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“You think I’m joking, do you?” His voice is void of all traces of humor.
I retreat. Not my best move. “Um, no, sorry. Bad joke.”
I lift my head high and tuck my hair behind my ear. Of course, my hair is tied back in a bun, so it’s just a nervous motion, which must look stupid to Edwin.
I’m about to turn thirty and sometimes I feel like a kid.
“I think you’ll find I’m a pretty tough cookie, Edwin. Not much can scare me off.”
My heart soars when he cracks a smile. “I likethat answer.”
Edwin leads me down the stairs. With each step, I get the feeling I’m walking closer to my doom. His hand lands on the door handle, but before he opens it, he gives me one last look. I wait for him to say something, but he remains silent.
And just like that, I know. I can just tell.
He recognized me. He knows that last night he had me pressed up against a wall.
I mean, Edwin Lyons can be any number of things, but he isnotan idiot. And he might be privileged, but that doesn’t make someone ignorant.
“After you, Sonia,” he says in a near growl, opening the door for me.
I have to force my feet to move as I pass by him, into this next space.
Somehow, it’s even more luxurious than the nightclub. There are groups of leather chairs and couches surrounding the oblong room. It looks as if it’s been ripped out of the pages of an interior design magazine. Green, damask wallpaper, burgeoning ferns and monsteras in every nook and cranny. Gorgeous faux skylights give the impression the room has access to the sky. A portion of the wall is made of glass, showing several conference rooms and offices.
What I assume is a member is sitting at a desk right now, talking on the phone.
When he sees Edwin and me, he gives us a nod.
“This isourplace. The Lyons Club. Open twenty-four seven, with all the amenities our members might need. The place you will be managing.”
I smile. “So, the Lyons Pride is what? A front?” I ask.
Edwin nods, a glint in his eye. “Good girl. You catch on fast.”
Good girl.Why does that make me hot all over? “So, what is the Lyons Club?”
“Ever since my ancestors established it in the sixteen hundreds, the Lyons Club has been the place to be for the movers and shakers in America. It’s an exclusive member’s only club, currently with about a hundred members, but with a waiting list where people have been waiting for years.”
“So, why not just let them join?”
“If we let everyone in, it loses that exclusive feel, doesn’t it?” He smirks for a second, but his face goes right back to serious.
“I guess. So, what does it take to be a member? Besides money, that is.”
“Money is not the main aspect, though it does factor in. Membership used to be by birthright alone, but now also includes invitation, and each applicant is thoroughly vetted by a committee. We need to be very particular when we choose our members because billion-dollar business deals are celebrated every day within these walls.”
“Wow. I had no idea.”
“Which is exactly the point. The club has been here for centuries, but only those in the know are aware of it. We like it that way, and that’s how we want to keep things.”
“And once you get in, that’s it? Does anyone ever get out? Or is this like the mafia?” I jest a bit, but I’m so curious about this new and secret world that Lyons Club seems to be.
His lips twitch again, but he doesn’t let the smile form. Damn.
“Once you get in, you never want to leave. Why would you? We cater to your every need. But membership can berevoked under extreme circumstances, though it has been a while since we had to throw anyone out.”
I have to keep from chuckling. I wonder what thoseextreme circumstancesmight be for rich people. “So, you can be expelled like a misbehaved student. Got it. Note to self, don’t misbehave.”
