Chapter 66

“Holy shit,” I breathe, staring at the man who could be a model on any runway in…well, anywhere. My eyes sweep over his broad shoulders, his chiseled face, his long hair that’s swept back behind his ears.

God, crap, but he could be on the cover of a damn romance novel.

Andre pulls me out of my daze by laughing at me, raising a hand to my chin and snapping my mouth shut. “Easy, Bambi,” he murmurs, and I scowl, blushing to be caught drooling over a guy like that.

“That’s him?” I ask looking anxiously between Andre and this mysterious member of the Marino family. “That’s who you want me to take special care of!?”

“Yup,” Andre says with a smirk, crossing his arms. “Romano picked you out special for the task. And Bambi, when he says he wants you to take care of him, he means…full service.”

“Well, obviously I’m going to give him full service, Andre – I mean, I do that with everyone who comes through the door…”

But my words fade off as Andre smirks at me, as I figure out the true import of what he’s saying.

“Oh, gross!” I hiss, reaching out and giving him a little shove which just makes Andre laugh a little harder, shaking his head. “Andre, you cannot ask me to –“

“I can too,” he says, his smirk deepening. “What are you going to do, complain to HR? Considering that HR is a mob boss who, I’m sure, felt you up last time he pulled you into his office alone – or at least tried –“

“Oh my god!” I snap, stepping forward and smacking him on the arm – not enough to hurt, but enough to let him know I’m pissed that he let me go back with Romano if he knew that was going to happen. “Andre, you should have –“

“Should have what, Bambs,” he says, his voice a little sad as he snatches my wrist out of the air as I move to smack him again – not in a way that hurts me, but just to let me know that the blow? It’s not going to land. “You work in a mob bar – the regular rules here don’t apply. And Romano wants you here because you’re pretty, and you know how to do what strippers do. Look, nobody’s actually going to make you sleep with the Marino kid, though – honestly, but your reaction to him? I’m not sure that’s off the table for you.”

I scowl, crossing my arms, but…well. I don’t need to think about that now, do I?

Andre laughs at me, good natured, and which makes me a little less mad and allows me to see the true nature of things here just a little bit more. “Just…be really nice to that guy. And the rules are suspended regarding giving him your number. If he asks for it? You should give it. Let him think he’s got a shot – get him coming back here. The longer you play hard to get the better.”

“Andre,” I say, hesitating, glancing again at the gorgeous man before me. “A guy like that? He’s never going to go panting after a girl like me –“

“Bambs,” Andre interrupts, giving me a look like I’m an idiot. “Go look in a mirror. And then go do your job. All right?”

I scowl, rolling my eyes as he walks away, but then I do glance at myself in the mirror behind the bar, which only confirms what I was thinking. I mean, I know I’m pretty enough – but there’s nothing truly special about me.

And this guy?

He is…he is gorgeous.

But I sigh, flicking my hair back over my shoulders, and – as Andre says – get started on my job. After all, it’s not at all true that the prettiest girls at the strip club made the most money. No, it was always the girls who really, really knew how to work the guys.

And I learned one or two of their tricks in my time at the club. I guess it’s time for me to put them to use.

Putting on my full Bambi persona, I walk towards Edward the way I walk onto a stage, ready for battle. He’s on his phone as I approach, but when he looks up at me to order a drink – his face bored – I’m really quite satisfied to see that he does a double-take.

“Hi,” I say casually, placing both of my hands gently on the bar and leaning forward just a little, keeping my voice soft, inviting him to lean in to listen. “Any questions about the menu?”

He blinks at me for a moment and then looks around him. “Um, I don’t think I…got a menu.”

Inwardly I curse and freak out – because I was trying to play it so cool that I just completely forgot the first step: bringing him a damn menu.

Luckily, outward, I show none of this. Instead, I just let a cool smile slip onto my mouth. “Well then I guess it’s your lucky day. Menu’s whatever you want. Anything you’ve got in mind?”

Slowly he smiles at me, I think a little amused – seeing through my mistake – and a little intrigued.

“What if I say,” he murmurs, leaning forward a bit, just as I wanted him to, “that I…wanted a menu.”

“Easiest order I’ve got so far today.” I give him a bright smile and laugh as I produce one from its spot under the bar, slipping it onto the bar in front of him. “The Grasshopper is really nice,” I say, pointing to it on the menu, “but…offer stands. Whatever you want.”

And then I hold his gaze for a moment too long, my smile widening the whole time, before I slowly turn and walk away.

When I get to the other side of the bar, Frankie’s giving me one hell of a scowl. “What the fuck, Bambs.”

“What?” I say, innocent, shrugging at him. “I’m just doing my job.”

“Is your job being a hussy?” he asks, leaning forward and glaring at me.

“Kinda!” I say, shrugging and laughing. “Romano’s orders, apparently.”

“What?” Frankie seethes and I sigh, realizing that…well, maybe I should have toned it down, and maybe I shouldn’t have let Frankie see me do it.

“Andre just told me! For that guy? I’m supposed to ‘give him whatever he wants.’” I gesture subtly back to where Edward Marino is sitting, studying the menu.

Frankie pauses and looks around me and then sits back with a grown. “Shit,” he grumbles. “I should have caught that. Edward Marino in here, and of course you’re on him.” He looks down at his phone, shaking his head as he opens his messages and starts to type out a long one.

I don’t even need a second-guess to figure out who he’s sending it to.

I sigh, realizing he’s done with me for the moment, and start across the bar to take Edward’s order. “Keep it in your pants, Bamb!” Frankie calls, lightly enough that Edward can’t hear.

“Not even wearing pants, Frank!” I call back.

I let the smile Frankie raised to my lips stay there as I get to Edward. He watches me walk to him, his fingers tapping on the bar.

“That your boyfriend?” he asks, raising his chin towards Frankie, who I look back to see is glaring daggers at us.

I laugh a little, genuinely, and turn back to Edward, resting my chin on my palm. “Do you really think girls like me have boyfriends?” I scrunch my nose like it’s a bad idea, but leave the question cryptic enough that he can answer it any way he wants.

Edward smirks at me and looks down at the menu, ordering a very expensive glass of bourbon as his first drink. I serve it to him neat in a very pretty crystal tumbler and, after I hand it to him, I lean on the bar and ask him what he’s doing in a place like this.

And Edward Marino smiles at me like he thinks he’s going to like it here.

I’m still smiling at him when I hear someone at Edward’s right clear his throat, and I look up in shock to see – of course – Christian standing there.

“I’ll have the same,” he says, nodding to Edward’s drink.

And it takes absolutely everything in me not to lose my cool as I slowly walk away and begin to prepare another drink.