AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“On the bright side,” Cheryl lightened her tone. “Club Wicked is a large club and I’m sure there will be many guests. Who knows, I might not even see Nick Santoro, I mean Sinclair.”
Izzy forced a smile. Even she knew Cheryl’s words were ridiculous.
Nick surveyed the empty club below him with satisfaction. He’d already made the rounds, checked in with the waitstaff and bartenders. They closed the club to the public and Nick gave the bouncers at the door a list of one hundred guests with specific instructions that only people on the list be admitted.
The guests would then be escorted to the elevators which would carry them to the second floor where they could lounge on the plush seating and banquettes. Six skyboxes lined the wall for a more intimate feel while the celebrity DJ kept the party going. Nick’s knowledge of the business gave him an insight to what his guests wanted. Sometimes knowing before they did.
He gripped the metal railing as anticipation flowed through him. One year in Vegas with a mega club filled him with pride, but the mixture of suspense and excitement at seeing Cheryl again overrode it all. They’d been so young back then. Barely out of their teens and yet what they shared seemed so real, so potent. Now, they were older, but probably not wiser when it came to life or love, and yet he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see it through. Find out once and for all if everything he believed to be true about their relationship was real or just fire and lust.
“What’s wrong with you?” Johnny glared at Cheryl sitting across from him in the back of the limo.
“I told you I didn’t feel well.” Cheryl crossed and uncrossed her legs for the fourth time. “I told you I didn’t feel up tocoming.” She clasped her hands together on her lap and forced herself to settle.
“Well, I wasn’t showing up alone. Too many important people going. Anyway, I wanna see what this Club Wicked looks like especially after all the hype.”
“I’m sure it’s just another nightclub, nothing special.” Cheryl slowly eased in a breath.
“They say it brings in a shitload of cash.” Johnny huffed. “Unbelievable it’s owned by that fucker Santoro. Word is he’s changed his name to Sinclair. Either way, he was nothing but a wiseass punk back in the day. Working the corner until Frank took him in. I was way higher in the organization by then,” Johnny bragged. “Him and that other punk Samson wouldn’t know shit if it wasn’t for Frank.”
But you screwed up and they sent your ass to Rikers. Cheryl kept her thoughts to herself, then drew in another cleansing breath. She assumed there would be numerous guests at this party but Johnny had to pick Nick as his topic of conversation.
“Are you fuckin’ listening to me?” Johnny bellowed.
“I don’t know why you’re upsetting yourself over someone you barely know.”
“Cause it fuckin’ pisses me off he’s making big bucks owning this mega club. Strutting around like he’s hot shit in his designer clothes.”
She silently agreed with Johnny. Nick looked better than ever the other day in his perfectly tailored pants and fitted shirt. He’d always dressed well, but now he had the money to buy quality clothing, and it showed.
“Then he has the nerve the other night to tell me to keep outta his business. Disrespecting me in my own home.”
Cheryl still couldn’t believe Nick was at their home and she hadn’t seen him. Probably because she steered clear of Johnny all night and retired early.
“Then it’s kind of surprising he invited you tonight.”
“He invited me cause I know all the power people.”
Sorry. This invitation has everything to do with me and nothing to do with you.
“Yeah, that bastard better watch himself.”
Perhaps she wouldn’t even see Nick tonight. The nightclub space was certainly bigger than their home and if she had avoided him there maybe there was a chance?—
“Did you hear me?”
No, too busy planning how to avoid the one man I can’t forget no matter how hard I try.
“What?”
“I said,” Johnny drew out the words like talking to a child. “Nick better keep his eyes off you tonight, cause he always thought he was hot with the women and the last thing I want is him sniffing around you.”
“Ahhhh, how sweet. You’re not jealous are you?”
Worst response ever but Cheryl couldn’t resist taunting him.
“I don’t give a shit who you fuck, I just don’t want you throwing it around in front of a bunch of people I’m tryin’ to impress.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be the perfect wife, as always.” The sarcasm dripping from her voice said it all.
