Chapter 59
Chapter fifty-nine
Taking Care Of Business
Marco
By the time we get to Bella Donna, the girls are sufficiently buzzed in that way that even the slightest thing sets them off into hysterical laughter.
Meanwhile, I’m still buzzing with fury at what I walked in on.
Sebastian has switched into boss-mode, checking on the bar staff and making sure the muscle at the door has the most up-to-date guest list so only the people on it are granted access to the VIP area.
Even though we’re co-owners, Sebastian takes on more of the face-to-face operations, while I tend to keep things going in the background. Entertainment, security, vetting our new hires, and anything that makes sure we keep our name in the headlines for all the right reasons.
Having headed over a little earlier than the rest of the crowd, our group is the first in the VIP area, joined by a few of Luca’s friends.
The dark-haired one seems to be in an intense conversation with Stella, while the tall blond one looks utterly captivated by whatever Chiara is saying to him, grinning so big it looks like his face might split in two.
“I don’t know what the fuck she would be saying to him that’s so funny,” gripes Raf, who sits on the other side of the deep velvet couch I’ve made my resting spot thanks to its direct view of the bar and dance area nearby where Sophia and Evie are dancing to Trix’s set.
He takes another sip of his scotch, never taking his eyes off the pair.
“Anything that’s come out of her mouth so far has been more annoying than humorous. ”
I side-eye him, observing the way his hand flexes against the glass he’s holding and the tightness in his jaw. “Buddy, if I didn’t know better, I would think you’re jealous,” I say, goading him.
“Fuck off, man. She’s immature and the definition of trouble with a capital T.” He scoffs. “But I also don’t need to become collateral damage when her Mafia cousin comes for that poor fucker’s puppy dog eyes.”
“Uh-huh,” I laugh out. “Got it. But isn’t that what plausible deniability is for?”
Moments later, Chiara lifts onto her tippy-toes to whisper something into the ear of the guy who is now Raf’s archnemesis. Raf knocks back the rest of his drink and stands abruptly.
“I’m getting another; do you want one?” he asks.
I shake my head, rolling my lips to stop the amused smirk threatening to spread.
But as soon as my friend turns his back and strides towards the bar, I snicker as I watch him make a point of stepping between Chiara and the guy she’s flirting with to order his drink instead of picking any other free spot along the bar.
Chiara arches an annoyed eyebrow at him, before smiling sweetly as she makes some sort of introduction between the two men.
Judging by Raf’s reaction to whatever she said, she’s making quick work of leading a horse to water.
Maybe making good on Chiara’s favor won’t be as hard a sell as I thought.
Raf clearly is already feeling some kinda way, even if he’s currently in the denial phase. Ahhh, we’ve all been there, bud.
Sophia catches my eye as she suggestively wraps her cherry red lips around the straw in her Amaretto sour. Her cheeks are flushed slightly, a tint of the same shade she’s painted on her lips just like I asked and the red cherry garnishing her cocktail.
“Drink?” she mouths at me from across the room as she lifts hers in my direction. I shake my head and lift my bottle of water, mirroring her action, then mime the action of driving to remind her that I’m designated driver.
The truth is we could’ve all jumped into Ubers, but I decided to make the switch to water after one scotch at Le Sip.
I’m finding it hard to let my guard down.
I doubt Arty will show his face here, but I also know he won’t fight fair.
There’s a reason he’s managed to get away with being a predator for this long, and that’s because he knows how to play the system.
He may be many things, but dumb is not one of them.
Beating him at the game he has mastered is going to take a cunning plan and help from unexpected allies.
But I’ll do it if it means taking him down for the safety of the people I love most.
Sophia makes a pouty face before giving me a soft and sultry smile.
She moves her body in time to the music, never taking her eyes off mine, and looking all sorts of delicious in that dress.
She holds the cherry by the stem and swirls it in her drink before pulling it from the glass and popping it in her mouth.
She keeps it there for a moment, making a show of swirling her tongue around it, before she hollows her cheeks and pulls on the stem, popping the cherry from the end.
She slowly chews on it and swallows exaggeratedly, a knowing grin blooming on her face as she watches for my reaction.
Any resolve I had to wait until we were home to put her on her knees instantly vanishes.
I’m off the couch faster than my friend whose resolve snapped moments before.
I grab Sophia by her free hand, my other taking her glass and placing it behind the bar.
Before I straighten, I snatch up the bowl of cocktail cherries nearby.
Then I march us both to my private office to take care of business.