“Wish we’d taken the limo,” Raul whispered in his ear as they sped down the highway.
“Why?”
“So I could close the privacy partition and show you just how much I like you in your clothes.”
Ji-Su blushed at the boldly sexual comment. But he came back with a bold statement of his own. “Your office at the casino is private.”
A wicked light shone in Raul’s eyes. “Indeed it is.”
They kept the conversation light for the rest of the ride.
When they approached the casino, Ji-Su stared out the window at it in admiration. The place was huge, its style clearly influenced by the southwest. The Grand Colorado resembled a large hacienda, but the hundreds of bright lights adorning the exterior made it clear it was a casino. They drove down a long, curving path lined with meticulously sculpted shrubbery to the front of the casino where Sam parked under a brightly lit portico. They stepped out and a doorman in black pants and shirt with a red bolo tie greeted them as he held open the shiny, gold framed glass front door.
“Good evening, Mr. Raul. Good evening, Mr. Ji-Su.”
Ji-Su said hello back, impressed that the man knew his name.
Inside, Ji-Su was immediately hit with bright lights and a cacophony of slot machines dinging and people cheering or groaning at the gaming tables. The western theme continued both in the decor and the staff uniforms. A large fountain with a rearing, white marble stallion at its center dominated the lobby and a mural of cowboys in chaps dancing what looked like the tango with women in long, ruffled skirts took up an entire wall.
The dealers were dressed similarly to the doorman, while the cocktail servers wore uniforms that were clearly designed to showcase their bodies. The women wore red and white patterned shirts beneath a tight, fitted fringed vest and a short, fringed skirt. A mini cowboy hat perched atop their heads completed the cowgirl look.
The men also had a fringed vest, but they wore pants with fringe down the side. The pants were so tight they looked as ifthey’d been painted on. And instead of the patterned shirt and hat, they had a snug T-shirt with a low V neckline and a red bandana jauntily tied around their throats.
“What do you think?” Raul asked.
“It’s amazing. I expected something small since this is Michigan, but it’s huge. As big and impressive as the casinos I saw in Vegas. And you run this place?”
Raul nodded. “I do. Along with a few smaller, private locations as well. But this is the main focus of the syndicate’s gambling arm.”
“What else does the syndicate do?”
“We’ll talk about that later.”
Ji-Su nodded, belatedly realizing this probably wasn’t the place for that conversation. He’d easily forgotten that the Sanguis Syndicate was a criminal organization. The topic hadn’t come up since the night they’d attended the ballet. And he still had a hard time imagining Raul as a criminal.
Raul began showing him around and introducing him to people. Everyone, from the floor managers to the dealers to the custodians, was polite and friendly as they greeted Ji-Su. But they spoke to Raul with a deference that made it clear he was the boss. Each person was pleased to be in Raul’s presence, whether he spoke to them at length or simply acknowledged them with a nod. Ji-Su had seen most of the ground level when one of the floor managers came up to them.
“Sir. Pardon me for interrupting, but there is a matter that requires your attention.”
“Give me a moment,” he said before turning to Ji-Su. “Will you be alright here for a few minutes?”
“Of course. Take your time.”
“Okay.” Raul raised a hand and gestured to summon one of the cocktail servers. She came over immediately, a friendly smile on her round, apple-cheeked face.
“Yes, Mr. Raul?”
“Please bring Ji-Su a drink and anything else he wants.”
“Yes, sir.” She bobbed the tiniest curtsy to Raul before turning to Ji-Su. “What would you like? Our screwdrivers and mojitos are both excellent.”
“I’d love to try those but I have a meeting soon so a Coke is fine.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back.”
After she left, Raul made to leave too. “I’ll be quick.” He dropped a kiss on Ji-Su’s temple then left with the manager.
Ji-Su was on his own. He didn’t mind waiting. And they still had about twenty minutes before he was scheduled to meet with Elaine so there was no rush. It didn’t take long for the cocktail server to return with his drink. She held up a protesting hand and laughed when he tried to tip her.