by LC Taylor
“While I’m glad they are taking extra precaution, but they are not to touch her.”
Carlisle got quiet for a moment, as if he was mulling over my request. “Yes, Sir, I’ll be sure to tell them.”
I disconnected the call, my gut churning with jealousy. It was irrational, yet I couldn’t stand the thought of men fawning all over her.
“Gentlemen,” I stepped into the room, “I’m sorry to keep you here so late, but it was of the utmost importance I bring you up to speed on an urgent matter. My grandfather has fallen ill, and my brothers and I will be leaving for Sicily in the morning. All matters relating to the business are to be directed to Donny. He will be in charge until we return.”
A few people asked some questions, but most understood what this meant. Every one of them knew the Anastasi family and what we stood for. This didn’t come as a surprise to most.
“I’m headed back to the club. If you find anything or need anything, you know how to get ahold of me.”
Donny nodded and headed back into the building. He was going to keep digging into Jose’s life. We just needed to find the connection between him and Juan Carlos, then we’d find our guns.
Chapter 17
Madison
This place was unbelievable. Julie had given me a tour but remained vague about what was on the second floor. She said it was a members only area and that Massimo would show me when he thought I was ready. While I thought that it was weird, I didn’t pry. She also informed me that I’d have to work a few months before being assigned to one of the rooms in the back. That space was for the elite people in Vegas to rent out and host private events. Julie told me she made three thousand dollars in one-night working as the bartender. That kind of money would be amazing for me. I’d be able to move out of the dump I was living in and wouldn’t need to stay here.
I grabbed the tray of drinks from the counter and headed toward the group sitting in a corner booth. They were here celebrating the engagement of one of their friends. Said girl was currently huddled up to a man on the dance floor, who I assumed was her fiancé.
After delivering their beverages, I cut through the crowd toward Carlisle. Several men catcalled as I walked by, making me blush. Julie had taken care of making sure I was dressed the part. We’d found several dresses I could wear here to fit in, or in this case, stand out. The dress I chose to wear tonight was a stretchy black fabric that clung to my curves. It only had one arm, which was more like a tank top. The fabric had hints of glitter in it, making it sparkle beneath the club lights. She even talked me into a few pairs of killer heels. Carlisle smiled as I approached him.
“How are you feeling?”
“Good. It’s not hard at all; though, my feet are killing me.” I smiled, glancing down at my shoes.
“Look, I don’t normally do this, but we’re in a bind. One of the waitresses called out, and she was supposed to work a private party in back. Julie is going to tend bar for it, but Dana doesn’t want to work with her. She’s still pissed Julie got promoted. How do you feel about a private party?”
“I mean,” I tapped my fingers across the bar, “It’s got to be easier than this crowd, right?”
“Yeah. It’s not the size of the party—it’s who the party is for. It would also mean working a bit later than you planned.”
“Oh.” I snapped my mouth closed.
“It’s the District Attorney and some of his friends.”
“Wow... really? Does he come here often?”
Carlisle nodded. “Unfortunately, and he can get pretty rowdy.”
“No worries. I can handle it.”
“Alright then. Head on back and meet with Julie in room two. The party starts at seven.”
I glanced at the clock behind the bar, realizing it was ten minutes until seven. Turning on my heel, I hurried to the hallway and made my way to the room. I couldn’t believe he trusted me to do this, being it was only my first day.
Pushing inside the room, I noticed a difference in the vibe. This space was a bit more luxurious and calmer. I walked inside to find Julie behind the bar prepping. A few men were already inside, seated on a huge sectional. The back wall was made of glass, giving the occupants a view of the dance floor below. Smiling at Julie, I met her behind the bar.
“Well... tell me what you need.”
“Just keep the drinks flowing and they’ll be happy. The man over there,” Julie pointed, “is Mike Donovan, the DA. And the one who hasn’t stopped staring at you, is the Assistant District Attorney, Chris Patterson. He can be a creep, so keep your distance.”
“What do you mean a creep?” I quirked an eye, glancing back at him.
“He tends to be a bit to touchy feely if you know what I mean.”
My eyes went wide. “Oh... got it.”
The room began to fill with people. There was a mixture of men and women sprawled out over the space. Just as Julie suggested, I made sure to keep the drinks flowing and their hands filled.
My feet were killing me and by the looks of the crowd, they were just getting started. Julie was busy mixing some beverages but kept looking up. I realized she wasn’t looking at me, but the man approaching me as I turned around.
Chris Patterson, and by the looks of him, he was already drunk.
“Can I get you something, Sir?” I stepped back, putting some space between his body and mine.
“I’m thirsty.” He backed me into the wall, pressing his hand beside my head.
“I’ll go grab you something from the bar.” I ducked under his arm, only to have him wrap his arm around my middle and pull me against his crotch. “Please let me go.” I tugged against him, but his grasp only grew tighter.
Julie’s eyes widened with concern. She picked up the phone, but I shook my head. I didn’t want security to be called on my first night, especially working a private room when normally someone new wouldn’t be allowed.
“Look, you need to let me go before this escalates.”
“Baby, I want it to escalate.” He ground his erection into my ass, causing my dress to ride up my legs.
“I’ll ask you again, kindly remove your hands from me.”
“Don’t be like that, Sweetheart. The other bitches who work up here know what I like.”
“I’m not the other girls.”
I glanced at Julie, who still had her hand on the phone, ready to make the call. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and counted. I prayed he would let go, but the harder I tugged, the harder he pressed himself into my rear. I jerked forward, hoping to throw him off balance, but it seemed to fuel him further.
“Oh, you like it rough, do you?”
I vaguely heard the door bang open as I gripped his arm and used his weight as leverage. In doing so, I caught him off guard, knocking him to the floor on his stomach. As he went down, I twisted his arm to his back and shoved my knee into his neck.
“WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?”
Chapter 18
Massimo
I’ve never felt the urge to put a bullet in a man’s head, quite like I do right at this moment. When I arrived back to Discoteca, I was pissed to learn Carlisle put Madison in one of the private rooms on her first night.
I wasn’t mad because she was back there.
No.
I was mad because I knew what went on with some of the groups—the District Attorney being one of them. They all thought they were above the law and did what they pleased. A few of my girls didn’t mind the extra attention because it resulted in extra tips, but Madison wasn’t like them.
Pissed off, I rushed down the hallway. Two of my security guys followed me, worried something was wrong. When I pushed open the door seeing Chris Patterson’s hands on her, I nearly lost my shit. To my surprise, though, Madison handed him his ass and flipped him to the floor.
“WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?”
The room stilled. All eyes found me standing in the entry. I’m sure I looked like the devil ready to collect.
“Oh.
..” Madison scurried off the floor. “I was just showing the Assistant DA some of my self-defense moves.”
What? I blanched. She’d just lied for the moron trying to assault her. Closing the space between us, I pulled her hand into mine and tucked her behind me.
“Mr. Patterson, you can see yourself out.”
“Wait a minute, Anastasi.” Mike Donovan, the DA, walked between us. “You can’t just kick him out. He’s here with me. Plus, you heard the girl. She was just showing him self-defense stuff.”
I got inches from his face. “I saw everything. I don’t know why she’s lying for him, but consider it a gift. If she’d said anything different, he’d be dead.” Madison gasped, her hand tightening in mine. “Party is over. Get your people out of here and take him home. And Donovan,” I gritted out his last name, “don’t ever bring him back.”
“You’re making a mistake, Anastasi. You sure you want to go up against me?”
“You don’t scare me. What would the higher ups or this community think if I showed them some footage from Fantasia?”
His face paled, “What the fuck? You threatening me?”
“Take it as you will. All I know is I walked in on your guy,” I pointed at Chris, “trying to force himself on my girl. People have died for less.”
I turned, dragging her from the room. Ripping open the door, I pulled her into the stairwell. “Massimo, please...” She jerked her hand, trying to slow me down. I could tell her heels were making it difficult to climb the stairs, moving at my pace.
I turned, grabbed her by the hips, and tossed her over my shoulder. Madison’s head hung down my back, placing her ass right beside my cheek.
“What the fuck? Put me down!” She flailed her legs, trying to get out of my hold. A resounding crack filled the space as my hand connected with her ass. “OW! You asshole!” I could feel anger as she struck me on the backside with her fists.
Once we reached the second floor, I set her down. “Wait here.”
“But...”
I pressed my finger to her lips, so she stopped talking.
“Please. I need to make sure the room is clear so we can cut through to the entrance on the other side.” I could see the confusion in her eyes. “This leads to Fantasia. Privacy is paramount in this room, and you have not yet signed the non-disclosure. I need to grab a blindfold so I can take you to the back stairwell that leads to my apartment.”
“Privacy? What kind of fucking club is Fantasia?”
“I’ll explain when we are inside my apartment. Can you wait for me?”
Crossing her arms over her breasts, she said, “Fine, but you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”
Stepping through the doorway, I hurried to the bar and grabbed the spare keys. I’d have to go into a playroom to find what I needed; I just hoped the one I chose was empty. Slipping the key into the door, I peeked inside. Breathing a sigh of relief, I took the silk blindfold from the table and hurried back to Madison. She was leaned against the wall, waiting.
“Alright. I’m going to slip this on you and lead you inside. Keep your head down the whole time.” I chuckled as I tied the fabric around her eyes, “can you see anything?”
“Nope. This feels like some sort of sex fetish.”
My dick hardened over her words. She had no idea how close to the truth she was. The need to take her rose tenfold, but I pushed it down as I spun her to face me. Fantasia wasn’t really my thing. I’d tried it a few times, but I preferred my women all to myself.
“Alright, hold my hand.”
My pulse quickened as she laced her fingers in mine, giving me her complete trust. I led her inside the open area, noting some of the patrons watching us. To them, she looked like my submissive, a lie I was grateful for. Once I reached the back hallway, I unlocked the door using the hidden keypad and stepped through. Tugging the door shut, I made sure it was secure again. I untied the blindfold and shoved the material into my pocket, leading her up the remaining stairs and through the door leading into my apartment.
“What the fuck, why are we in your closet?” Madison looked around confused. When I didn’t answer right away, she sighed, “Whatever,” and stomped off into the bathroom.
I followed behind her. “Madison.”
She glared at my reflection in the mirror, her eyes filling with something I couldn’t read.
“Massimo, what the fuck is going on?”
She braced herself against the sink and waited. This was going to be an awkward conversation, but I needed her to trust me. The only way for that to happen was to tell her everything.
Chapter 19
Madison
Every single nerve ending was firing with anger and confusion. Who the fuck was this man? And what in the hell was on the other side of his apartment?
“You need to tell me what is going on or I am walking out that door.”
“Come into the living room and sit down. I need a drink first, then I’ll explain.”
Massimo pushed past me, forcing me to follow him out. “Who are you really?”
His shoulders drooped as he huffed. I watched as he pulled down two glasses and poured whiskey into them. Carrying them over to the couch, he pointed to the cushion beside him.
“Sit.”
I hesitated, wanting to defy his request, but grunted and took the seat at the opposite end. I leaned down and unzipped the heels I’d been wearing, rubbing at the redness from being on my feet all day. Shock rolled through me as Massimo scooted closer and set the tumblers on the coffee table. He reached down, tugging my feet into his lap.
“I’m going to tell you everything, because I want you to trust me.” He began to knead my sore muscles, causing my eyes to close and hiss in pleasure. “I’m going to need something from you first.”
I opened my eyes. “Something from me?”
“What I’m about to tell you could place you and my family in danger. I need to have your loyalty.”
“Or what? You’ll kill me?” I said in a mocking tone, but his body language told me I wasn’t too far off from the truth. “Holy shit... you will!”
“I’m hoping I can earn your loyalty, maybe even more.” He dug his fingers into the sole of my foot, hitting the spot that ached.
“Keep rubbing my feet like this and I’ll give you anything you want,” I moaned, causing him to shift beneath my legs.
“I’ve told you about my siblings and what they do. What I haven’t told you is that my family is one of the oldest crime syndicates in Vegas. My father, Giacomo Anastasi, came here with my mother before we were born. He built an empire on his own. Now, we’re one of the most feared families in the area. The businesses are all part of the empire my dad built.”
I watched him as he continued to rub my muscles, “Ok, but what does that have to do with the club or what you said to that man?”
“We have a lot of government officials in our pocket. The club helped grow that number. They come here to let loose and do things that most would frown upon. Fantasia is a place where they can be someone else. It gives us leverage.”
“What is Fantasia, Massimo?”
His grip tightened on my foot. I watched as his throat strained and swallowed. “Fantasia is a BDSM club.”
“A sex club? I swallowed.
“Yes. People can buy a membership into the club. They have to sign paperwork preventing them from discussing what goes on.”
“How does that give you leverage?”
“Everything is recorded.” He held my gaze.
“Wait, you're telling me that you can watch what happens in the club?”
“Yes, but I don’t. I only review the cameras when needed.”
“For blackmail.”
“Yes. I’m not a saint, Madison.”
I slipped my legs off him and stood. Walking to the window overlooking the Vegas skyline, I crossed my arms. Even after everything he told me, I still felt safer in his care than anywhere else. He hadn’t admitted to doing illegal things, but ga
thering blackmail on government officials told me he did. Plus, I wasn’t ignorant to what the Mafia was. I’d read enough growing up to know they were a real organization—not just made up for television.
“I’ll understand if you no longer want to work for me. You don’t have to be afraid to leave. I’d never hurt you.”
“Why? What makes me so special?”
“Everything.”
I turned to look at him. He sat with his elbows on his knees and his head bent. He looked like a defeated man, waiting for me to stomp all over his heart.
“You can’t keep trying to control me. I’m not used to this life and you scare me with your overbearing ways. I was handling the situation earlier.” I sat down next to him. “Yes, he was trying to take more than I wanted to give, but he wouldn’t have gotten anywhere with me.”
“I’m not sorry for reacting the way I did. He shouldn’t have been touching you, and it’s not the first time he’s pushed himself on one of my employees.”
“You’d have reacted that way if it had been Julie?”
Massimo sat quietly for a moment. “No... I wouldn’t have reacted so violently.”
“Exactly. Why is that Massimo? We’ve barely known each other two days.”
“Sometimes when you meet someone you know they're your anima gemelli.”
“Anima gemelli?”
“It’s Italian for soul mate.”
My heart began beating rapidly in my chest. I wanted to deny what he was saying, but there was this magnetic pull toward him that made me believe, even a little, that maybe he was right.
“I see.”
“I don’t expect you to feel the same, yet.” Massimo leaned across and cupped my cheek. “But if you give me a chance, you’ll see the truth in my words.”
I leaned into his palm, the warmth of his skin melding into mine. Everything about him called to me like he was a siren.
“I think I should go home.”
“You are home, Bella.”
“You know what I mean, Massimo. I have an apartment.”
