Her eyes widened in shock. She would have to work all night to get paid even close to that at the Red Slipper.
“Are you serious?” she asked and Charlie smiled.
“Very serious. This is only the beginning. That pay will increase, I’m certain, especially if my gut is right and you have ideas of your own,” Alanna said, convincing Caprice to take this job.
Could she, though? How would she face Angelo, Vito, and Morano?
“I don’t know if I can,” she said and then glanced at her watch. “I need to catch the bus and get to work.” She felt the tears in her eyes. This was her chance. Her opportunity for a better life.
“The Red Slipper isn’t open yet,” Alanna said, narrowing her eyes.
“I work three days a week as a paralegal for a firm in the Bronx. I can’t be late.”
“Paralegal?” Charlie asked.
“Yes. I need to go.”
“Will you think about it? Give me an answer by Wednesday?” Charlie asked.
She nodded. “I’ll let you know. Thank you for the opportunity,” she said, and as she turned to leave, she saw a few women entering the club. There were other women auditioning. She glanced at the upset expressions on Charlie’s, Alanna’s, and Mike’s faces.
“Thank you, Mike, and thank you to the band,” she called out and waved, and felt like shit. She liked them. She felt comfortable despite seeing Angelo, Vito, and Morano. But how could she take this job? They would be around her all the time. It would be difficult to resist them—to resist the attraction, the lust she felt for them.
God, this wasn’t fair. Why did her father have to owe Billy O’Hare so much money? Why was it her problem? Why did she have to live like a poor person, just making ends meet because she needed to give all her money to that man? It wasn’t fair, she thought, as she hurried down the block and made the bus just in time.
As she took her seat and looked out the window. As the bus passed Club Magique, she saw Vito by the entryway looking at the bus. The man was powerful. All three men were, in their own ways, in very unsubtle ways. They were made men. They had money, power, and success. She was in debt to a loan shark, forced to answer when he beckoned her, and had been beaten and threatened by multiple badass men working for Billy O’Hare. That was fear she would live with forever. She couldn’t take this job. She couldn’t let Vito, Angelo, and Morano know what her life was really like. She would have to remain at the Red Slipper and work as a boring paralegal. She needed the money, and that was what she needed to do from here on out. Be realistic, or face the wrath of Billy O’Hare.
* * * *
“Did she take it?” Angelo asked Charlie as he walked into the office.
“No.”
“What?” Vito said with his hand on his hip, the blazer open, showing his gun.
Charlie felt grim.
“I think she has a lot on her plate.”
“What do you mean?” Angelo asked.
“She works multiple jobs. Besides being backup singer and dancer at the Red Slipper, she is a paralegal, and was even working last night at what was probably a private gig.” His gut clenched with concern. Charlie had seen this a time or two before and wondered what Caprice’s story was. The woman had the perfect voice. She could be a star.
“A paralegal?” Angelo asked.
“Yeah, seems she works multiple jobs, day and night. She said she works at a small firm in the Bronx.”
Vito scrunched his eyes and looked at his watch.
“No way she’s making it there by nine.”
“Maybe she gets to work by ten,” Charlie suggested.
“What do we do?” Angelo asked.
“I don’t know. She was gung-ho, excited about auditioning, and looking to land a better job with better pay,” Charlie told them.
“Then she saw us and knows we own the place,” Vito said.
“You did say that Charlie would be in charge,” Angelo pointed out.
“I think she read right through that. I’m not letting her out of this. She’s talented and we can’t stand in the way of her getting a better job, a steady one. Charlie, was it a definite no?” Vito asked.
“She said she would let me know by Wednesday.”
“Okay. When does she work at the Red Slipper?”
“Wednesday and Friday nights,” Charlie told them.
He looked at Vito and Angelo, who locked gazes.
Charlie cleared his throat. “I think she needs the money.”
Vito narrowed his eyes at him and Angelo inhaled through his nostrils. Both men were intimidating and powerful men. He worked for them for several years now, and he knew they had strong feelings for Caprice. Their brother Morano did, too, but he had been MIA for a week now.
“Why do you say that?”
“She seemed shocked at the salary we offered, and got emotional as we explained that the salary would increase by her success. She kept looking toward the hallway the two of you left through as if she were desperate. There were tears in her eyes. I don’t know why, but I guess my gut is reacting here. She needs the money.”
Vito stared at him and he didn’t look pleased.
“Thank you for trying. We’ll take it from here,” Vito said to him.
Charlie nodded and then exited the room. He hoped they could convince Caprice to take the job. She was sweet and talented, and most importantly, she had the full attention of all three Fiorre brothers, and that was a shock in itself.
* * * *
“What do we do first?” Angelo asked and rubbed his jaw.
“We call Morano and let him know what’s going on. He knows the owner of the Red Slipper. I want to find out where she lives, where she works, whatever we can.”
“Vito, I thought we said we would respect her wishes and not pursue her like she asked,” Angelo said.
Vito narrowed his eyes at his brother. “You heard her voice, did you not?”
“She’s resistant.”
“For reasons we don’t know right now, but I’m damn well going to find out. The three of us, Morano included, haven’t been ourselves in months. She’s special, and if Charlie is right, and she’s struggling, or in some kind of trouble, then we’re going to help her. Whatever is causing her to deny these feelings, and dismiss what we shared in D.R. needs to be exposed. Now get Morano on the phone and tell him what’s going on. We need to handle this accordingly.”
* * * *
“Gunther, please. I need this job. I can’t believe that you would do this to me. I’ve gone above and beyond the hours you pay me and with no complaints,” Caprice said to her boss at the legal firm.
“I’m sorry, Caprice. You were late,” he told her, and she felt sick, angry, and scared. She needed the money. Tears filled her eyes.
“I’ve never been late, ever. I had an appointment this morning in Manhattan.”
“I don’t care. Gather your things. Bernice can cut you a check.”
“Gunther, please. I need the money.”
He stared at her, then exhaled.
“I’ll tell her to give you an extra hundred as a bonus, but I can’t keep you. Now, excuse me. I have a lot to do and a court appearance to get ready for.”
She exhaled and walked out of the room. She could see the receptionist’s eyes well up with tears, and a few other gulfers who’d worked in the office longer than her, quickly turned away. She gathered her things, removed her information from the computer, including her login and I.D. so no one could do anything under her name or password. She changed it regularly to ensure security. She then walked over to Bernice, who smiled softly. “I’m so sorry, Caprice.”
“I don’t understand how this could happen.”
Bernice looked around them. “Be safe.”
She handed her a check and Caprice took it and placed it into her purse, then headed out the door. She stood tall, shoulders back, but the moment she got onto the busy street, she felt the tears emerge. What was she going to do?
She stopped by t
he small coffee shop a block from the bus station. As she ordered a coffee to go, she looked out the window and saw the black car. Her heart hammered inside of her chest. Kiernan?
What was he doing here? As she asked herself that question, her gut clenched hard. Was this a set up? Did Billy get her fired? What the hell did he want from her? How could she pay her father’s debt if she wasn’t working?
“Anything else, doll?” the woman behind the register asked her, interrupting her thoughts.
“Oh, no, thank you. Have a nice day.”
“You, too.”
Caprice felt her body shaking. She hated and feared Kiernan. Six feet two, muscles galore, although not as many muscles as Angelo. Her throat felt instantly dry. Why did she think of Angelo and compare him to Kiernan? She couldn’t think about them right now. That job at their club. God, it would have been perfect. It would have come at a perfect time if it wasn’t a club belonging to the Fiorre brothers. She wouldn’t be able to resist them, to avoid their touches, the desire she had for them. She couldn’t entertain that attraction, not when she owed Billy the money. She needed to call her father to find out if he was working or ready to contribute more. He was going to flip out. She wanted to throw up. She nearly dropped the damn coffee and felt herself shaking harder.
As she stepped outside, she turned to the left, but before she could go past the vehicle pretending to be oblivious, the door opened and Kiernan got out of the passenger side. Someone was driving. Was it Marlin, or one of the other thugs who’d roughed her up that night? She froze in place, and Kiernan nodded his chin, gesturing for her to come over.
She didn’t move for a second, and a scowl formed on his face and she quickly walked closer. He eyed her from head to toe. She pulled the light jacket tighter.
“Get in the car.”
“What? Why?” she asked.
He stepped toward the passenger side back door and opened it. “The boss wants you to stop by the bar to talk.”
“I can’t. I’m working,” she lied. He licked his lower lip and squinted at her.
“Lie to me or the boss again, and there’ll be consequences.”
He knew she got fired. How the hell did he—
She felt her nose clog up and her eyes fill with tears. The son of a bitch somehow got her fired. Why would he do that when it was a source of income to pay him back? What did he want from her? What the hell was this all about?
“Get in, now.”
She reluctantly slid into the back seat of the Mercedes and he closed the door. She locked gazes with Marlin, who gave her a wink and looked at her thighs. When she sat, her skirt lifted higher and she tried unsuccessfully to pull the skirt lower.
“Good to see you, Caprice,” he said to her, and then turned back around and headed into traffic.
She could remember Marlin striking her, then holding her wrists behind her back as Kiernan gripped her face and relayed the demands of his boss, Billy O’Hare. She was shocked to learn of her father’s debt to the loan shark/bar owner. She had to remain strong and figure out what to do, and call her father. Her life was turning into a nightmare. What had started out as an encouraging morning had now turned into an out-of-control mess. Maybe she would have to take that job at Club Magique in order to pay the debt? She could do it. She could avoid the Fiorre brothers as best she could.
Kiernan turned around in the passenger seat. He looked at her thighs and then into her eyes. “It will work out. You’ll see,” he said.
She wondered if he was trying to be reassuring, or was he trying to trick her into trusting him. Kiernan scared her more than Marlin, and more than Billy. What could they want from her now?
When they arrived at O’Hare’s Restaurant and Pub, the place was already busy. They served food all day and alcohol, too, starting with Irish breakfast, and continuing throughout the day with corned beef, and ending with shots of Irish whiskey. She was overdressed for the morning crowd.
Kiernan had light dirty blond hair he kept a little long. His dark eyes, a green and black sort of mix, made him appear angry all the time. The large muscles, gruff along his face, and the slight brogue, were intimidating to say the least. She used to like the sound of a good Irish brogue, but not today.
They headed through the busy breakfast crew, the bar half packed with men and women and a few other people whom she knew worked for Billy O. After they walked down the dark-stained wood hallway, passing the bathrooms and then a private room, they came to the main office. Another two goons stood there. Their eyes locked onto hers and then swept over her body. To say she felt uncomfortable was an understatement. These men were capable of violence and possibly murder. She had been a victim of the violence, beaten and roughed up enough to put the fear of God into her, and she prayed this wasn’t another round for the bad guys.
“Damn,” the one tall, redheaded guy said right at her.
Kiernan’s hand was around her waist, his body flush against her back. She tightened up, maybe even let out a low gasp at his possessive action. The way the guys looked at her caused her to lean into Kiernan, which probably wasn’t a smart thing to do, but she assumed Kiernan meant her no harm. These guys looked at her like pigs who thought they could do whatever they wanted. She’d seen men like this before. She locked gazes with them, and could see in their eyes they would force themselves upon a woman whether she wanted it or not. She swallowed hard and Kiernan barked some sort of order. The jerk stood straighter and opened the door to the office.
Kiernan didn’t exactly release her as they entered. In fact, she felt his palm caress her belly and then her hip, giving it a squeeze. She wouldn’t look up at him or acknowledge whatever that touch meant. Reassurance, support, possessiveness? She didn’t know. She just wanted to live and get whatever this meeting was about over with so she could call her dad.
She hadn’t expected to walk into another room and to see her dad sitting there in a chair, lip bleeding, eye swollen.
“Dad!” she exclaimed and pulled away from Kiernan and hurried to her father.
“I’m okay, Caprice.”
She narrowed her eyes at Billy, who remained straight-faced and sitting at his desk.
“We were discussing your future, Caprice, and a way to get your father out of this debt he owes me.”
“By beating him up?” she snapped at him.
Her father grabbed her hand. “Caprice.”
She was pissed and she was tired of this crap. Tired of being threatened and beaten. She thought about her mom and looked at her father. “Mom?”
“She’s fine. She’s home and knows nothing about this,” her dad said, and then wiggled his jaw. He sounded funny. Was that alcohol on his breath? Had he been drinking? His lip was really swollen and there was bruising along the jaw, too. His eye looked the worst though, and she felt the tears fill her eyes.
“We figured out a way to resolve this debt, and to get into a little business together,” Billy said to her.
She didn’t like the sound of this. What had they threatened her father with? What were Billy’s demands now?
“You’re a very talented young woman, Caprice. You have potential and I’m willing to act as your agent, and get you some jobs performing onstage.”
Her eyes widened. He wanted to exploit her talent? Own her? Be her agent?
“No,” she stated firmly.
Billy stood up and walked closer. He eyed her in the slim-fitting green sweater, the tight black skirt, and boots. When he reached out and curled a finger around one of the long curls of her blond hair, she tightened up.
“Your father assured me that you would cooperate. After all, it’s a win-win situation. You work for me. I’m your agent, and get you some jobs onstage at a few specific places I know. Word spreads about your talent. You get paid while working for me, and soon enough the debt disappears.”
“Then what?” she asked, breathing through her nostrils as her teeth clenched.
He licked his lips and looked at her mouth, then he
r breasts.
“By then, fate will step in. I’m friends with a very powerful businessman, who just happens to own a few clubs. You’ll perform for him next week at a private event at Club Finesse.”
“Club Finesse?” she asked, shocked. She knew of the place. Not exactly upscale, but big, crowded, and it brought in a wild bunch of men. Fights broke out there often. The positive was the young crowd it seemed to gather there, but that was more than likely because of the drugs, the young muscle for gangsters, and gangbangers who frequented there. It wasn’t exactly a safe place to be.
“You won’t be taking the main stage for a bit. That’s the owner’s decision, after the private party you’ll be providing entertainment for. Then he’ll talk more with us about your future.”
She felt sick to her stomach. How did her father’s mess turn into this man, and others, controlling her life? Her future?
She looked at her father. He lowered his eyes. He couldn’t even look at her. He knew he was at fault for this. What could she do? She closed her eyes and then felt the arm go around her waist. She gasped and looked up over her shoulder at Kiernan.
She pulled away from him and stepped to the side. Tears filled her eyes and she forced them away.
“No. I’m not doing it. I’m not interested, and I don’t need an agent. My father and I will get your money.”
Billy snagged her wrist and pulled her up against his chest. He turned her around and shoved her onto her back onto the desk.
“Don’t!” she screamed at him. Her skirt lifted, and he was pressed between her thighs. Tears rolled down her cheeks. This monster would rape her. Right here in front of these men and her father. She shook with fear and couldn’t even speak or think. He held her down by her shoulders and then gripped her neck and jaw with one hand.
“This isn’t up for negotiating. You’re doing it. It’s a done deal. Don Pasanno expects you at the club an hour before the party to go over things. Kiernan will pick you up at your place and drive you there. Whatever Don wants,” he stated, and tilted her chin and jaw up holding it tight, “Don gets.” He looked over her body, then glided his other hand up her ribs.
Made Men 3: The Red Slipper (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 4
