Chapter 16: Adrien Lambert

HAYLEY

It had been a few days since she’d confronted Luca for trying to pay her for sex, and Hayley was still trying to pretend to herself that nothing had happened.

She acted like she hadn’t slept with one of the most dangerous men in New York, and that he hadn’t, for one night, made her feel amazing—only to destroy everything.

She did everything she was supposed to do in her little world: she ate, she slept, and she worked. This was what she was good at; this was how her world spun. Work was busy, and for that she was thankful.

She’d heard through the underground grapevine that the Marcellos had been busy too, and that meant their visits to the Venetian were short and less frequent than usual.

This was a huge blessing; it meant she didn’t have to see Luca—or his little minions.

“Hayley!”

She turned to see Siobhan take a stool next to Dimitri, who was chatting in Russian to someone on the phone.

She smiled at her boss, wondering if she’d heard about her altercation with Luca. Probably. Siobhan was like a mum to all the staff, so she knew pretty much everything that happened around here.

“Hayley, you have the night off tomorrow, and I’d like you to attend a meeting with myself and Adrien Lambert.”

Hayley grinned when she heard the name. She hadn’t seen anyone from Paris since she’d come to New York, and she missed her old friends.

***

Hayley was excited to see Adrien, so after her day shift, she raced home to get changed and sort herself out.

“Wow, you look gorgeous!”

“Thanks, Ava.” Hayley fluffed her loose curls so they fell over one shoulder, then studied her reflection in the full-length mirror.

The off-the-shoulder black lace dress she was wearing was fitted and came to just above her knees, and she’d matched it with black heels and her black clutch.

“So, who is this Adrien guy, anyway?” Ava asked. “You’re putting in a lot of effort, wearing makeup and everything. Is he good-looking?”

Hayley smiled weakly. “He’s my old boss. And he’s a bit like George Clooney—all the girls were after him despite his age.” But he never went with any; he was professional like that.

Ava laughed. “Well, I hope I get to meet him.”

The two of them left the apartment and walked to the club.

“Wow, Hayley, you scrub up well,” Ben teased when she walked up to her usual bar. “Thanks.” She glanced around. “Do you know where Siobhan is?”

She noticed Arianna was dancing on the main stage—she loved the spotlight. Then, before she could stop herself, her eyes wandered up to the VIP balcony.

“In the first private meeting room,” Ben said. “She’s waiting for you.”

It looked like Luca wasn’t here, which made her feel calmer. Why did he affect her so much?

She looked back at Ben and thanked him before crossing the busy room and going up the stairs to the VIP lounge. She walked back to the short hallway and, to her horror, Nic and Frankie were standing outside the door.

“Please tell me he’s in the office,” Hayley muttered as she walked up.

Nic remained stoic, but Frankie laughed and shook his head. “Unfortunately not,” he said, then proceeded to open the meeting room door.

She rolled her eyes and walked in.

Luca sat at the round table, facing the door, and his eyes caught hers as soon as she entered. What was he doing here?

She noticed a hole in the wall behind him. Was that there before? She didn’t think so. Her eyes darted to his knuckles. Did he hit a wall?

Her mind flashed back to their argument in this room, when she told him how much she wished she’d never gone with him to the casino party.

“Hayley!”

The man sitting to Luca’s left stood up and walked toward her with open arms.

“Adrien!” She beamed at her old boss as he took her shoulders and lightly kissed her on both cheeks.

She was so happy to see him again. Clearly he was still the cool, calm, and charismatic man she’d known and loved.

“Vous m’avez vraiment manqué, ma chère,” he said in his deep voice.

She shook her head and laughed. “Menteur! Vous avez à peine remarqué que je suis partie.”

“A liar? Me?” Adrien pretended to be offended as he guided Hayley around the table to a seat opposite him and Siobhan, on Luca’s other side. “Of course I noticed you were gone. How could I not miss my beautiful English rose?”

Adrien, like the gentleman he was, pulled out her chair for her. As she sat, she beamed a huge smile up at him, aware the entire time of Luca’s hard stare.

Adrien walked back around the table to the other side, and Hayley smiled and nodded to Siobhan.

Ava came in with drinks, and when her eyes flitted to Adrien, her jaw dropped. Hayley chuckled to herself at her friend’s expression. She hadn’t been exaggerating when she told her he was a silver fox.

When Ava left the room, Adrien broke the silence.

“Well, let’s get this underway. I have dinner reservations.”

Luca raised an eyebrow. “I’m a busy man myself,” he said in a low tone, then picked up his scotch and took a sip.

“Well then,” Siobhan said, handing out a folder to each of them. “As I’m sure we’re all aware, the London club is in its final stages.”

Hayley opened hers and looked at the photos on top of the stack of papers. The club looked similar to ones in Paris and New York, with a legitimate nightclub on top and an elite underworld one below.

She wasn’t sure why she was here—was it just to see Adrien again?—but she flicked through the paperwork anyway.

LUCA

Luca closed his folder and threw it down on the table before taking another sip of his scotch. He was getting impatient.

“Adrien,” Siobhan said. “I want you to run it. You have the experience.”

The French fucker looked mighty pleased with himself.

“But,” she continued, “I know you have certain stipulations—hence why you are here. Can you please elaborate?”

Luca rolled his eyes. Siobhan was in charge, not this smug asshole, so she shouldn’t give him a choice. Then he reminded himself that she was a businesswoman, not a mob boss like him. The managing styles were ~slightly~ different.

“Well, you know I’d be happy to accept your offer, Siobhan. I have worked with you for nearly ten years.”

Siobhan nodded, and Adrien turned his silver eyes on Hayley.

“But I would like my English rose to come back to Paris.”

Hayley’s bright blue eyes widened in shock, and Luca clenched his glass in his hand.

“Why?” What was this guy up to?

Adrien looked over at him—clearly picking up on his tension. “Hayley practically ran the show in Paris. The girls trusted her, and she was a great manager.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Luca could tell Hayley was blushing at the compliment. But he never moved his eyes from Adrien. “Then why do we pay you?” he growled.

“Hayley worked under me, but I think she has the potential to lead. She could run the Paris club, and I can run the one in London.”

When Adrien looked expectantly at Hayley, Luca clenched his jaw but kept his eyes locked on Adrien.

HAYLEY

“Adrien…” Hayley sighed and looked down at the table, playing with the papers in front of her.

He was right that she could run the Paris club, but what if her dad found her? She suddenly felt a new set of eyes on her: Luca’s.

God, he was annoying. He pushed her away, then pulled her back. He threatened her one moment and the next told her she was ~mesmerizing~. He had her completely confused.

She pulled her focus back to Adrien, who was waiting patiently for her response. “I’m not ready to run a club single-handed.”

Adrien shook his head. “Absurdité! I will be in London, only an hour flight away. Besides, you can run that place with your eyes closed—and you know it.”

“Hayley,” Siobhan interjected, and everyone looked at her. “I think you should consider this. It would be an amazing opportunity for you.”

Luca scowled at his godmother.

Hayley knew Siobhan didn’t want to lose her, so if she thought it was a good idea for her to go back to Paris, maybe she should consider it.

She’d be away from Luca and New York, and she would be surrounded by people she trusted. But she’d fled to New York for her safety—did Siobhan really think it was safe to go back already?

“Join me for dinner,” Adrien said confidently, sounding more like he was instructing her than asking her. “Fine food, a glass of French champagne, and a talk about old times might help you make up your mind.”

Adrien smiled at her, and Hayley returned the smile and blushed.

LUCA

Luca knocked back the rest of his scotch. This idiot was flirting with Hayley, and she was blushing!

“I’d love to,” she replied, and Luca wanted to pull out his gun and blow the smug grin off Adrien’s face, but he controlled himself—just.

“Excellent!”

Siobhan stood. “Hayley, can we look at the schedule for tomorrow before you go? Excuse us, gentlemen.”

Hayley and Siobhan left the room, and Adrien stood up and took out his phone.

“Well, Luca, a pleasure as always,” he said dryly.

Luca knew Adrien had never liked him—or any of the Marcello clan. But the feeling was entirely mutual. Luca got to his feet. Adrien slipped his phone into his jacket pocket. “Well, I’m off to enjoy my dinner date.”

The man wasn’t stupid; he obviously knew Luca had something for Hayley and was deliberately taunting him.

Luca took a deep breath before he spoke. “Hayley is not so easily persuaded.”

Adrien just laughed. “Oh, my dear, dear boy. Our Hayley is like a butterfly.”

Luca glared at him.

“Pretty to look at but hard to catch. But catch her I shall.” Adrien chuckled to himself and began to walk away, but then paused to look back.

“Let her fly away, Luca. I believe you had your chance.”

Anger rose inside Luca’s chest. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he hissed at the silver-haired bastard, who turned fully and narrowed his eyes.

“Hayley’s more than a one-night stand. I think you know that—I saw how you looked at her—but you should have fought harder for her. Now watch her walk away. Preferably into my arms.”

Adrien laughed, and it was the final straw; a switch inside Luca turned on, and the dark, jealous devil in him took over.

In a rage, he flew at the man, grabbing his jacket and throwing him up against the door. He raised his fist to strike.

“Hit me and you’ll lose her,” Adrien taunted.

Luca knew this. But can you lose what you never had?

“Adrien?”

It was Hayley, calling from behind the door, and Luca reluctantly let go of the idiot he wanted to kill.

“On my way, mon cher,” Adrien sang out as he adjusted his jacket.

When Adrien opened the door, Luca tried to catch Hayley’s eye, but her smile was only for Adrien. She linked her arm with his, and all Luca could do was watch them walk away.

HAYLEY

The restaurant was expensive and very much Adrien’s taste: candles, fancy food, and, of course, attentive staff.

They drank champagne and ate gorgeous food while they reminisced about the great times they’d had when they were working together.

“You would make an excellent manager, Hayley,” Adrien said after their waiter had removed the dessert plates and poured the last of the bottle of champagne into their glasses.

“You have a head for business, you are fair and firm with the girls, and you know the club better than me—or even Siobhan herself.”

“You flatter me, Adrien.” She picked up her glass and took a sip of the expensive champagne. The alcohol was making her feel relaxed.

“I have no need to flatter you, my dear. You are an amazing young woman, and you deserve this opportunity. Come back to Paris.”

She set her glass down, her brow furrowing as her mind wandered to the dark streets of New York. “You will be safe there, my dear.”

Adrien knew about her past, her relationship with her ex, and her problems with her father. He knew she was scared of getting hurt or being found and clearly assumed that was what was bothering her now.

But her current fear wasn’t of her father or Alex Hunter. No, despite believing she was safe here in New York, she wasn’t—she was terrified of the feelings she was having for Luca and how much she was falling for him.

“I need time to think about it,” she said, and Adrien nodded before he paid the bill and walked her to his car.

“Thank you for tonight, Adrien,” she said after he walked her to her door. “It was wonderful. Just like old times.”

“Goodnight, Hayley. I will talk to you soon.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it, then turned on his heels and walked away.

She sighed and opened the door to the apartment—then gasped.

Luca was waiting there, gazing at her with his dark, chocolate eyes.

“What are you doing in my apartment? How—?”

“I told you, I’m a man of many talents.”