Chapter 10: Just Another Employee?

LUCA

Luca watched Hayley blink several times before her lids closed and the glass she was holding smashed to the floor.

Reacting quickly, he caught her in his arms as she fell forward.

“Hayley!” He pushed her hair back and pulled her off her mask, then dropped to one knee and took out his phone.

“Frankie. Car around the back of the Venetian. Now!”

He hung up without waiting for a reply, then lifted Hayley up and headed for the exit. He noticed Siobhan walking toward him, but she started running as soon as she saw who he was carrying.

“Oh my God! Hayley! What’s happened?”

She touched Hayley’s head and then looked up at Luca with narrowed eyes. But whatever she saw in his face softened her expression.

“She fainted,” Luca replied, looking down at the wan beauty in his arms. Was this a result of all the extra shifts she was pulling?

“I’ll get Ben to take her back to her apartment.”

Luca pulled Hayley closer to his chest and shook his head; there was no way he was going to let Ben take care of her. Strangely enough, he wanted that job himself.

“Luca,” Siobhan said firmly.

“I’ll get a doctor to see her.” He scowled. “She’s probably worked herself to the ground in this place.”

“You listen here, Luca Giovanni Marcello,” his godmother said in a voice he hadn’t heard since he was a troublemaking teenager. “I’ve had this place longer than you’ve been breathing.”

She put her hands on her hips. “I’ve had girls pour everything into their jobs, working every hour of every day. And I’ve had girls like Hayley faint and fall plenty of times before. Since when have you cared for them?”

What she was saying was true—she did have girls who, for want of money and a better future, killed themselves for the cash they could make here. Yet Luca only cared about Hayley.

He said nothing; he just marched past Siobhan carrying Hayley. Siobhan called after him, but he ignored her and continued out the back exit.

“Fainted at your touch, Boss?” Frankie chuckled as he held open the back door of the SUV. Luca just looked at him and got in, still holding Hayley.

“Just get us back to my place,” Luca snapped.

Frankie started the car and drove away from the Venetian, and Luca shifted Hayley in his arms so he could cradle her against his chest. She stirred slightly, murmured something about cheese, and then went silent.

He pulled out his phone and instructed Nic to get Hayley’s things from the dressing room and meet up with him at his home.

Once they’d arrived, with Frankie’s help opening doors, he carried Hayley out of the car, up the staircase, and to his bedroom.

He’d never had a woman in this room before. Nobody came in here, not even Nic and Frankie.

Hayley was still completely out of it when he placed her gently on the bed and carefully removed her shoes.

He looked down at her lush body. She was what his father would call a~real~ woman—curves where there should be. Then he eyed her tight-fitting corset. Surely she wouldn’t be able to sleep well in that?

He went into his walk-in closet, pulled one of his white shirts off a hanger, and walked quietly back to the bed.

He was aware it was wrong to strip an unconscious woman, but he also knew she’d be more comfortable out of the constricting garment. And besides, if she questioned his integrity, he could show her the security footage.

He carefully detached the hook and eye fastenings that ran the length of the purple corset, then pulled it from her body and placed it on the bed beside him.

There she lay—her perfect body exposed to him—but he avoided ogling her as much as possible, and definitely avoided looking at her breasts, as beautiful as they were.

He put his shirt on her and quickly buttoned it up. As sexy as she was, she had an innocence about her, and he hadn’t noticed any piercings or tattoos—just beautiful pale skin.

He pulled back the bed covers and gently placed her under them, then reluctantly left her to go to his study, where he poured himself a drink and sat behind his desk. Frankie was in the camera room, so he knew Hayley was safe.

But why did he care? Why didn’t he let Siobhan look after her, or Ben? Why did he insist on doing it?

The door opened after a sharp knock, and Nic came in and took the seat across from him.

“I’ve got Hayley’s things like you asked, Boss. I told Ava she fainted and that we were having her looked at.”

Luca nodded—he was glad he had Nic. He poured his cousin a glass and refilled his own.

Nic leaned forward to take the tumbler, then leaned back in his chair. He took a few sips before speaking. “Siobhan told me you wouldn’t let Ben take her back to her apartment. You have feelings for Hayley?”

“She’s an employee, just like Ric and Dom.” Luca looked down at the paperwork he was pretending to work on, but when he heard his cousin laugh, he lifted his head and glared.

“Something funny, Niccolo?”

Nic shook his head. “I don’t see you stripping ~Dom~ and putting him to bed. Or Arianna for that matter.”

Luca sighed and looked back down at his paperwork. Nic must have spoken to Frankie.

“I take it she’s still a ‘very important person’?” Nic asked.

Luca clenched his jaw. He’d told Nic that Hayley had made herself important. But normally when someone got on his radar, it was only in a bad way.

“Hayley is an employee,” he repeated flatly, keeping his eyes on his papers.

“Bugie,” Nic said in their native tongue. ~Lies.~

That made Luca look up. “What do you want me to say, Nic?”

“The truth.”

He sighed. “She’s pretty, fuckable even. But also featherless.” Even though he was playing it cool—Hayley was gorgeous—he was also telling the truth. She was definitely fuckable. If only he could.

Nic nodded.

“That’s all it is,” Luca said firmly. “Remember, amare è perdere, e perdere è morire.”

It was one of his father’s favorite sayings: ~To love is to lose, and to lose is to die.~

Nic laughed and stood up, placing his half-empty glass on the desk. “I never said anything about love, dear cousin.”

Luca was quiet as Nic went into his inside pocket and produced the spare casino party invitations, then placed them on the desk.

“I’ve got to prep security for tonight,” Nic said before leaving Luca with his thoughts.

HAYLEY

Hayley’s eyes fluttered open… Where the hell was she? Her head spun as she slowly sat up.

The huge bed she was in was amazingly comfy—and had gray sheets. In fact, as she looked around, she realized the entire room was monochrome. Even in the low light she could tell everything was some shade of gray, black, or white.

Nervous and confused, she felt around the bedside table, then switched on a chrome lamp with a gray shade that only dimly lit the massive room.

The decor was minimalist, but she could tell that everything was high-end designer and very expensive.

It was then she noticed what she was wearing. What the hell? She felt the expensive material of the white shirt. Someone had undressed her!

As she slipped out of the huge bed, she was relieved to see she was still wearing her own short-shorts and thigh-high stockings. She padded across the soft carpet and peeked out the door, which led to a white, brightly lit hallway.

Her heart was pounding as she tried to recall what had happened before she passed out. All she could remember was that she’d been talking to—

“Looking for Luca?”

Startled, she turned and saw Frankie standing there, wearing his wide, cheeky grin.

~Luca~ had brought her here?

Frankie pointed to a door down the very end of the hall.

“He’s in his study.”

Hayley felt his eyes on her as she walked away and tugged the white shirt down. It barely covered her ass.

When she reached the door, she gently knocked on it.

“Come in.”

She opened the door, and there he was, the mob boss himself, sitting behind a huge oak desk. He had no jacket on, his sleeves were rolled up, and he’d removed his tie.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked, not looking up from the work he was doing.

“Yeah, a little.” She felt so uncomfortable, so exposed standing there in front of him in his shirt, which was silly—she wore less in the club, and he wasn’t even looking at her. “Did you strip me?”

He laughed a little before finally lifting his gaze.

“I did,” he replied, his eyes boring into her.

She blushed at the thought of him seeing her naked.

“I closed my eyes, don’t worry.”

A part of her was relieved, but she didn’t truly trust him.

“We didn’t…?”

“No, Hayley, we didn’t. You fainted, so I brought you here, put you in a shirt with my eyes closed, and left you there. It’s now nearly four p.m., and you’ve been out for almost fourteen hours.”

Hayley couldn’t believe she’d slept that long.

“Where did you sleep?” she asked suspiciously, and he chuckled again.

“I haven’t,” he replied. “You’re overworking yourself, Hayley. If you’re desperate for money—” he began, but she cut him off.

“I work hard because I’m independent, Luca. I work to cover my rent and my living expenses, and to save money just in case.”

“In case…?” he probed.

“Just…in case.” She shrugged.

He waited for her to continue, brows raised expectantly.

She was helpless against those intense eyes—they were like a truth serum. “In case I need to get away again.” She sighed. “I like to have enough money to be able to start again anywhere.”

“You like running?”

She fiddled with the hem of the white shirt. “No. I wish I didn’t have to, but that’s life. That’s why I work, and that’s why I can never stop.”

She could never forget what she was running from; it was always in the forefront of her mind.

“I spoke to Siobhan. She gave you today and tonight off to recover.”

“I don’t—”

But Luca cut her off. “That makes you free tonight.”

He stood, picking up something off his desk. “I’m hosting a casino party later this evening. It’s 1920s inspired, and a lot of influential people will be there. I’d like you to join me.

“Think of it as a way to thank me for helping you last night.”

Hayley knew she should say no. She should just thank him for his help and walk away.

But what she said was “Okay.” What was one party anyway, right?

He smiled, then walked around his desk and handed her a ticket. Lifting his now empty hand, he gently brushed her hair away from her face. She flushed at the simple—yet electric—touch.

Was he thinking about the promise that he’d made? Remembering that she was not his, or anyone’s, to touch?

“Nic got your things from the club.” He used his head to indicate the bag that she took to work with her. “Get dressed and Frankie will take you to pick out an appropriate costume for the party.

“He’ll give you the details, and I’ll see you later tonight.”

“Thank you, Luca.” She picked up the bag and left the office.

As much as she was trying to fight it and deny it, she wanted Luca—was desperate for him. She glanced down at the ticket.

What if she gave in to him for just one night?