The Sweetest Temptation
Chapter 298: Gamble

Chapter 298: Gamble

"Giovanni Desupe, at your service." The young man said with a slight air of indifference. He held out his hand toward Remo.

"You’re—"

"The owner of the casino."

"Hmm," Remo mused speculatively, raising his hand to his chin and rubbing in a decisive gesture.

"Come, let’s take you to the VIP floor,"

The moment he made this suggestion, one of the guards rose a picture to Remo’s line of sight and then pointed in a two o’ clock direction. Carefully, Remo followed his line of direction until his eyes locked onto the scrubby form of a man, laughing giddily as he pulled his wins toward the edge of the table where he was seated.

Nolan.

His blood boiled hot at the sight of him, and he suddenly had an urge to rip out every one of Nolan’s bones, nails, anything to inflict a level of pain, such that he had never imagined he would experience before his death.

But Remo had the courtesy to acknowledge Giovanni and not cause a scene.

"Actually," Remo began, turning once again to meet the admiring gaze of the young man. "I would like to have a seat at that table."

Giovanni followed his hand until his eyes locked onto the table where Nolan was seated.

"Are you certain that’s where you choose?"

"Do I look like the kind that finds it hard to choose?"

His tentative reply earned him a chuckle from a genuinely impressed Giovanni.

"Very well, but the boy plays good."

Boy...just what has this young man seen to call a man who’s obviously older than him a boy?

Remo was forced to ponder, but his speculation was halted when he saw Nolan rise from his seat.

"Nolan," Giovanni called out just in time to rouse his attention. Nolan turned and automatically locked a stern gaze on the figure beside him.

What would I like to start with? Maybe plucking out his eyes and feeding it to him... but I’d have to give him a reason to beg for his life—perhaps a win.

While Remo went over the details of a suitable punishment in his head, Nolan walked up to where he stood, backing him completely and facing Giovanni.

I’ll crush that pathetic pride—perhaps I’ll feed his—

"How much?"

The question was intended from him, and it was from Nolan. The fucking nerves he had to address him in a manner as though they were equals. From the way his eyes danced over Remo’s features, it was clear that he was already sizing up a befitting sum to get from the challenger.

And if there was anything that ever succeeded in riling Remo up, it was the idea that an opponent had of being able to overthrow him as an enemy.

The idea that they could win against him.

He would give it his all to crush that silly thought, and he would do that by giving him a reason to want to stay alive. And, well, the next move was obvious.

Having went over the details in his subconscious, Remo acknowledged him with a welcoming smile, squaring up his shoulders and beholding him with a demeaning gaze.

"Ten million dollars."

Precisely the same amount that he had demanded from Stella.

The expression that his face morphed into, on hearing the amount that was up for bet, was priceless. To Remo, it was like a treasure found in the usual complexity of the human being, except this particular human wasn’t worth the joy. What made him happy was his plan would come to fruition, precisely how he had thought it to be.

Nolan’s eyes lit up with endless possibilities swirling in their depths, it was almost palpable in the atmosphere. And then a broad, teeth revealing smile followed.

"Let’s get playing." He said with a tone laced with a challenge. He held out his hand toward Remo, awaiting a handshake, of which Remo gave leisurely, his eyes never leaving his.

"Let’s get playing." He had no fear of making his intentions hidden, if anything, it all reflected in his mannerism and even the way in which he spoke. But Nolan had been so blinded by the prize that the cunning aura about him went completely over his head.

The moment Remo released his hand, almost automatically, Nolan turned back in the direction of the table he had been called from moments ago and began to trot forward. Remo, about to get in line, was stopped short when Giovanni caught his arm in a tight grip, causing him to jerk to a halt.

"Whatever you have to do, please, take it outside my establishment. It’ll ruin business." The senile young man donned a quirky smile as he met the humored but clearly admiring gaze of Remo turning over his shoulder to acknowledge his warning.

"You must know, sir Desupe, that it takes a great lot for one to get a compliment from a man such as myself. But in just one night, you have managed to earn it."

"I am extremely honored, sir..."

"Alfonso."

Giovanni registered his name with a nod. "I’ll keep my ears peeled for such a name in the streets." And with that, he let go of his arm, sending over a bunch of his staff to make certain the table was able to ensure his comfort.

Although the game had been one of clean strategy and legal handling, Remo could not help but admit that the bastard was truly a skilled player. It made him wonder how much time in his life he’d sacrificed to learn something as trivial as picking and turning a bunch of cards on the table. It was clearly a game of luck, of whom one person or another was dealt a fair hand during intervals in time, but the fool had gone ahead of himself, thinking he was a master of strategy and foresight.

It was a truly hopeless sight to behold.

You should count yourself lucky that you’ll be dying from the hands of a Quinn.

While he worked in his subconscious, he saw Nolan leap from his seat with a sudden swift reaction that it almost caused the table to turn over. The guards lunged forward, gripping the edges at each side where Remo sat, in order to prevent the structure from crashing down.

"I take it you were dealt a fair hand," Remo said coolly, his legs still crossed and his left hand resting securely on his cane.

"Fair hand?! I fucking won. This ain’t shit about fair hand, it’s my talent."

Truly, utterly hopeless.