My client is who?
1935 Words
Danielle
Federica and Mariella are two breath-taking beauties who with their slender waist and long legs look like they have just gotten out of a fashion magazine.
Federica has black hair like mine but has chosen to embrace her curls and paired with her green eyes she looks like a princess from an exotic country.
Marinella on the other hand has blond hair and blue eyes like Loredana.
Looks like they put together a selection to offer to the men.
We spend about an hour chatting casually, and I‘m already sipping my fourth glass of champagne as the men are apparently done with their business and about to enter the restaurant.
My anxiety is at its peak, and I have to fight the urge to turn to Loredana and tell her that I want to leave as she turns to me.
“I didn‘t tell you something important, Habibi.” She looks at me with a pained expression as if she wanted to apologize for something.
I‘m about to ask her what the important information would be as I feel the air shift.
A group of four men enters the room, all dressed in tailored suits screaming wealth.
All of them are wearing a smile, probably because of the deal they just closed.
Well, all, except one of them.
“No!” I say, as I freeze on the spot, fear creeping up my legs.
“Please forgive me! I did it on purpose!” Loredana whispers high-pitched, before turning away from me.
I stare at her shocked.
Shouldn‘t she be supposed to say that she didn’t do it on purpose?!
“You did what?!” I hiss, but she ignores me, waving at the men while I feel like drowning.
No. No. No.
A tall man with long black hair slicked back and a killer smile approaches us first with his arms stretched out welcomingly. “Hello, Ladies.”
The other men follow him and we all greet each other with the traditional two kisses on the cheeks, making us look like a group of friends rather than bought company.
The tall man, seemingly the leader of the counterpart, reaches me to greet me, introducing himself as Domenico.
His business partner, Paolo, is a tad smaller than Domenico but doesn’t fade in comparison. His curly brown hair is falling wildly into his face, nearly covering his shiny brown eyes.
Naturally, I know our side of the negotiators.
Enrico is an older gentleman and a good friend of my father. He hugs me fatherly, greeting me like a family member and I would cringe at this in such a situation if my heart wasn’t bleeding because of the hulk standing behind him and momentarily talking to Loredana.
Of course, he doesn’t greet me personally, having already graced me with his signature frown.
So, we are good.
As we get up to be placed at our table, I end up with Giovanni behind me.
How could it be any other way?
I try to ignore him, listening to the conversation between Paolo and the other women.
Enrico is waiting in front of our little crowd with Domenico who complains about starving.
“Didn’t you wait on tables?” His deep voice makes my nerves buzz as it vibrates along my skin, my body screaming at me to step closer to him.
I close my eyes, taking a deep breath to fight this urge with every cell in my body. “I was looking for something new, and Loredana was missing a girl so…”
No lies, remember?
“Also, my mom stole all my savings, so I’m broke, and I need some extra income.”
I’m still not looking up at him as he lowers himself to talk directly to my ear. “She did what? How?”
I shrug, wanting to bite off my tongue. “I don’t see how this would be of any concern to you.”
He growls, my name rolling off his tongue threateningly, “Danielle!”
Sighing deeply, I scratch my eyebrow embarrassed, “I can’t afford a bank account, so I find little hiding places at home.”
He seems taken aback for a second and is just about to talk again when our host appears and brings us to our table.
After sitting down, with me still not being able to get Giovanni off my back, I simply accept my fate and do my best to concentrate on the table talk. We chat casually about everything from politics to gossip about the royals, and I’m quite amazed about the knowledge Loredana and the other women are manifesting.
I’m just happy that I can keep quiet, following the interesting conversations, especially as I’m being absorbed enough, trying not to melt under the burning gaze of Giovanni.
How he can stare at me without interruption and still take part in the conversations is beyond me.
“And you? It’s Dani, right?” I put my glass of wine down, nodding as Domenico seems eager to want me included actively in the conversation. “What do you do for a living?”
HA!
“I’m a student,” I answer with a smile.
Domenico nods repeatedly, smiling brightly like I just said something interesting.
“Law,” I add.
He beams up, slapping Paolo‘s chest. “Give her our cards. Beautiful and intelligent. We need lawyers like that.”
Everyone laughs, and I feel a bit of tension lift from my shoulders.
Enrico puts an arm around me, still laughing. “No, no. She already has a family she will be working for, Dome.”
The evening flows rather smoothly, and I, maybe because Domenico included me in the conversation or maybe because I had a shitload of wine, start to get more and more comfortable with being in my skin.
By the end of the evening, I‘m quite proud of not having made a fool out of myself, and on top of that, I achieved that not one stain got on the pale pink silk blouse that I borrowed from Loredana.
Yay, me.
After a round of coffee and shared sorbets by the women, we get up to walk to the cars.
I’ve my arm looped into Loredana’s as we stand in front of the restaurant, waiting for the men to get their cars.
“Erm, Dani?” I look up at Mariella smiling at me. “I’d try my luck with Domenico if you don’t mind.”
Huh?!
“No, sure, go ahead,” I answer, taken aback.
Loredana giggles, “Don‘t worry, Mariella. She is already booked.”
Mariella nods happily, and I turn to Loredana. “Thinking of it, maybe I’ll get going…”
Loredana pouts at me, fluttering her long eyelashes at me. “No, come on, just enjoy the evening with us.”
I scoff, hoping I’m not getting as red as a ripe tomato as I think of what that enjoying of the evening would imply. My heart beats into my throat as my love-struck brain provides me with an image of Giovanni leaning over me shirtless.
Oh, my God.
I position my weight from one foot to the other and I‘m about to say something to her as my phone rings.
Giulio‘s name practically screams at me, blinking on the screen. I take a deep breath as I detach myself from my friend and take a few steps to the side to pick up the phone.
I‘ve barely accepted the call as my brother's enraged voice explodes from the phone. “Where the f**k are you?”
“I’m- I’m working, I-” I stutter as fear envelops me, making me turn into stone.
“What the hell, b***h! Where the f**k did you get the guts to ignore me until now? Wait until you get home and I get my hands on you, you ungrateful piece of s**t!” His shouting voice wraps around my throat, suffocating me.
Giulio ends the call and panic bubbles up my throat, risking making me pass out on the spot. Lowering my phone from my ear with shaking hands, my brain gets overwhelmed by the panicked thoughts, pulling me into a deadly vortex.
I jump as I feel a hand on my back.
“Dani?” Loredana looks at me worried. “Let’s go.”
I force a smile, letting my eyes wander over the parked cars and take a few fast steps, getting into the black Shelby automatically.
“Sure, make yourself at home.”
I look at Giovanni‘s discontent expression, my eyes widening at the realization that I got into his car without even thinking. “Oh, sorry. I just… Do you want me to ride with Enrico?”
“Enrico is going home. We are going to Domenico's place,” he answers annoyed as he glares at me.
I take a deep breath sinking back into the seat. “Maybe I should go home too.”
Giovanni tsks as he starts the car and follows the luxurious cars in front of us off the property of the venue.
We drive silently for a while until we reach the highway, and I can’t take it anymore.
“I don’t feel like I have to justify my actions in front of you,” it blubbers out of my chest, and I cross my arms. “Just like you don’t have to justify to me why you are celebrating a business deal with escorts.”
He just shrugs nonchalantly. “I didn’t say anything.”
“No, but you thought it,” I answer, my stomach churning.
He scoffs, “Wow, you can read minds now?”
“Just like you can spot my lies,” I retort, flashing him my duh expression.
He chuckles, and I wonder if it’s the car that puts him in a good mood.
Maybe we should only talk in here.
Finally, not fighting for once.
I‘ll never leave again.
“I was just booked for the dinner,” I try to argue, justifying my situation.
“And yet you are in my car,” he mocks me, making me gasp overdramatically.
“Because neither Loredana nor you listened to me as I said that I wanted to go home.”
He chuckles again, and I totally fall in love with that sound. “Yeah, you were really kicking and screaming. I’m sorry we kidnapped you.”
I tear myself out of my dreamy admiration and turn to look out of the window.
Silence falls upon us until Giovanni speaks again. “Who was that on the phone?”
His voice is laced with something incredibly caring, making me look at him. “Huh?!”
He moves his eyes to meet mine before letting them glide back on the road. “The phone call you got before you got in my car looking disturbed.”
“Disturbed…” I puff annoyed while shifting in my seat. “Giulio.”
“What did he say?” He inquires further, making my chest squeeze.
I shrug, forcing myself not to look at him. “Nothing much. My mother was looking for me.”
He distorts his face but keeps his thoughts to himself as he follows the sporty Audi before us into a massive complex and parks next to it.
Domenico steers us into a private elevator and up to his apartment in the massive building.
A freaking penthouse.
- Writer
