176

Antonio comes to my strip club for lunch. We do a sticky wings and beer special for lunch—times have been a little tough. Normally I would never be open during the day.

But…the girls wanted me to do this.

There’s a new harlot on the pole every fifteen minutes, so while peoplecanhave lunch anywhere they want, it doesn’t hurt to pay the extra $5 daytime cover charge so you can look at some tits while you eat.

Every fourth john, you’ll get a guy who’s horny enough to fork out for a private dance and that’s where the girls score.

Financially I’m still winning, because the girlspay me$50 a dayto dance at my place.Imake money from the overpriced food and booze—Guys are a lot braver when they’re on the edge of a good drunk…especially with their wallets.

I provide a safe working environment, the girls can ply their trade and whatever they make, they can keep. Occasionally they’ll have to suck a dick or fuck someone as a favor to me, but it’s all good. They like working here. The name of the place is—Harlots.

They’re happy and most of them have regulars who come in specifically to see them. The rest are working oncultivatingregulars.

Nights are a different ballgame. There’s a $20 cover charge, and a two drink minimum. Private dances can turn into all out fucking pretty quick, but only if the girls want it…and you payme,not them.

A guy will try to stiff a stripper, he won’t try that shit withme.

Night earnings have been sliding a bit unfortunately, hence the daytime shit.

Antonio didn’t just come for the wings though…he’s here to tell me his plan…and that I’m supposed to take Chelsea out to make a little introduction tonight.

It sounds like fun…I’m looking forward to it.

I leave my second in command to look after things—as I very often do—and head home early to talk to Chelsea.

When I get there, I knock twice and hear her sing, “Come in!” Sounds like she’s in a great mood!

I laugh to myself, unlock the door and enter.

When she sees me, she trots up to me with a smile on her face, hops onto me so I’m cradling her in my arms and gives me a kiss, “Hello! What are you doing here?”

I kiss her back and put her back on her feet. She’s barefoot, dressed in nothing but a big shirt. “Antonio sent me, get dressed, we’re going out.”

“Oooh,” her eyes sparkle and a naughty smile plays on her lips. “I thought Antonio was going to take me, how come he sent you?”

I shrug, “He’s got a thing to do.”

“Whatthing?”

“Athing,” I laugh and kiss her again, “go put some clothes on.”

“How much time do we have?” Chelsea bounces her eyebrows.

She looks fucking delicious as usual. I pull her to me, as suspected she was wearing nothing but lacy panties under her shirt.

Her pussy is already hot and damp through the underwear. I part it and slide a finger in while I watch her bite her succulent bottom lip…I kiss her again with tongue. “Not enough, unfortunately, as much as I want to, we’ll have to play later.”

She closes her eyes, enjoying the feeling, but I don’t want to start something I can’t finish, so I take back my hand and say, “Go put some clothes on…for a night club.” I smile and deliberately lick her juices off my finger.

“Okay,” she reaches up to give me another kiss, then goes to her closet.

I head to the balcony and sit there so I can take my mind off of Chelsea and make my raging boner disappear. I always get hard as soon as I see her.

I could probably bottle her pussy juice and sell it as an aphrodisiac. It’s better than Viagra! I read somewhere that it has pheromones in it. If that’s true, any man who smells hers will go fucking crazy!

Fifteen minutes later, Chelsea comes out on the balcony looking stunning! Her makeup is all done, she’s in a short black dress that rides high above the knee, she’s wearing heels, earrings and a necklace too…even a matching clutch purse!

“Wow!”

She smiles, “What?”

“I could eat you alive!”

She comes to me and leans over so I’ve got a good view of her cleavage in the low-cut neck that pushes her breasts together—in a way that makes me want to stick my tongue between them—then gives me a soft kiss.

She stands back and thumbs my lips, “I take it this is okay then?”

“Oh, hell yeah.”

“Whoever bought all this stuff, tell them—Thank you.It’s incredible!”

I still can’t get over how gorgeous she looks. “We had a lady at the boutique choose everything. We told her to give us all the best stuff.” I have half a mind to forget about thismissionof Antonio’s and just stay in tonight.

“What?” Chelsea smiles shaking me back to the present.

I was staring. “Sorry, I was fantasizing about giving you a bath with my tongue.”

She throws her head back with laughter! “Well the sooner we get there, the sooner we can get back.Somedreamscanbecome realities. Let’s go.”

“Right.”

It’s a bit of a drive to New York City, but it goes by fast in a Maserati. I focus on the road while Chelsea plays with the radio like usual.

“So, where are we going?”

“Antonio didn’t tell you?”

“Nope, I told him to find me another target. It’s going to be hard to hide a gun in this dress though,” she looks at me and her eyes sparkle, “if we’re just going out dancing, that’s fine too.”

I feel like pulling over for a quickie.“Antonio doesn’t want to blindside anybody. He thinks it’ll be better if we’re up front about things, so he wants certain people to see you. We’re not killing anyone tonight.”

“That’s a shame. Wouldn’t it be better if we surprised them?”

“I don’t think so. It would hurt the transition.”

“Transition?”

“Of power. Antonio doesn’t just want to redraw things the way they were. He thinks we should take the Cassaduchi territory too.”

“Are you serious? He said it’s been this way for over a hundred years, are they really going to allow that?”

“I know, I was pretty shocked when Antonio told me too, but I think he’s right. If we’ve got support from the right capos, it can happen.”

“And whatexactlyis tonight about then?”

“Pretty much like poking a hornet’s nest.” I only mean to touch her leg reassuringly, but when I feel that soft, smooth skin…my fingers want to travel. I quickly put my hand back on the wheel.

Chelsea laughs at me, then leans over and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Your father knows nothing of this I take it?”

“No. Tell you the truth, we’ve been feeling like he should’ve stepped down a while ago. He’s my father and I love him, but there’s a bigger picture here that he can’t see.”

“I feel the same way,” she sighs.

We listen to the radio for the rest of the drive and Chelsea takes in the sights as we hit the busy Manhattan streets.

When we get to the street the club is on, Chelsea cranes her neck to see where we’re headed. The place is called—Buono Fortuna.‘Good luck’ in Italian.

There’s a red carpet with the stanchions and the ropes…it’s a full five-star affair. People are lined up down the block—all dressed in the sexiest fashions that New York has to offer.

This was the place to be seen!

I pull up to the curb, right opposite the door and Chelsea says, “Wow! I’ve never been to a place like this.”

I give her a wink.

We get out of the car and I toss my keys to a valet in a red Jaxet. They’re supposed to know me. I’m in the select group of people who get their car parked, free food, booze and anything else I want.

Chelsea is going to find outwhyvery soon, but Antonio told me not to tell her—he wants her reaction to be authentic.

I go around the car to meet Chelsea at the rope, and the bouncer—whose muscles are so big, I doubt he can wipe his own ass—looks me up and down.

I haven’t seen this guy before. He jerks his thumb and snarls, “Back of the line pal.”

Another guy in a red Jaxet pushes him out of the way instantly, “I’m sorry about that Mr. Bernardo. Tommy is new. It’s so good to have you again. Please, this way, I have a table set up for you in the VIP section.”

I don’t know who this guy is, but he’s been trained to kiss ass with the best of them.

“Thanks.” I take Chelsea’s hand and we walk up the carpeted steps, through a bronze venetian archway, and into the noisy club.

Inside, the mass of humanity is sweaty, drugged and dancing as if it’s their last night on earth. Bottle service is in full swing and the Cristal is flowing like there’s a three-for-one special.

The music istranceand the bass makes my bones rattle.

Our polite lacky steers us to the right, past another set of bouncers, behind yet another rope, and up an elegant marble staircase.

He leads us to a little, round, white table with aluminum chairs on a balcony overlooking the dance floor—it’s quite a view.

There are six more tables like ours and three huge booths on this level.

Through the magic of architectural design, you can actually talk to someone up here without shouting. The thumping music is focused on the sea of people below us…and fills this area only slightly.

Chelsea is wide-eyed and beaming. I hold out her chair for her and she sits.

The waiter asks, “Champagne?”

I look at Chelsea in deference as I take my own seat—She nods with enthusiasm.

I give him a thumbs up.

“Something to eat perhaps?”

We’re probably not going to be here that long, but…fuck it…might as well inconvenience these assholes. “Sure, the canapés to start.

He nods and sets off.

Chelsea laughs, “This is amazing! I’ve never been to a VIP section before!”

“Get used to it sweetheart,” I wink, “from now on, everything you do is going to be VIP.”

Chelsea holds the copper railing and peers out at the crowd. She looks mesmerized—It’s really cute.

I stand when I see a slickly dressed gentleman coming to me with his arms out. He’s got a full head of hair. The suit is Versace. He’s in great shape and he’s a murderer.

“Oh!” I react like I’m happy to see him.

We kiss each other on both cheeks and hug, patting each other on the back like old friends who haven’t seen each other in a long time…which is kind of true, but not really.

“You should have told me you were coming into the city, I’d have saved you a booth,” he shakes my hand vigorously and grins like an alligator.

He’s fifty-seven and has a smile like George Clooney—Great dentist.

“How’s your father doing?” he asks in his raspy voice.

“He’s great. Fantastic! This?” I shrug, “Just a spur of the moment thing,” I pat him on the shoulder. “We’ll get the booth next time.”

“And who isthislovely young lady?” he addresses Chelsea, gesturing like he’s impressed at the quality of my date.

“Josh de Soto,” I lock eyes with him, “meet Chelsea Lombardo.”

His grin dies and he looks like he’s still processing, “Sorry, what?” He puts his hand to his ear.

I turn to Chelsea and there’s no more smiling. She looks like she’s thinking about ending his life.

I look back at Josh, “I said, this is Chelsea Lombardo.”

He speaks under his breath, “I wasn’t aware our late friend had any cousins,” he looks nervous as fuck.

“He didn’t,” I say, then lean close to whisper into his ear, “you missed one.”

The moment I step back, Chelsea lunges at Joshua with a table knife, “I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!”

Josh jumps away and I grab Chelsea around her waist. She kicks and stabs at the air like she’s feral, grabbing for Joshua even though there’s no way she can reach him.

I swing her around and smash her back into her chair, then take the knife out of her hand. “BEHAVE! We’re in public.” I stare her in the eyes and point, “STAY!”

When I turn back to Josh, he’s pointing at me, “Where do you get the balls, kid? I invite you into my place like you’re my own family and you spring this shit on me? What the fuck do you think you’re playing at? Huh? What the fuck is this?”

“It’s exactly what I said it is—You missed one. Now you know. Me and brothers thought it was the right thing to let you know. What happens now is up to Chelsea…and you.”

I put my hand out to Chelsea, she takes it and stands.

Then I say to Josh, “Thanks for your hospitality.”

I turn back to Chelsea, “We’re leaving.”