He snorted. “Famous last words.”
“Give me your phone.” I stepped in and stuck my hand out to him, waiting. He did as I asked, slowly, as if trying to change his mind about it. He watched me put my information in it and dial my number so I would have his as well. I handed it back with a smile. “There. When you’re ready to. . .” I swallowed and whispered, “fuck me, you can get ahold of me.”
“You have no idea what you’re asking for.” His lips twisted.
“I know exactly what I’m asking for.”
He grunted, turning around. “Get to work, Lenora. The crowd will start spilling in soon.”
It was a maybe.
8
ROCCO
Whoever said openinga business was fun can suck my dick. I had several business ventures, none of which I’d call legitimate. I meanIwould, but the law, my accountant, and the IRS would beg to differ. Scarab was the first entirely legitimate business that I could call mine. The planning stage was fun. I brought in world-renowned designers. As fun as that part was, it was also expensive. It was all expensive. It would have been cheaper to get another location, but this place had a significant history. It had been owned by my father and used by the old crime bosses as a meet-up spot. It was where they conducted business and indiscretions, meeting their girlfriends here. It was entirely off-limits for their wives, though, which was probably why one of them set the place on fire over twenty years ago. It had been abandoned since, which was why it needed significant restorations. Restorations that were bleeding my bank account, something Lorenzo’s cheap ass reminded me of every time he stepped in here and spotted a new addition to the place.
Dad left the bar to my brother and me, but since Mikey’s a homicide detective and doesn’t want to be in business with people who sometimes commit homicide, he signed it over to me. Scarab was no longer a meeting place for bosses but a members-only club. There was a long waitlist, but it was open to anyone who wanted to dish out ten grand a month. I was going to charge more, but after much deliberation, I figured ten grand was a good starting number. People agreed. My website crashed within thirty minutes of putting up membership applications. Rosie joked that this would become a glorified Raya, and as I combed through the list, I was starting to see why she’d said it.
People finding a partner here was the least of my problems right now. I was nervous about tonight. I was worried about this weekend. I needed everything to be perfect because if there was anything worse than a Karen, it was a rich Karen. Half of the men on the membership list were that person. They’d never complain to me personally, but they’d run their mouths on their social networks and that would fuck up my numbers. I glanced at the monitor and saw Lenora on the third step of the ladder, reaching for a bottle of gin. I sat back in my seat, enjoying the view but not the hard-on I instantly had. Her dress was too tight and too short.
There was no way I’d be able to keep men from staring at her tonight, which was fine. As far as I was concerned, they could look as long as they didn’t touch her. She stepped off the ladder slowly, biting her lip as she examined the bottle in her hand. I wanted nothing more than to bite and suck that lip into my mouth. I stifled a groan. She was so unexpected. Since I’d heard from her brothers how sheltered she’d been, I figured she would be quiet as a mouse. She wasn't quiet, and she wasn't afraid to ask for what she wanted, which was a major turn-on. I wondered if she’d been this forward with the guys at her boarding schools or in college. The thought instantly made me see red. I didn’t want to think about her with other men. I didn’t want to think about her, and tonight, I wouldn’t. Dominic knew me well enough to pick up when I was attracted to someone. That meant I needed to stay away from his sister while he was around.
* * *
“It looks nice,”my brother said as he looked around.
“Thanks.”
“Reallynice,” he added.
“You sound like you didn’t think it would,” I said.
“I didn’t.” Mikey grinned.
I shook my head. “Thanks for coming. Dom had a bet going with Loren that you’d back out and not show up.”
“When have I ever not shown up to any of your friends and family things?” he asked.
I nodded and gulped my drink to relieve the sudden discomfort in my throat. Because my mother died when I was fifteen and my father wasn’t around much afterward, Michael took the role of my parent. That meant parent-teacher conferences and calls from the school. He’d been overseas for some time, which made it tricky, but he always pulled through. Because of him, I could live alone from the age of sixteen without being put in the system.
“These days, you hide the fact that you’re my brother,” I said, lowering my glass.
“Only from the authorities.” He brought his glass of tequila to his lips.
“Youarethe authorities.”
“Not quite.” He chuckled. “How is the membership going so far?”
“We’re fully booked through the end of next year.”
“Holy shit. Really?” His eyes widened. “You’re still charging ten grand a month?”
“Yep.”
“Damn. That’s a lot of money.”
“Money you could be lining your pockets with.” I winked, taking another sip of my drink.
