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“What did you say or do to that client last night?”
“What? Nothing!” I hissed, feeling my skin come alive and my core tingle at the memory of Panther. He was so arrogant, irritating but sexy as sin and for some reason my brain and my body would not let me ignore the intense attraction I felt towards him.
“Well you did something because he was pissed. He complained about you to the boss and now Flora is getting it in the neck. They have given her a verbal warning and said she has to come into the club tonight to prove her place here.”
“Shit!” I replied, slamming my hand on my forehead. What an asshole! What did he have to complain about? From what I could tell last night, he was enjoying the performance. “Tell Flora, I am so sorry! Honestly, I don’t know what I did to annoy him. I mean you were there…” I bit my lip as my heart fluttered and cheeks burned crimson from the memories that instantly flooded my mind.
“Yeah. I was. And you were perfect. But you must have said something after I left to piss him off.”
“No, I-” Oh shit. I groaned, remembering how I teased him about the fact his dick seemed to enjoy the performance. But he deserved it. He was insulting me! “Okay. Well, it’s okay. Flora can go tonight and prove that she is amazing at her job and it will all be fine!” I tried to be optimistic.
“That is the problem. The client has requested he is the one who decides if she keeps her job. He is the one who wants her to prove herself. And he has only seen you.”
My heart dropped and I gripped the sink as my legs felt like they were going to give way. If Flora goes tonight, he’ll know the difference. I just know he will. Then she’ll be sacked anyway and so will Rico when they find out he let me in. Oh my god, what if they find out who I am? No.
“Elle. You are going to have to come back tonight. Be Flora again. Just to please this client.”
“And then what? What happens if he keeps requesting me? I do not work at La Casetta, Rico!” I almost laughed in disbelief. What the fuck have I done? All I wanted was one night of freedom. I have gotten myself in some stupid situations in the past, but this one really takes the biscuit.
“I can’t lose this job, Elle,” he sounded pained and I felt so guilty. I had dragged him into all of this. And Flora. I had to help them out.
“Okay. Okay, let me think for a minute!”
Even if I agreed to going back there tonight, how was I going to get away? Giovanni wouldn’t be around but Maximus would. And Finn. Anger started to fester within me at the audacity of this so-called important client. How dare he do this to me! To Flora. Insist we come and prove our worth of a place in La Casetta after last night? So fucking rude. And who was he to make that call? He may have not been satisfied by me, but I am sure many other men in his position would have been. Fuck him. Seriously. I wanted to wipe that smug grin right off his face. I bet he wasn’t even that hot under that panther mask.
“Elle? Are you still there?”
“Yeah,” I growled. “Sorry. I’m just so fucking angry! How dare he?”
“Some clients are just super entitled. And this one seems to have some kind of importance with the owner of the club so we have to make him happy. So, will you do it?”
I clicked my tongue as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Yes, I’d make that bastard so fucking happy that he won’t remember what his life was like before he met me. And I won’t even let him touch me. I smirked as a plan formed in my mind.
“Yes, I’ll do it. But tell Flora, tonight will be her last shift. I am not going back there after tonight so she has to quit. I will get her a bar job in one of my family’s clubs. Tell her, I will match whatever La Casetta was paying her. And I’ll bring you both your money tonight.”
“Really? You’d do that for her?”
“This is my mess and I don’t walk away from shit I caused. I just need to figure out a way of getting to Venice and the club tonight.”
“There is an art gallery opening two buildings down tonight. Maybe you could say you are going to that?”
“That’s perfect! I’ll meet you at the back of the club at 9pm.”
He hung up and I sighed deeply, turning the running water off. I couldn’t believe I was going to have to find a way of getting to that club again, but this time I knew it wouldn’t be so easy.
I made my way back to the table and sat down, missing the inside joke someone had made to make them all fall about laughing. I smiled as I looked across at Liv. I was trying to connect with her telepathically to let her know I was going to need her support. That was our thing. We would just look at each other before one of us was about to say something that Gio wouldn’t like and back the other up. It was a tactic that had never failed us yet. But I didn’t like that I was going to lie to her too. It was just one night. Once it was over, I would never go back to that club again.
“Before you guys head off on your two nights of honeymoon heaven,” I started, catching Giovanni’s attention. “I completely forgot about an art opening that is happening tonight where I promised I would attend with Sephie. Can I go?”
“Where?” he asked, taking a bite of his salmon.
“Venice. But I-”
“No.”
“Gio, it is perfectly safe. It’s an exclusive event and the guest list is tight. I’ll be there for two hours tops!” I argued, feeling the panic rising.
“Venice isn’t safe right now.”
