Page 5 of Paolo DeLuca
Chapter five
Damn,itwasgood to be back in his city, Paolo thought as he made his way to the door of Night Shade. The club would open in a few more hours, but he already heard the music thumping from the sidewalk. Night Shade boasted a DJ every night. And each night, a variety of music blasted from its speakers. Some nights, it was Hip Hop, like tonight, and other nights, one could easily hear Latin music. The variety kept the people coming back each night.
Paolo smiled. He lived for warm Miami nights and a fucking good time. Too bad he wouldn’t be able to enjoy his first night back in his city for weeks because of the bullshit going on within his beloved club. Whoever had the balls to run fakes in his club had a fucking death wish. And he was going to grant it when he caught them.
He pushed through the door and halted. Before him was the most luscious ass he’d ever seen in his life and when she spoke, her voice was like a melody so sweet to his ears, he’d almost forgotten why he needed to speak to Gino as soon as possible. And when she finally acknowledged him, it was like angels fell from the heavens, and everything else around him faded to black.
She is fucking beautiful.
Bright brown eyes, wide and expressive, stared back at him. A full head of wild and unruly curls fell around her shoulders. Her full breasts under the white t-shirt she wore splashed with various paint colors. And those tight jeans hugged every curve she had; Paolo felt his body stir.
Who the hell is she? The new bartender Dante told him about?
He had to know, however, the person with the information he needed about this mystery woman, she’d yet to tell him where he was. The small squeak she let out when she focused on him almost made him smirk.
Almost.
Paolo was still angry about his grandfather’s murder and was hellbent on finding out who the hell encroached on his territory. Miami was his city. Everyone knew it. No one would be stupid enough to take on a DeLuca, not deliberately anyway. There wasn’t much to smirk about at the moment. Once the woman behind his bar pointed the way, Paolo stalked toward the club’s office. He didn’t knock on the closed door. Why should he? This is his club.
Behind his desk sat his cousin Gino, with his nose stuck in paperwork and pen flying across the paper.
“Cugino,”Paolo greeted as he closed the door behind him.
Gino rose from his seat, coming around with his arms stretched wide. “Cugino. Glad you are back.” Paolo took the hug Gino offered, the two clapping one another on the back, then letting go. Paolo sat behind the desk.
“How was everyone?” Gino asked, the smile gracing his lips a few seconds ago turned somber.
Paolo knew Gino wanted to know how Enzo was and how everyone took him being the new Don. Gino, like Paolo, knew the title passing to their cousin was bound to happen.
“Fine, now that he avenged Grandfather.”
Gino raised one brow. “So soon?”
Paolo nodded, but the same questions he saw in Gino’s eyes were the ones circling in his head. Something didn’t add up. Paolo shrugged. “Apparently, the Soldano Don turned the man over.”
Gino nodded in recognition. “Shit, you don’t say.
“I do. But…” He left the doubt hanging, not wanting to speculate when he didn’t have all the information.
“Well, I’m glad the initiation went well,” Gino settled into the seat in front of the desk.
“Me too.” And he was, but the time for chit-chat was over. He wanted to know who these fuckers were daring to tackle with him. “Now tell me, what the fuck is going on?”
“The bartender brought it to my attention that the money was fake. Some shit about the ink or something. Fuck if I know what she was talking about. She’s an artist, so she said it was easy for her to spot.”
“The one out there now?” Paolo tilted his head toward the door. Immediately, his mind flashed back to the woman connected to the very round ass that greeted him when he walked into the club.
“Yeah, that’s Lyric,” Gino said.” I hired her sometime last week.”
Lyric.
Beautiful name for a beautiful woman. Paolo tumbled her name around in his head. He wondered how it would sound coming from his lips when he was balls deep inside her.
“I want to talk to her.” It was out before he knew it. “But first, tell me more about the bills. I got Dante putting out feelers. Sooner or later, we’re going to find out, and when we do, there will be nowhere for them to fucking hide.” Paolo slammed his fist against the desk. He was fucking angry about the whole situation. This had been a fucked up few weeks.
Gino rose from his seat and moved toward the far wall in the office where the safe was tucked snuggly in the corner. Paolo watched as his cugino punched in the code to the safe, reached in, and pulled out a sandwich bag. Gino tossed the bag to Paolo, who easily caught it, then returned to his seat.
Paolo carefully pulled the bills out of the bag and inspected them. “What are you looking for?” Gino inquired, narrowing his eyes as he watched Paolo.
