Never Dare a Tycoon (12 page)

“Sweetie, who did you think it was?”

 

“I thought you were talking about someone else at the table,” Antonia said evasively.

“There was the other gorgeous guy, Attraculo or something, which I’ve heard is a real dish, but that’s Brett Hancock,” Monica said pointing behind her in the general direction of the front station as if Antonia didn’t know.

Antonia was having trouble breathing. What was she going to do? “Monica, please, put in their order and take my station. I don’t know what I’m going to do, but somehow, I’ll get through tonight. I’ll talk to Mike. Don’t worry about him.”

Monica and Georgette filed out of the kitchen and Antonia pulled herself together. She carefully walked out a few minutes later, making sure to keep her back to Brett’s table.

Antonia walked around Monica’s station, checking drinks and food. She put in some orders, cleared away plates and changed ash trays, all the while, keeping one eye on Brett in the front.

Mike came up to her and asked her to meet him in his office. Groaning to herself, Antonia looked around to make sure everyone was ok, then followed Mike into the back.

She closed the door, waiting for the explosion.

 

“What’s going on?” he said calmly.

Antonia looked at him again. Was this the Mike that went on a rage regularly? She didn’t want to press her luck, so as nicely as possible, she explained the situation to him. “Um, well, there’s a man sitting in my station that I’d like to avoid.”

“You have a mask on. He won’t recognize you,” he said.

 

Antonia’s gloved hand went to her black mask. “Yes, but I really don’t want to take any chances.”

 

Mike nodded. “So, because of one man, who may or may not recognize who you are, you’re willing to ignore the rest of your customers.”

Antonia started to explain again, but Mike interrupted her. “Do you have any idea why you always get the prime stations and the customers who tip the most?” he asked.

Antonia hadn’t realized that this was the case. She shook her head. “Two reasons. Number one, you’re the best waitress. You pay attention to your customers without being invasive. Number two, only you and Georgette don’t date the customers. Monica and the others, they think of this place as a dating service. You’re more professional.” That was the first time she’d ever heard Mike make a compliment. She was a bit stunned.

Antonia didn’t consider herself very professional when she was standing in front of her boss in a cat costume. “Mike, I don’t think you understand. I come from an old-fashioned Italian family. If that man recognizes me, he’ll tell my brothers and they’ll force me to quit.” She didn’t mention that if she didn’t quit, she’d be fired for some reason due to one word from Sal or one of the others.

Mike considered her words for a moment. “This is the last time,” he warned. “I’m not allowing you to switch stations just because someone comes in that you know. The customers realize what’s going on, even though they don’t know names.”

“How on earth can they tell one cat from another?” she asked. “They aren’t looking at anything that can be recognizable.”

Mike kept his eyes on her face. But he knew that Antonia had a different figure from the other waitresses. Beyond that, she had a different walk, a different smile and a different personality. “They know,” was all he said.

“Okay, okay, they know,” she said, throwing up her hands in frustration. “But please, just tonight. I promise it won’t happen again.”

Mike nodded. “Fine. But this is the last time,” he repeated. “Get back out on the floor,” he said, pointing his finger at her. “But don’t slack off. And if Monica becomes too friendly, you’re back up front. He’s too important to insult,” Mike said.

Antonia walked back out to the floor, taking a quick look in the direction of Brett’s table. He was in deep conversation with his colleagues so she was safe for the moment. She moved back to Monica’s station and continued serving drinks and clearing tables. But she was a little more firm about the men flirting with her than she usually was.

It seemed as if Brett was never going to leave. Her tables had turned over twice when she saw him hand his parking ticket to Monica to have his car brought around. She noticed that Monica said something to him which made all the men laugh. Antonia saw green when she saw Monica’s gloved hand rest on Brett’s shoulder, but she turned around and ignored it.

Monica walked back to Antonia and whispered in her ear. “They’re leaving. We can switch back now,” she said.

Antonia looked over to the empty table and breathed a sigh of relief. They were definitely gone. She felt her whole body relax. Turning to Monica, the jealousy vanished now that he was out of here and away from Monica’s clinging hands. “Thanks. I definitely owe you one.”

“No way, hon. That man’s gorgeous. I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but I’ll take his table any day. I’d love to get my hands on him,” she said.

Antonia was furious. But she kept her mouth shut. She turned on her heel and walked away. Somehow, she’d figure out a way to keep Monica’s hands far away from him.

Antonia was picking up the glasses from the table Brett and his friends had just vacated to take them to the bar to be cleaned. She was bending over and didn’t see Brett come up behind her.

“Excuse me,” he said and reached for his coat which had been left on the back of his chair.

 

Antonia stood up straight, panicking. And in her panic, she looked straight into his eyes.

 

For a moment, Brett didn’t recognize her. He just stared at her eyes for a long moment.

That’s when Antonia snapped out of her trance. Jumping, she turned away quickly and headed towards the bar. In one mirror, she looked back and noticed that he was still standing there, exactly as she’d left him.

Antonia stood at the bar shaking. Had he recognized her? What was he doing? There wasn’t a way to turn around and find out. So she stood at the bar, gripping the wood of the counter as her knuckles turned white.

She almost jumped out of her skin when he sidled up beside her. “You have great legs,” he said softly.

 

Antonia, not sure if he recognized her, just stood there, her face staring down at the bar counter.

 

“Have I mentioned how lovely your breasts are?” he said next, tossing a nut into his mouth.

At first, she felt a wave of jealously come over her. How dare he talk to her one night about how they were going to see a lot more of each other, then the next night flirt with an unknown woman in a bar. Then another thought struck her. A much worse thought. And her face drained of color. She gasped, turning to face him. He knew! He had to know.

“I’m going to walk downstairs to the front and wait in my car. I’m leaving this coat here for you. If you’re not down there in three minutes, covered with this coat, I’m going to come back and get you,” he said softly.

Still looking at the mirror behind the bar, he waited a moment for effect before saying, “Antonia, please don’t make me come back up here and get you,” he said, more softly.

Antonia could only nod her head. She couldn’t say anything else. She could barely swallow but that didn’t matter because her throat was bone dry from fear.

 

Brett laid the trench coat on the bar counter, then turned and walked away.

 

As soon as he left, Monica and Georgette came up and stood on opposite sides of her. “What happened?” Monica asked, worried.

 

Antonia took a moment to speak. “I’ve been found out. He’s expecting me downstairs. I have to go,” she said.

 

“Don’t be silly,” Georgette said. “He can’t control you. What’s he going to do? Get you fired? I don’t think so.”

 

Antonia nodded her head, fighting back the tears. “Remember the last time you took my station?” she asked Georgette.

 

The other woman nodded. “Well, it was because my brother was sitting at one of my tables. My real name is Antonia Attracelli.”

 

There was a pregnant pause before Monica exclaimed, “You’re kidding, right?”

 

Antonia shook her head, wishing it wasn’t true.

 

Monica’s stunned expression spoke volumes. “You’re related to the Attracelli family?” Her tone indicated that she was hurt.

 

Antonia nodded. She was ashamed that she’d lied to her friends for so long. Well, she hadn’t exactly lied, but she’d omitted a great deal.

 

“So, if my brothers want me fired, I’m fired,” she explained.

 

She pushed away from the bar and took the coat. “I have to go now. He’s waiting for me.”

 

“Honey, you don’t have to go. Just stand up to them,” Monica said.

Antonia shook her head, wiping a tear away. “I can’t. That would just make everything worse. I’ll call Mike tomorrow,” Antonia said, her voice shaking. She pulled the coat over her shoulders and went to her locker to get her purse. She left her bag of clothes there, she didn’t want to take the time. Her three minutes were over so she had to hurry.

The elevator opened and Antonia stepped out into the white, marble lobby of the building. It was strange to leave the club from this exit. She was so used to the back of the building that she’d never thought about the splendor of the lobby. She didn’t give the white marble décor much thought tonight though because right in front of the revolving doors was Brent, leaning against his car, arms crossed over his chest.

When she came through the brass-lined, revolving doors, he stood up and opened the passenger door for her, then waited, watching her walk towards him.

 

Antonia stepped into the car, then flinched when he slammed the door once she was seated inside.

 

Brett pulled away from the curb and merged into the traffic easily. He drove to her apartment without saying a word.

Antonia didn’t say anything when he followed her up to her apartment. Thankfully, the elevators had been repaired that day, so she didn’t have the five flights of stairs to deal with tonight. She unlocked the door and walked inside.

“How long?” he asked as soon as the door was closed.

 

“Four years,” she said, not pretending that she didn’t understand the question.

 

Brett nodded. “I suppose your brothers don’t know anything about this?” he asked.

 

Antonia turned away from him and stared out the balcony door. “No.”

 

“Why not? You don’t think they’ll approve?” he asked angrily.

 

She didn’t answer him. “Antonia, what were you thinking?”

Turning to him, she said, “I was thinking that I wanted to make a living. I was thinking that this was the only job that I could make enough money off of and still invest more than I live on. I was thinking that I was a grown woman, able to make my own choices,” she said, her voice rising as she started becoming angry herself.

“So you parade around in a cat suit?” he said, her anger fueling his.

“I didn’t see you complaining about the other women. In fact, I think you enjoyed the sight of Monica parading in front of you, bending over to serve your drinks. I think you enjoyed it a lot.”

“Take it off!” he said through gritted teeth.

 

“What?!” she exclaimed. “I’m not taking anything off!”

 

“Antonia, take off that ridiculous costume or else!” he said taking a step towards her.

 

“Or else what?” she challenged.

 

“Or else I’ll take it off for you,” he said, taking another step towards her.

 

“No way. Stay away from me,” she said and tied the sash on his trench coat.

Brett shook his head, then shrugged his shoulders and moved forward. With barely any effort at all, he had his trench coat off her and threw it to the floor. He then twirled her around and unzipped the back of her costume.

“Brett, stop it,” Antonia gasped, holding up the front of her costume.

He didn’t listen to her, he just spun her around and started taking the pins out of her hair that held it all in place on top of her head. Her hands were ineffectual at stopping him. After a moment, he stopped and looked at her. That’s when it hit him. She was standing there, looking sexier than any woman had a right to look, holding the front of her cat costume to her chest, her tail over one arm to keep it away from her legs and her gloves sliding down her arms.

Antonia saw the change in his eyes and she backed away from him, more frightened of the desire than of the anger of a moment before.

 

“Stay away from me,” she said, pulling the satin costume tighter to her chest.

 

“You don’t really want me to stay away,” he said with a husky voice.

Antonia could feel the stirrings in her body from his hands on her back when he’d unzipped her costume. But she wouldn’t admit it to him. “Brett, please, just leave me alone,” she pleaded softly.

“I wish I could,” he said and put his hands on her waist. “But you’re driving me crazy.” he said and picked her up to carry her to her bedroom. “You ruin my sleep, I miss meetings because I’m with you, and even those I’m in, I don’t know what anyone’s saying because I can’t get you out of my head,” he said as he laid her on top of the quilt he remembered so well from the last time he was in her bedroom.

Those were the last words she heard before his head bent and took her mouth with his. Antonia’s hands had been holding up the front of her costume. But she forgot about holding it at the first touch of his mouth against hers. She lifted her arms to wrap them around his neck, glorying in the feel of his lips.

The phone rang at that moment and Brett lifted it up. “She’ll call you back tomorrow,” he said and hung up the phone.

Antonia was lost in a sea of passion. Brett pushed her costume down and it fell silently to the floor. His hands held her breasts, loving the way they fit in his palms. He rubbed each nipple with a thumb, her cries of delight only inflamed his passion. Pushing her back onto the bed, he pulled her stockings off, glad that they weren’t thigh highs this time. The sheerness of the present stockings drove him crazy enough.

He was delighted that she wasn’t wearing a bra, the costume was form fitting enough to provide the needed support. But he saw the red lines along her stomach where the wire of her costume made imprints on her skin and he kissed them, easing the pressure.

Antonia didn’t know what to do. She was mindless with the pleasure his hands were making her feel. She grabbed his head when he moved lower, easing him up so she could kiss him again. She wanted him so much she was in pain.