by Jessica Hope
The three men nodded, and Vlad stared at them. “Do not let sales drop because of this,” he warned softly. “Or I promise that you will not like the consequences.”
“We have a handle on our district, and we have ears in every corner. Nothing will happen without you knowing it,” his man assured him.
Vlad nodded. “That is all,” he dismissed.
The door opened and Danny walked in. He shot a few uneasy looks at the three men as they left.
“Must you hold these meetings while the employees are still here?’ he whined.
“I feel like retiring early tonight,” Vlad said as he watched the men exit out the front. Although he didn’t like the employees seeing them, he didn’t want them going out the back. That implied that he had something to hide, and as often as the men “hosted” VIP parties, the employees had no reason to think they were anything other than Vlad’s friends.
“You are obsessed with the new girl, and she’s only been here for one night.” Danny didn’t mince words as he glared at Vlad. “You need to leave her alone.”
“Why?” Vlad said lazily. “She’s quite beautiful isn’t she? And when she’s angry or unnerved, she has quite the sharp tongue. I’m enchanted.”
“She’s also as straight-laced as they come. Unlike everyone else who works here, she has a clean record. If she sees what really goes on in this club, she’ll go straight to the police.”
Vlad shrugged as he turned around. “Then don’t let her see anything. Honestly, Danny. You make it seem like a bad thing that I’ve hired someone with morals. I think you’ve spent too much time around me. You’ve forgotten how to run a reputable business.”
“That’s because I don’t run a reputable business,” Danny snapped. “And neither do you. What the hell is wrong with you?”
Vlad sighed. “I don’t know. I feel bored? Lonely? Old? All of the above? I just need something different in my life, Danny.”
“Then find someone outside the club to play with. Honestly, it’s like dealing with a teenager,” he muttered.
Vlad laughed. “I suppose you’re right. Melinda will be dangerous.” His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he took it out and stared at it. “Excuse me, Danny. I need to take this.”
Danny frowned. “Gordo?”
“No. Harry Hawthorne.”
Danny’s eyes widened. “Why the fuck is Harry Hawthorne calling you?”
Vlad pressed the answer button. “One moment please,” he said before he hit the mute button. “Stephen killed his father, and I intend to prove it. Legally.”
“Jesus, Vlad. A private investigator? You really are playing with fire.”
“He has no delusions about my business, and he owes me a favor. Do not worry on my behalf, Danny. Finish up and go home. You have circles under your eyes.”
“Because I have to drink straight out of the bottle when I deal with you. You’ve turned me into an alcoholic,” the small man said as he rolled his eyes and flounced out of the room.
Vlad smiled. Danny was, oddly enough, his best friend. He didn’t know what he would do without him. “Petrovich speaking.”
“Vlad. Imagine my surprise when I heard from you,” a dark voice said over the phone.
“My. Hawthorne. It’s a pleasure. I have a task I require some assistance with.” Vlad smiled when his request was met with silence. When men thought twice before doing business with him, it meant that he was doing something right.
But Harry owed him, and he knew it. “How can I help you?” he said with a sigh.
“Not over the phone. Are you available for lunch tomorrow?” The investigator was, and Vlad made plans to meet him before hanging up. He wasn’t lying to Danny. He did want to go to bed early. He’d had the most erotic dreams of a certain dark beauty, and he was hoping for a repeat tonight. He knew he couldn’t have the real thing, but nothing was going to stop him from fantasizing.
Chapter Four
“I’m going to get fat if you keep making me breakfast,” Melinda grumbled, but she dove into her pancakes with gusto.
Tori smiled at her over her coffee. “You don’t look like your complaining. We’re celebrating the success of your first night!”
“Yesterday morning we were celebrating the success of me having orientation and signing a W2 again. The morning before that it was because I formally accepted the position, and of course before that it was because I was offered the position. What’s tomorrow going to be?”
“Tomorrow we’re going to celebrate the fact that I didn’t kill you because you complained that I cooked you breakfast,” she said with narrow eyes.
“All right, all right,” Melinda laughed. “Thank you. You’re the best.”
“So, tell me about last night. Did you break up any bar fights? Stop a couple from having dirty sex in the bathroom? Sneak a few shots when no one was looking?”
Melinda rolled her eyes. “Why can’t you ever imagine non-dirty things?” “Because then I would be no fun.”
She conceded that point. “It looks like absolute chaos, but Seven runs like a well-oiled machine. Vlad and Danny rule over that club with an iron fist. Nobody sneezes without one of them knowing about it. And it’s kind of a relief. It’s a little less stressful to know that I won’t have to do their job and mine, but at the same time, it’s incredibly intimidating. I have to find a way to make myself fit in this place that seems to run smoothly without me.”
Tori cocked her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard anything after Vlad. Did you just call one of the wealthiest men in the city by his first name?”
Melinda flushed. “I met him last night. And you’re right. I need to refer to him as Mr. Petrovich. Danny just referred to him as Vlad, but that’s not professional at all. I mean, it’s professional for him because they’ve probably known each other for years, but it’s not professional for me.”
“My. God.”
She looked up and stared at her friend. “What.”
Tori slowly put her coffee down. “You’re babbling. You only do that when you’re nervous or excited. Does Vlad Petrovich make you nervous or excited?”
“Nervous. He’s very difficult to pin down. One minute he’s casual and even playful or flirting, and the next he’s intense and almost dangerous.”
Her roommate snorted. “You’re not fooling anyone. Vlad Petrovich is downright sexy, and you are turned on by him.”
Melinda blew out her breath. She was so turned on by him that she was wet last night just thinking of him. If it were anyone else but Tori, she’d be completely embarrassed by this situation. “The pictures do not do him justice, Tori. He’s downright yummy. But there is something different about him. I can’t quite put my finger on it. I don’t know whether to jump his bones or run away screaming from him.” She looked at her friend imploringly. “It’s almost enough to make me quit. It’s not healthy to have such oddly intense feelings for your boss.”
“No, it’s not. But I’m sure the novelty of having Vlad Petrovich as your boss will wear off, and things will be normal. Don’t sleep with him though. And don’t run away screaming unless he’s trying to kill you. Just find a healthy middle ground, and you’ll be fine.”
Melinda nodded. A middle ground. That made sense. Why didn’t she think of that? Vlad Petrovich was her boss. He wasn’t a potential lover or boyfriend, so she just needed to treat him professionally, and soon she’ll forget all about this silly little crush.
***
She didn’t see him for two weeks. Her training was over, and it almost felt like Danny tossed her into the shark-infested waters to see if she’d swim, sink, or draw blood.
She swam, which surprised them both. The bartending team accepted her almost without question. Several of the females took their time warming up to her, and one in particular, Chelsea, was still a bit hostile, but Danny warned her that Chelsea always thought she was in the position to be the next bar manager. So she was a little pissed off when Danny brought someone new in.
The two guys pumped their fists in the air, excited to start their closing work. She used her key to open up the register and pull out the money when two customers in the corner caught her eye. She watched as they exchanged money and then a small plastic bag. Alarmed, she moved her hand down to push the button on her headset and alert someone when she caught Danny’s eye. He was staring at her. Was he waiting to see if she was going to report it?
As she reached up to touch her earpiece, he shook his head. She frowned at him and darted her eyes back to the corner, but the two guys were already gone.
“Everything okay?” Danny asked conversationally as he made his way to her.
“I thought I saw an exchange of money and what looked like drugs. Mr. Petrovich said I was supposed to alert someone if I saw anything that could lead to violence,” she explained.
The small man shrugged. “That’s true, but we can’t control all the movements of our customers. It’s highly unlikely that someone would openly handle a drug deal in the club, so I’m sure whatever it was, drugs weren’t at play. So long as you don’t see any weapons or threatening words exchanged or physical shoving, don’t worry about it.”
He seemed to directly contrast what Vlad had told her, but what could she do? Danny was right. She didn’t know for sure that it was drugs, and it seemed wrong to get someone in trouble just on pure conjecture. “Right. Sorry,” she said.
“Don’t apologize,” he said soothingly. “You’re doing a fantastic job. And you’ve only got two more hours before you go home. Keep up the good work!”
He patted her on the back and slipped out of the bar, disappearing into the crowd. She blew out of her breath. Two more hours? She wasn’t sure how much she could take of the loud music and the pain in her feet, but at least he thought she was doing a good job.
***
Another week passed. She exchanged the sexy heels for more comfortable shoes and began to feel more at home in her job. As she moved across the bar to handle a guest complaint in section two, she felt someone staring at her. Without hesitation, she glanced up.
Vlad was standing in the VIP section and his eyes were trained on her.
“Shit,” she murmured. It was the first time she’d seen him since he gave her a tour of the facilities. As if he read her lips, he smiled.
“Is there a problem, Melinda?” She jumped when his voice came over the headset. Nervously, she glanced around to see if anyone reacted to his words. “Don’t worry. It’s just sent to your channel. No one else is hearing this.”
A private conversation? That seemed dangerous. She went to push the button and talk to him, but his voice cut her off. “Don’t do that. Your headset is still set to broadcast to everyone. Simply nod or shake your head. Is there a problem?”
She forced herself not to show her disgust. It seemed almost medieval that he could talk all he wanted, and she was reduced to head gestures. She shook her head and moved through the crowd. “You’re upset with me,” he murmured.
Glancing back up, she shook her head again. Of course she was upset with him, but it was nothing he did. She was upset that she hadn’t seen him in two weeks. Part of her felt neglected, like he’d given her the brush off. But that wasn’t how she was supposed to act with her boss.
He chuckled in her ear. “I’ve neglected you. I can see that. But you’re doing so well here.”
This time she ignored him as she made her way to the bar. The bartender, Joey, pulled her aside. “The guy sitting in front of the taps in the red has had way too much to drink. I don’t want to embarrass him because he’s a regular here, but we can’t keep serving him.”
And she had to take care of that? Melinda nodded her head. She didn’t want to look incompetent when Vlad was watching. “I’m excited to watch you work.”
She yanked the earpiece out of her ear. She’d never be able to calm the belligerent man down if she had her boss crooning in her ear with that sexy accent of his. She looked up to see him laughing at her. At least he wasn’t upset.
“Hi,” she smiled as she wedged herself in-between a bar guest and the guy in red. “I’m Melinda. I’m the bar manager on tonight.”
“Good. This fucker won’t serve me anymore,” he hissed. His face was red, and he was sweating profusely. He was definitely over his limit.
“I’ll have a talk with Joey a little later tonight,” she said smoothly.
He eyed her up and down in disgust. “You must be new here. Do you have any idea who I am? I’m in here at least once a fucking week. This is ridiculous.”
Melinda nodded. “I agree. You look a little bit warm.”
“I’m hot as fuck,” he snapped.
She frowned. “Why don’t we go somewhere a bit cooler? Then I can hear you better.” She pulled at her shirt, and he noticed. This was going to be easier than she thought. “I’m pretty hot myself.”
He nodded and let her lead him towards the patio. Once outside, the cool air immediately calmed him down. “You’re right, I am new. What’s your name?”
“Tony Bramble,” he grunted. His eyes immediately lowered to her chest.
“Tony. It’s such a pleasure to meet you. I know Joey cut you off, but he was concerned that you might not be feeling well. It is warm in there, and you were sweating.” She smiled at him and pressed a hand to his forehead. “I think you might be running a fever.”
He leaned into her touch. “You make me so hot,” he whispered.
Just then, the doors burst open and Vlad strolled out with two men. “Melinda. I didn’t know you were out here. Is everything okay?”
She swiveled her head in surprise. Of course he knew she was out here. He’d been watching her every move. “I’m fine. Mr. Bramble here isn’t feeling very well. I was just making sure he was okay.”
Vlad nodded. “Tony. Is that true?”
Melinda froze. She didn’t want to get Joey in trouble, but the drunk man bobbed his head furiously.
“Running a fever,” he grunted.
“I’m so sorry to hear that, Tony. My men will call you a cab and see that you get safely home. If you’d like, I can make arrangements to have your car delivered to you in the morning.”
“Thank you, Mr. Petrovich,” he said sullenly as the other two men led him away.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Vlad hissed when Tony was out of hearing distance.
Melinda looked at him in surprise.
“What did I do wrong? Joey said he was a regular. We didn’t want to embarrass him by making a scene. I figured the cool air would calm him down, and he seemed into me, so that made things easier.” Why was he so angry?
“There are no guards out here in the fall,” Vlad hissed. “You don’t go anywhere that I don’t have eyes and ears. It’s for your own safety. Do you understand me?”
“I’m sorry Mr. Petrovich,” she muttered.
“Don’t do it again. Inside. Now,” he growled angrily.
There was a stormy darkness in his eyes, and she didn’t need to be told twice. She spun on her heels and headed for the doors. “Put you damn earpiece back in,” he snapped.
She turned her head and stared at him. “I’m still getting used to how everything works. Please refrain from distracting me,’ she said coldly. Her heart pounded loudly as they stood there. She’d practically told her boss to go to hell, and he had every right to fire her.
“I apologize,” he finally said softly. “Please get back to work.”
She felt like she’d won that round as she entered the building, but she was confused. She barely knew this man, and he was her boss. Why were they fighting?
Ch
apter Five
“He’s going to be perfect for you,” Tori said with a smile.
Melinda rolled her eyes. It was her day off, and all she wanted to do was sit and relax all day. Tori, on the other hand, had other plans. “Remind me again why I’m doing this?”
“Because you love me. I really like Brett, but he’s so shy. I think this group date will finally be my chance to hit it off. And Josh is adorable.”
“I don’t want adorable,’ Melinda said as Tori finished pinning her hair. She looked over her shoulder into the mirror. “Damn, Tori. I look hot.”
“Of course you do. And you don’t know what you want, so shut up. Christ, it’s been so long since you’ve been on a date that you’ve forgotten how to get ready for one. Pucker your lips.” When Tori had asked her to get ready for the double date, Melinda had emerged in jeans and a t-shirt. Apparently, that wasn’t going to fly tonight. Melinda obediently puckered her lips, and Tori slathered a dark lipstick on her. “Now you’re sure it’s okay if we go to Seven?”
Melinda nodded. “I already cleared it with Danny. It’s my night off, and I’m allowed to come in and drink. Everyone else does it.”
Her friend clapped her hands giddily. “It’s been so long since I’ve been out! I’m so excited!”
“At least one of us is,” she said mockingly. When Tori shot her a dangerous look, she threw her hands up. “Okay, okay. I’m going to go and have the time of my life. Josh is going to be my Mr. Right, and we’re going to fall in love, have lots of hot sex, get married, and have super cute babies. We’re going to grow old and wrinkly together, and I’ll have you to thank for it.”
“That’s the spirit! Now I have every intention of bringing Brett back here for some mind-numbing sex, so maybe you should go to Josh’s tonight.”
Alarmed, Melinda shook her head. “Not a chance. I’ll wear some headphones if you get too loud.” “Maybe you’ll be having some loud sex of your own,” Tori teased. “Maybe.” By herself. While she fantasized about her boss.