Billionaire Devils Club-Palm Beach

by Ashley Woods

  He pointed over to his table and laughed, “I will even forgo my foursome with “The Furies” in order to enjoy your company instead.”

  To avoid Karl’s eyes, Kristen looked toward the women, and then toward Melanie. She had been so wrapped up in seeing Karl, that she was not aware that Melanie and her Canuck had moved to the other side of the lounge.

  Kristen shifted in her chair. Karl was becoming impatient, and said, like he always unfairly did,

  “Kristen, this is not a game.”

  Kristen replied quickly, “I’m not playing games Karl. I am no longer looking for a thrill, and it doesn’t interest me. Game over.”

  She glared at him, “Again, that type of party, and that whole scene is not for me. It just seems boring if you aren’t really into it. And, I am not the type who is going to pretend to enjoy it just to get myself a man.” She tilted her head at his young dates.

  “You never knew what it was really about. Kristen, maybe you don’t want it, but I know you still want me.”

  Kristen had never heard Karl actually try to talk to her. She was used to him just dismissing her. He now acted like she had some significant impact on him back then.

  “My dear, pain and humiliation are not the key, it goes much deeper.” He watched her fidget slightly, and continued, “It is about control. It is about trust. I saw a quality and a need in you, that I wanted to explore further. I sincerely regret that I never called you again.”

  Kristen assured him, “It’s alright. I knew there was nothing going on. I was just curious about things. It wasn’t you.”

  Karl looked at her dead-on, “Don’t delude yourself, or pretend for my sake. You know what it was.” He was surprised at her new ability to put up defenses.

  He then said sadly, “I can tell you won’t let yourself feel anymore. Will you? You are afraid to let down your defenses, you always have.”

  Kristen just looked down at the floor and mumbled, “I feel.”

  Karl preached on, “You’re just acting these days. You have chosen what your destiny should be, but you’re not fully on-board.” Kristen found it hard to listen to him.

  He looked tearful, “You feel that you have arrived, but no one is here for you, no one can be. You are just showing the Kristen they want to see.”

  Kristen was very uncomfortable and wanted to change the direction of the conversation. She reached for his arm and joked, “On a lighter note Karl, just why are your hands so darn cold all the time?”

  Karl diabolically laughed,

  “They need to keep me on ice whenever I rise from below to visit.”

  Kristen was surprised by how strange his voice sounded. She didn’t know why, but she felt like his answer was less humorous, than it appeared on the surface. She stepped back a few feet, and gave him a perky reply,

  “Ha Ha. Very funny. So, Karl, please tell me. Her ankles wobbled on her heels, “Where exactly is this party?”

  He steadied her with his hand. Again, he knew that she was trying to avoid him, so he moved in very close, nibbled on her ear, and whispered.

  “It’s on the North End. It’s a normal, boring affair. No S&M.”

  Kristen felt her body heat increasing and was dying to tell him that she was very engaged. She needed to chase him off before she fell for him again. She had deliberately not worn her ring that night, and now wished she had.

  “Come on Kristen, the party doesn’t matter. I want to be with you, just to talk. We can do whatever you would like. I do have feelings for you. We’ll do it your way this time.”

  Kristen was now the strong one, and shrugged defiantly,

  “I can’t do that Karl. I am here with my friend, and not leaving any time soon. You can go back to your girlfriends, I won’t mind.”

  Karl regained his composure and grinned at her, “OK, Kristen. I will do that.” He handed her his business card, “Here you go, I hope you will call. I won’t play games anymore either.”

  Kristen held it tightly, rubbing on the edges. She hesitated, “Karl, I don’t know if I can call you.”

  Karl said seriously, “We’re both on the same island now. We will run into each other again, I am sure.” He turned to go. Kristen put her hand gently on his arm.

  “Karl, before you leave, I need to write you a check for that $75,000 you gave me. I have always wondered about how you knew what I went through back then?”

  Karl pretended to act dumb.

  “That money was my gift to you, and there is no need to return it. It was just something to get you by, until you came into your wealth.”

  Kristen was puzzled again by his actions, and that he even knew anything about her past financial status.

  “Well, Karl, I have come into my “wealth,” and now I insist that I pay you back. Let me go get my purse.”

  Karl laughed, “No, no, please don’t my dear. I wrote it off as a business expense. If you pay me back Kristen, my poor bookkeeper will go into hysterics. He will have an absolute hissy fit.”

  He started to walk again, “Oh, by the way, you heard that Bensinger married his door hostess last month, didn’t you?”

  Kristen chuckled, “Lucky girl. I bet that divorce cost him plenty.”

  He then smiled at her, and walked back to his table, raising both arms in the air, and doing a few Cha Cha steps for his girls, as he came up to them. Kristen felt flustered as she watched him and walked over to join Melanie.

  Melanie had just found out that her male friend was married, and she was ready to go somewhere else. Kristen wanted to stay at the Breakers a while longer to see who else would come in. She couldn’t keep from looking toward Karl, and felt that familiar, yet unsettling need to go over to him.

  But, a stronger obligation toward Anthony prevailed. Kristen knew she loved her fiancé, and she didn’t understand why Karl still held a place in her thoughts. She was afraid she was never going to resolve it. Palm Beach was too small for all of them to co-exist.

  Karl and his entourage stayed for another twenty minutes, and then they departed. Kristen watched as he put his arms around all their shoulders and laughed loudly as they walked to the lobby.

  She wished Karl could have acted as light and down to earth around her, when she first met him. There might have been a different ending. Now it was too late. She thought, “Why does he have to be so intense?”

  Kristen knew that even if he tried to act normally toward her now, that he would be the one doing all the acting. He would always have his dark side. And, if this had been another century, she would have sworn he was Satan.

  After another hour, the girls finally called it a night. When Kristen returned home, she was surprised when the phone rang right after she walked in the front door. She laughed as she picked up the phone.

  “Hi Anthony. What are you? A Psychic? I just got home.”

  He wasn’t as cheerful. It was late for him and his voice sounded tired.

  “Where were you earlier? I tried to call you.”

  “You should have tried my cell instead, I was out with Melanie.”

  “Did you have a good time?”

  “It was OK, but I would have rather been with you.”

  Her fiancée chuckled, “That’s my good girl, I’ll see you tomorrow. I am flying in at noon.”

  “Great! I’ll see you then. I miss you.”

  “Good night Kristen, I love you.” Then his attitude changed, and he firmly said, “Stay home! Will you?”

  Lately, Anthony seemed to be more possessive, and she was not comfortable with how he was acting. He also seemed to be critiquing and judging her. It was as if, he was setting new standards for her to adhere to.

  The next day Kristen patiently waited for Anthony’s return. It was already 6 PM. She was pretty sure he was not coming home, and she was not happy that he didn’t phone.

  One of her married girlfriends was also mad at her husband and would be the perfect companion to compare notes with. They agreed to meet at Ta-boo and get a light meal.


  Once it became dark out, the evening seemed to have a strange effect on her. She could feel it closing in, as she dressed in one of her more risqué outfits and headed out. It made her both excited, and a little nervous knowing how she looked. She was asking for trouble, and unless Anthony called her soon, she was going to have a late night!

  She resented that he was taking her for advantage as much as this, and decided not to leave a note, to tell him where she was. On the ride over, she thought even more about how bored she was being the perfect girlfriend and keeping up her Anthony-imposed Palm Beach Princess facade. It was so contrived and phony!

  When she arrived at Ta-boo, her friend had already found them a pair of the most highly coveted bar seats in town. This was a feat during Season, since the place was always packed! The crowd was very jovial tonight, and Kristen now turned off her phone.

  She hadn’t been in there very long, before Gregory appeared. She had not seen him since the Miami nightclub. Tonight, he had slicked back his hair, and was looking fantastic as usual.

  She felt the heat follow him, as he walked in the door. Now, in his presence, dark and seductive thoughts overcame her. She no longer felt like herself.

  “Well, Kristen, you seem to be quite the Femme Fatale tonight.” Gregory whispered, as he moved in to bite on her neck. He knew that she was now engaged to Anthony, and this made her even more desirable to him.

  Kristen was no longer feeling spoken for and felt her engagement ring tighten on her finger. She now hungered for all the new candy that came her way, and Gregory was the most delicious! She knew she was ready to move on from Anthony. He never made her feel like this!

  Gregory stood next to her and knew exactly what she was thinking. Like a moth to a flame, she had returned to him. Her nerve endings caught fire, as his hip pushed into her side, and she let her body discreetly rest back on him.

  Her girlfriend watched them and looked aroused. She fanned her face, “I need to get some air, and then I am going to go powder myself.” She smiled at Gregory, gesturing him toward her chair.

  Gregory ordered the girls a drink, and one for himself. He turned back to Kristen and held her hand. The pull between them was too strong, and there had to be some way for them to come together, if not just for one more night. She again was convinced, she was not calling the shots, and for once, she didn’t want to fight it.

  Gregory did all the talking, because Kristen was mush, and found it impossible to even speak.

  “I knew I would find you here Kristen. I have come to make you mine tonight.” She moved closer to him.

  Gregory reached his hand toward her face to touch it and admired her necklace.

  “You look absolutely beautiful tonight.”

  Kristen’s eyes held the answer for him, they were filled with desire. He slowly stroked the small pendant on the chain, with his thumb.”

  “Where is your betrothed tonight? Why isn’t he with you? I would never leave you alone…”

  “He’s right behind you CREEP!” It was Anthony!

  Both Gregory and Kristen froze. Anthony grabbed Gregory off his stool by his suit lapels and shoved him against the wall. He kept his voice low, so Kristen couldn’t hear him.

  “I think you know exactly who I am, and that you better leave right now!”

  Gregory did know all about New York Tony’s reputation, and it didn’t scare him. In fact, he was the one that Tony should be very afraid of. Gregory started laughing, as Tony let him loose.

  “Kristen, I am leaving now, because I don’t want to cause any trouble for you. But, Fiore is not who you think he is. When you wake up to that fact, I will come back, and take you far from here.”

  Anthony drew his fist back, and slugged Gregory viciously. He fell over a table, and all the dishes shattered on the floor. The other diners stared as Gregory stood right back up, and calmly walked out the door.

  Kristen had never seen Anthony show such aggression before, and she was scared. He straightened up his suit and walked back to her. He firmly pulled her up saying,

  “This is what you do when I am out of town? You’re out by yourself trolling for losers? Aren’t you happy with me? Don’t you know what that very expensive ring on your finger really means?”

  Kristen calmly replied, “I am not alone. I’m here with my friend. She’s in the restroom. I was just sitting here, and he came up to me.”

  Anthony looked disgusted, “I saw you! You were VERY cozy until I walked up. Don’t deny it! Miami, and now this? And what the hell are you wearing tonight? Do you know where you are? What is wrong with you!”

  Kristen became defensive, she didn’t even care what he thought anymore. She was tired of this.

  “Nothing was happening. How did you know I was even here?” He grew angrier at her denial.

  “I flew in. You weren’t home, so I started calling around until I was told that you were here. You know you have nowhere to hide.”

  Kristen sat back down, “Hide? Who the hell are you? Why do you think you can treat me like this? Just who do you think I am?” He pulled out his wallet and handed her a credit card.

  “I know that I am someone, who doesn’t want to see you in my bed tonight! Go check yourself in somewhere. I am going back to New York tomorrow morning. You can go back to the house after I am gone. I don’t even want to talk to you now.”

  He walked out, shaking the Manager’s hand as he left. Possibly, he was the one who told him she was there, or Anthony lied, and he found out some other way.

  Kristen waited for her friend to return and told her she had to leave. She didn’t say anything about the scene with Anthony. Her friend lingered behind, while Kristen left to stay at The Colony Hotel, which was only a few blocks away.

  Kristen knew she was still having a rough time realizing a good relationship when she had one. She wondered why it spooked her so much when it came to “happily ever after”.

  As she walked into the hotel, Kristen recalled what Karl had said to her at The Breakers. Maybe he was right, and that she was just pretending that her life was going smoothly. Maybe, if she truly loved Anthony, there would be no room left in her heart for anyone else.

  It was alarming how both Karl and Gregory seemed to be short-circuiting her life. She was constantly being torn between the two of them. She had always believed, that she would only marry if she was totally in love. And, she thought Anthony was the one. Now, she wasn’t sure at all, and seriously planned to talk to him about postponing the marriage.

  The next day Tony sent two of his “buddies” to talk to Gregory. They knew just where to find him at the Guest House. The gate wasn’t even closed, and they drove right up.

  Gregory was sporting a fresh black eye when they arrived. He was informed by Fiore’s men, that Tony had no intention of leaving the island, so his choice was obvious.

  Gregory gracefully complied with their request. He did not argue with them, and even thanked them for coming.

  Gregory was in a great hurry to leave, since he had already been convinced earlier that morning, by Harris, Hicks, and Hart, to immediately return to London.

  They had physically relayed this request from Karl. In addition, to pummeling his face, they also promised to cut off a certain appendage that Gregory was very fond of, if he once again pursued the forbidden fruit. His father was the only one that Gregory truly feared, and he had already packed a quick suitcase, with plans to leave within the hour…

  As soon as Tony returned to New York, he set up a meeting with his brothers and his first cousins; who were his top crew members. His bad mood from catching Kristen flirting with Gregory, stayed with him. Her betrayal consumed him! She shouldn’t be acting like this!

  But, he knew that he was mainly to blame, for continuously driving her from him. He needed to make it all better, and he began making rash decisions about his future.

  By the time, Tony arrived at their family’s social club, he was much calmer. He knew what he was going to do now and took Mar
co to the side before joining the others.

  Marco pulled out a cigarette, “What’s up Tony?”

  “Marco, I’ll be brief. I am going to do something I should have done when our father died.”

  His brother looked confused, and Tony looked hard at him.

  “I’ll just say it. I don’t want to be involved with the family business anymore, and I know you want to be the boss, so here is your chance.”

  Marco looked at him in complete surprise “Are you kidding?”

  Anthony said, “I am completely serious, I don’t know the exact protocol, and it is probably not even possible if we are doing it the old Sicilian way, but I am through. I know that you and Vincente feel very strong about restoring the Fiores, so I no longer want to stand in your way.

  Marco lifted his shoulders and proudly said, “Well, then I am more than happy to take over. It has been long overdue, and I think father would have approved this.”

  Anthony smiled, he knew that would be his reaction.

  “Alright then, let’s go tell them.”

  He put his hand on Marco’s shoulder as they walked into the room. Everyone was sitting at the table, with plenty of drinks on-hand and laughing. Anthony started the meeting,

  “I have something to say, and I am only telling you this because we are all related. Please don’t let it go outside of this room.”

  The men became more attentive and listened.

  “As you know, I have never been interested in acting as the head of this family. I am aware that as the first-born, I am supposed to be handling everything, but lately I have been pretty much just phoning it in, because my heart is not into it.”

  He paused, “I am now turning it all over to my brothers. I don’t want to even help with the paperwork. Finito!”

  His cousins put down their glasses and seemed stunned.

  “So, that is it! That is all I have to say. I am sorry.” Anthony looked around the room, and saw that no one objected, so he sat down.

  Marco swaggered over to the end of the table, drunk with his new power, and stood in back of his older brother’s chair. He brashly began speaking as if Tony was not even sitting in the room.