He laughed, “Alright, I’ll talk to you later. Are you working Thursday?”
“Yup, Thursday through Sunday.”
“Cool, see you then.”
I hung up the phone and fell back against the pile of pillows on my unmade bed. Chelsea must have been waiting in the hall, eavesdropping, because she popped up in the doorway within nanoseconds. Before she even sat down next to me, questions were flying out of her mouth.
“Who was that?”
“Dom, the guy from work I told you about.”
“Really?” she asked; her eyebrow arched high. “Wow, you had a two hour conversation with a guy. When are you getting married?”
“What?”
“Geez Nat, I’m just kidding. Two hours is like the longest commitment you’ve given a guy since Toby – ha ha?”
“Oh, I get it. Not funny. Besides, I’ve already decided I’m not getting involved with anyone because I’m leaving Philly after graduation.”
“Wait a second. So you actually considered getting involved? Wow, Nat, that’s progress.” Chelsea sat back and looked at me. “I’m proud of you. I know Toby really fucked you up and maybe now you’re beginning to realize you’re not completely broken after all.”
“I wouldn’t go that far! Like I said, this isn’t going anywhere.”
“Uh huh,” she said and she stared at me like a parent whose baby just spoke her first word.
I rolled off the bed and Chelsea followed me down the hall into our small kitchen. I dropped a bagel in the toaster then chopped an apple, smearing the slices with peanut butter.
“Did Jillian call you about watching our shows?” Chelsea asked. She knew me well enough to stop discussing Dominic.
“She left me a message, but I haven’t called her back.”
“Well, the girls and Danny are going to come over here tomorrow night to watch it. Everybody’s going to bring a snack and a drink.”
“Sweet, should be fun,” I said and took a bite of my bagel.
“So you’re thinking about grad school again?”
I nodded as I chewed.
“It’s going to be weird not being roommates anymore. I’ll really miss you Nat.” Chelsea was leaving for Italy for the summer after landing an internship. This was the first time I really thought about how we were going to be so far apart. We had been inseparable since fourth grade.
“We still have a few months,” I put down my bagel and pulled her into a hug. “And I’ll miss you more than you know.” My voice grew thick with unshed tears and she was quick to return the hug, as usual.
Chapter 5
I was running late for work. Every pair of pantyhose I pulled out of the dresser had a run. Finally, I found a new pair shoved in the back of a drawer and managed to put them on without ruining them. I stepped into black high heels and threw my winter coat over my work clothes, a tight black skirt and low cut top. The cab was waiting at the curb and I caught the driver checking out my legs as I approached. I made a mental note to buy a longer coat.
“Club Crimson, Columbus Ave. and Oregon, please,” I instructed the driver.
The closer we got, the more nervous I became. I was excited to see Dominic and seriously annoyed with myself for feeling that way. As the cab pulled up in front of Crimson, I decided I wouldn’t go out of my way to seek Dominic out. It was better not to pursue anything with him. At least Grant would be happy about this decision.
I didn’t see Dominic when I walked past his bar on the way to the employee lounge. Brittany and Allegra were sitting on one of the black leather loveseats smoking.
“Hey Nat, ready for a busy night?” Brittany asked.
“Are Thursdays busy here?”
“Definitely, they’re crazy. Allegra and I are planning on going to Blue again after work, if you want to come?”
“I don’t know. I have school tomorrow.”
Brittany shrugged, put out her cigarette and stood up. I was amazed her tiny frame could support such giant breasts and wondered if her plastic surgeon had any ethics at all. “See you on the floor,” she said and left the lounge.
Brittany was right, Thursday nights were crazy. I was grateful though because it kept my mind off of Dominic, although it didn’t keep my eyes from seeking him out. I purposefully avoided his bar, even if it meant a longer trip to fill my drink orders. The other bartenders weren’t as captivating. At the end of the night, however tempted I was to wind down at Blue after work, I knew I needed to behave and be prepared for class. Grant dropped me off and seemed more at ease. I think he was pleased I was being responsible.
Adrenaline from the busy night still coursed through my veins and I wasn’t ready to sleep when I got home, so I pulled out grad school applications for a couple of the schools I was interested in attending. The Art Institute of Chicago, Cal Arts and the Rhode Island School of Design rounded out the top three. I managed to fill out all the necessary forms and made a list of what I needed to include from the school such as a transcripts, recommendations and my digital portfolio. It felt good to make progress and I slept peacefully.
The next night I wasn’t as successful at avoiding Dominic. After the club closed, all of the other employees gathered around Dominic’s bar to count out. It would have been too obvious if I didn’t join them so I walked over. Dominic saw me approach and smiled. “Hey you, it’s about time you came over. I thought you were avoiding me or something.”
“No, just busy. You were pretty busy tonight too.”
“I would have made time for you,” he admitted. I smiled in response. Damn, he was making it hard for me to resist him.
Grant walked up to us with Miranda at his side. “Miranda is having a little after work gathering at her place, Nat, care to join us?”
“Sure!” I was still pretty wound up from the night and not ready for sleep, plus since it was Friday night, I didn’t have to worry about classes the next day.
“I’m in too,” Dominic announced. Grant glared at Dominic, but didn’t say anything.
Grant and Miranda walked ahead to her car. Dominic and I followed close behind until he slowed to a stop and I stopped with him.
“Did you forget something?”
“No, I wanted to talk to you while we’re alone.”
“Um, ok?”
“Were you avoiding me last night and tonight?
I looked into his eyes prepared to lie, but found it impossible. “Sort of,” I laughed and stared down at the tops of my shoes. He waited for me to continue. “I don’t want things to get weird or complicated and –“
Placing a finger under my chin, he raised my head, and silenced me with a kiss. The kiss was anything but weird and it certainly complicated things. My knees went weak and I fell against him. He held me up, pulling me closer. His lips on mine felt so natural and way too good for me to try to stop.
He pulled away and I caught my breath. “You were saying?” he prompted me.
“What was I saying?” I joked. He smiled and moved in for another one. I put my hands on his chest and pushed away. “Grant is probably watching and I’m really not in the mood to deal with him. Besides, I need some time to think about this, about us. Okay?”
He nodded. “That sounds reasonable, but you don’t have to avoid me.” I was beginning to think I wouldn’t be able to avoid him, especially if he kept kissing me like that.
Chapter 6
Crimson was packed. The celebrity NBA event drew a crowd. A line of people, desperate to get in, wrapped around the building. They stood there patiently dressed like it was summer, oblivious to the sub-zero temperatures. Inside the club felt tropical, the air was thick, moist and uncomfortably warm. Bodies writhed together on the dance floor and couples were entwined on large plush sofas that lined the walls. Each of the three bars had crowds of people waiting to get drinks. I didn’t have to wait. Dominic gave me priority when he filled my orders.
It only took me a week to get used to making my way through the throngs of people, but I was not ge
tting used to being grabbed by strangers. If my brother had his way, he’d throw out every guy who touched me. Fortunately, he was busy and distracted in the VIP Section; otherwise I wouldn’t make any tips.
Weaving my way through the crowd, I spotted Grant talking to a group sitting at a table in VIP. One of the men in the group was staring at me. He was older and his beady, black eyes were intense. His eyes combined with heavy jowls that hung off of his jaw reminded me of a bulldog. His unwavering gaze made me uncomfortable. I looked away, but couldn’t help but peer back to see if he was still staring. This time the guy was talking to Grant and pointing at me. The fear on Grant’s face when he saw me was terrifying. I’d rarely seen him afraid. He was always so sure of himself. Shocked, I turned away and refused to hazard another glance.
It was too busy the rest of the night and I had forgotten all about it until I was walking over to Dominic’s bar to count out my tips. The creepy guy was sitting on one of the stools and talking to Dominic. I stopped short and contemplated turning around, but it was too late because Dominic spotted me and waved. The guy swiveled around on his stool to see who Dominic was waving at. He watched me walk the rest of the way to the bar, making every step an extremely uncomfortable one. I had no choice but to go up to Dominic.
“Hi Nat. Did you have a good night?”
“I did. Thanks for helping me out with my drink orders,” I answered, trying to ignore the penetrating gaze of Mr. Creepy.
“Natalie, this is my uncle. Marco Grabano.” Dominic introduced me to Mr. Creepy. “Uncle Marco, this is Natalie Ross, Grant’s sister.”
Not wanting to, but not wanting to be rude, I held my hand out to shake his hand. “Nice to meet you Mr. Cr – Mr. Grabano,” I said.
“You can call me Uncle Marco, doll,” he said in a gravelly voice. Instead of shaking my hand, he bent over and kissed the top. “I’ve been anxious to meet Grant’s sister. Apparently you got all the looks.” He winked before his x-ray eyes scanned me again.
I turned my head, embarrassed, when I noticed Grant. He was sitting at the other end of the bar. His jaws clenched and nostrils flared when he saw Marco’s kiss my hand. Concerned Grant was going to do something ‘big brotherish”, I withdrew it and turned towards Dominic. “Sorry, I have to go talk to Grant.” I nodded in Mr. Grabano’s direction. I could feel his eyes on my ass as I turned and walked towards my brother.
“What is with you?” I hissed at Grant as I got closer to where he was sitting.
“I don’t –I mean, I want…let’s talk about this later. I thought I told you to stay away from Dominic.”
I exhaled sharply. “Not up for discussion, Grant.” There was a noticeable edge to my voice. “Now, staying away from his uncle? That I can do,” I whispered this part, not wanting ‘Uncle Marco’ to overhear, “He weirds me out.”
I noticed Grant was clenching his jaw again. “He’s the co-owner of Crimson, Nat. He’s a very powerful man here in Philly.”
“Great, so he’s my boss? Shit, I was kind of rude to him just now.”
Grant leaned in close to me. “I don’t think you can be rude to him, Nat. The way he is looking at you right now, you could flip him off and he’d be just as enthralled.”
“What?” I jerked my head up to see what he was talking about, but Grant prevented me.
“Don’t. Jesus…” Grant paused. “You seem to have caught Mr. Grabano’s eye. He wanted me to arrange a meeting. But, I told him you’re my sister and not available.”
“Ewww. But why would he want to meet me? I mean, all the other waitresses, they’re gorgeous!”
“Natalie now is not the time to delve into your low self-esteem issues, just listen to me. Try to limit your interaction with Marco. I know he’s our boss, technically, but he is used to getting his way and abusing his power. Catch my drift?”
“Oh.” I gasped as the realization hit me. “Is he dangerous?”
“Very. And he isn’t used to being denied anything he wants.”
“And you think he wants me?”
“I know he does,” Grant said. There was a shadow of sadness in his hazel eyes. “Nat, I really wish I hadn’t gotten you a job here.”
“Is Dominic really his nephew?” I asked, anxious to change the direction of the conversation.
“Yes and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”
I laughed finding that hard to believe. Dominic was nothing but a sweetheart. He didn’t have a dark, brooding presence like his Uncle.
“If you have such an issue with Dominic, why did you let me hang out with him at Miranda’s again last night?”
“Because he’s Miranda’s cousin.”
“Oh.”
“Natalie, will you please take me seriously?”
I could see the concern on my brother’s face and didn’t want him to keep nagging me. “Yes Grant. I am taking this seriously,” I reassured him.
He relaxed a bit after that and let me finish counting out my tips in peace. I was shocked to discover I had made over $400. There was a lot of money being spent at Crimson. Despite having a creepy boss man, this was a great place to work.
Dominic walked down to stand in front of me. “Hey Nat, do you have any plans for after work?”
I was just about to answer when Grant butted in. “I’m her ride. We’re heading out in a few minutes.”
After shooting death rays at Grant I looked apologetically at Dominic. He was just being nice and Grant was behaving like a giant ass.
“I can give her a ride Grant, if she wants to hang out?” He regarded me with his deep green eyes. Thank God I was sitting because my legs probably wouldn’t have been able to support me. It was utterly bizarre how Dominic’s mere presence affected me. Before Grant could speak for me again I answered, with exaggerated enthusiasm. “That would be great! I’m not ready to go home yet.”
I turned towards Grant with a big smile and batted my eyelashes. He frowned at me and shook his head. “Yeah, sure you’re taking me seriously,” he muttered. I heard the defeat in his voice and knew I had won, because Grant would have to physically pick me up and carry me out of the club. I wasn’t going to budge.
***
Dominic and I were flying down Broad Street, heading towards South Philly in his Mustang. The worn leather seats smelled like a mixture of smoke, gasoline and Dominic’s cologne - definitely a man’s car. It was just the two of us and I enjoyed being alone with him. I found that once I got over my shyness, he was easy to talk to. I had no idea where we were going. He said he was taking me to a special place not too many people knew about. We could have driven around ‘til dawn, I didn’t care, as long as I got to stay next to him.
He asked all sorts of questions about me. When we had spoken on the phone the other night, we didn’t talk about our family. I told him Grant was three years older and my only sibling. Our parents divorced when I was five and our Dad moved to Texas. I hardly knew him. He was remarried and had another family. We stayed with our Mom in York and Grant was forced to be the man of the house.
“He’s kind of overbearing, but I don’t think he really has a choice,” I revealed to Dominic.
Dominic nodded his head. “I can see that and I think it makes him good at his job. He’s always watching out for everyone.”
“Yeah, but it’s not easy when you’re his younger sister, trust me!”
“Does he hold you back?”
“He tries to!” I laughed.
“Like he tried to keep you from going out with me tonight?”
“Yes.”
“But he didn’t stop you.”he
“I try not to let things stand in my way of something I really want.” I closed my mouth with a snap, completely mortified I let that slip. I turned my head and stared out the window.
“Am I something you really want?” he teased. I ignored him, not ready for him to know.
Dominic told me a little bit about himself too. I finally got the answer to my questions about the family business he wou
ld take over someday.
“Ah, Uncle Marco,” I said.
“Yeah, I’m learning all of the positions. They had me start out as bar back, now I’m bartending.”
“What’s next?”
“I think I’m going to be working under your brother.”
“That should be interesting.” I said, imagining just how thrilled Grant must be at the idea.
Dominic slowed down as he turned off of Broad onto a smaller side street. Most of the row homes were dark, their occupants asleep. A few were boarded up. He parked in front of one of the abandoned homes. I got out and followed him up steps which led to a condemned building.
“Dominic, where are we?” I asked, recalling how the serial killer, Gary Heidnik lived in a similar neighborhood. I mean, how well did I really know this guy?
“You’ll see.” He knocked three times on the door. It immediately opened from the inside and a very large man peered through the crack. Dominic said something in what sounded like Italian and the door widened to let him through. I gathered myself together and quickly followed him in.
The large man eyeballed me. “Does she need to be searched?” he asked Dominic.
The thought of this man searching me with his bear paw sized hands was very disconcerting and I was relieved when Dominic told him I was cool and worked at Crimson. The man relaxed even more when he heard I was Grant’s sister.
Once inside, I was able to take in my new surroundings. The home wasn’t condemned at all. A long hallway led to a back room, where a group of men were seated at a table playing cards. The smoke from their cigars hung in a haze above their heads. To my left, a steep staircase led to a dark second level. A living room or parlor, which had been converted to a bar, was to my immediate right. Several people sat around the bar counter and the bartender waved when he saw Dominic.
I followed him into this room and saw the front windows were boarded up, but aside from that the room was well maintained. The lighting was soft and jazz was playing quietly in the background. I noticed how people paid attention to Dominic as he crossed the room. They regarded him with respect. I quickly caught up so I was walking next to him. I wanted these people to know who I was with.
The Beautiful People (The New Mafia Trilogy) Page 3
