The Gentlemen's Club

Chapter Five

He was tall. Too tall for me to make direct eye contact with unless he looked down at my 5'6" frame and unfortunately, he was.

At least now I could get a proper look at him, but couldn't as he seemed to have trapped my gaze with his, and I was stuck drowning in his emerald eyes. Beautiful, if they were attached to someone mundane, but they felt terrifying to even look at directly, taking away the innocence of beauty and replacing it with, what I could only compare it to, as lustful fear.

Here he was, one of the most powerful men in the city and I couldn't act fast enough to comprehend my expressions, only stare up at him like a deer in headlights.

I didn't know what to do. Maybe awkwardly walk away as if I didn't just ram into this stunning man or lower my head and apologize properly.

But as I said, he wasn't a normal person. This was a mafia boss who might very well have me thrown on the streets just for touching him if I wasn't here to help pay off a debt.

Hell, he might do it anyways. I was nothing compared to someone like him. Even in his presence, if I didn't know who he was, would still feel inferior.

I finally snapped out of his hold when he began to scrunch his defined but well-groomed eyebrows together. What was he thinking? What in the world does a man like this think at all? Maybe the fastest way to hide my body.

"Are you okay," he finally spoke with a deep, mature voice. I wasn't a comforting tone, but more platonic and casual.

I blinked a few times and opened my mouth, not really knowing what to say or how to address him.

"I...yes. I'm Sorry."

"Are you sure? You seemed stunned."

Probably because I've just rammed into a powerful and threatening being.

I brushed down the fabric on my dress, something I've done when I was nervous, and tried to maintain a calm demeanor. "I am. I wasn't looking where I was going."

He paused for a bit and I couldn't tell what that look in his eyes meant.

"That's good, then. I wouldn't want guests in my hotel getting injured because of me. Wouldn't be good for the company's image, would it," he said and flashed a charming smile. I didn't even seem forced like he carried false charm and not authentic confidence.

"Right." I gave one back out of instinct, completely forgetting who he was for a moment, though it was awkward unlike so confident like his.

Then it dawned on me. Did he even know who I was? Probably not. I was too low of a person for him to notice, even if I was part of his mafia deals.

"I should um, I should go." I hurried back to my table before either of us had a chance to say anything else.

I must be insane, talking so casually to him like that. Then again, he called me a guest which meant he must've not have known who I was. But when he does find out, I'm sure he won't smile at the girl whose only there to pay off a debt by working as a stri-dancer.

When I sat back down, I kept my head low, staring into my palms, feeling embarrassed. I never cared what Richard had ever thought about me, but only because I knew he had no power to his words.

He always presented himself as a high ranking mafia boss who had enough power to do whatever he wanted. But in reality, he could barely manage his club and people only stayed away from him because he reeked of aftershave and cheap cologne.

But this man, he was, as I've learned from Izzy and Lily, so powerful he could wage war on any other leader and win easily. With money from his illegal lifestyle and fame from his family name, I felt scared to even work for him.