AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It means we need to have some serious discussion about what’s gonna happen around here. I’m pretty sure that little spitfire isn’t gonna take kindly to you playing with and punishing subs on stage under the guise you’re just doing your job.”
Lukus had already been thinking the same thing. “She’ll come around. I’m in charge.”
“Ha! Not with that one, you aren’t. At least not yet. Are you prepared to pack it in and close the club, because it just may come down to that with her?”
He rejected the idea of closing immediately. Lukus felt like he should have been upset at the thought of his life changing so drastically, so quickly, but he wasn’t. He was excited. “Yeah, I’ve already started thinking about it. I’m sure I’ll figure it all out. We’ll have to see how things play out.”
Derek seemed mildly surprised. “Holy shit, you’re seriously considering you might need to retire at least from the front of the house activities? Shit, I thought she was gonna have to have a few meltdowns before you’d give in that easy. She must really be something special.”
He had no doubt he would have some hard decisions coming up if he decided to continue seeing Tiffany.
Who the hell am I kidding? There is no “if.” Iamgoing to keep seeing Tiff.
“She really is special,” Lukus finally answered softly.
“So that’s it. Just like that? Why don’t you give it a bit more time to play out?”
“I don’t need to. I know what I want and Tiffany is gonna give it to me.”
“And what, pray tell, is that?”
Lukus broke out into a shit-eating grin. “I want it all. The whole thing. What you, James, and Markus already have.”
“Holy fuck.”
“Holy fuck is right.”
Lukus turned to go back in and try to get some work done, doing his best to shout down the small voice warning him that he may end up losing the club if he stayed on the new course he’d just weaved on to.
Chapter Ten
Markus
“Markus, so good to see you. How long’s it been?”
Markus found himself in a death-grip handshake with an old Northwestern law professor turned New York state senator. “Professor Withers. This is a surprise. I had no idea I’d run into you tonight. It has to be at least, what… eight, no, nine years? Damn, time flies!”
“Please, just Jonathan now. You aren’t kidding about time flying. What brings you to this neck of the woods? I thought you were practicing in Chicago?” The senator released his grip long enough to deposit his empty champagne glass on the tray of a passing waiter, before grabbing two full crystal flutes and handing one to Markus.
“Thanks. I’m still in Chicago. I’m out here in Manhattan this week working with a new client. I’m headed back home tomorrow.”
“You still at Brown and Cassidy?” Jonathon asked.
“Yep. Going on seven years now.”
“What, and you don’t have your name on the door yet?”
Markus chuckled. “Nope, not yet. I’m working on it, though.”
“From what I hear, you’re doing more than working on it. I’ve heard some pretty tall tales about your winning track record in court. If even half of them are true, I’m impressed. I always knew you were going to go far. Ever think about turning to politics?”
“Oh, hell no…” Markus then realized who he was talking to, and rushed to add, “No offense, Professor, or should I say, Senator?”
Markus was relieved when he was greeted with a hearty laugh. “Oh, no offense taken. To be truthful, it isn’t all I thought it was going to be either. Damn gridlock everywhere I go. The longer I stay in the state senate, the more I realize it’s a damn miracle anything ever gets done in this country.”
Markus was only half listening to his old professor as the conversation turned to topics he couldn’t care less about. He was much more interested in keeping his eyes glued to the entryway of the massive American grand hall. In New York City to meet with a new client, a federal judge who found himself on the wrong side of the law, he’d had managed to snag two invitations to a charity gala being hosted at the New York Metropolitan Museum. Looking around the expansive foyer, he caught a glimpse of several A-list celebrities, yet they weren’t who he was anxious to see either.
I should’ve detoured to the hotel to pick her up. We might have even had time for a quickie in the limo.
