THE ESCORT

SIX | OCEAN SPRAY AND SALT WATER

The men barely paid her any mind once she was seated beside her client.

In fact, only one of the client's had spared her a glance, saying, "È sicuro parlare di fronte a lei?"

To which he'd replied, "Non parla Italiano."

And that was that.

They'd continued to converse in Italian, and once in a while he spared her a glance, then went back to talking.

Elodie wasn't sure what she was expecting but it wasn't this; being ignored like an inconsequential side-piece. It was as though she wasn't here at all.

Her fingers itched to reach for the work phone in her purse just to have something to toy with, but she kept her hands folded in her lap, and kept her gaze on the occupants of the ground floor.

Some women were openly making out with their male companions now, hands roaming and tongues tangling, and it was so filthy that she had to look away, only that she chose to settle her gaze on her client and found that he was already watching her with that shrewd gaze of his.

Her throat went dry for no reason at all.

"I must be boring you," he said, ignoring that his companions were still seated across from them.

Elodie cleared her throat quietly, cursing how dry it'd become. "No, of course not."

He inclined his head slightly to the right, eyes roaming all over her face as if he could see beneath her mask. "My business partners have brought an issue that needs to be solved before me, and I must respond accordingly."

"I understand."

"I'll wrap things up soon, but in the meantime, would you like a drink?"

"Yes, please."

His irises darkened so suddenly that Elodie swallowed a gasp from the intensity. Instead of replying, he raised a hand, and one of those waiters she'd seen earlier appeared at the entrance of the alcove, head bowed, fingers clasped in front of him.

"Boss?" He asked.

"Bring the lady a bottle of Veuve Clicqout," he commanded.

"Right away, sir."

Then he switched back to Italian and began to converse with his partners, ignoring her existence once more. But he did tell her to give him more time to wrap up his business.

He must be very important, though, seeing how he seemed to conmand any and everything. She also noticed how each person was careful not to look him in the eye as if he was some type of royalty.

He might as well have been, seeing how Boss took to protecting his name and image. Elodie had been sent in blind, and with strict instructions. So far, she'd managed not to fumble.

The waiter returned with a bottle of the requested wine in an ice bucket and a clean wine glass, then poured her drink before leaving, all the while keeping his gaze down. He wouldn't even meet her gaze.

Elodie reached for the glass and took a deep gulp, surprised by the burst of flavours on her tongue. The wine tasted like heaven, and smelled like a million bucks.

"Virginia Russo told me that she'd be getting the new shipments next week," one of his companions suddenly switched to English, startling Elodie into meeting his eyes.

He was already watching her, and she quickly dropped her own gaze to her glass, unnerved by the cold, bottomless eyes.

She felt her client shift beside her, before he said, "I'll look into it. She's knows she's to pay her dues, though, Dario."