Town of Chance_ Believing in Love(11)

As she looked around the bar and dance floor, seeing the crowds of people and then the band playing another song, she caught sight of three men sitting at a corner table watching her. The moment her eyes locked on the one in the center with the dark dress shirt and hard expression, she looked away. Holy shit. It was the guy from the boutique that was talking to Clarissa. She would recognize him anywhere. Instantly she had a bad feeling in her gut, and it was another reminder of why she had put off trying to achieve this goal of singing on stage and performing. Maybe she wasn’t cut out to be in the spotlight after all?

She took another sip from her drink and started to feel even more nervous. She didn’t like the men looking at her. She wondered if even Luther was hitting on her as he placed his arm around the back of her chair and continued to try and convince her that the job wouldn’t interfere with her modeling and that she could work in the time to practice with the band on Sunday mornings and Monday nights when Luther’s was closed. This was exactly the type of feeling that had her not taking chances and remaining unadventurous and closed up. Hadn’t she told Missy Ann how tired she was of feeling so shy and scared? Maybe if she accepted this little job of singing on stage two nights a week then maybe she would build up her self-confidence and feel more mature, more experienced and capable of handling life.

“What do you say, beautiful? Want to make some money together?” he asked her and held her gaze as he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. She felt that deep fearful feeling and damn it, she was tired of being scared, of giving in to all the fearful thoughts. What could possibly go wrong by working here at Luther’s singing two nights a week?

“Okay, let’s give it a try.”

He smiled wide. “That’s my girl. I’ll draw up some papers and we’ll set a salary for you. Do you want to get paid once a week or every other week?”

“Whatever you normally do is fine with me.”

He looked her over and smiled.

“This is going to work out great.”

She sure did hope so, because she had a feeling that when her cousins and her father found out, they weren’t going to be too happy.



* * * *



Luther gave Eliza Grace a kiss on her cheek goodbye. She really was awfully shy and he knew it had a lot to do with her age. Twenty-four, petite, but sexy as anything and she didn’t seem to have a clue. Once she realized how hot she actually was, she would be breaking hearts all over the place.

He chuckled to himself. He could be a slime ball and work his way into her bed. It would be easy to seduce her, but Clarissa said Eliza was off limits. Clarissa was smart and she always knew everything about the women who worked for her.

As he glanced up toward the stage he saw Simeon as well as Daville and Vic, Simeon’s security. He saw them arrive a good hour ago and watched them check out the prospects. Although Luther hadn’t expected them to stop in tonight, he was always prepared. Si liked a certain type of woman. At least he always seemed to lean toward one type. Large breasts, sexy body, and easily controlled. His buddies were a bit different. Daville and Vic could be mean sons of bitches. Especially when they drank too much.

He made his way over and greeted them with a smile and a show of excitement that they were here. It meant he was going to make some money, and they were going to get what they wanted. That included drinks on the house and any woman of their choice.

“Si, so nice to see you. I wasn’t expecting you for another couple of weeks. How was Europe?” he asked, knowing they were doing business abroad, and it had something to do with people Clarissa knew as well. He didn’t ask questions, he just gave them what they wanted and got paid a lot of money for keeping his mouth shut and accommodating them.

He looked to Daville and Vic but both men didn’t reach hands out to shake his. Instead they barely looked at him. He was no one to show respect to, just someone they owned.

He cleared his throat and asked if they needed anything. Si, with his dark eyes, slicked back hair and very important, classy demeanor licked his lower lip and squinted at Luther.

“We had to end our little vacation early. Seems there was a problem with one of the deliveries. Some changes need to be made. Just a few precautions.”

Luther swallowed hard. “I hope I wasn’t at fault for anything, Si. I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me.”

Si gave a slick little smile. “Of course you have.” He looked around the place.

“The band is getting better and better. Got some new talent, I saw,” he said and took a sip from the martini he drank from.

Luther nodded his head. “They’re doing great. I get new singers in all the time now and see how the crowd likes them.”