Agostini couldn’t stand much more of that. He cut across the old man and told Princess, “I’ve taken over the club. It’s mine now, all of it. The staff all work for me now, so that will include you.”
Almost like a reflex she said, “I’m not working for you.”
Evenly, Agostini told her, “As of last night, Ms. Grace, all of the staff work for me.”
“But I don’t get paid.” She stuck out her chin. And her chest. He got a rise out of that.
“Then may I tell you without reservation that, whatever may come to light in your performance reviews, your contribution is very cost-effective and your work represents great value for money. I only wish that Hotsteppa’s had more employees like you.”
“No.” She almost stamped her foot. With a little color in her cheeks and a spark in her eye, she was suddenly way more attractive. “I am not going to work for you. Not at any price, and certainly not for free.”
“You would if your daddy said you had to, though, right?”
“Well…” Her brow wrinkled while her eyes narrowed and danced uncertainly from Agostini to Grace and back again.
“So,” Agostini snapped at Tobin, “tell her.”
He began to mumble, “Princess, sweetheart, it’s just the way forward—at least for now. We’ll need to work with Mr. Agostini…”
Agostini cut him off again. “Okay, Princess? You got it?”
“No. Daddy, tell him.”
Agostini had had enough. He said, “Yes, Daddy, tell the nasty man that even though you owe money all over town and you’re so far underwater the bubbles have stopped, that you’ve got some magic beans concealed about your person that are just going to turn all of your creditors into happy cherubs and butterflies.”
He waited. “No? Okay, then. Listen up, both of you.” He looked hard from the girl to her father and back. “I’m your knight in shining armor. All the games and syndicates and the suppliers that the club owes, and that you personally owe money to, are all going to be happy and quiet and keep on supplying you, and they aren’t even going to break your head, not even a little bit, and all that you have to do is to let someone who understands business take charge—namely me—and give up on the illusion that this club belongs to you, when for the past year at least, it has been wholly owned by Affiliated Catering Supplies, Liq-R 2 Go, the landlord, and, most of all, Fat Tony.”
Princess clenched her teeth and her pulse rose as she listened. She didn’t care who this big-shot Wall Street Mafioso was, nor how desperately hot he made her by being near. He couldn’t just walk in and take Hosteppa’s away from Daddy and her.
The fire that his presence lit in the core of her was a maddening distraction, but she ignored it as much as she could. The hard line of his jaw and the strong hint of a powerful muscular frame under the tailored suit weren’t reasons to give in to his ridiculous demands. She glared at him as hard as she could.
He said, “Shouldn’t be so much of a surprise, Princess. Your daddy’s been gambling like a fool. Hanging paper all over town. Haven’t you, Mr. Grace?”
Her father’s face sagged.
“It’s going to be hard for him at first, getting used to doing what he’s told.” Agostini’s teeth flashed as he grinned. “That’s where you’re going to help, Princess.”
Princess narrowed her eyes at him. The trouble was, whenever his eyes flashed at her, watery tremors ran down the insides of her thighs and her knees weakened. He said, “You two are going to work with me, and you’ll do it with energy and enthusiasm.”
Her jaw tightened and jutted. She looked hard, right into the light of his hard blue eyes. “You can’t make us do any of that, Mr. Agostini, and I’m sure you know it.”
His voice was soft and low as he said, “I wouldn’t have said it if I couldn’t. You don’t want me to show you how I can do that.”
“You can’t just come in here and take this club away from my daddy, the man who built it out of nothing.”
He took a step toward her and all her breath left her. A dull shock pounded through her as his eyes locked with hers and he said, “I can take what I want. I can and I do.”
Her father’s eyebrows pointed as he said, “Let’s work with him, Princess.”
She looked from one man to the other. Why her father wouldn’t stand up to Pierce Agostini she couldn’t understand, but if he wouldn’t do it, then she would. Firmly she said, “No.”
Agostini turned his head to her. “Final answer?”
Her body shook. “Final answer.”
“Not the choice I would have made for you, but okay. Here’s how it will be. Mr. Grace,” Agostini reached out and took Princess’ arm, “I’ll take Princess. I won’t hurt her while you do what I need in the club, and I won’t hurt you as long as she behaves herself in my custody.”
She pulled , tried to yank her arm back, but his grip was much too strong for her.
In a panic, sensations flew through her. Alarming sensations, but thrilling, too. Maybe alarming because they were so very thrilling. Then he spun her, grabbed her waist from behind, and lifted her like a rug.
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