Beyond the Velvet Rope

by Tiffany Ashley

  Turning his attention to the crowded expanse, Elliot spotted Nico in the main dining area. Their table was in the center of the room. Elliot knew this was Nico’s doing. He enjoyed being on display. Elliot however, outside of the club, preferred more secluded environments. Stifling a sigh, he cut a path through the tables toward his friend.

  Nico was studying his watch when Elliot arrived at their table. “Prompt as always,” he said.

  Still in a bad mood, Elliot pulled out his chair and seated himself without fanfare. A waiter materialized at his elbow, asking for his drink order. Elliot ordered a highball. Nico gave him a quizzical look, well aware Elliot was not a serious drinker. Elliot ignored his curious gaze. Instead, he nudged his head toward the bar. “Matrix?”

  “Settling a bet,” was all Nico said in answer.

  Both men turned to see Matrix leaning against the bar. The pretty bartender reappeared, and wordlessly slid something small to Matrix. He accepted it and moved away from the bar. He was grinning as he made his way to their table.

  Nico gave a snort, and then turned to Elliot. “Warren called me today.”

  Elliot groaned inwardly. Next to Thandie, Warren was the last thing he wanted to talk about. But he couldn’t help asking, “What did he want?”

  “He wanted to know if my sordid connections involved a private investigator.” He shrugged. “I suppose things are heating up between him and the viper.”

  “He shouldn’t have called you.”

  Nico fixed him with a telling look. “Who else should he have called for help?”

  The jab did nothing to improve Elliot’s mood. Luckily, the waiter arrived at that moment, sliding his drink in front of him. His seamless departure was followed by Matrix’s appearance. There was a confident smirk on his face as he took his seat.

  “Thirty-two C,” Matrix announced proudly. “Just like I said.”

  Nico looked suspicious. “Proof, please.”

  Beneath the table, Matrix handed him something small and lacy. Nico turned it over in his hand. It was a woman’s bra. Nico searched the tag and then swore.

  “Pay up.” Matrix said.

  Releasing a heavy sigh, Nico reached into his jacket breast pocket to pull out his wallet. He pulled out several bills, laying them before his friend. Matrix gave a grunt of satisfaction, and then added, “Aren’t you forgetting something?” He held out his hand.

  Nico smiled and unearthed the bra he’d slyly pocketed. He shoved it into Matrix’s palm. “Greedy bastard.”

  Finding little amusement in his friends’ antics tonight, Elliot looked around the room. However, he was conscious of Nico studying him again. Before he could ask, Elliot snapped, “Stay out of it.”

  Matrix gave a low whistle. “Careful, Nico. Elliot is practically growling.”

  “More like foaming at the mouth,” Nico offered.

  “Which means,” Matrix said casually, “he’s pissed about something to do with his clubs.”

  “I’d wager it has more to do with a woman,” Nico said with a slow grin.

  “Thandie Shaw?” Matrix asked.

  “I sent you a picture of her last night,” he said with a nudge of his elbow.

  “You sent him a picture?” Elliot asked with exasperation.

  “Ah, Thandie!” Matrix said with a broad smile. “I recall quite vividly now. Quality work, Elliot. She certainly makes things interesting.”

  “That’s her job,” he said stiffly. “She’s supposed to make the club interesting.”

  “Well, in that case, she succeeded.” Matrix held up his glass in a mock toast. “To Thandie....”

  Nico joined him in the toast, barely able to rein in his laughter.

  Elliot ignored them, pretending to be immensely engrossed in the menu.

  “You know, Elliot,” Matrix began, “since your Thandie comes so highly recommended, perhaps I might extend her an invite to one of my parties.”

  Elliot’s answer was immediate. “No.”

  Matrix had the good sense to retreat. Holding up his hands in surrender, he said, “Touché.”

  Nico leaned back in his seat, a look of disbelief on his face. “You still haven’t—”

  Before he could get the question out entirely, Elliot gave the smallest shake of his head.

  Nico sat up straighter. “Seriously?”

  “What are you talking about?” Matrix asked, wounded to have been left out of the discussion.

  “Nothing,” Nico said quickly. “I told you she wouldn’t be as easy as the others.”

  Matrix looked between the two of them. “I’m still waiting for an explanation.”

  Elliot scowled at Nico, regretting having ever let slip his frustrations with Thandie. “Perfection requires patience,” he said, with a roll of his shoulders.

  “I’ve never known you to show this much patience,” Nico retorted.

  It was true, Elliot was nearing his limit. The only thing that calmed him was the simple reminder of the grand plans he had for Thandie. It was this alone that stopped him from pressing her too far, too soon. He was biding his time for the moment that best suited him.

  “And this business with the actor?” Nico asked.

  “Ruark Randall is of little consequence to me,” Elliot said with certainty. He remembered all too well how quickly Thandie melted under his stare, and how passionately she’d returned his kisses. He knew Ruark had never been a contender for Thandie. His presence had been brief and unimpressionable.

  “Did you ever find out if she’s seeing someone?” Nico asked.

  “It wouldn’t matter,” he said with a shrug. “My mind is made up.”

  “I think you’ve met your match.”

  “Rest assured, I have everything under control.” Elliot signaled the waiter for another round of drinks.

  “Um, hello,” Matrix said irritably. “I’m still here and still uninformed.”

  * * *

  Thandie was excited about her date with Rex. He was easy to talk to, and their conversations never seemed forced. Being around him felt comfortable.

  Additionally, he was a charming man, whose interest in her seemed genuine. He was kind, thoughtful and handsome (in a Macy’s catalog book way). He’d played no games. In short, he was everything Elliot wasn’t.

  So it was with great pleasure she’d allowed Rex to sweep her into his car and drive them toward the city lights.

  “You look spectacular, Thandie.”

  “Thank you,” she said, smiling warmly at him. She was wearing a long black dress with a high slit on her left side.

  Rex made no attempt to hide his fascination with her. He often turned to gaze at her. Thandie was pleased by his attention. It was flattering in its quiet gentleness. Thandie badly desired a relaxing night out. She needed time away from the club, all the party planning, and especially time away from Elliot.

  “I’m glad you accepted my offer tonight,” Rex said, pulling her out of her thoughts.

  “I’m glad you asked,” she confessed. “I’m sorry about the last time.”

  Rex shrugged. “You did the right thing. Warren is your friend. You had every right to be concerned about him.”

  “Thanks for understanding.”

  “Anytime,” he said, grinning. “How is Warren?”

  She scrunched her nose. “I’m not quite sure. I try to keep an eye on him, but he isn’t the easiest person to keep tabs on. Obviously, since we’ve...relocated to Elliot’s home, I see less of Warren.” Thandie had not told Rex exactly what had happened that dreadful morning when she’d been confronted by Wife Number Five. “I need to call him,” she mused aloud. “I kinda miss Warren.”

  Rex chuckled. There was something in the sound of his voice that made Thandie laugh too. Before they knew it, their laughter overwhelmed them. It was loud, lighthearted and a little uncontrollable. By the time they arrived at their destination, any hint of tension was erased. While Rex handed his keys to the valet, Thandie looked up at the exterior of the chic restaurant
. It was small but impressive. She had little time to consider her surroundings, before Rex opened her door and helped her out of the car.

  Pressing his hand on her back, he leaned close and whispered, “Have I mentioned how phenomenal you look tonight?”

  She laughed and was surprised to see his face light up in a most attractive way. Guiding her through the crowd, they made a direct path to the hostess’s stand. After giving his name, they waited while the young woman looked up his reservation. Some minutes later, they were led to a booth. Thandie slid in first, looking around the room as she did so. Rex settled himself beside her. “I hope you like Japanese food,” he said.

  “Actually, I do.”

  Their waiter presented himself and offered menus. Rex ordered a bottle of wine and an appetizer Thandie couldn’t pronounce. After the waiter was gone, Thandie leaned forward to be heard over the noise.

  “You know how to read Japanese?”

  Rex laughed. “Oh, goodness, no! Purely repetition. I come here often.” He waved his hand at the atmosphere. “The food is great, and the ambiance is romantic.” He reached out to place his hand over hers. “I’m glad you came,” he said in a low voice.

  “Me, too.”

  The intimacy of the moment was disturbed when the waiter returned with the bottle of wine. He poured two glasses for them, and not wanting to get lost in the shuffle of a busy night, Rex insisted they place their dinner orders.

  When the waiter had once again disappeared, Thandie looked up to see Rex watching her. Once again, she marveled at how comfortable she felt around him. Doubt and tension simply did not exist when she was around him.

  “So,” she said, reaching for her wine glass, “how long have you been working for Elliot?”

  “A few years,” he said with a warm smile. “But I don’t actually work for Elliot. I mean, not entirely.” When she frowned, he continued. “I do marketing work for several clubs. I search the industry, identify new trends, and report back to my employers. They sort of ‘pool’ their finances for my services. It’s the most efficient way to go about it if you don’t want to pay for a full-time marketer. I mean, let’s face it. Unless you have a chain of locations, the market is fairly cyclicle. And whatever tactics the guy down the street is using to rally interest in his business, you’ll try it to see if it works for your company. It’s rather different from what you do for Babylon.”

  “Oh,” was all Thandie could say. This explained why Elliot simply hadn’t assigned Rex to do what she’d been hired for.

  “One of the perks of my job is it requires I travel from time to time.”

  “Such as?” she asked, genuinely interested.

  “Anywhere, I suppose. I’ve been to New York, L.A., Dubai, Rio and London. I’ve even been to Shanghai a few times.” He lifted his shoulders. “It depends on where the client is competing. Miami is a strange beast. The club owners here want to compete with Vegas. So, lately I’ve been traveling there more often.”

  “Is that where you were a few weeks ago?”

  He nodded. “Unfortunately, I have to go back. Short trip, but necessary.” Again he placed his hand over hers. “I’m afraid I’m going to miss your next presentation.”

  Thandie was reminded of the Nicki Minaj debacle, and her hasty booking of The Pussy Cats. She’d had such high hopes for pulling off a large show, and now she was forced to promote an erotic dance group few people in Miami had ever heard of. The only advantage she saw was she was saving a large portion of the tight budget Elliot had set.

  “I leave tomorrow evening,” he said. “That’s why I wanted to see you tonight. You’re always busy with work at the club, and I hardly get to see you. But tonight, I have you all to myself.” He smiled shyly. “I hope you don’t mind if I monopolize your time.”

  Thandie smiled up at him through thick lashes. “By all means.”

  * * *

  With their dinner dishes taken away, the three friends leaned back in their seats, laughing as they finished off their drinks. The mood had lightened significantly, aided by good food, and an attentive bartender.

  Signing his name with a flourish, Nico asked, “How did I get stuck with the bill?”

  “Because I paid for dinner the last time,” Elliot reminded him.

  “And I paid the time before that,” Matrix chimed in.

  “Fine, fine,” Nico muttered as he tucked his copy of the receipt into his wallet. Their waiter appeared to refill water glasses. When they were once again alone, Nico turned to Elliot and said, “I ran into a friend of yours last night. The tiny little angel who flipped us the bird.”

  “Victoria,” Elliot offered.

  “Yes, Victoria,” Nico said. “I saw her at the club, and decided to introduce myself. I thought she might be nicer in person.”

  “Oh?” Elliot asked with a raise of his brow.

  “She wasn’t,” Nico confessed. “She’s a hellion, that one.”

  This actually made Elliot laugh. He could only imagine the creative string of expletives Victoria had spit at Nico. “You were warned,” was all he could say.

  Matrix, who’d been checking his cell phone, looked up. “What about a hellion?”

  “Victoria Day,” Elliot answered. “Local designer.”

  “Designer?” Matrix asked.

  “Thandie is expanding our horizons,” he explained. “Victoria will be hosting her fashion show at Babylon in a few weeks.”

  Matrix leaned back in his seat. “Sounds very high brow.”

  “I suppose,” Elliot mumbled, uninterested.

  “When is it?” Nico asked.

  “When is what?”

  “The show,” Nico said impatiently. “When is it?”

  The question made Elliot turn to look at his friend. “I can’t recall off the top of my head. Would you like me to send you details?”

  Matrix leaned forward. “Why the interest, Nico? Are you thinking about getting into the fashion business?”

  Before Nico could answer, their waiter returned, asking if there was anything else they would like to order. When Nico declined the offer, the young man graciously bid them good-night, before deftly taking possession of the leather binder containing the bill. Taking this as their cue to leave, the men got up.

  “Headed to the club?” Matrix asked.

  “Perhaps,” Elliot said with a nonchalant shrug, even though he was certain that was his destination.

  Matrix elbowed Nico. “And you?”

  Nico did not immediately speak. Instead, he came to an abrupt halt, and stared off into the distance with keen interest. Elliot and Matrix paused to look after their friend. When Nico gave a wicked smile, Elliot frowned.

  “What are you grinning about?”

  “Are you sure you’ve got everything under control?” he said, nudging his chin toward the tables across the room, where couples sat intimately close while sharing dinner.

  At first, Elliot hadn’t understood. There was movement all around the restaurant, and several dimly lit dinner booths. And then, with a clarity of a bird of prey, he saw them. Rex and Thandie, nestled together. Candlelight threw shadows across their faces, but it was her. He was certain of it. As if he needed further clarification, Thandie threw her head back, and her laughter punctuated the air.

  How had he missed her? Had his back been turned when they’d entered the restaurant? Had his attention been focused on Matrix at the time? Few things escaped his gaze. And yet, there they were. Thandie and Rex, sharing a romantic dinner together.

  Elliot knew without seeing, he hated her dress. It was a dark color and formfitting. Even from this distance, he could see the seductive swell of her breasts. No doubt Rex was getting a healthy view of Thandie’s golden skin.

  “It looks like your kitten has come out to play,” he heard Nico whisper beside him.

  Elliot straightened his tie and smiled slowly. “I think we should go and say hello.”

  Nico grinned. “After you.”

  * * *

 
; Thandie was laughing when she suddenly went rigid. Like a guilty child, she jumped, intentionally putting several inches of space between her and her companion.

  Rex noticed her change, and looked up. Unlike her, his grin brightened when he saw their employer approaching their table. Elliot was flanked by his good friend Nico and another man she’d never laid eyes on before.

  Thandie could not believe her luck. Of all the nights, all the places, and of all the people...why did they have to run into Elliot Richards on the one evening she was desperate to not think about him?

  Thandie tried to stand, forgetting they were seated in a booth. Her knees banged painfully against the table, forcing her to fall back onto the leather console. But not before she saw Elliot’s cool gray gaze zero in on the flash of upper thigh, made visible by the high slit of her dress.

  “Are you all right?” Rex asked, concern marking his face.

  “I’m fine,” she said quickly, embarrassed.

  “Are you sure—”

  “Yes, very sure,” she said, softening her hasty reply with a tentative smile. Any chance of escape was gone. Thandie whispered a curse under her breath as Elliot and his friends surrounded their table. There was a look in his eyes she didn’t trust. And the smile he wore definitely could not be trusted.

  “Well, if it isn’t the two lovebirds,” Elliot said in a low voice. “Imagine my delight when I saw you across the room.”

  Thandie gritted her teeth together, and Rex smiled. What he took as a compliment, she registered as a taunt.

  Sliding out of the booth, Rex stood to greet their visitors “Good to see you, gentlemen.” His surprise at running into them was evident as he shook the hand of each man, but he was pleased nonetheless.

  Intent on ignoring Elliot and Nico’s cheerful smile, Thandie turned her attention to the other man. He was a tall, dark figure. Even dressed in a suit, Thandie could tell he was incredibly fit. He was all tanned skin, thick dark brows, dark goatee, and long dark hair. He could have been a pirate in another life.