What the fuck was Enzo doing here? I’d come into work expecting the usual—a night of delivering drinks to the girls and their clients while dodging anyone who got too grabby. Most of the men who frequented the club tended to blur the line of who was for sale and who wasn’t. When I first started, I was told it came with the job and to figure out a way to deal with it. Of course, the outfits they put us in didn’t help matters. But it was what it was. So I would smile, dodge hands, collect my tips, ignore my aching feet in these fucking heels, and then go back to Jade’s and fall into bed. Or couch, as the case may be.
I did not expect to see the man I’d barely escaped once sitting at one of my tables, sunglasses hiding his thoughts as he stared down at his phone. According to Jade, he’d only been here once, and that was the first time she’d met him for a date. She always met her clients here the first time, so she could see what their vibe was before she went anywhere alone with them. And even then, she was prepared with pepper spray and a weekly self-defense class. It was one of the main reasons I’d filled in for her on that particular date the other night. I wanted to lose my virginity and then never see the guy again.
So when Rob told me someone was asking about me when I went up to the bar to collect my next order and he’d given me this drink to deliver, I didn’t think much of it. That was par for the course when I worked in a place like this dressed like a blow-up doll.
I stared at Enzo across the table. ‘Aren’t you angry with me for not showing up the other night?’ I had disrespected him, and that wasn’t something that went over well with someone like him.
‘Yes. Extremely.’
Oh.
Suddenly, he stood up from the table.
I stood up, too, picking up my tray. ‘I’m sure one of the other girls would be happy to be your date tonight if Jade isn’t available.’ As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wished I could take them back. It struck me that I didn’t want to see him with another woman. Shocked at the sudden appearance of that ugly emotion, I immediately tried to shut that shit down. I had no claim on this man. And I didn’t want any. Honestly, he scared me a little. And I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. I saw the looks he was getting from the other patrons. The guy radiated danger like a strong cologne.
‘I don’t want a date,’ he told me. ‘I just need to talk to you. I’ll go let them know you’re leaving.’
My heart skipped a beat, stopped, then took off again, racing so fast I got light-headed.
Oh, fuck. He knows.
I didn’t have to see his eyes to know this. ‘Oh.’ I needed time to figure out what I was going to say when he confronted me. ‘I get off at one if I’m not ordered to go clean out my locker before then. Can’t we talk later? Tonight is usually a good tip night, and I really need the money.’
He stared at me for a long moment as I tried to find his eyes behind the dark lenses. I couldn’t tell if he was angry, or…what. Then he sat back down.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Waiting,’ he told me. ‘I’ll take another whiskey, please.’
Waiting. He was waiting. Fuck me. ‘Are you sure you don’t have somewhere—’
‘I’ll wait, Sera. Another drink, please.’ He adjusted his jacket around him, crossed his legs, and leaned back in his chair with one arm on the table, his fingers tapping an impatient rhythm on the black tabletop.
‘You already have two on the table.’
He raised one eyebrow above the top of his sunglasses.
Not knowing what else to do or say, I pivoted on my excruciatingly high heel and marched back to the bar. ‘I need another whiskey,’ I told Rob.
He slid a double across the bar with a scowl. ‘Tell Mr. Delligatti it’s on the house. As a matter of fact, all of his drinks tonight will be coming out of your paycheck.’
‘What?’ I stood there, frozen, with one hand wrapped around the drink. ‘It was a fucking accident, Rob.’
‘Tell that to Tom,’ was his response. ‘You’re lucky he wasn’t here yet to see that. And that I’m willing to put in a good word for you by telling him how you graciously offered to take care of the customer’s tab and how pleased he was with your…service. I suggest you give him anything he wants.’
He had me backed into a corner. I needed this job. Mostly because the entire premise of this club was discretion. People didn’t talk here. Not to exes. Not to cops. Not even to people like my father’s goons who would come looking for me if they heard I was in Austin. So I could work here and make some money. Money that would enable me to get farther away. Maybe even disappear completely.
When I left my father’s house, I’d had nothing but the clothes on my back and a suitcase full of essentials. I’d never been allowed to have my own bank account. Or my own friends. I was only allowed to get my driver’s license and a car because I convinced my father in one of his weaker moments that I would make someone a better wife if I had a college degree, and it would be easier and less conspicuous to his enemies if I could just drive myself to class like any other college kid. It had taken some doing, but I finally managed to talk him into it. And I thanked god every day that I did. After I’d graduated and held my degree in my hands, my life went back to being cooped up in our house surrounded by guards, waiting for the day my father sold me to some old man so he could up his own rank within the family.
And during that entire time, I was the perfect daughter. I did as I was told. I went with him to functions filled with criminals and I smiled and kept my eyes down and my mouth shut so I didn’t catch hell when we got home. I did as little as possible to call attention to myself, from my father or anyone else. It was the only way I’d known to stay alive.
But I knew it wouldn’t last. With every birthday, I felt my father’s eyes on me more and more often. At twenty-five, I was well beyond the usual marrying age for the daughter of a mafia man. We women were used as a gesture of good will, or sometimes bargaining chips to placate the men. Make them feel bigger than they were. More important. And the thought of becoming some gangster’s trophy wife, of sleeping in the same bed with him and letting him rut over me every night, made me want to vomit. So one day, I just walked out of the house, got into my car, and left. No one stopped me. No one even thought to question me because I’d always been such a good girl who never caused any trouble.
I drove as far as I could go without any money to get gas, which was three hours away to Austin. I pulled up right outside of this club, walked in, and asked for a job. I’d only planned to stay long enough to get a paycheck, until I’d found out exactly what type of business it was and decided it was safe enough for me to stay for a while. And that’s how I met Jade, who offered me a place to stay when she found out I was sleeping in my car and washing up in the restroom at the back of the club before my shift every night. I’d been at her place about two weeks when I asked her if I could take her place one night on one of her dates. If I got rid of this pesky virginity, I wouldn’t be nearly as valuable if I was ever found and forced back into my father’s home.
If I survived the beating he would give me for running off and ‘defiling’ myself, maybe, just maybe, I’d be able to have some semblance of freedom. Or at the very least, have a say in who I ended up marrying.
It’d seemed like a good back-up plan at the time. However, after my scare the other night, I’d decided I would concentrate on saving money so I could leave this state as soon as possible. Losing my virginity along the way would be nothing but a bonus, but it would be by my choice. Not a decision forced on me by my situation. And not with someone who knew my father.
I took Enzo’s drink and put it on my tray, along with a few others for the next table. Drinks that would also come out of my paycheck for making my customers wait while I ‘took a break to flirt’ per Rob. I dropped those off first before taking Enzo’s whiskey over to him. Setting it on the table, I turned to check on the rest of my tables.
‘Why are you wearing that?’
His question caught me off guard. I turned back around. ‘What?’
Enzo ran his eyes up and down my body. And even though I was sufficiently covered, I felt naked and couldn’t stop myself from looking down to make sure he hadn’t singed the clothes from my body with nothing but his burning gaze. One I could feel even with the sunglasses acting as a barrier between us. I couldn’t even imagine how scorched I would feel if they weren’t there. ‘It’s my uniform,’ I told him. ‘I wasn’t really given much of a choice.’ Every waitress here was a different character. With my height, curves, pink hair, and piercings, I was a ‘naughty little girl.’ Sloane, the head server, picked the looks for us.
He took a sip of his whiskey and set the glass back on the table. ‘None of the other waitstaff are dressed up like a man’s fantasy come to life.’
I frowned down at him. ‘The other waitstaff here tonight are men.’ Their uniforms weren’t as diverse. Just similar combinations of black slacks and shiny, silver shirts with black vests.
His phone vibrated on the table, and he picked it up from the table and turned his attention to the screen. Breathing a sigh of relief, I took advantage of the opportunity and went to check on the rest of my tables.
The rest of the night was uneventful, other than the fact that Enzo’s eyes followed me everywhere I went. Even when I wasn’t looking, I could feel his gaze on me. It burned along my skin everywhere his eyes touched until I felt like I was sunburned. And I didn’t know if it was his presence or if the gentlemen in the club were just busy with other things, but they were much less handsy than normal tonight, and for that I was thankful. It wasn’t unusual for me to find bruises on my skin in the mornings because someone was having a hell of a good time and grabbed me a little too forcefully as they tried to force me to join the party.
However, by the time I cashed in my tips and walked to the back to get my things out of my locker, my nerves were so on edge I wanted to jump out of my skin. So, when I heard his voice directly behind me, I bit back a scream just in time.
‘Now can we talk?’
Spinning around, I slammed my back against the wall of lockers, trying to put some space between us, but he was having none of it. One of the handles dug into the back of my hip, but I ignored it. ‘What do you want, Enzo?’ I asked, transferring all of the fear I felt into annoyance. Even though my feet were fucking killing me, I stood tall in my heels, glad I hadn’t changed into my slip-on sneakers yet. At least with these ridiculous shoes on he didn’t tower over me quite so much.
His nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. He didn’t answer me right away, and when he did, I was surprised by what he said. ‘Come with me back to the hotel.’
‘No.’ I didn’t know how he was even standing straight. He’d just sat at my table for six straight hours and drank whiskey, not moving except to go to the bathroom a few times. And as ready as I’d been to hop into bed with him the other night, I wasn’t so eager now that I knew who he was. I needed to stay away from him. Not get more intimate. But obviously he wasn’t used to taking no for an answer.
‘That wasn’t a request, Sera.’ He paused, and I tried desperately to see his eyes to get an idea of what he was thinking. ‘Or should I call you Fina?’
My heart dropped into my stomach as I tried to keep my face straight. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!
I was planning to change my name completely, but because ‘Serefina Cordaro’ was on my license that I had to show to get this job, I went by Sera, hoping that would be enough to throw people off. ‘My name is Sera,’ I told him.
‘Good,’ he said, surprising me. ‘I prefer Sera.’ He glanced over my shoulder at my closed locker. ‘Do you have everything you need?’
I swallowed hard and nodded, but my mind was racing, trying to think of a way I could get out of this predicament I’d made for myself. But all I could think of was to tell him the truth. ‘I don’t want to go back to the hotel with you. If you want to talk, we can talk, but I’d prefer somewhere more public.’
He cocked his head. ‘Smart girl. However, I don’t want anyone to see us talking, so I must insist on somewhere more private. After all, I assume you don’t want it getting back to your father that you’re here.’ He raised one eyebrow, and I shook my head in confirmation. ‘And I don’t think you’d want to find a table here, since it is your place of employment and someone might overhear us.’
‘No,’ I whispered. The people here didn’t know where I came from, although it wouldn’t be hard to find out. But I didn’t think they really cared as long as I showed up to work and did my job. However, if someone overheard us and I was found out, they wouldn’t be able to ignore it.
‘So that leaves us with the hotel.’
‘But people there will see us come in together.’
‘The people there are paid well to stay out of my business. And they know what will happen to them if they don’t.’
Chills chased each other across my skin. He never raised his voice or changed his tone, yet I felt the cold fingers of death skim the back of my neck at his careless words.
Gently, he took the tote bag that held my things from me, set it down, and helped me into my coat. Then, with a hand on the small of my back, he ushered me out of the break room and to the back door of the club. The night air was chilly when we stepped outside, and I could smell rain. I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself.
He pointed with the hand holding the bag. ‘My car is right there.’
A black SUV was parked just a few feet from the door. ‘I can follow you to the hotel,’ I told him, working hard to keep the panic out of my voice. ‘That way, you don’t have to worry about bringing me back here for my car. Is it the same place you were staying before?’
He didn’t bother to respond to my generous offer, and I took that as a no. Once we reached the SUV, Enzo helped me into the passenger seat and set the tote at my feet. But instead of closing the door, he opened my bag and started digging around inside. ‘Hey! That’s my stuff!’
‘Is this your stuff?’ He held up an expensive lighter made of champagne gold and diamonds.
I felt my face burn, but I’d been so nervous all night I was honestly surprised that was the only thing that wound up in my tote. I didn’t know how he saw me take it from the other table in my section when even the owner of the lighter didn’t, but apparently, he had. ‘I grabbed it accidentally. I would’ve returned it to Lost and Found tomorrow when I came in.’
He studied me a moment. ‘Stay here. I’ll be right back.’ Closing the door, he walked back into the club.
I watched him go, one hand on the door handle. My car was parked off to the side of the lot. I had my keys. All I had to do was jump out and run to my car. I could be gone by the time he came back outside.
But what good would that do? He’d just come back tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that, until I went with him. And maybe the next time, he wouldn’t ask so nicely. So I might as well get it over with.
My eyes skittered around the interior. Same as last time, the vehicle looked like it had just come back from being detailed. I opened the center console, then the glove box. Both were empty. Nothing to identify the man who drove it.
I was still sitting there when he returned. If he noticed that I wanted nothing more than to bolt, he didn’t mention it. Just started the engine and pulled away. We rode along in silence for about ten minutes before he said, ‘Is it money?’
Startled from my daydream of escape as I watched the city go by, I turned and studied his profile. ‘What?’
‘The reason you steal. Is it because you need money?’ He never took his eyes off the road. Behind his sunglasses, I caught a glimpse of long, dark lashes as we drove under a streetlight.
I didn’t want to talk about my affliction, as I liked to call it. Not with him. ‘Is it because you’re trying to hide something?’ I countered. ‘Is that why you always wear those dark glasses?’
One corner of his mouth turned up. ‘Touché.’
‘You know, we could just talk right here in the car as we drive around,’ I continued. ‘There’s no reason to drag me up to your hotel room.’ I was getting more and more nervous by the minute that he was leading me into a trap. Was someone waiting there to drag me back to my father? ‘Or we could stop and get a coffee somewhere or something.’
‘The only place open around here this late is Denny’s, and their coffee tastes like shit.’
I waited for him to say more, and wasn’t surprised when he didn’t. Tears filled my eyes. It looked like my taste of freedom was over before it ever really began. I wasn’t too proud to beg, but I knew it wouldn’t do me any good. I mean, just look at him. Even wearing a suit, I could tell this guy had a body that was hard and unforgiving, and he had a personality to match. Plus, he was mafia. He wouldn’t care about my life or what was waiting for me when I got back. So I kept silent and wondered how badly I’d break my ankle in these heels if I jumped from the moving vehicle before we stopped.
As if he knew exactly what I was thinking, Enzo wrapped his fingers around my wrist and hung on as he turned the wheel one handed and pulled into the circle drive in front of the hotel. He didn’t release me even when we stopped. Shifting the car into park, he took off his seatbelt and angled his body toward mine, ignoring the young girl outside waiting to park the car for him. A good-looking guy with blond hair opened my door with a smile, but closed it again when Enzo shook his head at him. ‘There’s no one waiting upstairs,’ he told me. And again, I wondered if he could read minds or if I was just that fucking obvious. ‘It’ll just be you and me. And I just want to talk. Okay?’
I didn’t see where I had much of a choice. ‘Okay,’ I answered.
He released my wrist and opened his door, tossing his keys to the attendant before walking around the front of the car and saying something to the blond guy that sent him scurrying back to his stand by the entrance of the hotel as Enzo opened my door for me and helped me out, then he grabbed my tote from the floorboard and carried it inside for me.
I noticed the way he scanned the area around him constantly. He’d done the same thing at the club, always watching for trouble, and I wondered if he was even aware that he did it. All I could think of was how exhausting it must be to always be on alert like that. I supposed all mafia men lived that way, just waiting for someone to take them out for some imagined—or very real—slight. Or just to get them out of the way.
As he escorted me inside, my skin felt cold and clammy, and my lungs felt too tight to draw a full breath. Even though he’d told me I had nothing to worry about and I’d agreed to come with him, I couldn’t help the sense of dread that came over me as we crossed the foyer with its high ceilings and white columns, my heels clicking on the marble floors a countdown to the demise of my freedom. And possibly my life.
