Page 5 of Take A Chance

I shuddered in fear as he pursed his lips. The reporter’s brow furrowed, and he looked afraid as he stuttered out,“Uh... well, thank you, Mr. Bonetti.”The camera panned away from the crime scene to the traffic passing by, and the reporter moved with it.“Authorities believe this shooting is connected to the double-homicide only blocks from here, and they are investigating ties to organized crime. One victim has been transported to the hospital in critical condition, and authorities are waiting on them to wake up so they can answer some questions. I’ll have more on this as the story develops. Back to you, Madge.”

I reached for the remote and muted the TV, not wanting to hear any more terrifying details at all. I clamped my eyes shut and rocked, hugging the pillow to my chest. The email Blake had sent me told me he lived in Scarsdale. That was at least a thirty-minute drive north of the city. Any place would be safer than deep in the heart of the city where I felt exposed.

And the farther I distanced myself from my past, and from Allegra, the safer we would both be. I’d put her at risk for far too long. It was time I got out.

4

Blake

The evening air was crisp as I walked to my car. After the shock of encountering Emma and learning the sultry, curvy woman from the nightclub was actually the one I’d selected to hire as my nanny, I hadn’t been able to concentrate. I had been upset with myself for not getting her number on Saturday and even asked Colin to try to look into her for me, and then she showed up in my office.

I strolled up to the car, and Gary was there, holding the door open. “Good evening, sir, going home this evening?” As always, he was ready right on the dot.

“Not tonight. Take me to the lounge, thank you.”

“Of course, sir.”

I slid into the car and loosened my tie. I'd agreed to meet Colin for drinks after our Saturday evening plans got interrupted by the two beauties he'd bought drinks for. Tonight was about relaxing. Colin thought he had information on the woman to give me, but Emma had beaten him to the punch. The car rumbled along the city street as I thought about her yet again. My entire day had consisted of nothing but fighting lustful thoughts of her.

I shouldn’t have hired her. I wanted nothing to do with a professional relationship with that woman. The things I wanted from her were so far from professional I’d be slapped with a sexual harassment suit the first night. But I never thought I’d see the woman from the club again, and when she walked in for that interview, it was a dream come true and a nightmare all at once.

Gary stopped the car outside the lounge, and I got out before he could get to the door. I wanted to brood over the situation I'd found myself in, but I had to remind myself that hiring Emma Clarke was going to happen whether or not I had met her in a club and done very unprofessional things with her. Katelyn was my heart, and providing for her and protecting her were my highest priorities. Which meant Emma was now a part of my life that both complicated and completed it.

This club was different from the one we’d ventured out to Saturday night. Colin’s idea of a night out was far different from mine. I had suggested this place because it reminded me of the old cigar club in Manhattan before it shut down, quiet and classy. I found Colin seated at my reserved booth, sipping what I assumed was Scotch. I sat down next to him and relaxed.

“So, I found out her name is Clarke, but nothing more. I have some feelers out.” He puffed on a cigar and let smoke rings climb toward the ceiling. I had no interest in the filthy habit, but I tolerated it when he smoked. “Why don’t you search her up? You have connections.”

“Yes, well, that is a moot point now.” I scowled at his insinuation that I tap into my former reputation and acquaintances. That life was over. The waiter approached with a tray. On it rested a whiskey glass with three fingers, no ice, one napkin. Just the way I always ordered it. Perhaps if Emma hadn’t walked into my office, I’d have ventured back to the noisy club to see if she’d make a repeat appearance, but as fate would have it, I was able to take comfort in my Monday evening ritual.

“Moot? You lost interest that fast?” He shook his head. “You can’t stay single forever, man. You’re going gray from lack of an active sex life. Look over there. Those women are eyeing you. You should get their numbers or something.”

“Well, strangely enough, I met Ms. Clarke today.” I sipped the whiskey. It burned my tongue and throat just like a good, aged spirit should. Colin’s eyebrows rose.

“Today? How?”

“I put out an ad for a nanny, and she answered it. Sheer coincidence.” The whiskey tasted too good to put the glass down, so I sipped it again, this time drinking half of what was in the glass.

Colin eyed me suspiciously. “You don’t think it’s too much of a coincidence?” He puffed on the cigar and took a sip of his drink then continued. “I mean, you post an ad and she responds, and you just happened to meet her at a club two days previous? I bet you she saw the ad and knew it was you, then followed you here from the office.”

“You’re forgetting one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“You are the one who purchased the drinks for the ladies. They did not seek us out.” I raised my glass and tipped it at him, then winked. “Just a strange coincidence, my friend." I finished the contents of the glass and set it down, then snapped my fingers in the air, and the waiter came by with a fresh glass for me. I still held the power they feared even after years of being free from that darkness. “Thank you,” I told him as he removed the empty glass.

“Ah, well. I guess the fun and games are over, then,” Colin said with a smirk. “Can’t bang the nanny. You’ll really be in for a lawsuit when you don’t give her what she wants.” He looked over his shoulder at the couple of blondes staring and smiling at us. I had noticed them, but they didn’t appeal to me. I had a thing for brunettes. Besides the fact that they may as well have been stick figures. Emma’s curves are what caught my eye.

“I suppose we’ll see what sort of professional arrangement we can work out.” I hardly thought Emma would be flattered to know I’d pay her handsomely for sex, but I barely knew her at all. Other than her resume and what she looked like on paper, I knew only the feeling of her pussy and the way her moisture dripped from my hand after I made her scream.

“I have a better idea. No-strings-attached sex.” He waved at the women, gesturing for them to come to our table, and they giggled and stood.

“Why did you do that?” I asked, scowling. “I literally have no interest in Olive Oil and Barbie.” I named off two of the scrawniest cartoon characters I could think of. Colin knew me better than this.

“Just bury the bone for a change and stop being so picky. You’ll see how much happier you are and thank me.”

The women rocked up to us, all smiles and batting eyelashes. “Ladies, have a seat.” Colin scooted across the booth’s black leather cushion, making space for the taller of the two blondes, and instantly dived into a slutty conversation. He was the aggressor and she the timid vixen.

The other blonde stood patiently waiting for me to scoot, but rather than scooting, I stood and let her slide into the booth. I tried to tune out the smutty pillow talk happening across the booth where Colin’s hands were already roaming the orange-sequined fabric of the woman’s dress. I thought maybe I’d entertain her friend with a little light conversation, but I didn’t realize I had gotten the saucier of the two women. Before I could even get a word out, her hand was on my crotch.

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