Page 7 of Paolo DeLuca
Chapter six
Thelooktheguy from earlier gave her when she poked her head in the door caused her to squirm where she stood. She couldn’t explain it, but it was like he saw every nuance of her being, knew everything there was about her, but also did not know anything at all.
"Come in, Lyric,” he said, never taking his heated gaze off her. “Have a seat.”
Lyric hesitantly walked inside the office and took the proffered seat. She wished she had jeans on. Her legs showing through her fishnets and her breasts protruding from the top of her tight tank made her feel almost naked, especially under his scrutinizing watch.
“You wanted to see me?” she asked again.
He nodded. “Yes.” He picked upa plastic baggy full of twenty-dollar bills. More than likely the ones she gave Gino. “What can you tell me about these?”
“Not much, to be honest.” She blew out a breath. “I noticed right away when I picked up the bill it wasn’t real.”
Paolo narrowed his eyes at Lyric. “How did you know it wasn’t real?”
He knew the answer, but he wanted to hear her side of the story. And if he were honest with himself, he wasn’t ready to let her leave. Any prolonged time with Lyric was time he got to know more about her.
She rubbed her hands down the front of her shorts. “The ink wasn’t right on it. When I touched it…” She paused. “It was almost like it was wet. Some of the ink even smeared on my hand.”
“Did you see who used it? Who handed the bills to you?”
She shook her head. “Not really. He slid the bill on the bar and left. Didn’t wait for the change. I was so busy I didn’t get a good look at him.”
The man with no name tossed the bag on the desk, then sat back in the chair. He eyed her, and Lyric tried her best not to fidget. This man made her feel things she had no business feeling. It was obvious he was someone important to the club, and Gino obviously knew him. Now that she looked at him, he and Gino favored—a lot. He had to be a DeLuca as well.
Unlike Gino, he seemed like he carried the world's weight on his shoulders. He had hard eyes and not one smile line she could make out on his face. Despite all of that, she couldn’t take her eyes off him and more than once, caught herself staring a little too long into his brown eyes. There was no way he didn’t know how yummy he looked, and by his smirk as he caught her eyes roving over his face, he knew it.
He steepled his fingers. “So, how are you liking the club so far?”
“I love this place.” An easy smile graced her lips. “The atmosphere, the music, the money is good. And Gino has been a gem.”
A menacing look formed on his face at the mention of Gino’s name, then before she could process what it was all about, it was gone.
“Yes, Gino’s done a good job with the club while I’ve been away.” He stretched his hand out across the desk for her to shake. Lyric stared at his hand, then hesitantly took it in hers. “Paolo DeLuca. I own Night Shade.”
Her eyes stretched wide. She knew he and Gino had to be family. The resemblance was uncanny. They were both beautiful, but she didn’t feel the heat coursing through her veins when she looked at Gino like when she looked at the man sitting in front of her. She squeezed her thighs together, trying to quell the heat. Lyric swallowed the lump stuck in her throat.
“Lyric Mason. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. DeLuca.”
He waved her away. “Call me Paolo, please. Now tell me a little about yourself.”
“What do you want to know?”
He leaned on his elbows; his eyes pierced her soul. She wondered what he saw when he looked there.
“Why are you here?”
Well, that’s a fucking loaded question. How did he want her to answer? Because he called me in here or why I work here as in at the club? Damn, I’m overthinking it. Anyway.
She swallowed and took in a few breaths to calm her racing mind. Why couldn’t she just answer the damn question? She sighed. Here goes nothing. I’m telling a complete stranger my life story.
“I took this job to help pay for school. The scholarships weren’t enough to cover everything.” She didn’t mean to tell that part, only that she was paying for school.
“And what are you studying?” he asked genuinely. She could see the interest spark in his eyes.
It was weird talking to him so freely. Lyric wasn’t sure why she felt like she could tell him anything. He was a DeLuca. Not like other men. Ruthless. A savage. She heard the stories of the men in this family. Not someone she wanted to get involved with. She had plenty of time at twenty-two to jump into bed with the wrong man, but she wouldn’t start with this one. But damn if she didn’t want to. She cleared her throat at the thought. “I’m an art major.”
Mr. DeLuca leaned back in his seat. And she finally released the breath she hadn’t realized she held. He did something to her body she wanted to explore, and if she didn’t get out of here soon, she would do something stupid.
“So, you paint?”
She nodded, rising from her seat. She had to get the hell out of here. Away from him. “Umm, I think I’d better get back. I’m missing tips.”
He picked up the bag of bills, then nodded. “Of course.”
“It was nice to meet you,” she called over her shoulder, opening the door. He didn’t respond as the door closed behind her. Her body finally relaxed as the thump of the music replaced the heat coursing through her body.
