“Watch it!” she snapped, tossing a glare over her shoulder at a flustered Eden.
“I’m sorry!” she called but knew her apology was neither heard nor wanted. Standing in the middle of the crowd feeling overwhelmed and slightly out of her element, Eden contemplated bolting, but reminded of what awaited she bolstered her spirits and continued her search for the elusive Lena.
“Eden, over here!” Eden whirled at the sound of her name grateful that Lena had found her instead she doubled back and walked to meet the other woman. “I hope you weren’t waiting long.”
“No, I just got here.”
“Let’s head to the backroom where it’s a little quieter.” With Lena in the lead, Eden followed her through the double doors marked “Employees Only” that was just to the right of the bar. They walked through the bustling kitchen and further back through another set of doors that led to a surprisingly quiet and pleasant sitting room with black micro suede couches. There were three in total positioned in a semicircle with a glass coffee table at the center. Lena invited Eden to take a seat and after offering some beverages to which Eden politely declined, they got to work. It was straightforward paperwork, her application mostly and her identifications. Once that was done, Lena handed her an employee handbook. She advised Eden to read it but essentially summarized it for her.
“We’re about five things here at Carver’s: tits, ass, food, service, and entertainment. The majority of our customers are men. We get them all—frat boys from the surrounding colleges, businessmen from downtown and the regulars, who work a nine to five—and they only want to come here, unwind with a pitcher of beer, and stare at our girls. The harder they stare, the more tips you make.”
“What if they get out of control?”
“We have Vin and Randy to keep them in line. Most of our patrons know our rules, and they’re typically harmless when it comes to the girls. Like I said yesterday, if you’re shy you’re either going to have to get over it very quickly or tell me now so I can look for someone else.”
“I’ll be fine,” Eden affirmed. “I used to be a stripper.”
Lena laughed. “Well then, this should be a cakewalk. Come on, I’ll show you around the place.”
By the time they were finished, Eden was understandably overwhelmed, but it was too late to turn back now. Lena had already scheduled her to work a closing shift this upcoming Saturday, so bailing was no longer an option. With the impending dinner with Dominic still looming in front of her, Eden reluctantly made her way to the mansion. She made a quick dash to check on Liam and Jenna, who told her Dominic, had charged her to watch over Liam while they dined. There’d been an odd mood about her. She hadn’t seemed her usual cheerful self, and Eden wondered at that, worried that leaving Liam with her all the time was finally taking its toll. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to bring up the matter, and settled to speak to Jenna later.
When she finally made it to her room, it was nearly eight, giving her only a half hour to shower and get dressed. It was when she found herself in front of the mirror, fussing with her appearance and vacillating on what to wear that she took a momentary step back to reprimand herself on her behavior. What did it matter what she looked like? It wasn’t like she was going on a date. Without thought Eden scrambled for the bathroom to rid herself of the makeup she’d applied. When she was through, she rummaged through her clothes and found a faded navy blue shirt and a pair of comfortable skinny jeans. She shrugged out of the dress she’d initially slipped on and threw on the clothes she’d picked out. And, because she knew he’d always preferred her hair down, Eden gathered it all up in a topknot and tucked the wispy tendrils behind her ears. Returning to the mirror, she smiled at the woman staring back at her. Naked face, comfy clothes, and catching sight of her wiggling toes, she grinned mischievously, she might just go down with no shoes on.
Chapter Ten
In response to their failed dinner plans a week back, he opted instead to conduct this dinner in a more intimate setting. And what was more intimate than the terrace of their bedroom? Jacqueline had done a spectacular job in arranging the small table for two. Her fine attention to detail in the white French table linen to the long stemmed gold candleholders and the beautiful china dinnerware that housed two intricately folded napkins was well and truly appreciated. And while Dominic sat in quiet contemplation, trying not to peer down at the expensive watch around his wrist, he reminded himself to increase her pay, if for nothing else, than her tireless devotion to him.
He reclined back in the chair and raised his arms, crossing fingers to cup his head. Fully aware of her tardiness, Dominic fought against his surmounting irritation and instead pondered at the details of his plan. But then he felt it, that indiscernible influx of warmth that he’d come to associate solely with her presence washed over him, and his eyes peeled open to search for her. He didn’t have to look too far, for there she was standing a few feet away from him a vision in dark skinny jeans that encased her sexy legs, smooth, caramel legs that had once upon a time wrapped around his waist in full anticipation of his thrusts. His fixated stare slid languidly upwards to perfect sized breasts enhanced by a short-sleeve shirt. She was fresh-faced, the lack of make-up made it possible to admire her flawless complexion. The three dark beauty marks on her cheek he remembered so well stood out, and he wanted to trace his tongue in the small triangle they formed. Her luscious, full pink mouth conjured images of what he wanted to do with those lips and he was instantly hard. He sat up, cleared his throat, and fought to find a comfortable position.
“You’re late,” he murmured, reproach in his deep dark voice. As she walked forward, his eyes shot to her feet and noted that she was barefooted. Cute and sexy came to mind, provoking a wry smirk. Rising, he came around to pull her chair out for her; a move he realized stunned her as she stared owlishly at him. “I am capable of being gallant,” he uttered drily. “Sit.” He followed his command with a gentle grasp of her forearm to help her slide into the seat. Once she was seated, Dominic lingered for a beat, inhaling the scent of jasmine and rose that permeated from her skin. Disciplined enough not to lower his lips to the graceful column of her neck, despite how bad he wanted to, Dominic stepped away from her and returned to his seat.
“You look lovely,” he said graciously, watching as the knit at her brow tightened at the compliment. Her slim tautened shoulders were nearly to her neck. She sat there like a doll, refusing to meet his gaze as her legs bounced furiously beneath the table. Nervous tension peeled off her so strong that he could taste it. “Try the wine,” he advised. At that, she looked to her right at the wait staff who’d appeared from seemingly nowhere, dutifully pouring wine in the stemware at her side.
“No, thank you,” she said curtly. “I want that divorce and you said—”
“All in good time, pet,” he cut her off, raising his own glass to his mouth. Wine was not Dominic’s drink of choice, but he knew she enjoyed the Bordeaux. The rich and voluptuous aromas of mocha, chestnut, and cedar danced enticingly on his tongue, reminding him of the kisses he’d stolen from her.
She made a noise that was born of frustration. “I told you I’m not going to play your game. You wanted me to come to dinner, I’m here. Tell me how I can get you to sign those damn divorce papers so I can go.”
“I asked you to dinner. We have not had dinner yet; therefore, I am unwilling to discuss anything further until we are both well and thoroughly fed.”
“Then tell them to serve us,” she said through clenched teeth.
“I enjoy a little conversation with my dinner,” he injected smoothly, setting his glass down and sitting back. “Tell me about Liam.”
Eden’s irritation was far too potent to be contained beneath the veneer of cordiality he was conducting. She didn’t know what he was doing. Why he was acting this way when they both knew he was the furthest thing from civil. His sudden change of behavior was at complete odds with the monster she knew him to be. What did he want? Aside from her body in his bed, there was something else he wanted from her, something else that gleamed behind those smoldering green eyes. She didn’t like not knowing. She didn’t like not being able to read him, because that only meant trouble for her. In addition to that, his sudden inquiry and interest in Liam made Eden wholly uneasy.
Having bonded with her child throughout her pregnancy, then going through the agony of giving birth to him, and nurturing him now, Eden was unwilling to share that part, that bond with Dominic. Of course he had every right to know his son, and a small part of her knew the inevitability of that moment, but selfishness and self-preservation made her reluctant. Eden knew Dominic. She knew more than anyone what he was capable of. How emotionless and self-serving he could be. Liam would not benefit from knowing his father, because Dominic was not capable of simple human emotions. He was incapable of love and affection, and Liam would suffer for it, because his father would never give him what he would certainly crave. Dominic’s interests laid only in himself and how best he could manipulate and use those around him to his benefit.