My teeth sank into my lower lip, my mind churning. Despite the expectant look on her face as she peered up at me from behind her coffee mug, I didn’t give her an answer immediately.
Serving drinks, I could do. Serving drinks to horny men at a strip club? I didn’t know what that would be like, but I could give it a try.
Drinks were drinks, I supposed. Money was money, and work was work. The least I could do was ask for a little more information. Then I could decide.
Chapter 5
Marco
“Welcome to Florence, gentlemen.” I stepped forward to clasp Edward’s hand first. “I trust you had a good flight.”
“Excellent,” Edward said, releasing my hand to motion toward the lobby of the hotel I was putting them up in. “Thank you for making arrangements for our accommodation. It is much appreciated.”
“Of course.” I inclined my head in acknowledgment before greeting the rest of his guys. “If there’s anything that you need during your stay, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”
“We will do that, thank you,” Edward said as he clapped a hand down on my shoulder. “So what have you got planned for this celebration?”
“I thought we could start with dinner first. There’s an award-winning restaurant on the river I think you will love. It’s got some of the best views in the city.”
The men agreed, following me to the waiting limo I’d rented for the evening. There was some cheering when they climbed in to find French champagne chilling beside some beers. We weren’t even on the road yet before the drinks were flowing and they passed flutes around.
Edward was in the seat next to mine, holding up his glass for me to clink against it. “I’m glad we have the opportunity to get to know one another better. The company means a lot to my family. I am sure that together, you and I will make it into a great success.”
“I agree.” I lifted my glass to his. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.” He drank deeply and smacked his lips as he swallowed. “Let’s agree not to talk business tonight. It is a celebration, no?”
“It is indeed.” I settled back in my seat and carried on a lighthearted conversation with him all the way to the restaurant.
It was situated on the top floor of one of the remodeled Renaissance-style buildings in the city, offering three-hundred-and-sixty degree views of Florence at night. The interior was lit by soft light, and judging from the reaction of my new colleagues, I’d picked the right place.
They seemed sufficiently impressed with the start of our evening together and were buzzing in anticipation of what would come next. I had booked a large table near the window for our party, and as soon as everyone was seated, a waiter appeared with menus.
The guys settled in happily, ordering drinks and shots while I took care of selecting a variety of appetizers. Once the drinks came, one of Edward’s men, a short, bald guy who went by Joe, raised his tiny glass of tequila into the air.
“To Marco Ricci. Thank you for arranging a night we hope we won’t remember and the opportunity to experience a city we will never forget.” His obsidian-black eyes slid to the guy sitting next to him. “Did I get that right?”
I chuckled, nodding when he looked back at me. “I believe so. You’re welcome, gentlemen. Thank you for coming all the way over here to celebrate with me.”
I tossed the tequila back and tapped the glass on the table when I was done. Our appetizers were delivered shortly after and we got down to the business of eating, drinking, and being merry. Contrary to what I’d expected, I soon found myself enjoying the evening.
It was going to cost me a fortune, but it was worth it. By the time they went back to Shanghai, they would know and trust me. I needed them to. There were some changes I would have to make to the shipping line they might not love at first. A good relationship with them would help me push them through.
Since I’d promised Edward we wouldn’t discuss business tonight, I banished even those thoughts of it and laughed as one of his guys told a joke.
Dinner was winding to an end when Joe sat forward again, catching my eye as he cleared his throat. “I’m glad we took your deal in the end. We came close to walking away from it, you know? If you hadn’t come into the room when you did, we might not have been here right now.”
“To be honest, my lawyer warned me against going. I’m just happy nobody got offended when I joined. I know it’s not customary for someone new to enter negotiations so late in the game.”
Edward chuckled, shrugging his narrow shoulders. “It was out of character, yes, but speaking to you over the phone and then in person, I knew you were the new owner the company needed. You have one hell of a reputation, my friend.”
“I promise all the bad things you’ve heard are true,” I joked, then let my expression grow serious again. “It all worked out for the best in the end. As happy as you are to have me is as happy as I am that you let the company go to me. I’ve looked into several shipping lines like yours over the years, but none of them were the right fit.”
Another round of tequila was ordered and passed around. We didn’t talk business as such, but we were definitely inching closer to it.
The guys were all interested in knowing more about how my company operated and how our relationship would work, while I gained more insight into the way they were being operated now.
Okay, so maybe we are talking business.
Edward sighed beside me and dragged his hands over his smoothly shaven face. “This is getting out of hand. We have plenty of time in the coming days to have these discussions.”
“What do you suggest we do about it then?” I was genuinely curious.
Having this conversation while everyone was drinking probably wasn’t a good idea anyway. It had started organically enough, and it was all information I needed, but I recognized it wasn’t the best time. “Is there anything we can do to distract them?”
His eyes flashed as his lips curved into a smirk. “That depends. Are there any strip clubs around here?”
“Yes.” I frowned but schooled my expression before he noticed it. “There’s one not too far away from here actually. It’s very exclusive.”
I hadn’t ever been there myself, but I knew about it. Strip clubs had never been very high on the list of places I liked to frequent, and I wouldn’t go alone anyway.
Edward, however, was suddenly ready to go. “Lead the way then, Ricci. Gentlemen, eat up. The real party is finally about to start.”
Their excitement was obvious when he told them where we were going and it mounted all the way there. Meanwhile, I quietly resigned myself to the abrupt change of plans for the evening.
Maybe it wasn’t such a big change at the end of the day. The club I’d planned on taking them to after dinner also offered dancing and women that tended to be scantily clad. Sure, they weren’t naked, but a lot of them might as well have been.
I was tempted to call Aldo so I’d have some company but decided against it. I’d buy the guys lap dances or whatever it was they wanted and find myself a corner to drink in until they were done. Maybe the mood of the place would drag me in when we got there and I’d even indulge in a lap dance for myself as well.
I doubted it, but stranger things had happened. I just didn’t understand the allure of being turned on in a place where nothing could be done about it, only to have to go home to rub one out alone later anyway. It seemed a little pointless.
The guys around me didn’t seem to agree. They spilled out of the limo when we arrived and eagerly waited for me to make the necessary arrangements for us to be allowed entry.
As soon as we stepped into the wide-open space on the inside with its pulsing music and colored lights, I all but lost track of them. They scattered toward different sections of the stage where a couple of girls were engaged in their performances.
I reached up to loosen my tie and sighed as I headed to the bar. I’d barely found an open seat when a woman carrying a tray of drinks slammed it down on t
he bar counter beside me. She didn’t even seem to notice me, though.
Blonde hair fell in curtains around her face as she hung her head and breathed deeply but erratically. Her hair shone in the low, bluish light running along the bar and shifted as she shook her head.
In her black leather miniskirt and a crop top, her curves were on almost full display. In my opinion, she was much sexier than the women currently dancing around the stage.
Miles of smooth, toned skin practically glowed. Her ass swayed a little as she moved to tuck her hair behind her ears, and my hands suddenly itched to reach for it.
I wouldn’t ever grope a woman, but damn, if I didn’t want to run my fingers along every curvy inch of her hourglass figure. Her head lifted, but she didn’t turn it toward me. From this new angle, though, I could make out some of her facial features.
It turned out she didn’t only have a body made for sin and sex but also the face of an angel. Her cheekbones were high and her nose was straight as an arrow, yet as statuesque as those features could have been, they were too soft to be described that way.
Long, dark lashes framed oval-shaped eyes that appeared to be a deep shade of blue, but I couldn’t be absolutely sure. Her lips were pink and plump, only a little shiny as she pursed them into a perfect bow.
Fuck. I breathed through the temptation to touch her again, but my mind was rapidly dreaming up fantasies that weren’t helpful to my cause or my cock at all.
She really was beautiful. She also seemed really fucking annoyed about something. As if she’d heard my thoughts or felt my eyes burning through the first layer of her skin, her gaze suddenly snapped to mine.
It was filled with both fire and ice, a raging firestorm fueled by snow instead of oxygen. I knew it was technically impossible, but with the way those eyes were cutting me down and setting me on fire all at the same time, it was the only analogy that made sense.
Chapter 6
Addy
“Are you sure my ass cheeks aren’t hanging out? The skirt barely qualifies as a belt.” I turned to look at my back in the mirror and was surprised to find that Elena was right. The scrap of leather really covered my ass. “If I even think about bending over, whoever is behind me is going to get one hell of a show, though.”
“Girl, with how sexy you look in that outfit, the last thing you need to be worried about is a show.” Elena smirked from the mirror beside mine. “There are a lot of other things guys are going to want from you if they catch you bending over.”
“If they try getting any of those things, I will snap their dicks off with my bare hands.” I faced forward again and tried to tug the hemline of the top down, to no avail. “Fuck. I’m not sure this was such a good idea. I’m really uncomfortable.”
“Yeah, but you’re going to be able to pay rent. That outfit is a lot more comfortable than homelessness.” She brushed powder over her nose with a baby blue powder puff, slicked some gloss over her lips, and fluffed her hair. “You’re going to make a lot of money here tonight, Addy. All the businessmen come in on Fridays and they’re great tippers. Just keep your chin up, okay?”
I pulled my shoulders back and nodded at my reflection. “Yeah, okay. It’s not my chin I’m worried about keeping up, though. It’s the impression that I actually want to be here.”
“Girl, no one who works here really wants to be here.” She laughed as she stood up on her stilettos. “Actually, that’s not true. A lot of us really enjoy it. Once you get past the preconceived ideas about working in a club like this, it’s really not so bad.”
A retort burned the tip of my tongue, but I held it back. Elena had gone out on a limb to get me this job and I didn’t want to insult her or anyone else here. Plus, I did have preconceived notions about working here. I couldn’t be one hundred percent sure it wasn’t those clouding my judgment.
Well, okay, the skimpy leather outfit might have played right into those preconceived ideas and might also be adding a few clouds. But I can handle it.
Bitching about it wasn’t going to get me anywhere. So I sucked it up, grabbed the tray Elena held out to me, and headed out of the dressing room.
The club was still relatively quiet, but even as I walked to the bar to get instructions, I saw more and more customers walking in. Soon enough, men and a few women crowded the place, the lights low and the music loud.
Serving drinks wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. At first anyway.
As the place filled up and the copious amounts of alcohol I was carrying out to my tables started kicking in, more of my preconceived ideas became reality. I was groped, grabbed at, pulled into laps, and had to put up with more than my fair share of lewd and suggestive comments.
None of them were even creative, funny or punny comments. There was no way to laugh, giggle, or flirt my way out of having to respond to them. I tried to decline politely, really I did, but there were only so many times I could tell a guy I didn’t want to make some extra money by letting him put his dick inside me before politeness fled and hitched a ride to the goddamn moon.
Rudeness took its place, and if I didn’t do something to rein myself in, one of my customers was going to complain about my behavior. The last thing I needed was to get fired again. This might not have been my dream job, but getting fired had sucked, and it wasn’t an experience I was dying to repeat.
Another man grabbed my ass as I made my way back to the dressing room, and frustration exploded in my stomach. It sent tremors through my hands and made them itch to punch the guy. Kyle had taught me how to throw a decent punch. I was pretty sure I would have been able to whack the lascivious smirk right off his ugly fucking face.
No, Addy. Get it together. You are not getting fired tonight. Repeat: no getting fired.
I growled into the smoky, loud semi-darkness of the club and gave up on making it all the way to the dressing room. There was a smaller, quieter bar that ran along the wall I was closest to. It was darker there, too.
Making a beeline for the corner, I dropped my tray on the counter and hid my face behind my hair so I wouldn’t have to explain the undoubtedly murderous expression I was wearing. My hands still shook and my breaths were shuddering.
Fucking motherfucking horny pigs. Didn’t their mothers teach them any goddamn manners? How do they not know that it’s un-fucking-acceptable to touch someone without their consent?
I forced air into my lungs and curled and uncurled my fingers to get my hands to stop shaking.
“Are you okay?” a deep, smooth masculine voice asked.
My head whipped up, a go-fuck-yourself scowl already in place. “Do I look okay?”
The words were out before my eyes adjusted again. By the time they did, I realized that I might have just snapped at the hottest guy in the club. He was sitting in the corner, nursing a drink in a short, wide glass.
Where he was, it was difficult to make out the exact color of his eyes, but they were dark. He shifted forward and into a shaft of bluish light from the bar, and suddenly, I could see that there was so much more than darkness to them.
They were a vibrant, almost golden shade of brown. Light and darkness seemed to swirl in them. Amusement and irritation, if someone forced me to venture a guess. His hair wasn’t as dark as I’d first thought either.
It was a light brown with streaks that ventured more to the milk-chocolate side. He kept it shorter at the sides than at the top but not styled in that douchey, sweeping fringe kind of way.
There was no scruff on his strong jaw, but he had a five o’clock shadow that hinted at a slight scrape if I were to touch it. I wouldn’t, but for some reason, I really wanted to.
Great. Now I’m even starting to think like the horny asspigs who want to touch something that’s not theirs to touch.
He lifted his chin slightly, a frown tugging his dark eyebrows together as he watched me. He lifted big, long-fingered hands and showed me his palms. “Don’t look at me like that. All I did was ask if you’re okay. Because no, you don’t lo
ok it.”
I sighed and let my scowl melt away. This guy didn’t look like he was about to grab my butt, at least. “I’m sorry. I just needed a break from all the groping. I thought you were about to pull me into your lap or something.”
That same amusement I’d spotted in his gaze earlier flashed again as he shook his head. “No, that’s not really my thing.”
“What is your thing then? You come to strip clubs to sit in a dark corner and watch from afar? Kind of like a voyeur.”
His full lips rose into a sexy smirk, and he shook his head again. “Nope. Wrong again. Strip clubs as a whole aren’t really my thing. That’s why I’m sitting here. I can’t leave, but I don’t really want to stay. It’s all a bit tacky if you ask me.”
Before I could respond, the smirk vanished, and his eyes widened for a fraction of a second. “Not that you’re tacky. I’m sorry. I know this is your job. I didn’t mean to sound condescending.”
“You did sound condescending, but it’s fine. You don’t need to apologize. I agree. It is tacky, but so are a lot of things that people like.”
“True.” He lifted his glass to take a sip of the amber liquid inside, then propped his elbow on the counter and held the glass between his fingers. “I’m Marco.”
“Addy.” I probably shouldn’t have given him my real name but whatever. I wasn’t getting a creep vibe from him, and if he didn’t frequent the club, it wasn’t likely I was going to see him again anyway. He probably wouldn’t even remember my name by the morning. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It is?” He cocked his head. “How do you know?”
“It’s nice to run into a man here who isn’t handsy and horny.”
“How do you know I’m not horny?” he asked, but the corners of his mouth rose despite the fact that he was obviously trying to hide his grin.
Despite how shitty my evening had been this far, I laughed at his joke. “At least you seem to be content to get handsy with yourself later if you are.”
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