Niccolo hasn't touched me, spoken to me, or even looked in my direction for the rest of the night. I should be happy, considering that's all I've ever wanted since I was hired, but...
I can't get the bastard out of my head. I still hate him. That hasn't changed and never will, but I've never wanted someone to bend me over as much I wanted him to.
Maybe it's because I'm no longer receiving his attention, and our usual banter has faded. Or maybe it's because he's toxic as hell, and left marks on my neck from him choking me.
I reach up to touch my neck, and begin grazing my fingertips over the pinkish-red tender skin. I had a dream about him last night. It consisted of me riding him while he choked me and called me degrading names.
I woke up with sweat dripping down the side of my face, my heart beating rapidly in my chest, and heat pooling between my thighs. My body ached with need.
The client I was currently grinding on helped ease some of the ache. But it was quickly short lived when I glanced up to see Niccolo.
He was looking rather delicious in his black shirt. It was tucked into a pair of gray slacks that were tailored to perfection, giving me the most amazing view of his his tight, plump ass.
The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to the elbow, and he had a couple buttons undone to reveal his defined, bare chest. The look was complete with shiny black loafers and a Rolex watch sparkling on his wrist.
Two men trailed behind him. The one on his left was short with thin white hair, chubby baseball mitts for hands, and was dressed in a long black trench coat. When his brown eyes traveled over to me, a sudden chill coursed down my spine.
I averted my gaze, fear racking through me. That man is scary. And I don't scare easy. The man on his right is broad shouldered, large and almost as tall as Niccolo. He's wearing a simple black shirt, and dark jeans. He must be like his bodyguard or something.
I watched as they followed Niccolo through the club, before disappearing onto an elevator. A few minutes, I look up to see them on the second floor. Cesare, Luciano, and Marcellius are already up there sitting down at their usual spot.
Once Niccolo and the two men join them at the booth, I look away and focus my attention back on the client in front of me.
I continue to rock my hips onto a man I'm sure is a big shot Lawyer here in New York. And I'm pretty sure he's married with like four children.
What a shame. He's here instead of being back home with his family. He probably told his wife he had to work late. Then again, most of these men probably said the same thing to their partners.
I'm not saying all men are bad, but there sure is a lot of men, or should I say boys who ain't shit.
I find that my eyes keep drifting back up to the second floor. I can see Niccolo's mouth moving, but can't hear a damn thing he's saying all the way down here.
I've never been up on the second floor. Employees aren't allowed unless requested by one of the bosses. My eyes grow wide when I see Sky walking over to Niccolo.
What? She's allowed on the second floor? I watch as she plops down on his lap and wraps her hands around his neck.
He doesn't say anything to her, but the fact that he responds by wrapping his arm around her says a lot.
That bitch has been getting on my last nerve. Everything is a competition with her. If she wants Niccolo then she can have his ass. If I wanted him, then I could have him. But I don't want him.
Wanting him to fuck me, and wanting to be in a relationship with him are two completely different things. I just want him to rail me, that's it. She clearly wants more from him, but Niccolo doesn't seem the relationship type.
He hates everyone and everything around him. He doesn't seem capable of love, except maybe with his brothers. I don't know the type of relationship he has with them, but they seem really close.
I never see them without one another for long. Especially whenever they're on the second floor discussing whatever it is they discuss with the people they invite up there.
Maybe Cesare will tell me when he's finished. I wouldn't say he and I have gotten close, but he has become someone I've befriended other than Jess.
Speaking of Jess, I haven't seen her all night. She's scheduled for the same shift as me, but I don't think she's even clocked in. I was looking forward to speaking to her. I'm going to have to check up on her when my shift ends. I hope everything's okay.
When the sound of the timer on my watch beeps in my ear, I'm pulled from my thoughts. Climbing off my client's lap, I accept the money he's handed me and he thanks me for my time.
Giving him a fake smile, I turn on my heel and walk away. After bending down to shove the money into my leathered boot as Jess has showed me, I straighten back up and make my way towards Julia's office.
CoCo informed me before my shift started that I needed to speak with Julia once I'd finished with my clients for the night.
I asked her if it was good or bad news, but she shrugged and said she didn't know. Taking in a deep breath, I walk through the door for employees and continue down the hallway until I've reached her office.
I stare at the placard on her door, my chest suddenly tightening. I hope I'm not getting fired. I've been working my ass off- quite literally for the last two weeks, and feel I deserve to be here just as much as anyone else.
Besides, the money has been great. I'm no longer facing eviction, and Gabby's finally stopped complaining about my choices.
As for my parents, not so much. But, it's not like I've ever cared what they thought anyway.
Knocking on the door, I wait for her to say "come in" before entering. Pushing open the door, I slip inside and quickly shut the door behind me.
Julia is sitting at her desk with an open laptop in front of her. She's typing away at something, but stops to look up at me.
I'm frozen where I stand, and can't seem to stop fidgeting with my garter belt. Chewing nervously at my lower lip, I wait for her to speak.
"Thank you for stopping by Autumn," she says calmly.
Julia's not really the smiling type. She's kind -when she wants to be- but can be tough on you at times. But I understand where she's coming from. I'm sure it's not easy being in charge of an entire nightclub.
I mean, it's not just the dancers she has to worry about, but the waiters, bartenders, and cooks. If things aren't running smoothly at all times, it's her ass that's on the line, not ours.
"Do you know why I've called you in here today?" I shake my head. She closes her laptop and clasps her hands together in front of her.
She sighs a little too heavily and it causes the nerves in the pit of my stomach to worsen. I swallow the lump in my throat, and prepare myself for those two words.
You're fired.
But they never come. Instead, she says something far worse. "All your clients have been given to Sky." My heart sinks into my ass.
"What? By the request of who?"
"Niccolo," she says, her voice still annoyingly calm.
Of course. Of course it was that damned asshole. God, I hate him so much.
"No! Can you do something about this... please?" I beg.
She simply shakes her head, anger boiling inside me. I just lost the best source of my income, and she doesn't seem to care. She probably didn't even try.
"I'm sorry." Oh please. I roll my eyes. "I don't know what his reasons are, but I don't ever dare question them." She pushes up the pink glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. "If you wish to voice your concerns then I advise you speak with Niccolo yourself. I will not risk a bullet for..." She looks me up and down before finishing. "A stripper." She waves me off dissmively. "That is all."
I part my lips to speak, but stop when she lifts her laptop back open and continues to type away on her computer. There's a silence between us as the keyboard click-clacking fills my ears.
I want to reach across this room and snatch her ass, but decide against it. I still need this job no matter how angry I am right now.
Storming out of the room, I slam the door shut behind me and make my way back out onto the main floor.
I look up to the second floor to see Niccolo no longer at his booth. Then I look down just as Sky steps off the elevator. Approaching her, she rolls her eyes when she sees me.
I'm still fuming with anger, so I ignore the dirty looks she's giving me. "Where's Nic?" I ask her.
"Who?" A smug smile tugs at the corners of her thin lips.
She's trying to play dumb, and I don't have to time for her games. "You know who the fuck I'm talking about. Now, where is Niccolo?"
She shrugs, popping the gum in her mouth. "I don't know. And if I did I wouldn't help you."
My hand shoots out and I'm so close to wiping that smirk off her face, but CoCo steps in. "Come with me hun. I know where he is." She flips off Sky, and motions me with her index finger to follow her.
Sky just stands there with a stank attitude. She's so lucky CoCo interfered in time, because I would've been dragging Sky and her extensions all the way across this floor.
Bitch.
I follow CoCo all the way over to a door. "We aren't really allowed in here, so go in at your own risk." She turns to face me. "And if he rocks your ass, keep my name out ya mouth. I got two babies at home, ya heard?"
I nod, thanking her for assisting me. I wait until she leaves before bursting open the door.
Two men grab my arms, holding me back. Niccolo stands to his feet, and wipes the white powder from his nose. His gun is drawn and aimed at me.
My eyes almost pop out of my head in fear at the sight before me. The other man who was with Niccolo moments ago also has his gun drawn and aimed at me.
There's white powder on the table lined up in a row, along with credit cards, and dollar bills rolled up. It's not hard to infer what they had been doing in here.
I look back up at Niccolo. He looks pissed. But that's normal. He lowers his gun, and says something in Italian to the two men still holding on to me. "Lasciala andare(let her go)." They release me, and his eyes flicker on to me. "What the hell are you doing in here?" He seethes, his jaw flexed and his accent thick.
"You gave that bitch Sky my clients!?" I shout at him, remembering why I barged in here in the first place.
I lunge at him without thinking, and slap him across his face. His head jerks to the left, my palm stinging and his face a tinge of red.
"You Fierri's and your damned women," the scary old man from earlier mumbles.
Niccolo snaps his head in his direction, the whites of his eye now red with fury. "This little business meeting is over," he barks. "Take your stash and get out Sin," he says to the old man.
The man known as Sin, takes his leave. He and the other two men step out of the room also, leaving me alone with an angry Niccolo.
"Are you out of your fucking mind?" He growls out loudly, whipping his head back in my direction. He carelessly waves the gun around. I stand still, unfazed. I was scared as hell, but he didn't need to know that. "I should kill you for even putting your hands on me."
"Awe." I cross my arms over my chest, unable to keep my mouth shut. I should've kept my mouth shut, but the bitch in me hasn't quite mastered that concept. "Did I embarrass you in front of your little friends?"
He stops pacing, and runs a hand through his hair, his eyes darkening. "I've had enough of your mouth," he says menacingly calm. A chill courses down my spine at how low his voice has gotten.
I swallow hard and step back. He steps forward and grabs my arm. "Ow," I whimper. "You're hurting me, Nic." He digs the muzzle of his gun into my back, not caring that I'm currently in pain by how hard hard he's gripping my arm. I feel like it's one movement away from being yanked from its socket.
"You want to know why I gave your clients to Sky?" He says, dragging me out of the room. I attempt and fail to get out from his hold, his grip only tightening.
I felt like my bones were being crushed and I wanted to cry out and scream. But there were so many witnesses, so many eyes on us that I was afraid he'd just kill me if I made a noise.
People stare at us with concern, unable to see the gun pressed into my spine because he's so close. So close that I can smell the manly cologne on him.
I'm dragged all the way into a dark corner, and whipped around to face him. I look up at him, cornered.
"I want you to myself," he admits, his warm breath coating my face as he stares down at me.
"No," I tell him. He hasn't paid me any attention all night. His eyes are a deep shade of brown and he looks like he's struggling to control himself. Against what? I don't know.
"Stop telling me no."
"No," I say again.
"You don't really have a choice," he counters.
"Oh, but I do have a choice, pretty boy. And my answer is no. I'm not your property." I continue to stare up at his enlarged, glassy eyes. He's clearly not in his right mine. I find myself reaching up to cup his cheek, before I can stop myself. "How much crack did you consume?"
He shoves my hand away.
I'm pretty sure Marcellius doesn't know about this, because when I barged in, Niccolo had jumped up like he'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Maybe I should tell Marcellius. I may hate the asshole, but I wasn't heartless. He might need help.
"Actually, based on the fact that I now own the apartment you're living in, you are my property."
What the hell did he just say?
And just when I thought this couldn't get any worse- it does. Much worse.