Things were wild at the club tonight. I think the person who came in was somewhat of a celebrity or something. Nobody I knew, but most people did. The person bought out most of the tables and just had tons of people with him.
Usually Renzo doesn't let people without a membership come in here without being vouched for by a member. But never this many people all at once. It made me curious, so I walked out of the office to ask the first person I saw. It was Vivica the vivacious woman.
She and I never speak much. She seems like a veteran girl who is the type to 'get her bag' and go. When I asked her what was going on and who all those people were I found out that the guy is in fact a celebrity, but he's into some super shady stuff on the side apparently.
Renzo told me this once, that some people actually just love hanging out with criminals like some cheap thrill. They act like they are Tony Montana living out their scarface dream. All those people are members or vouched for. A bunch of crooks is who they all are.
The dancers were making a ton of money though, and I was glad for them. Raquel had called for reinforcements asking the dancers whose night's off it was if they wanted to come in for a special event. Most said yes. So we are at what we call a 'full house' tonight.
When my desk phone rang I picked it up with little thought. "Fuoco Lento, Kat speaking," I answered by the second ring. "Your accent is getting very good" a sexy voice filled my line. "Why are you calling me on the office phone?" I chuckled at Renzo's antics.
"Well, you were very concerned about being busy with work, so I called the office. This is a business call" he informed me. "Oh yeah? And what business do you have with me?" I asked him while entering something into the computer in front of me.
"So much business, too much business. Maybe we shouldn't discuss it over the phone. Maybe we should have a meeting" he told me. I think I heard a distant chuckle when I huffed at him. "For someone with such a strong worth ethic you really haven't shown me much of it. Aren't you supposed to be working on something, Mr. Revello?"
"Yeah...working you over and flipping you around to have at it again" he deadpanned. His voice sounds so good over the phone. Deep, a temptation. "You've made me a very bad employee" I tried sounding stern, but ended up sounding affected.
"Oh but you're such a very good girl" he hooked me.
I bit my lip and swooned. "You liked that, didn't you?" He chuckled. "It's how I hooked you the first time, it's how I'll hook you again. Come up" he tempted me. "Renzo, I literally have a ton of stuff to do. If I go up now I'll be working here until 4 o' clock in the morning" I huffed, but just because I really really wanted to go up.
He sucked his teeth. "I can't work with you being here. I might have to fire you" he warned me teasingly. "Yeah? Then who's gonna pay my bills? You?" I was obviously kidding, but he deadpanned, "Yeah."
I scoffed. "As it is I can't find a place that'll let me rent for 300 a month like my old sharehouse. I'm tryna move out of the apartment YOU pay for. I can't have that" I shook my head. Not that he could see it. Actually...he can see it. He could be looking at me through the camera. I wouldn't know.
"You aren't leaving that apartment, Kat" his playfulness turned right back into bossiness. That was said out as an order. "You can't pay $2,000 a month! A month! I'm not comfortable with that. Just, no" I huffed.
"Kat, that doesn't even put a dent in my pocket. Don't let your pride get in the way. Why live in a shit hole when I'm offering you your own space?" He was being serious. He couldn't see the problem with it.
"I've accepted too much from you. Yes, I know we are at least dating now, and I'm not some random half strange who you buy everything for, but still..." I trailed off. In his pause I continued. "There is always going to be a money gap between us. You have to accept it as much as I do" I explained.
"No. I don't accept it. If you're mine then by proximity you're around plenty of money to live comfortably." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Renzo, have you ever thought about the fact that if we break up I would literally end up with nothing?" I doubt he has thought of it that way.
He could be crazy about me one minute then cut me off the next. Then what? I would have surrendered so much of myself over to him that I would literally be left with nothing.
"Break up or not, it's already yours" he told me. "You would pay off your ex-girlfriend's apartment and car service? HA. Now I know for sure that you've never dated anyone" I couldn't help but laugh. "What's so funny?" He sounded sour.
"If we broke up for whatever reason that means there would be bad feelings towards one another. Renzo, you destroy people who aren't in your favor. You wouldn't help me. You'd level me" I stated a fact I knew he wouldn't admit to.
He's a vengeful man. It has crossed my mind that if something went very wrong between us I might have to fear him. There was a long pause.
"Do you really think that?" He asked me. Not in an angry voice, but more like an inquisitive one.
"I'm crazy about you, but you're just plain crazy" I deadpanned. I was glad when I heard a deep rumble of a laugh come from the other end. It made me laugh too. "I guess you can't ever break up with me. I'll chase you to the ends of the earth" he said playfully, but why did those words resonate deep inside me?
He would chase me to the ends of the earth. He might not be lying.
"It's unhealthy how badly I want you right now. Hang up quickly or I won't be able to restrain myself" he told me. With a laugh I hung up. This feels good. This fun banter and no angry Renzo. Please let it last.
-
After closing the place was still in shambles. I finished the registers, but so much more needed to be done amongst the other co-workers. I offered my help out on the main floor, but I felt a hand come down on my shoulder, and the familiar hard body that presses into my back like he's my shadow.
He can see clearly over my head, so he just held my shoulder and addressed everyone. They all froze as soon as he hollered for them to listen up. "It was a long night. I'm giving you the choice to either stay and continue cleaning up, or you go get some rest and come in a bit earlier tomorrow to finish things off" he told them.
"Over time for those who put in the effort," he added some incentive. Everyone looked around, seeming surprised at something. "Thanks boss," someone nodded respectfully.
"Why do they all look surprised?" I turned around and laughed once people started moving around again. "Because I never do that" he knew right away what it was. "What? Cut them loose so they can rest or the over time thing?" He shrugged, "Both."
"You're a mean boss, huh?" I was catching on. I can't say I've ever gotten a glimpse at the true boss in him. He's always favored me. Even in the beginning.
"I'm just plain out mean" Renzo leaned down and gave me a small kiss. I blushed red, but it was a good surprise. We are at work and these are his employees. I don't know, I guess I thought maybe he wouldn't want them to know we were dating.
Everyone suspects us to be hooking up, but he's done that with plenty. This is different. I'm different.
"You aren't as mean as you think" I took his hand and started walking out of the club with him. I felt so many eyes dart between Renzo and I and down to our connected hands. "Lock up" Renzo pointed a finger at Raquel as we passed her.
When we got outside Renzo stopped me and backed me into a wall. A thrill shot through me. I remember him always backing me into things and me wondering why my boss would always stand so close. I was so naive then. Renzo had wanted a taste of me even then.
When I told him I had a boyfriend he practically spat the word back at me. He didn't look pleased, and now I know why. He may not have realized it at the time, but Renzo wanted to keep me to himself even then. The first two weeks of knowing him.
When he backed me into this brick wall behind his club where his car was parked, he let his face linger close to me. "You think I'm nice because you've seen a very specific side of me. Baby, I'm not nice. I don't have a nice bone inside my body" he smirked and started rubbing his nose against mine. To distract me I'm sure.
"Fine. No nice bones, but a decent heart" I bargained with him. I want him to acknowledge that he does have some good inside of him. "Please explain how?" He asked me in amusement. "How do you have a decent heart?" When he nodded I took the challenge.
Grabbing the lapels of his coat I kept him close to me, and his arms on either side of me caged me in.
"You saw a stranger in need and you helped her. And the homeless man, but you never admit to that part, so we'll just leave it at me. You helped me keep my bus money, you filled my belly, you offered me a job all within the first day of knowing you. And don't say it was because you wanted to get laid because you have a flock of women around you at any second. You helped because you wanted to. And when you do wrong by me you always find a way to apologize, even though you've never physically said the words 'I'm sorry' in your life. Still you have your own way of saying it and I've come to know it, and-" I was gonna continue my rant but he hushed me.
"Notice a common denominator genius?"
When I tipped my head he chuckled. "Any decent deed is directly linked to you. I'm not kind or nice to anyone, not even my own family, " he chuckled. It's true he can be harsh but still. "No, don't speak on it. Accept it for what it is. I'm an asshole but," he said, peaking my attention. But? I felt like I was leaning into his words.
His arms were so close to my arms that I could feel the heat of his flesh. My hands fisting over his lapels had the gap between us shrink. Our faces lingered and teased. One move from either of us and we could be kissing. Still Renzo left us lingering.
"But, you've had me spell bound since the sidewalk" he spoke against my lips before he kissed them. 'Since the sidewalk' means at first sight. Oh gosh in Renzo's twisted way did he just call this love at first sight because I would die. I would swoon, melt, and die.
"Spellbound" I arched my brow, but I was smiling. His arms moved lower until they left the wall and held onto me. "Since the sidewalk" he whispered against my ear. It gave me goosebumps. I couldn't wait another second. I grabbed Renzo's face and kissed him. Practically mounted him. I fisted his hair and let him pull me up with his tall frame.
This man. This man is the one who has entirely bewitched me.