Part 10 (1/2)
She was at the bars edge, meeting me as I tried to exit. She placed a hand on her hip, hugged in a pencil skirt and form-fitting blouse that showed the top of her cleavage.
”Ivan told me youd been here recently.” Her hair was pulled back, showing the angles of her face as she smiled at me like a cat that caught her mouse.
Her lackey, Ivan, was typically the one to come and pick up the nights bank drop off.
I nodded and tried to walk past but she sidestepped, blocking me.
”Can I help you with something?” I faced her completely, not dropping my eyes from her dark stare.
”Maybe, well see.” She took a breath, tension dropping from her shoulders as she sat on the stool to her side. ”Lets start with a drink. Vodka lime.”
My heart sped up. Id talk with her, but I wasnt serving her.
”Cherry, get Mrs. Rusnak a Vodka lime,” I spoke loud enough for her to hear me down the bar.
Cherry straightened. Closing the freezer under the bar, her sweet smile faltered as she looked towards me. She picked up her tray filled with ice buckets, liquor, and garnishes with ease, and then walked past us.
”Mercedes,” She called another server who was at a nearby table. ”Get them a Vodka Lime.”
Alessandras brow quirked up and she smirked at me. ”That one there, you need to get a hold of.”
”Were busy. Now was there something more?” Anger simmered my blood. Cherry had undermined whatever strength I was trying to portray, but erupting now would only highlight that.
”Just wanted to talk, woman to woman.” She slid a twenty to Mercedes after she received her drink. ”Keep the change.”
I leaned on the bar between us to hear her better over the heavy beat and the rowdy crowd as the dancer on the main stage climbed the pole.
”I wondered what type of woman you were. I wasnt sure how youd react to this life.” She gestured to the main stage. ”But your getting involved now, so...” She sipped her drink before continuing, ”The question is, do you have any say, or do you only do as your husband tells you?”
”We do things together.”
”No.” She lifted her hand, interrupting me. ”I didnt need an answer. Ill see soon enough.”
”What does that mean? Whats going to happen?”
She laughed as if we really were two friends talking. ”Nothing. Youre here now, Ill see how you do, what you do. That will tell me what I need to know.” She shook her head, chest still vibrating with amus.e.m.e.nt. ”These girls, all men see is p.u.s.s.y. Even you and me. All women. Its important to show them otherwise. Show them you have a big d.i.c.k and can f.u.c.k harder than them. The sooner the better.”
She sized me up as she took a sip of her drink. ”I made the mistake of not stepping up soon enough, letting my husband take control at first. It made it that much harder when I finally took on a role. Its still early for you, step up.” She stood up from her stool, surprising me by sliding her hand to my shoulder. ”If you need anything, let me know.”
I pulled away from her grip. ”All right.”
”Oh and another thing.” She tapped her polished nail on the bar. ”These girls, you dont need to worry about them. They are all on short visas, only here for about a month. But that one,” she pointed to where Cherry was walking through the club, ”Shes staying a bit longer, has a different visa.” She c.o.c.ked her head to the side, watching her bend over a man, whispering in his ear. ”Gage helped her get it.” Alessandras eyes flicked back to mine. ”Dont let girls interfere with what you want to do though. Sometimes you have to turn a blind eye to things, focus on the business instead.”
Gage came out of his office on a direct path to us, and Alessandra waved to him but leaned in closer to me. ”One last thing, I know Gage is trying to expand and open a night club. Talk with him about it. Our umbrella of protection and support cant cover that right now. Hed do best to keep his focus on this club for now.” She winked, turning to leave. ”Do svidaniya!”
I walked around the bar and through the lounge area of the club, meeting Gage in his path to me.
He grabbed my elbow and leaned in close. ”You okay? What was she saying? And what the h.e.l.l are you doing behind the bar anyways?”
I rolled my eyes and kept walking to his office. He followed my lead, not dropping my arm, s.h.i.+elding me needlessly. I was fully clothed in jeans and long sleeve s.h.i.+rt; no one was looking at me when there were b.o.o.bs bouncing everywhere.
When the office door slammed closed, I pulled the money pouch out from under my s.h.i.+rt and shoved it into his chest. ”I was taking inventory, the cash drawer was filled so I reset it.” I dropped my arm, stepping back as he clutched the bag. ”We need more Fortaleza for the party.” I took a deep breath, my mind shuffled through everything Alessandra said, and I wondered where to start. ”What did she meet with you about? She was in your office first.”
I took a couple more steps back, to prop myself on his desk, muscles vibrating.
He eyed me for a moment, sizing up my mood as he walked around his desk and slid the money pouch into a drawer. ”She was scheduling the switch of some girls and giving me details of when I could meet with Viktor.” His voice was slow and cautious as he lowered himself onto his desk next to me, placing his hand on my thigh. ”I didnt know she was coming, or I would have warned you. She surprised me too.”
”When are you meeting with Viktor?” I released some of the tension in my shoulders, exhaling as I tried to wipe out her voice from playing in my head, stirring my insecurities and fears.
”Wednesday. Theyll call me about the time and place.”
”No other news about that.” I kept my emotions sealed and focused on the blinds drawn, blocking the view of the club.
”Nothing. I havent found out anything else about her.”
I wanted to say something, ask something, but I wasnt sure what. I needed time to think about what Alessandra had been saying. I needed distance from her hints and the suspicion they caused. ”Im going to the store for the liquor. Ill be back.”
He grabbed my hand, pulling me to face him as I tried to walk away. ”Hey, are you okay? What was she talking to you about?”
That you arranged for Cherry to stay.
”Im fine. She acted like she wanted to help me, said I could call her for anything.” I shook my head with a light laugh, trying to brush off everything else, not wanting her words to get to me. ”But I think she was mostly trying to get me to convince you not to expand the club.”
Gages lips tugged up into a smile, softening and brightening his features as he pulled me close so I stood in front of him, between his legs. ”Of course. Sh.e.l.l try anything to protect her spot. Or Rusnaks spot. Whatd she say was wrong with the idea?”
”She said it was too soon. They cant protect the new business yet.”
”What do you think?” He dipped his head to catch my eyes with his clear blue ones. Clearer than Id seen in a while.
I dropped my eyes from his, running them along his plaid b.u.t.ton up s.h.i.+rt. I knew the strength of his muscles underneath, and my palms tingled to touch him.
”I dont think you should do it, but not because of what she said.” My eyes traveled back up him, till I was caught in his gaze again. ”Itll take you further away from boxing.” I did touch him then, hands sliding around his waist, feeling the lines of muscles underneath. ”Working out with you again this morning reminded me of you in the ring.” He stilled under my touch or maybe it was my words. ”I like seeing you there, but more than that, I know you love being there. I want that for you again.”
His smile was gone now, but his hands traveled over my arms, a light caress that sent tingles through me, and his eyes were electric, sparking that heat. ”I dont know if thats possible anymore. It may never happen again.” His words extinguished the fire growing between us, but he gripped me tighter, keeping me still. ”Im trying to be honest.”
”I know.” I tried to smile for him but couldnt cover my disappointment. ”But with the time this club takes, I know opening something bigger and brand new will take even more time. And with everything else... Maybe Alessandra was right about it being too soon.”
He nodded but looked past me, features hardening. I should have left her out of my argument against expanding.
”Maybe. But shes got her own motives against it. Viktor would support expanding, but then its not her project. It doesnt strengthen the Rusnaks hold. And with Anatoli getting out soon, shes trying to reinforce his place.”
”Hes getting out soon? When? I didnt know,” I interrupted, going rigid. My muscles strained to the point of shattering.
Gage pulled his attention back to me, hands moving up and down my shoulders in comfort. ”Maybe. It depends on this new Attorney General. Theyre bringing his case back up.” He shrugged, pulling me closer to him. ”Babe, dont worry about any of this for now. It may or may not happen. We can cross that bridge when we get there.”