Page 47 of Romancing the Rumrunner
Oh, yes. They’d definitely had this conversation before. Only she hadn’t really taken his warning to heart. And she wasn’t sure she wanted to this time. Still, she answered, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“You do that.” Tony leaned down, tugging on her hair enough that she had to tilt her head up to keep it from pulling. His mouth descended and he kissed her again until she was almost sobbing for more.
Someone pounded on the door again. “Hey boss. Got a situation out here.”
Tony growled and let her go. He yanked the door open, leaving her trembling against the wall.
She brought her hand up to her mouth and smiled. She would certainly keep that in mind.
Chapter Fifteen
The late nights were going to kill her. All she really wanted to do was curl up in the corner and sleep for a week. Charlie was helping out a lot, but he wasn’t able to fill in full time. Jessie might need to hire someone else if she was going to continue to sing at The Corkscrew and run things at The Red Phoenix. Luckily, Joe had things under control at The Red Phoenix the nights she wasn’t there, but she was still taking care of all of the paperwork and administrative tasks, as well as working at the club the nights she wasn’t at The Corkscew. She was wearing pretty thin. Perhaps she’d put an ad in the paper today for more help at the shop.
She slumped on the counter, banging her head against it a couple times. Why did she continue this? If she had any brains at all, she’d pack it up and get out of town. But a quick look around the shop where she’d grown up answered that question for her. This was her home. This shop was all she had left of her father. She couldn’t just leave it.
But she could close the speakeasy. Soon. She almost had the money she needed to finish paying off Williewithenough tucked away to ensure that she’d never have to worry about losing her father’s shop—no matter how slow business got. Once she had that security in place, she’d close The Red Phoenix and go back to being a full time butcher. Maybe she’d add a deli. And some baked goods.
Jessie smiled, enjoying her dreams of a simpler life. Someday, hopefully soon, she’d have that life. For now, it was time to close up shop and get ready to perform.
She couldn’t stop the quiver of pleasure that hit her at the thought of seeing Tony again. She sighed. The man was handsome enough to stop traffic. But he didn’t belong in her world. More to the point, she didn’t belong in his. In the Phoenix’s world, maybe they could coexist. Though, there he was her rival. Only interested in her for the information he could glean on the Phoenix. And that world wasn’t real. In this world, in herrealworld, she wasn’t sure if they belonged together. But, maybe they could overcome their differences, their pasts, and build something new together.
When the bell tinkled over her shop door, Jessie wearily dragged herself off the counter to help whoever had come in. She looked up to greet her customer and immediately froze. She was sure the smile she’d plastered on her face was more of a grimace and she tried hard to relax it into something more natural. Not so easy when one of the goons for the most ruthless bootlegger in the city was smiling at you from the other side of the counter. The fact he was her ex didn’t help either.
“Mario. What do you want?”
He removed his gloves and leaned against the counter, slapping them against his hand.
“That’s not a very polite way to greet an old friend.”
“I’m not sure what else you expect.”
“A kiss might be nice.” He leaned against the counter and gave her a look that had once turned her knees to jelly.
Mario had the dark and handsome thing going on, though he wasn’t as tall as Tony. And where Tony’s ruggedly handsome features filled Jessie with heat, like he was her own personal smoldering fire, Mario’s good looks were cold and distant, like a statue of some Greek god. Attractive, striking even, but there was no warmth beneath the surface. Something she wished she’d realized sooner.
“That’s not going to happen, Mario.”
“Well, a man can hope, eh?”
Jessie could remember the feel of his sinfully full lips pressing against hers, his hands hot and urgent on her skin. The memory filled her with revulsion now. She’d thought she was in love with him. Would have done anything for him. A fact he had exploited to the fullest. Jessie had told him everything, given up everything to him, all her secrets, all ofher.
And he’d used her like a worthless piece of trash. Something Jessie hadn’t been aware of until after they’d been dating for several months and she’d caught him in bed with some nameless floozy.
Though what had really done her in was when he’d brought her to Willie’s attention. Escorted the man right through the front door of The Red Phoenix and parked him at the best table in the house. Being in debt to Willie had been bad enough. But at least all she’d had to do was drop discreet payments once a month in a mailbox uptown.
Being on his radar as a rival was intolerable. Mario hadn’t just broken her heart; he’d tried his best to ruin her life. The man was scum. And she couldn’t let her full feelings show because he was still Willie’s man and his goodwill could go a long way to making her life livable. Literally.
Thankfully, some small spark of self-preservation had kicked in and kept her from spilling all the beans about her club. Mario had known about The Red Phoenix and her involvement. But she hadn’t told himshewas the Phoenix. Thank God.
So now, like everyone else, Willie thought she was just the current skirt the Phoenix was playing with. One he trusted enough to oversee things, but still, someone with very little power. And Jessie wanted to keep it that way. If they knewshewas the Phoenix…she shuddered, trying to keep that thought at bay.
Jessie crossed her arms and waited.
“You’re late with your payment. I was sent to see if you needed any…assistance.”
“Oh! I’m sorry, I’ve been so busy, I forgot. I have it…”
“I should hope so, for your sake.” All trace of the charming guy she’d fallen for was gone, replaced by the coldhearted enforcer he really was.
