and says, Gentlemen, I think it’s time I cash out.

Oh, come on, Nate raised his hands up. His words slur as he speaks. What happened to the plans?

Business that could not be put off came up.

And the sex, drugs, and partying all night?

You can have that without me. Jesse can show you where to get all of that. Sorry.

What about the game, Hunter says. He seems more put off than the others.

Are you that eager to give me more of your money?

Hunter sulks. Fine. I’ll hang out with these losers. As soon as he says the words, a group of women, bottle girls specifically, enter. They have sparkling champagne bottles with them and a mood to party. The other guys forget all their complaints as they are led out by the girls, with Jesse in tow.

Meanwhile, I collect Hunter’s diminished pile of chips into a tray and hand it to him. He takes the tray, removes a two-thousand-dollar chip, and places it in my palm. Pity you could have much more than this, he says and follows the others out. He is right, but it is more than enough for me. It’s by far my biggest tip of the night, if not ever.

As the room’s numbers dwindle, I take to gathering the cards and arranging the rest of the chips and Dante’s enormous pile of chips when he says to me, You’re staying. To the bartender, he says, You can leave. His voice sounds cold. Colder than I’ve ever heard it before. It takes no time for the bartender to make his way out, leaving me and Dante alone. I continue with my job of putting the chips back into the trays as if there’s nothing odd about being asked to stay whilst wondering why I’m being singled out.

Leave that, Dante says, In fact, I don’t want you touching anything in here.

Fuck. That anger could only mean one thing. He probably thinks a theft has occurred. I gently place the tray of chips back on the table and making sure they were nowhere near my own chips. Mine total four thousand easily explainable tips that can be verified by the cameras in the room. Heck, even Jesse can testify to my innocence. I am a little frazzled but not bothered. Then Sal and the other bouncers who were outside the door come in and stand behind Dante. That shakes me up a little.

Take a seat, Dante’s voice is cold and quiet. It chills me as I sink back into my chair. He remains standing. An imposing figure separated from me by only a table. He crosses his arms and stares at me for what feels like forever. If it’s a way of breaking a person down, it’s effective because I am ready to blurt out just about anything so I can get out from under his gaze.

You’ve worked here for how long now? Three years, is it?

I nod, surprised he is aware of me at all until today.

And in all that time, you’ve worked on the lower floors until this year.

Yes.

Interesting.

I can’t parse out what makes a normal career jump interesting. I believe I have earned my right to work at the private tables. Granted, it’s the first time I’ve worked at the private of private tables, but was my work that bad? Did I do anything wrong? If it was the drink spilling and the miscount, I swear it won’t happen again…

He raises a hand, silencing me immediately. Even I must bow down to the invisible force he exudes. I don’t have time to play games. Like you saw, I shouldn’t be here right now. I should be in a lounge somewhere getting my dick sucked to high heaven, and yet here I am. Having to take the trash out.

Take the trash out?

Yes, exactly.

I have heard the ‘security’ guys talk in that way. I have no idea what those words mean exactly, but it isn’t good. People who had to be ‘taken out’ have never come back. Whatever this is, it isn’t a simple miscalculation of funds or an employee performance evaluation. Mr. Morelli, I don’t know what you think I have done, but I assure you I have done nothing wrong.

You speak like someone who has no idea who they’re talking to. Do you know who I am?

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I am fucking this up, no matter what I say. The more I talk, the deeper the hole I dig. I must tread lightly. My apologies, Mr. Morelli.

Everyone who works at the Grand Palazzo knows who he is and what he does. That he is the head of the Morelli Family that owns half of the town, including this place. And, for whatever reason, if I don’t say the right words, he will kill me.

2

Dante

She is beautiful. I can’t deny that. There is something about her that makes it hard to look away from her. She has a certain allure to her that invokes a man to stare. She made it hard to concentrate on my game and I lost a few rounds as a result. Looking at her right now, the way her dress, a black mini dress that all the dealers wear, clings to her body, and hugs all the right parts highlighting her curves and making me forget the reason I’m here. This must be why he chose her. She’s a distraction. A good one at that. I have to give it to Saccone. He knows how to choose his women. And to think I had half the mind to fuck her. If it weren’t for Sal coming in at the end of the game, I might have tried to seduce her, which would mean breaking one of my rules. Never fuck employees.

Please. She speaks, pulling me back to reality. I know you think I must have done something, stolen something, but I assure you I didn’t. She leans forward. I don’t fail to notice her breasts thrusting forward. I can prove it. The only money on me are my tips. She pulls out four chips from her lap to the table. You can check the CCTV.

Her obliviousness is quite convincing. If I didn’t have hard evidence, I would believe her. She’s clearly stalling, but she has no clue that I’m the one doing the stalling. I want to see what she knows, what she can give me before I reveal my hand. It’s as if she doesn’t seem to understand the severity of her situation. If she does, she wouldn’t be acting like this. Or does she think she can play with me? What she doesn’t know is that I’m the master of this game. Interrogations get me hard. Luckily for her, I’m in a playful mood tonight. If it weren’t for the ten million I’ve just won, her pretty face would be black and blue and singing like a canary.

Don’t play games with me.

Her eyes widen to saucers. I — I don’t understand.

I sit down on the chair opposite hers and notice for the first time that her hands are trembling. It’s a slight tremble