Page 4 of Secret Babies for the Italian Mafia Boss

His hazel eyes land on me, and he looks me up and down. “Happy birthday, Gorgeous,” he says while clicking the red rope free to allow us in.

“Thank you,” I say shyly, barely able to meet his eyes.

“What the fuck! We’ve been waiting hours to get in!” someone yells.

“Send them to the back of the line!” another shouts.

The bouncer stands tall, towering over everyone, and bellows, “Shut the hell up. Say one more thing, and you won’t get in.” He opens the door for us and grins as if he has two different personalities. “Have fun, ladies. And maybe I’ll see you later,” he flirts with Jasmine.

“Maybe you will.” She winks, pulling us inside.

Neon lights flash brightly, changing from purple to blue to green, and the music thumps loudly, vibrating the walls.

A crowd of bodies gyrating on the floor grind against one another as the beat pulsates.

“Come on, let’s get to the back,” I shout, not wanting to stand here a moment longer than I have to.

Club Forty-Seven is the place I’ve dreamed about going to ever since it opened, and I won’t let playing by the rules of my dad influence that.

Taking Cora by the hand, Jasmine follows. We walk through the crowd, getting pushed and shoved. Someone’s cold drink spills onto my skin, and I flinch away.

It takes a few minutes to cross the club, bypassing grabby hands and drunken catcalls, but I don’t want to spend another second here.

We get as far as the bar, and I grab a few napkins to clean my arm.

“There’s a guard at the back entrance,” Cora sighs in defeat.

Jasmine takes it as a challenge. “You act like you haven’t flirted your way out of anything before.” She rolls her eyes and struts to the back door.

We follow to try to match her confidence. The wet napkin in my hand doesn’t help, and I toss it to the left, hoping no one notices. Keeping my chin up, I set my eyes straight ahead and locked on the target.

He’s bigger than the bouncer guarding the front and has his arms crossed. “This isn’t an exit, ladies.”

“Listen,” Jasmine inches forward. “You want to know the truth? We’re trying to escape a clingy ex and hopping from bar to bar to lose him.”

“He’s here?”

“He is, but it won’t matter if you throw him out. He’ll find us again. Please, let us go so we can just go home. He hasn’t seen us yet, but we have seen him and are ahead of the game. Please,” she begs, twisting desperation in her voice.

He nods, opens the back door, and then cracks his knuckles. “Give me a name, and I’ll make sure he isn’t welcome back here.”

“Simon Lee,” Jasmine answers quickly, naming her abusive ex-boyfriend.

“Stay safe, ladies.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much!” Jasmine kisses the bouncer on the cheek, and if I’m not mistaken, he blushes.

“It’s fine, but don’t tell anyone I let you go.”

“My lips are sealed.” She gestures to lock her mouth shut and throws away the key.

He shakes his head and shuts the door, leaving us standing outside by the dumpsters.

Gross.

“Let’s hope Simon pulls through tonight.” Cora chuckles.

“Finally, something good came from that man.”

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