Blackmailed by the Italian Billionaire(4)

Harley Watson lifted one eyebrow in obvious disbelief. As well he might. Her mother would have shriveled up in shame if she ever found out where Lia was and what she was up to. But then her mother was dead and would never know, a fact Lia had thought best to keep to herself in case Harley Watson had some fond memories of her mother, which wouldn’t extend to her.



“Now darling, what is it I can do for you?”

He sounded bored, uninterested in her answer, and Lia swallowed. “I need a job.”

“You said you wanted to be a dancer. Like that?” He nodded toward the stage, and Lia risked a quick peek. The blonde seemed to be getting even more intimate with the stainless steel pole. And seriously, were those breasts for real? It seemed highly unlikely. Lia looked away but couldn’t resist a glance down at her less than generous proportions. She’d always been pleased by her lack of curves, always considered breasts as something that got in the way. Now she couldn’t help but compare herself with the blond. It didn’t seem possible that they were the same species.

“I don’t suppose you do a classic night?” she asked hopefully. “Ballroom?”

He curled his lips into something halfway between a smile and a snarl. “It’s a strip club, darling. What do you think?”

Lia bit her lip and decided an answer wasn’t expected of her.

“Experience?” he asked.

Of what, Lia wondered wildly. “I brought my résumé.” She scrabbled in her bag for the piece of paper and handed it over. He put it on the table without even glancing at it, then lounged back in his chair, lit a cigarette, and took a long draw, eyeing Lia through the smoke.

“Okay, let’s have a look at you.”



“What?” she squeaked.

“Lose the clothes, sweetheart. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

“Here?”

“Well,” Harley said, and Lia could hear the thread of cold amusement in his voice, “if you can’t do it in front of us, you’re going to find it pretty difficult up there.” He nodded toward the stage.

He did have a point.

“Come on.” His voice roughened with impatience, and his expression became even more menacing as he stared at her coldly. “Are you wasting my time?”

Lia had the strangest feeling she was going to throw up. Heat washed over her. She wasn’t sure she could go through with it, but she had come this far and she hated the thought of going back with nothing to show for her plotting. This might have been a long shot, but it was her only shot—she didn’t have a next move. Besides, what would happen if she just said no? She had a horrible suspicion that no was not an option.

Lia closed her eyes for a moment. It was only clothes—she’d been topless on a beach before, she wasn’t a prude; she could do this. She slipped out of her cotton jacket and put it slowly on the chair closest to her. The pink sundress had buttons down the front, and she unbuttoned the top one. Hesitating, she peered over to where Harley Watson sat, relaxed, watching her, his eyes intent, an almost bored expression on his face. There was no sign he saw her as anything other than a commodity, and strangely it made her relax; he had naked women in front of him every day, it probably meant nothing to him. She released another button.



…



Luc studied her from the shadows, watching her expressive eyes flicker between abject terror and grim determination. From here, he could clearly see the tremble in her fingers as she unbuttoned the dress revealing the slight swell of her breasts. It was obvious she wasn’t wearing a bra and he was amazed by the stab of desire that gripped him again. He’d felt nothing for the almost naked dancer on the stage, but a glimpse of this girl’s bare skin made his muscles clench and the heat coil tighter in his belly. This was Jimmy Brent’s daughter. How could he want her?#p#分页标题#e#

He forced himself to remember exactly who she was and what her father had done. It focused his mind and allowed him to concentrate on why she was here. What did she want? Harley had been right; it was obvious she wasn’t interested in a dancing job.

When the dress was open to her waist, she hesitated, and he glanced up at her face. Her eyes were focused somewhere in the distance and they were suspiciously bright. She blinked quickly. Part of him admitted that he wanted her to continue her striptease to its obvious conclusion but not here. Not like this.

“Enough,” he said softly.

Harley flicked a glance his way then turned to the girl. “Go take a seat over there.” Once she was away, he turned to Luc. “Well?”



Luc smiled sardonically. “You’re an evil bastard, Harley.”