Page 39 of Maximum Bet

“Domin—” Cassandra cuts off as I lose reception in my earpiece.

Fuck.

I take the gadget out of my ear so I can better use my hearing to track down my targets. I pause while climbing to the stage just long enough to hear a few muffled pops. Gunshots. I sure as shit hope the music in the ballroom and casino is loud enough to drown out the sound.

Once positive that I’m alone in the theater, I race backstage toward an exit that will lead me into the hallways. I press my ear to the door and listen. Nothing.

Carefully, I twist the knob and peek through a crack. The hallway seems empty. I replace my earpiece to see if the connection is reestablished.

“Leo?”

I get no response and pull the device from my ear again.

With my gun raised, I slide through the doorway, taking careful steps to avoid making a sound. When I’m sure the hallway is empty, I go to close the door, but I’m met with resistance.

Because someone is pulling from the other side.

I step back and raise my weapon as the door swings open. My finger twitches on the trigger, my mind working to process the sight in front of me.

“Oh, Jesus Christ,” I moan. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Chapter 15

Cassandra

“He can’t hear us,” I cry, tapping on my earpiece as if that will magically make Dominic’s work.

On the monitor, he’s entering the theater, planning to attack the Russians from behind. What he doesn’t know is that they’re headed his way, running from Marco and the others.

“That one’s bleeding,” Sadie says, pointing to one of the Kozlova men. He’s holding his arm while blood gushes from a wound.

“Marco shot him.” Amanda has her hand over her mouth as she stares wide-eyed at the screen.

I reach over and squeeze her shoulder. Being a Mafia wife, you know the risks; you know what your husband does for a living, but in most cases, you never have to see it.

“He had to,” Sadie says. “It was them or us.”

I return to the screen, watching helplessly as Dominic rushes into danger.

“Fuck this,” I mutter. Gripping my dress with one hand and my gun with the other, I lift my skirt so I won’t trip as I run toward the exit of thesecurity hub.

“Cassandra, wait!” Leo chases after, reaching the door as I attempt to pull it open.

“Where’s your key card?” I search him for any sort of badge I can swipe on the console.

“You can’t go down there.” He’s pleading with me, one arm bracing the door, the other hovering in the air as if he wants to grab me and hold me in place.

“Oh, no?” I snap. “Watch me.”

I spot his key card clipped to his belt loop. I grab it and stomp on his foot at the same time.

I cringe as he curses. My stiletto is going to leave a mark.

“I’m sorry, Leo!” I call as I rush out of the room and past a collection of Romano-Tariello soldiers, stationed in the hallway.

“Miss Bain?” One of the men I recognize watches me with concern as I pass by.

I don’t stop. I’m on a mission to get to the theater before Dominic puts himself in a situation he can’t get out of.