Page 16 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Surgeon

I put on the finishing touches of my outfit and smoothed raspberry colored lipstick over my plump lips. I surveyedmyself critically before stepping towards the exit of the dressing room.

“Hold up,” Madeline called after me.“Did you switch back to the looser corset top?”

“How can you possible tell that?” I groused, stomping back in to put the other one on.

“Because your D cups look like C cups. In the tighter corset they look like double Ds. And believe me, you’re going to want all the advantages tonight with Paolo Lanetti coming back to town.”

I worked the zipper down on one top before shimmying into the tighter top.“Why is everyone so excited about this guy being here tonight?”

Madeline gave me a look.“Seriously? Why do women get excited about a particular guy at a gentleman’s club where all the men are good-looking and rich?”

I rolled my eyes.“I’m guessing he’s extra handsome and extra rich, right?”

“Bingo,” she said with a grin.“And word is you’re waiting on him after they’re finished at Cayenne, so you need to look your best. He hardly ever comes to Sugar, but Nico said he’s coming tonight.”

“He should have one of the prettier girls like Glory or Daisy wait on him.”

“You’re a dumbass, Jelly. You’re every bit as pretty as either of them, if not more so. Now get out there and be… well, if not exactly nice, at least be as nice as you can be.”

I smirked at her.“I’ll do my best.”

“That doesn’t sound good enough,” she yelled after me.

I just kept walking, laughing at her trying to make me into something I’m not.

***

It was a good bit later, after I was sure Nico and his buddy had already been to Cayenne, that I was called to the premiere table.

“They’re here,” Glory said.“Go ahead and getglasses of whiskey to take over there. I know both of them are whiskey drinkers.”

“Who isn’t?” I stood and waited while Nora, the head bartender and one of our roommates at Cinnamon House, filled orders. I had a few tables in addition to the one Nico was at with his friend, and I needed to be ready to juggle my attention appropriately.

I turned, ready to head to Nico’s table, when I spotted him walking up with the new guy. Or at least the guy who was new to me even though the rest of West Bay seemed to know him.

I sucked in a breath involuntarily.“My God,” I whispered.

Glory grinned.“What’s that? I couldn’t quite hear you.”

I didn’t even try to hide my awe.“That man is… unreal.” He was, too. He was tall, with broad shoulders and enough muscles to know he worked out but not so many he was bulky. He had thick, dark hair that was styled into an effortlessly good-looking style. But, while all of that was amazing enough, he also had smooth olive skin and light gray eyes. Oh, and a jawline that could cut glass. He was, in a word, breathtaking.

“Wow, Jell. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you at a loss for words before,” Glory said, a big grin on her face.

I didn’t even get mad. I was too distracted by the beauty of this friend of Nico’s.“What did you say his name was?” I asked Daisy. I stood there and stared at him.

“Paolo Lanetti. He’s a doctor of some kind at the hospital. A big deal apparently. And he’s the son of Dominico Lanetti. He’s a businessman who controls the ports here in West Bay.

I frowned.“Why does that matter?”

“Because Paolo is his oldest son, and he still wants control over him. Or at least that’s the rumor. I don’t know for sure, of course. The Lanettis and the Salazars are friends and have been for a long time. I think it goes back to when Carlos Salazar was growing up in Spain.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

Paolo

“I’m glad I caught you,” I said as we headed to Nico’s favorite table at the strip club. “I really needed to sit down with you in Sugar tonight. I have an idea to run by you.”

He gave me a look.“Right. I’m sure it had nothing to do with the strippers,” he chuckled.