The Gentleman's Club

Chapter Nine: Let It Go

So come on let it go

Just let it be

Why don't you be you

And I'll be me

--Let It Go, James Bay

We arrived to DeLuca Enterprises not even thirty minutes later. I led Giovanni along which was now routine for us.

As soon as we were inside, a pretty blonde receptionist greeted him. He didn't respond to her so, taking pity on the girl, I smiled politely.

"That was rude, you know," I scolded him once we were out of earshot.

"What was?" he asked.

I scoffed. As if he didn't know.

"That poor girl said hi to you back there. You could have at least said it back."

One raised a brow at me and cocked his head to the side.

"Why? So she could start saying it every time I came in, try to get her claws into me--because I'm blind so apparently that makes me easy to get--and act like a vengeful ex-girlfriend when I turn her down." He snorted. "I don't think so, Miss. Jenkins."

I rolled my eyes. "You are so narcissistic," I grumbled under my breath. "I wasn't asking you to marry her or ask her to be the mother of your children. For Christ's sake, you just had to say hi back. It's common courtesy, Mr. DeLuca."

Giovanni's face twisted as if he so badly wanted to laugh.

"Well, I'll definitely say hello next time. I didn't know it bothered you so much, Miss. Jenkins."

"I just don't like when people are rude," I huffed.

I was actually glad he couldn't see me. The brown of my skin was probably made darker by the blood burning underneath it. To top it all off, the embarrassment on my face was evident.

"We're here," I informed him.

I could see the intimidating looking glass door and a few figures already sitting down at an oval shaped table behind it.

"So I gather," Giovanni said, sighing. "My office is just around the corner. You can sit in there and make yourself comfortable until the meeting is over."

"Alright," I replied, reluctantly letting go of his sinewy arms. "Good luck in there."

For the third time today, that ghost of a smile threatened to become the real thing before he buried it with a stoic expression.

"Thank you, Miss. Jenkins," was his response.

I watched as he walked with a confident stride, to the board meeting. I felt sad for Giovanni. I had escaped the whispers and the stares that followed me.

But Giovanni would never be able to do that. The stares and the whispers would follow him for the rest of his life.

***

It was a few hours later that the door to Giovanni's office opened to reveal the man himself.

"How'd it go?" I asked, standing from his chair and shoving the book I was reading back into my purse.

"Good. I guess. We're supposed to have dinner tomorrow to nail down the rest of the details, but I'm seventy-seven percent sure I can close this deal."

I smiled at the optimism in his voice. "That's good. I'm glad things are going well."

Giovanni was quiet, thinking about something before he spoke.