Page 33 of Hidden Ties (Made Men #11)

TWENTY-SEVEN

EVERY DAY AFTER

“ I can’t live like this, Sal!” Valerie slammed the pantry cabinet with a thud. While she was grateful her dream came true of Sal bringing in the groceries, he was stingy when it came to buying her candy and sweets, trying to help her with her addiction.

“I just bought those yesterday.” He nodded toward the empty box of MoonPies on the counter.

“Well, you had a few yourself,” she muttered in frustration.

Sal quickly corrected her. “Yeah. Two.”

She was about to burst into tears, when Sal wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. She had been waiting on pins and needles for a phone call for the last week, and her cravings were at an all-time high.

“You’re just stressed out, baby. Would you like me to fuck you again?”

“No—I mean, I do,” she quickly explained, trying to relax in his warm arms. “It’s just that it’s only been five minutes since the last time we did it, and then ten minutes before that. The last time we did it back-to-back like that, you wouldn’t let me touch you for two days.”

“Yeah, that might not be the best idea, then,” he agreed, remembering. You could tell even Sal couldn’t believe the predicament he had landed himself in by unlocking a secret nymphomaniac.

Placing a tender kiss on her forehead, he began to drag her out of the penthouse. “Come on; I think I might have something else to take your mind off it.”

“What is it?” she asked eagerly, strolling along beside him, hand in hand. She’d do just about anything to forget that she had resubmitted her game to Game Hookup with her updated characters.

“I think I found a new job for you to do here at the Casino Hotel in the meantime.”

Valerie almost couldn’t believe the suggestion; she’d tried and failed at multiple different jobs already. Sal couldn’t even find her a computer job underneath him, as she had almost driven him crazy. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I think this time, I finally found the perfect job for you. There’s absolutely no way you could fuck this one up.”

Yeah, right! Not even Valerie’s own mind was so sure. All she knew was that Sal was on a time crunch to find her a job that would keep her busy enough so he could spend time working for Lucca and less time fucking her.

Taking her to the elevator, Sal hit a series of buttons to take them to the casino without stopping. When the doors closed them inside, he pulled her in for a gentle kiss.

Valerie adored his kisses. Actually, she adored absolutely everything about him. He was sweet and kind, just like she had told Justic— erm Kent—those words were the best way to describe Sal once she got to know him. While she herself verged on sour and deranged.

Before him, she had lived inside video games; he, himself, inside a computer.

But when they left those worlds and entered their own reality that they were beginning to create together, it was no longer like the oil and water mixture they had at the start.

It had become that sweet spot where the moon met the ocean.

Parting her lips for his tongue to enter, she captured it appreciatively, turning his gentle kiss wild, much like she always did. When the elevator opened, he groaned before wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Valerie couldn’t help but smile to herself.

It was just another thing she had come to adore about him.

Sal loved showing the world that she was his, and while he did his best to keep his jealousy in check, she didn’t mind being reminded of the fact that she had fallen in love with a protective made man.

She especially loved it when it was The Great Salvatore who used his talent for her protection.

What can I say? Valerie couldn’t help it; she was weak for a man who wore glasses and sat behind a computer screen.

Besides, he had absolutely nothing to worry about. She would never want another man. Even the men she’d put in her video games were only for inspiration, as not a one could rival the diamond she had secured.

Plus … Maria was already taken.

“Did you ever decide what you want to do with our houses on Prairie Drive?” he asked, beginning to lead her through the busy casino after exiting the elevator. “We could always just topple them both and build one large home?”

“And show our faces in that neighborhood again?” Valerie scoffed at the thought. “Hell no. You burned the last bridge by stealing Katie’s car.”

Okay, so, Sal didn’t end up being Mister fucking Rogers, but it definitely wasn’t his fault why they couldn’t live there anymore.

The bridge had been first dosed in gasoline the night her ass had gotten arrested and she acted like she belonged in the looney bin.

Even with the charges against Valerie being officially dropped, and the real cyber attacker being revealed, the “figurative” bridge had actually burned to a crisp the day they got into a fight.

Her excessive honking down Prairie Drive as she flicked him off had every neighbor coming outside to join him.

And an awestruck Katie, who had spread the word that Sal had stolen her car, might not have done them any favors in being able to return, but—

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” he finally agreed, giving in to that fact. It was always better to just agree with Valerie on certain things that didn’t matter much anyway. It was actually something he was beginning to learn rather quickly. “You want me to sell them, then?”

“Sure, if you can get someone to buy my shit hole of a fire hazard house, that’d be great!”

That, Sal didn’t doubt. His home had been more or less the same in the wiring department. Thankfully, he had bought it to unplug himself from the outside world and had no intentions of looking at a computer screen there after sitting in front of one at work all day.

“I might know some people interested …” He laughed at the thought. Their new neighbors on both sides of the penthouse were beginning to loathe them.

Sal had absolutely no problem showing off who he was with behind closed doors now.

He had gone from the least laid made man to the most overnight, and every occupant on the top floor knew it.

They also had no plans to move out of the Casino Hotel anytime soon.

They were both perfectly content where they were in life, as each one of them was dedicated to their passions and work.

They also enjoyed the close proximity to his demanding job being right down the hall.

Not to mention, Valerie was beginning to enjoy the perks of living here as well.

She could visit him for a quickie anytime she wanted, and there were endless amounts of electricity and working outlets.

To top it all off, he was about to reveal possibly the biggest perk of all.

“Here we are,” Sal said, showing her his last hope of finding her a job at the Casino Hotel.

As she stared up at the sign, Valerie’s mouth dropped open. “How did I not realize the Casino Hotel had a gift shop?”

“Must’ve forgotten to mention it, I guess.” That definitely wasn’t true. Sal had always been sure to even take them the long way around it.

With her going inside and heading straight for the candy section, Sal couldn’t believe he didn’t think of this sooner.

This was the absolute perfect job for Valerie.

Her working here meant he no longer had to personally fund her snacking and sugar addiction; he could make Lucca pay for it through the Casino Hotel.

If Lucca wanted Valerie to have a job so badly after putting Chloe in her video game, then he was going to get it.

Hell, Lucca wanted him to get back to work, right?

He had barely gotten a thing done that didn’t involve screwing, and this was the only option left that would not only make his boss happy but meant his pant size could return to normal.

Keeping snacks and candy in his place was starting to come at a severe cost to more than just his wallet.

Valerie had an endless metabolism as one of her superpowers. He, however, did not.

Giving a wave to the kind young girl behind the cash register who had only just started working here herself, he began to worry a bit. “Winnie here is going to teach you everything you need to know. Do you think you’ll be okay?”

“Are you kidding? This is heaven!” she squealed with delight, going up to her toes to place a kiss on his lips after already cracking open a bag of Twizzlers. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, don’t thank me yet,” he muttered under his breath, glad he had already given Winnie his contact number in case this went south. “Let’s see how today goes.”

“But you said so yourself; there’s absolutely no way I could fuck this one up.”

“Right,” he said, giving her goodbye kiss on the lips. “I’m going to my office to try to get a few things done.”

“Okay. Love ya! Bye!” she said, not worried in the slightest, already inspecting what her new workplace had to offer in inventory.

Leaving her there, he threw up a quick prayer to God that she’d at least last a few hours, which might give him enough time for what he needed to take care of.

He was beginning to think his prayer was working, but then his phone lit up with a call from Winnie.

Fuck. He answered it only to say that he’d be right there. He’d wait until he was there to find out what she had done in person.

He made his own call on the way to the gift shop, as he had officially given up trying to work until Valerie sold her game. Once she did, she’d begin working on her new game, and then his life could go back to somewhat normalcy.

“I haven’t heard from you in a bit. How ya been, kid?” His old friend’s voice came over the line.

“Pretty good, but it sounds like you’re doing better than me these days.”

The happiness and carefree attitude was easily noticeable through the phone, along with the sound of the ocean.

“Oh, definitely,” his friend quickly assured him that he was currently living the life. “Cabo is great this time of year. You and Valerie should come take a trip down here.”

“Maybe soon.” At this rate, he’d be in Cabo tomorrow, and jobless.

Clearing his throat, Sal prepared himself to ask his request and the reason for the phone call.

“Listen, I’m wondering if you have anything on the company Game Hookup?

For some reason, they’re dragging their feet on offering Valerie a deal.

So, I’d like you to hurry them up, if it’s possible for you to do that from where you currently are. ”

“Sure, I could do that for you, kid, but can’t you do that yourself?” He laughed, knowing Sal’s secret firsthand of being The Great Salvatore.

“Yes, but I don’t want Valerie ever finding out I might have persuaded them into giving her a deal.

” She possessed the same skills he did, and there was no hiding anything from Valkyrie these days.

“We both know her game is better than anything they’ve brought to market in recent years, anyway.

I’m just hurrying them up to the inevitable. ”

“Ah, I understand. I’m sure I’ll have Bubblegum Blitz bought by the end of the day.”

Sal smiled, positive that would be the case. He had learned from the best, after all. “Thank you, Terry.”

“No problem, Sal. Take care of yourself.”

“You, too,” Sal told him before ending the call, positive he would do exactly that.

Terry was living better than anyone in the world; Sal always saw to that.

Giving the world to the man who had brought Dante Caruso to him was one of his greatest accomplishments in life.

If it weren’t for Terry being brave enough to ever call Dante in the first place, knowing it could have cost him his life if Lucifer had ever found out, Sal’s life wouldn’t be what it was today.

Hiding behind a screen could only take you so far in life; you had to also live it.

When he made it to the gift shop, Sal didn’t even have to ask, because he already saw the devastation. The only thing that was shocking was that Dante was there at the door, waiting for him.

“Sal, I’m not sure why you thought having her work here would ever be a good idea. She’ll fucking eat us out of business.”

“I’m not sure, either,” he agreed in defeat, seeing the full trash can of empty bags. “I’m sorry.”

“She might need to see a doctor.” Dante looked back at her for confirmation that she was still eating. “Or a psychiatrist.”

Sal had to admit she might have a small problem if Dante Caruso was telling her to see a shrink.

“Nadia has a few she works with for her charity; would you like her to send you some numbers?”

“That’s okay.” He waved him off, knowing all their problems would soon be solved. “So, what are you doing here?”

“Well, I was coming up to smoke a cigar in Lucca’s office”—with the story starting off with his own vice, Dante’s recommendation of seeking help sounded a bit less compelling—“when I decided to come check on Winnie. She’s been a part of Nadia’s youth outreach for a while, so I was just seeing how she was doing when I walked into this . ”

Sal had to admit that the barren walls Dante motioned toward did help put his case back on track.

“The poor girl tried to hold off on calling you, thinking Valerie would eventually stop eating the inventory, but I told Winnie that if she didn’t get your ass down here soon, she might start chewing through the walls next.”

“You can have her send the numbers,” Sal finally agreed.

“I think that might be wise, son.” Dante nodded before softening his voice from his stern one. “Love her, though, truly, but wise .”

He couldn’t help but notice his father figure had softened not only with time but with Nadia’s love. In fact, all the Caruso men had softened from their woman’s love, and Sal was no different.

In that moment, Sal couldn’t help himself as he brought Dante in for a hug.

“You okay?” Dante asked, surprised by the action.

“Yes,” he assured him with a laugh, and his eyes went misty. “I just never thanked you for the day you picked me up when my mother died.”

Dante wrapped his arms tightly around his son with his own tears forming in his icy gaze. “You never had to.”

“I know,” Sal told him, believing it. Dante had never asked him anything in return for his kindness.

Anything Sal did for him, including joining the family, had been of his own mind.

“But thank you. Thank you for that day and every day after. I’ll never be able to repay you for the wonderful life you have given me. ”

“And you’ll never have to,” Dante promised him. “Love you, son.”

Sal finally said the word he had never been able to say before. “Love you, too, Dad .”