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“The entire summer. But that was more than ten years ago. I haven’t exchanged more than ten words with him in the three years Laura’s been married. Even before that, it was only when I happened to be at Laura’s parents’ house, and they hosted Sunday dinner. I talked to him at their wedding reception.”
“You danced with him.”
“You remember that?”
“Believe me, I noticed everything about you that night.”
“If you weren’t Italian, I would have tried to hook up with you. Let you take the drunk bridesmaid home and all. Daddy, he and I are not friends anymore. We’re on friendly terms in public, but it’s not like I call him or text him. The Doyles never do Sunday dinner with the Diazes anymore. There has been nothing between us in a decade. And frankly, after the other night, none of my past partners are worth remembering.”
“You liked it?”
“You know I did.”
“Once we can leave, we are. Do you want to go to your place or mine? Think about where you want to spend the next week or so. If it’s my place, we stop by yours and get everything you need. If it’s your place, we stop by mine, and I get a week’s worth of clothes.”
“I don’t care where we go. I just don’t want to sleep alone again, Enzo.”
“Neither do I. Your place then.”
“Yours is way bigger and nicer.”
“Yours feels like a home. Mine feels like a condo.”
“I like your place, but mine is a bit more — inviting.”
“Haha. Mine feels sterile in comparison. I’m not as much of a homebody as I would like. I’m out a lot of nights, Chellie. I own a nightclub and a few restaurants. I work security at other clubs my family owns. I’ve never given it much thought beyond a comfortable bed and a desk big enough to spread out reports.”
“Other clubs?”
I think I know what he means, and I already hate it. He kisses my temple, and I lean against him. But we’re aware we’re at a work event for me, so we keep it appropriate.
“Yes. You know I mean strip clubs. Carmine never enjoyed going to them, but he owned them because we do other kinds of business there. He was glad to hand them over to Matteo when he and Serafina got together. Then Matteo married my sister, and Marco wound up responsible for them. I still work security some nights, and I have meetings there. Chellie, I’m not into strippers. I don’t watch them. I don’t pay them. I don’t date them or fuck them.”
I can only nod. I don’t consider myself an insecure person, but neither do I think I’m hot. It’s unnerving to know my boyfriend spends his nights around naked women.
“I know you’re trying to keep your expression neutral, but I can tell how you feel,piccolina. Marco and I are the only ones left who aren’t married. My family already knows about you. My brother won’t dare argue when I tell him I’m no longer working at them. I can’t change who we meet there or why we do. It’s where the nice men of society do business with the unsavory ones like us. It’s where they want to measure dicks and always come up short. It’s a mostly cash business which has other benefits. The strip clubs aren’t going away, but eventually, none of us will actually work at them. When Marco marries, they’ll probably come to me just because I’m an accountant. I won’t have to go to the office there, but I will oversee their management.”
All I can do is nod. He must have hated hearing about my past with Pablo because I sure as fuck hate hearing that he’s near naked women. There is no way they don’t hit on him. He’s sex in a suit. I shrug one shoulder.
“I don’t mind them. I’ve been to a few. It can be hot.”
“Do you want me to take you to one?”
“We could, if you want.”
“Little girl, we can go to all of them, so the women know I’m with you.”
“Am I that transparent?”
“No. I just know I’d be losing my ever-loving shit right now if you told me you worked at a male strip club.”
“Oh, I’ve been to the Hanger Club several times.”
That stops him dead again. He leads me off the dance floor, and I have to practically trot to keep up. He slows down as we cross the ballroom and head back out to the terrace. He looks around and draws me into the shadows. He fists my hair and grabs my ass mercilessly.
“You sounded awfully flippant about going to see men walk around with their dicks in your face.”
“You know men’s clubs aren’t fully nude.”
