“All right, fine, I like him, or liked him. I haven’t seen him in almost two months. I think maybe he’s done, which makes my life a whole lot easier.”
“And the men outside? Are they his?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“Kyle, he told me all about Zander. He said he felt safer leaving you because he knew Zander was watching out for you. The way I look at it is, if he still has his men out there watching you, then he still cares. Tell me, is he as good looking as Kyle says he is?”
I laugh. “I’m afraid so, he’s very much dream worthy.”
“And what about the rest of him?” She wiggles her brows at me.
“Mom, I am not discussing that with you. But I have an idea I don’t have to. I have a feeling Kyle filled you in, didn’t he?”
“Most definitely. You can’t hide a man like that.”
So, I tell her everything about Zander. I tell her how he makes me feel and how safe I feel with him around me. I also tell her how he scares me.
When I finish telling her about all the Sterns, we decide to have lunch. I don’t have time to leave the casino, so we settle on eating at the buffet in the casino. On our way, I introduce her to my employees and some interested customers. Over the last few months, I have mingled with our regulars as much as I can. It has helped a lot with relationships and getting myself known.
As we sit to eat, I tell my mother how I would like to keep the buffet open, but how I would like to also open a more upscale restaurant inside the casino.
I’m trying to eat, but I’ve been feeling poorly lately. My stomach has even revolted on me a few times, which is how I’m feeling right now. I ask Mom to excuse me. I don’t even give her time to react, I run out of there and hit the first bathroom I come across. I throw myself down to the floor, not caring that it’s a public bathroom, and hurl everything I attempted to eat.
I hear my mom calling my name. She finds me and lays some wet, cool paper towels on the back of my neck.
“Chéri, are you okay? What is it? Have you been sick lately?”
Once I’m finished, I stand with her help and wash my face.
“I’ve been feeling bad for more than a week. I think it’s a virus, but it could be all the stress, too. Don’t give me that face. If I don’t feel better by next week, I promise I’ll go see a doctor. Things have just been crazy around here. It makes it difficult because I want to oversee everything. So, I can almost guarantee you it’s stress.”
“Well, then it’s a good thing I came when I did. I can help. We need to get you back in tip-top shape. You’re not doing the casino any good running yourself sick.”
I actually start to cry, which is so unlike me. I hug her so tight and tell her, “Thank you, Mom. I didn’t know until right now how much I needed you.”
“Well, I’m here, so let me take care of you for a while. Now, I know something that might help your stomach. Let’s go.”
38
Zander
I cannot believe I have not been able to find Judith. All my fucking resources, and still nothing. At least my guys tell me that Murphy has been safe. Their reports say that they haven’t seen anyone follow her and there hasn’t been any more threats. Not one. It’s eerie I know someone’s out there, but it’s almost like they’re toying with her. Making her wait for the perfect time to strike. If so, then this person is more dangerous than I originally thought.
The only thing interesting that has been reported is that Murphy’s mother Cherry arrived two days ago. My men tell me she plans on staying for a while to help Murphy out with the casino. They also said she is one hell of a woman. Now I have the perfect reason to see Murphy again, and I plan on doing that today.
It has been so hard staying away; hell, if I’m honest, I haven’t exactly stayed away. There might be a time or two or three that I watched her from afar. I know she’s safe with my men, but I just wanted to get a look at her. Now with her mother being here and being the gentleman, I am, I have no choice but to go and introduce myself.
I walk into the casino right before lunch, hoping to get to see them. Craig spots me and says he has to announce me and ask if I can go to the back first. I chuckle at him and say, “You do that.” Then I continue to walk to the back. I see my men stationed at the door, and they open the door for me, with Craig still on my heels. Murphy is standing, looking over her mother’s shoulder when I walk in, I take in the beauty of her rear end when Craig yells out, “Ms. Larussa, I asked him to wait, but, well I couldn’t stop him. I’m sorry.”
I almost feel bad for him. I pat him on the shoulder and tell him, “You did give it your best shot.”
Murphy looks at me, fuming, and then tells Craig it’s fine and excuses him. I finally get a good look at the famous Cherry, and she’s everything I thought she would be. She stands and walks straight towards me.
“Zander Stern, I presume.”
I grab her hand and kiss it. “Yes, ma’am, I see you’ve heard of me.” That makes me smile, I look at Murphy, knowing she has obviously spoken to her mother about me. She looks down in shame, knowing she’s been caught.
“I must say, Ms. …” She cuts me off, waving her finger. “Just Cherry.” That makes me grin. “I must say, Cherry, you are one fine looking woman. From the pictures I’ve seen of you, you can’t tell time has passed from the time you were entertaining.”
“Wow, and you, my boy, do not disappoint either. I see you are as handsome as your father was, and you are definitely every bit of the charmer he was, too.”
I look over at Murphy, realizing she’s told her mother about Theo.
“I…I’m sorry, Zander.”
“Not to worry, it’s your mother. I would hope you’d want to tell her everything about me. It makes me happy to know you went into so much detail.”
Cherry laughs out loud, and Murphy just looks pissed now. She says, “I was not….”
Cherry says, “Oh, stop, Murphy, while you’re ahead. Mr. Stern is not a stupid man, he knows you and I have discussed him in great detail.”
“Please call me Zander. I expect us to become like family. In fact, let’s get to know each other better, starting now. I was hoping you ladies would like to join me for lunch. How about it, ladies?”
Murphy practically shouts out, “No! We can’t.”
Cherry, on the other hand, walks over to the sofa and grabs her purse. “I would love to, unless you’d want to try for another time since my daughter is being rude?”
I wrap Cherry’s arm around mine and say, “Your daughter does have a rudeness problem, doesn’t she? I’m going to have to work on that. I would love nothing more than to get to know you better and have you all to myself. Plus, it will give us time to discuss her in detail.”
I wink at Murphy and tell her, “Your loss, Red. I’m going to have so much fun learning more about you, that is, other than discovering your freckles.”
I swear, the look on her face told me I was lucky to have her mother on my arm because I think she wanted to throw something at my head.
Cherry agrees to go to dinner with me. She’s confident enough to allow me to bring her to a more appropriate restaurant. I love how she’s trusting me to escort her outside the casino.
I planned ahead, reserving a table at the finest restaurant on the river. When we arrive, we are seated at their best table. Yes, I am trying to impress my maybe, hopefully, future mother-in-law. I can say that easily because well, hell, from the first time I laid eyes on Red, I knew she was going to be mine, and after our last time together, there is no way I’m not making her mine forever. I will give that woman my last name even if she fights me all the way to the altar.
Our waiter comes to take our order. I allow her to order first. I know some women who like a man to order for them, but I know most think it is egotistical for a man to assume he knows what is best for her. Especially a strong woman like Cherry; they like to be able to make their own choices. I might have a big ego, but I am not rude, nor do
I ever undermine a woman. My mother raised me right. She would beat my ass if I didn’t give a woman the respect she deserves.
Cherry seems happy that I didn’t take control of the situation. Our waiter leaves, and she begins.
“So, Zander, how would you like to start this conversation? Should we start with me asking you how are your mother and father? It’s been a very long time since I have seen either of them.”
“That seems like a perfect way to start. My mother is doing fine. She, like yourself, has not aged a day, which makes me very protective of her. As far as my father, which one would you like to know about, William or Theo?”
“I have no interest in William; no offense, that man was a bastard. Now, your real father, Theo, he always had every woman’s attention. How is he?”
I chuckle and tell her, “He’s well and will be very excited to see you. When we learned that you were Murphy’s mother, he told me and my brothers all about you. I promise it was nothing but good things. I’ll have you know I am pretty sure he has an undying crush on you.”
Her head goes back in laughter. “Theo always was a flirt, but trust me when I say, that man only ever had eyes for your mother.”
Surprised, I ask, “You knew about my father and mother? I didn’t think anyone knew.”
“No one did, but I’m no fool. If anyone would have just taken notice at the way Theo would stare at Catherine from across a room or how he hung on every word she ever said, you could tell that man was deeply in love with her. I used to secretly root for them. I hope they have found a way to be together.”
“I think they have. Theo kind of forced his way in recently.”
She laughs and then takes a sip of her water. “How well do you know my mother?”
“I wouldn’t say that we were besties, but we were always around each other. She knew that I knew about William and Theo, so we had an agreement more than, say, a full-on friendship. We respected each other and knew we were both very capable women. You might say that it was the closest relationship either one of us had with another woman back then.”
I nod my head in understanding; my mother has always had acquaintances, but never a real friend.
Our lunch comes, and we enjoy light banter back and forth throughout our meal. We even laugh at stories about Theo and the old days. I ask her a few things about Murphy, but I don’t want her to think I just want to get to know her for that reason. I really find myself liking her very much.
When our meal is finished, we sit back and enjoy a nice glass of wine.
“So, Zander, now it’s time for you to tell me about what your intentions are when it comes to my daughter.”
I laugh. “I thought I hid it well, but you’re definitely no fool.”
“No, I’m not. I saw the way you looked at her. It was brief, but I caught it. I also know you are going against your mother. I appreciate you protecting my baby girl, but to what means are you willing to go? Because I will tell you now, Murphy will not make it easy for you.”
I raise an eyebrow and lean back in my chair. “That’s one of the things I like about her. She takes no one’s shit, not even mine. She’s strong and very independent, almost to her detriment. But I’ve seen the soft side of her, too. She had me the minute I laid eyes on her. I’ve never met another woman like her. For that, I am willing to go to war for her, even if that means I have to go to war against my mother. But I am hopeful it won’t come to that. My mother made her a very generous offer because she, too, was impressed by her. I just have to get her to say yes, and all this war talk will go away. Any suggestions?”
“So, are you in love with my daughter?”
Love? Am I? “Honestly, I really don’t know. I have never been in love, not even a little. But I can tell you that this is the closest I have ever come to it. All I can say is from the moment I saw her to the moment I kissed her, I have thought of no one else. She haunts my dreams, and she makes me worry constantly for her safety. I would take a bullet for her, so if that’s love, then yes, I guess I am.”
“That, my boy, is definitely love. When you’re willing to put another before anyone else, even before yourself, that is love.”
“Well, then I am really screwed because Murphy doesn’t love me, and she sure in the hell doesn’t want anything to do with me. So, I guess I need to prepare to have my heart broken.”
“Don’t give up hope just yet. You never know.”
“Do you know something I don’t?”
“Of course I do. She’s my daughter. But I will not betray her. All I can tell you is, the man who makes her fall hard for him is going to have to be one hell of a man. He will have to be strong enough to handle her. Because she will fight any man who comes close to knocking those bricks down. Are you strong enough, Zander? Because I will tell you this, you have wiggled those bricks loose, and that, my boy, is the closest any man has ever gotten.”
“Well, I’ll be damned! That makes me very happy. I have to tell you, she was starting to hurt my pride.”
“You still have a long way to go, but I think you’re on the right track.”
We talk some more about Murphy and her father, we also talk about my family. When finished, we decide to go back to the casino. I bring her all the way to Murphy’s office. When my man opens the door, we walk in laughing out loud.
Murphy looks up and says, “Really, Mother? I can’t believe you.”
Cherry says, “What? Zander and I had a marvelous time. You should have come with us.”
“See, Red? I can be a great date after all. Who knew?”
“Not me, I never will.”
I wave my arms. “Yeah, yeah, you’re still trying to play hard to get, baby! I’m starting to like this game, and after today I plan on coming out on top; unless of course you prefer me on the bottom.”
Cherry laughs, but Murphy stands and yells, “Out! Get the hell out!” She picks up a paperweight to throw at me. “Shit!” I run out the door, slamming it, then I hear the paperweight crash into the door. I look at my men and say, “That’s my girl.” I laugh all the way out of the casino.
Murphy
“Don’t start!” I look at my mother and her smug face. She likes him, and for some reason that pisses me off even more.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You don’t have to, Mother, I see it all over your face. You like him.”
“I sure do. I think I like him very much, and I think you do, too. But that’s where the problem lies. Doesn’t it? I say marry the boy and be done with all this bullshit. It will get the Sterns off your back, at least. Plus, I still worry about Judith. If you marry Zander, I’m positive she wouldn’t want to take the Sterns on. She’ll have to get off your back then.”
I cross my arms and tell her exactly how I feel. “Fuck the Sterns and Judith! I will not marry Zander, and that’s it. I don’t need their help. All I need is time. Besides, I think Judith has already forgotten about me. I haven’t had another warning or attack since Kyle.”
“Fine, Murphy, have it your way, but if something else were to happen, I will be on your ass to marry that man, or you will give this casino to them. That is my final word.”
I ignore my mother’s rant and go back to work, preparing everything for the poker tournament we are having this weekend. I also try to ignore my revolting stomach.
39
Murphy
The weekend is finally here, and all the excitement is about to start. The casino is packed with patrons, all waiting to watch the event. This should bring the casino a lot of profits and advertisement for being one of the top casinos around.
I walk up to the microphone to announce the start of our poker tournament when I spot Zander, along with his brother Liam. They are talking to my mother. I take a deep breath and start my speech.
“Ladies and gentlemen, for those of you who don’t know me by now, I am Murphy Larussa, and I’m sure you can all tell I am no Junior.” I wiggle my ass for them, and the audience goes wild. I
look straight at Zander and see him looking proud and cocky. “I would like to personally welcome you to our first ever ‘Kings and Queens Poker Tournament.’ The tournament will be played no limit Texas Hold‘em style. I’m glad to say that we have a thousand participants from all over our fine state and beyond. I would like for all our players and viewers to be on your best behavior because if you turn to the left, you’ll see we’re being televised by a local television station. I’d hate for any of you fine people to make a fool of yourselves or our casino. Now let the chips fly.”
The poker game begins, and everyone is cheering as I make my way to my mother and her new friends.
When I finally reach them, my mother kisses my cheek. “Oh Chéri, your father would have been so proud.” That catches me off guard, but I quickly rein it in when Liam Stern grabs my hand and says, “I think you are doing a fantastic job here. You should be very proud of yourself. Not many people could pull something like this off.”
“Thank you, Mr. …”
“It’s Liam, please.”
“Thank you, Liam, I am, it was hard, but I think it will do very well.”
I look at Zander and ask, “Why are the both of you here?”
“See, Liam, I told you she’s extremely blunt and straight to the point.”
Zander laughs and then says, “Our brother Gabriel is in the tournament. We came to support him.”
I look back as Zander points, and sure enough, Gabriel is sitting and playing.
“I don’t remember seeing his name as one of our participants. Why would he want to play here at my casino?”
Liam says, “It’s good for business, we need to be seen here for when we take over.”
I’m just about to tell him off when two beautiful women walk up. A blonde goes straight into Liam’s waiting arms, and the other leans on Zander as he wraps his arm around her and kisses her head. Who the hell is this? She’s beautiful and seems to be very comfortable in Zander’s arms. I know I shouldn’t, but for some reason, I want to pull out her hair.
Art of War (A Stern Family Saga Book 3) Page 20
