Page 14 of Ruthless Rival

“She fell? Are you serious?” I asked David Nolan, the owner I put in place at one of the strip clubs I ran on Bourbon Street.

Slim and curvy women strutted around the stage, showing off their best assets in skimpy bras and thongs. A few circled the poles placed on specific parts of the stage, leaning over or swaying their hips. Strobe lights stroked their skin as they moved.

My eyes weren’t on them though. They were on the idiot who installed poles that were too tall, leading to one of his dancers falling and breaking her arm in the middle of a performance. She could threaten us with a personal injury lawsuit, and David didn’t want to see how pissed off that would make me.

David rubbed his hand over his balding head, giving me a sheepish look. “The higher up they climb, the more people can see them. More tips. More money for you!” he said as he gestured to me.

I drew in a sharp breath, grinding my teeth. Usually, I breezed through these sorts of situations. I owned distilleries, strip clubs, and brothels. They weren’t easy investments, which kept me so busy on a daily basis.

However, my head wasn’t in it today. All I wanted to do was get through my meetings as quickly and painlessly as possible. Everything seemed like an inconvenience, and I hardly ever tossed that word around to describe my routine. I usually didn’t mind it at all. “You know what will cost me more money than what lonely men spend here? A lawsuit,” I told him with a hard stare.

David seemed to pale. When he noticed some of the dancers had paused to look our way, he waved his hand at them sharply, motioning for them to get back to work. “Crystal is reasonable. She thinks it’s her fault anyway.”

I stepped closer to David, towering over him and darkening his expression with my shadow. “If her idiot boss didn’t make the poles so high up, she would’ve bruised her arm instead of broken it.” There wasn’t any excuse he could give me to spare him from the hot water he was currently drowning in.

David sighed and shrugged. “What do you want me to do? I want to fix this,” he said.

He should’ve taken more initiative, but I would be naïve to expect such behavior from David. One of the things to be added to my to-do list would be to look for a replacement for his position. I needed someone who wasn’t a moron. “Offer to pay her hospital bills and give her medical leave,” I told David before walking out of Bourbon and Babes, tugging on my collar as heat graced my skin.

Iso joined my side, leading me back to the SUV and opening the back door for me.

I slumped in the backseat, shaking my head at myself. I acted like a teenager, lashing out at others and stressing myself out just because I felt a tad bit nervous about a date. It wasn’t even a date, but Gabriela was enchanting enough to make my heart race merely at the thought of her. Something I was not used to and I felt unsure what to make of it. “I’m canceling the rest of my meetings today. Take me home,” I told the driver.

Iso glanced back at me. “Are you okay, sir?” he asked, having never heard me give that order before.

I nodded and motioned for him to go about his business. The notorious Alberto Mancini was neglecting his responsibilities for a woman. I needed the extra time to cool off and decide on what to wear tonight anyway.

Once I reached home, I walked into my bedroom and unbuttoned my shirt, shrugging my shoulders to lessen the tension in them. I opened the door to my walk-in closet and browsed through my suits, trying to figure out a color and style for tonight.

Casual? Formal? Monotone? An interesting color?

I grimaced, unable to remember a time when dressing myself made me feel so conflicted. In reality, I doubted the color of my suit would change Gabriela’s view of me. Still, I tried on a few options, switching between a maroon suit, a black suit, and a dark blue suit.

“It’s just a damn suit,” I muttered to myself. Then, I realized I had to pick out a tie color too.

I ended up stripping off the dark blue suit jacket I had on, along with my white button-down underneath. I rolled my neck as sweat threatened to bead up on my forehead.How did it get so hot in the room?

I collapsed on my bed, staring up at the ceiling as I rested my hand on my bare, firm chest. I just wanted to look good for tonight. It was the closest I had come to a date since Sienna passed. Typically, it wasn’t hard for me to make a good impression on people, but I had a feeling Gabriela had certain tastes. I didn’t have to know everything about her to sense this, it was obvious to me she wouldn’t be easy to sway.

My eyes fluttered shut as she entered my mind again. I wondered what she would wear tonight. Perhaps, she would choose a long cocktail dress that clung onto her curves. Maybe she would pick something a little shorter that showed off her legs and a hint of thigh.

The hand on my chest slowly moved down toward my belt as my mind wandered. I imagined how soft her lips felt and how sweet she tasted all over. I felt myself starting to harden, making my clothes even more restricting.

To hell with it.

I breathed in and out for a few seconds, keeping my eyes closed. Gradually, I reached a calmer state with a clearer head. I bolted upright. Now, I could approach my outfit problem with a better mindset. Like with any outing, I needed to match what I wore to the environment of where I was going.

The problem was…I really didn’t know where I was going tonight. I thought back to what she said. Something about Por Qué No. What the hell was that?

A knock sounded on my door.

I hurriedly pulled my shirt and jacket back on before opening the door to see Iso standing outside with his hands joined behind him in a professional stance. “What is it?” I asked after clearing my throat.

“Just wanted to confirm your outing tonight, sir,” Iso replied.

“Yes, I suppose,” I said as I adjusted my collar. I had to figure out if Gabriela tricked me or not, and I was already starting to feel red in the face for getting worked up over a possible joke.

Iso maintained his stance, as he stared at me. “Anything I can assist with, sir?”

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