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“You look flush. Are you okay?” Brook asked Annabella when she walked by the bar.
“Me? Hmm, it is warm in here.”
“Could be all those men hitting on you. This dress is very sexy. You should wear things like this more often.” Brook told her and smiled.
“I appreciate the compliment. I was actually shopping with my friend Salena and she can be a bit flashy at times.”
“She did a good job steering you towards this dress.” Brook looked around them. “How is your head?” She asked her and Annabella squinted. “I know, I’m not supposed to know a thing about what happened a week ago but we’re all family here. We know the rules about keeping things quiet, but I was worried about you. Kind of why I gave you that huge hug when you got here earlier.” Brook said and chuckled then looked away.
Annabella had been warned to not say a word about the incident with Berin, or what she had done, but she had noticed all the employees were being very attentive to her, and asked more often than usual if she needed anything, or if they could help her with any of her responsibilities.
“I’m feeling fine Brook and I appreciate the concern. I went upstairs earlier to grab something for a headache. It seems to have passed.”
“I bet it didn’t help that that slut Cassandra was all over Mr. Sokolov at his table. Don’t even think about her. She’s got nothing on you, and Mr. Sokolov doesn’t take any woman seriously. Over the years I’ve seen women throw themselves literally into his path or even over his lap.”
A lump formed in Annabella’s throat and a feeling of foolishness for thinking that anything intimate with the man could be more than just a meaningless fling. Why after all these years of turning down opportunity after opportunity of meaningless sex just to lose her virginity and to feel close to someone like she had never felt before, was she willing to risk such heartache with Ivan? That’s exactly what it would be, heartache, failure, a dead end.
Damn when he holds me, explores my body, kissing me, nothing else seems to matter and I can’t even think. All I can do is want, desire more and more and I feel desperate for his touch, his attention, and his acceptance. The reality is that he won’t “accept” me, but will use me.
In that moment as she looked towards his table, she saw the three women flirting with him, Dante, and Roman. She slid her hand along her hip to the scar she had. An imperfection, a reminder of all she lost and how she could have died. Was it worth it to risk more pain? Why did her heart, her soul cheer “yes”?
“Oh boy, here come some of Commerce and Striker’s friends. Jesus, they look lethal. You know they’re all Special Forces soldiers? Mr. Sokolov was too.” Brook told Annabella and her jaw dropped just as Lucca contacted her through the earpiece.
“Yes Lucca?” She said into her wrist. Brook winked and then took the tray of drinks towards another private table of businessmen Annabella had spoken to earlier. They flirted a lot with her. She looked back towards Ivan’s table noticing the women speaking more to Dante and Roman, but then Commerce and his crew arrived too and women around the place spotted them all immediately.
“I need to clear a few tables for Mr. Sokolov and his friends. Since the corner has cleared out and the place is dying down, let’s seat them all by sixteen and seventeen.”
“Won’t Mr. Sokolov and his friends want to remain where they are? Maybe we can move the business men and that other table near there and combine them?”
“Those guys don’t look like they’re going anywhere.”
“Give me a minute.”
“Okay. Be careful though, the two big guys haven’t taken their eyes off your ass.”
“Got it.” She said and then turned toward Dmitri at the bar.
“Dmitri, a bottle of Patron. The one the big shot ordered earlier.” She said to him.
He winked and then went to the shelf, climbed up and then got the expensive bottle. “Can you have Brook bring over eight shot glasses? Thanks.” She took the bottle of Patron and walked towards the businessmen. Their eyes all went to her.
“Gentleman, I have a proposition to offer you, and if you would be so kind as to oblige, this lovely bottle of Patron is all yours, and we’ll do a shot together.” They began to roar, drawing attention to her as the one guy placed his hand on her hip as he stood up.
“Honey, anything you want.” He said, slurring a little.
“I need this table for another group of individuals who are joining their friends. It was a surprise visit and they all want to hang together, like you guys. What do you say we slid right over there to that table and Brook, who is standing there has the glasses all ready for us?”
“Only if you have a drink, and talk to us for a bit. After all, I’m pretty damn comfortable right here.” One guy said to her staring at her breasts.
“Oh sweetie I’ll do one better. I’ll tell you a few jokes.”
“Entertainment?” One asked.
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“How about a lap dance?” Another said and then his buddy slapped his arm. That guy raised his hands up apologizing.
“Let’s go.” The one next to her said and they made a lot of noise as they vacated the large table and headed towards Brook. The one guy who had remained by her kept his hand on her hip and leaned closer, whispering into her ear.
