Bad Beat (The Gamblers Book 2) Read online

  Copyright © 2017 by Jeanine Grasso. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be replicated, redistributed, or given away in any form without the prior written consent of the author/publisher. This is a work of fiction. The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to any real persons alive or dead and events are coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Dedications

  Other books by Sarah Curtis

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Epilogue

  Author's Note

  Bad Beat

  This one is for Sonya. Stay strong, my friend.

  And, as always, to my hubby. He knows all the reasons why.

  Other books by Sarah Curtis

  Alluring Series

  Alluring

  Engaging

  Pursuing

  Enchanting

  Gamblers Series

  All-In

  Bad Beat

  Freight Trained

  Little Black Dress (An Anthology)

  Find all my books HERE

  Prologue

  Fourteen Years Ago

  The last bell rang, and kids spilled into the hall. In a blink, the peace and silence transformed into the chaos of pounding feet, raised voices, and lockers slamming. Standing in front of his locker, Nico quickly shoved books into his bag, hating the crowd and noise.

  Usually, he had Alec as a buffer. His friend distracted him and kept his mind off the mayhem that surrounded him. But Alec was gone. Well, technically he was still around, but seeing as Nico hadn't talked to him in over two weeks, he might as well have been. It was the longest they'd ever gone without speaking since becoming friends six years ago when they'd both started the Winward Academy.

  Now, with less than a month until graduation, Nico had lost his best friend. And all because of a decision he'd made that Alec was unwilling to understand or approve. A decision that Alec feared would ruin Nico's life, or worse, end it. Denying Nico the chance to explain his position, Alec had stormed out of their room, claiming neither was an outcome he was willing to stick around to see happen.

  "Self-righteous asshole," Nico muttered as he slammed his own locker, hiding his hurt behind frustrated anger.

  Striding purposefully down the hall, he didn't stop when kids yelled his name. The double doors in front of him his sole focus so he could escape to the quiet of his dorm room. A room that was now too quiet since Alec and his high horse had officially moved out a week ago.

  Sunlight blinded him as he pushed open the doors, but his determined stride didn't falter. He took a right to cross the parking lot that would lead to the dorms, his progress only halting when a long, black limo came to a stop in front of him.

  The driver's door opened and Arturo, one of his father's men, got out and walked around the front of the car to Nico. "Your father wishes to see you."

  "He's here?" Nico didn't argue just slipped into the back seat. If he wanted in on the family business, his days of defying orders were a thing of the past.

  "He's here for the weekend, and then we're going back." Arturo closed the back door before rounding the front of the car again and getting behind the wheel.

  Nico spent the hour in traffic from Malibu to Beverly Hills stressing. Although a visit from his father wasn't unheard of, it was unusual. He could count on one hand the number of times his father had come to see him since he'd been away at school.

  When they arrived at the hotel, Nico was taken up to his father's suite. In the elevator he tried to smooth the wrinkles in his school uniform pants, wishing he'd insisted they'd stopped at his room so he could've changed.

  He spotted his father as soon as he was shown into the suite. Sitting in the center of the room, his large frame dwarfing the loveseat he sat on, Vincenzo Conti commanded attention. "Nico!"

  Nico dipped his head. "Sir."

  "Come. Sit." Vincenzo gestured to the seat across from him and waited while Nico situated himself before saying, "Your mother sends her love." Nico's lips tip up into a small smile, but he didn't get a chance to reply before his father continued, "I heard you made the honor roll."

  "You heard right."

  "And you're sure this is what you want to do. You don't want to go to college?"

  Nico's thoughts flicked to Alec and the fight they'd had. Nico's decision not to go to college had been a big part of their argument. But this was something he'd wanted for as long as he could remember. Growing up, he'd idolized his father and wanted to be just like him. And now, Nico still had the utmost respect for him. Nothing was going change his mind. "I'm sure."

  Vincenzo nodded. "I'm happy to hear that."

  "Thank you."

  In a blink, his father's pleasant manner vanished and an expressionless mask slipped into place as he looked at something over Nico's shoulder, nodded, and then trained his eyes back on Nico. "Go with Arturo."

  Nico turned in his seat. Arturo stood behind his chair. He wasn't a hundred percent sure what was going on, but he could take a well-educated guess. He got up from his seat and turned to his dad, giving him one last look, knowing it would be the last time he looked to him as just a father. The next time, he would also be his Don.

  Chapter One

  Nico clicked off his phone, hanging up with his friend Alec before immediately hitting speed-dial. The call was picked up after one ring. Without giving them time to speak, he ordered, "Meet me at the Moonlight Motel by the airport. Room fifteen. Now." He didn't wait for a reply. Clicking off the phone, he tucked it back into his inside jacket pocket.

  From the press of a button on his dashboard, the automatic gate protecting his property was already parting by the time he reached it, but he had to slow his Porsche 911 Turbo to a crawl while waiting for it to open wide enough to fit through. His tires chirped as he took the turn out of his driveway before he punched it, speeding down the street.

  His jaw flexed, and his hands tightened on the steering wheel as he thoug
ht about the news his friend had just given him. Alec's woman's brother was holed up in a motel because he owed money to a loan shark that he couldn't pay back. But that wasn't what pissed him off. If the stupid kid wanted to get in over his head that was his own damn business. No, what pissed him off was someone doing business in his territory without his express permission. And he knew the fool Royal Kingston owed money to didn't work for him because if he did, he wouldn't be charging the exorbitant interest he was. At least not if he wanted to keep working for him.

  There were many vices to be had in Vegas, and the mob had their fingers in all of them, but his family had control of gambling. Bookies, loan sharks, and casinos, the Conti family had them all in their back pockets. The thought of some unknown, two-bit shylock stepping on their toes had his blood boiling.

  A drive that should have taken fifteen minutes, Nico made in ten. But Alec had beaten him there. He walked through the motel room door and did a quick scan of the room.

  Royal Kingston was tied to a chair, his face a bloody mess. Two men—who looked like two-bit criminals in their cheap-ass suits, slicked back hair, and blank expressions—stood on either side of Royal's chair. The shorter of the two, stood statue still with his hands at his sides, while his partner did the talking, waving a gun at Alec.

  "Yeah? You and what army?" the guy holding the gun on Alec asked, proving his unoriginality didn't stop at his appearance.

  Time to interject.

  "Me." Nico stepped up to Alec's side.

  "Now, who the fuck are you?" Nerves were getting to the guy. Nico spotted the way the gun shook in his hand as he raised it level with Alec's head. "Don't come any closer, or I'll shoot your friend."

  "Well, you can try." Nico nonchalantly tucked his hands into the front pockets of his slacks, his right hand fisting his favorite stiletto.

  "Hands out of your pockets." The tall guy, his eyes practically bugging from their sockets, turned his gun on Nico.

  "Now, that was a really bad idea." Nico sneered.

  "Oh, yeah? Why?" The guy licked his lips, his eyes darting around the room before landing back on Nico.

  Nico made his move. "Because of this," he said while pulling the knife from his pocket and flicking the switch so the three-inch blade ejected from the top. With skill and accuracy, the knife whizzed toward the tall guy, implanting itself deep into the meaty flesh of his upper arm.

  The guy screamed while Alec lunged, grabbing the guy's wrist. The gun went off, the shot going wide.

  The short guy finally made a move. Nico saw him coming from his periphery and quickly turned his direction, taking the guy by surprise. Nico grabbed his gun from its holster at the small of his back and had the guy in a headlock, gun grinding into his temple, before he even knew what hit him.

  "Don't move a fucking muscle," Nico snarled into the guy's ear.

  Another shot blasted through the room, and Nico turned his head in time to see Alec's woman, River, crumple in a heap at the entrance of the open door.

  Jolted into action and not wanting to kill the guy he had restrained, Nico tapped him on the temple with the butt of his gun, knocking him out. Releasing his hold, Nico stepped over the asshole now slumped at his feet to go help Alec. But Alec was already on the move. Having incapacitated his guy, Alec raced to his girl, falling to his knees by her side.

  Nico pulled out his phone and dialed his men to get their arrival status then clicked off putting his phone back in his pocket. Squatting beside the guy he'd knocked out, he searched for his phone and used it to call nine-one-one. Nico looked over, checking on Alec. His friend was barely holding it together.

  Four of his soldiers walked through the door, and Nico immediately started issuing orders. Nodding to the two men lying unconscious on the floor, he said, "Take them to the south side warehouse. I'll meet you there shortly."

  "You got it, Boss."

  Nico watched as his men collected the trash then turned to River's brother, Royal, who'd yet to make a sound. Blood trickled from his nose, and one of his eyes was already starting to swell. "I was never here. You tell the cops the guys who did this ran after shooting the woman." He took a step closer, his expression hardening. Dropping his voice, he rasped, "You don't want to cross me on this."

  Royal gave him a jerky nod. "Yeah. You weren't here. I got it."

  Nico tipped his chin. "Good." He turned on his heel to join Alec.

  Stripped to his shirtsleeves, his sole attention on River, Alec didn't acknowledge Nico's presence when he came up beside him. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder to gain his attention, "Ambulance is on its way. I need to get out of here before the cops show up. I'll take the trash out with me. Tell the cops they ran. Understand?"

  Alec nodded, issuing an affirming grunt.

  Looking at his friend's ravaged expression, he vowed, "I will take care of this." His eyes flicked to River—her closed eyes, pale cheeks, the gun-shot wound in her shoulder, her blood making a trail on the floor—before landing back on Alec. His jaw hardened, and he spoke through clenched teeth. "They'll all pay." He gave Alec's shoulder one final squeeze before heading out the door.

  Nico walked into the abandoned warehouse, his shoes scuffing on the gritty concrete floor as he made his way back to the room where they conducted their business. Although the interior of the warehouse was cooler than outside, it was still hot as hell, and he felt a bead of sweat roll down his back under the expensive fabric of his custom-tailored suit jacket and white dress shirt. Late August in the high desert had him daydreaming of a few laps in his pool.

  But business first. Business he would greatly enjoy. Nobody fucked around in his territory and especially no one fucked with one of his friends. And he did consider Alec a friend. Although they were on shaky ground, having only reconnected a short time ago, he hoped they could put their past grievances behind them and get back the friendship they'd once had.

  What Alec had never understood, and had never bothered to stick around long enough for Nico to explain, was Nico had wanted the life he'd chosen. And though his father was the Don and that had made earning respect easier, it hadn't earned him the position he held today. He'd had to prove his worth and show his mettle to acquire the rank of Capo with his crew of twenty-five soldiers.

  His men had already been at work extracting information when he walked into the room. The two thugs were stripped of their clothing and tied to chairs. The larger of the two was already unconscious with evidence of his men's interrogation techniques on full display.

  Nico turned to Marco, his first in command. "Get a name?"

  "Travis Scott."

  "Get a location." Nico's attention was snagged by their captives when the larger guy moaned, and the smaller one whimpered.

  "One sixty-eight Western."

  Nico nodded once to Marco. "You're with me." He looked at Frankie. "So are you." He turned to his last two men present. "You guys clean up this mess. Call for help if you need it."

  Nico turned on his heel and was almost to the door when he heard one of the captives call out, "What're you gonna do with us?"

  He looked over his shoulder, eyeing both men. "You don't want to know."

  The screaming started before he exited the warehouse.

  The address ended up being a nondescript two-story building in a divey section of a commercial district. Nico got out of his Porsche and looked around, noting the lack of population. Mr. Scott was either not very smart or had a big set of balls to keep himself so isolated. He had to know his unethical practices would eventually gain him attention and that someone, like himself, would come looking for him.

  Marco and Frankie pulled into the slot beside him. They got out of their Lincoln and did
the same area scan he'd done.

  Nico waited until they stepped over to him before he asked Marco, "You get any information?"

  Marco looked at the rundown building and sneered, "He runs a two-bit whorehouse in there. That's all I could dig up by the time we got here."

  Nico jerked his head toward the building. "Let's go."

  The interior was a complete one-eighty from its outside surroundings. The dirty, cracked sidewalks littered with trash were exchanged for plush, red carpeting. The dull, gray concrete walls spray painted with graffiti were swapped for clean, beige walls decorated with colorful—if somewhat vulgar—framed prints. And the blistering outdoor heat was exchanged for cool air conditioning. Mr. Scott seemed to do well for himself. He'd have to fix that.

  A voluptuous blond in a skintight red dress sitting at a large reception desk eyed him as he walked in. Her come-hither smile slowly dissolved as he drew near and she got a good look into his eyes. He knew what she was seeing, he saw it when he looked in a mirror. Emptiness. Soullessness. Iciness.

  Prey recognizes a predator.

  "C... Can I help you, gentlemen?" She fiddled with the neckline of her dress, trying to shield her ample cleavage then tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

  Nico gave her a stiff smile. "We'd like to see Mr. Scott."

  Her eyes darted nervously to her phone then back to Nico. "Do you, um, have an appointment?"

  "No."

  Her eyes flicked to something behind him before she spoke again. "I'm sorry, but Mr. Scott doesn't see anyone without an appointment."

  Nico internally sighed. He'd tried to be nice. "I don't think you understand. That wasn't a request. I will be seeing Mr. Scott, and you can either point me in the right direction and this will go smoothly, or I'll take it upon myself to find him, and I can promise, no one will like the outcome of that."

  Her eyes flicked beyond him again, but he didn't take his eyes off her.