Protecting The Principessa (Complete)

~ Chapter 9 ~

She ignored the look from Adriano because she knew he would question that statement. After all, it wasn't like females tended to visit female strip clubs. She shook her head though, telling him to let it go. He did, but his smirk spoke volumes, yet she still refused to comment.

"Are we getting out?" she questioned, looking at the building. It wasn't tacky or rundown, in fact, it was rather nice. And unless the sign was on showcasing what it was, one wouldn't think it was a strip club.

"Do you want to?"

"Is the car still around?" she countered, finally looking around yet she didn't see anything.

"No, I think we lost him. But to be safe, let's go." Her head snapped around to look at him again and she quickly started to shake it.

"No, I don't want to."

"Too bad, Ignazia. Come on. Besides, I need to pick up payments and get an inventory. If you want to stay at my house, without asking me, then you have to do some of my jobs with me. It's the only way I can keep you safe, like I'm told, and like you wish." She narrowed her eyes slightly before climbing out of the car. Okay, this wouldn't be bad, it wasn't a bad place, she could handle this. Izzy fell into step with him, noticing that he didn't use the front door but went around to a side door that was open.

"It's empty," she noted, looking at the empty lot.

"Well, most workers don't come in until later. And the business isn't open for another four or five hours." With that, he allowed her to go in first and she stepped in, rather shocked by the smell. She was assuming it would be some dirty place but instead was surprised by the scent. "Go to the left, the manager should be in his office." He lightly sat his hand on her back and led her down the walkway and to an office where the door was open. "Skye, glad to see you're in." The man behind the desk lifted his head and smiled at Adriano before standing up to shake his hand.

"Adriano, I was expecting you a little later. Sorry man, I have no one here to wait on you."

"No worries, I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by. Were you busy?" Skye shook his head before taking a slow appraisal of Izzy.

"No, just going over some numbers. Who is this?"

"Ignazia, a friend of mine." That caused Skye to raise his brow and Izzy gritted her back teeth. Fuck, was her look so damn abnormal that everyone questioned it?

"I see. A pleasure, Ignazia."

"Likewise," she told him, although she hardly meant it.

"Why don't you go sit at the bar while I talk to Skye? I need to see if he needs anything." She nodded, fully understanding what he meant; he needed to take stock of the drugs that were left and what was needed. A smart move coming in early and surprising Skye, she thought, although he didn't seem like the scummy type to try and weasel out some money for his own keeping.

"Yeah, sure," she said, turning back around.

"You can have anything you want to drink. A friend of Adriano's is a friend of the bar," Skye said. She tossed him a smile before going down to the bar. Slowly, her eyes looked it over, rather shocked by the lack of organization behind it. She searched the cupboards, trying to find any glasses, and then gave up, grabbing a can of soda out of the fridge. Izzy popped the lid and let her eyes look around, taking in the clean seats and stage. Yeah, this was a far cry different than the club she had gone to. Maybe made men made sure their business was nicer kept so that they couldn't get busted. Or so that they wouldn't be seen in such a place. She had no doubt that many mob men came to places like this.