Saverio nods, dropping my hair and stepping aside as the waiter reappears with our champagne. “I must go. I have business to attend to.”
Thank fuck. “It was nice meeting you,” I lie, placing my hands on my lap. “And thank you for the champagne. It’s very generous.”
“The pleasure was all mine, Ms. Lawson.” He clicks his fingers, and another man scurries over. His name tag says he’s the manager in charge. “Mr. Landers. Please escort Ms. Lawson and her friends to the Givenchy booth, and get them whatever they want.”
I open my mouth to protest when Esme kicks me under the table. She drills me with a look that begs me not to refuse. She clearly doesn’t know me very well if she thinks I am accepting any more “freebies” from this man.
“Until we meet again.” Saverio casts one last salacious glance my way before departing with his companions in tow.
I slump against the table, expelling my breath in spurts, relieved he’s gone.
“If you would follow me,” Mr. Landers says, sweeping his arm out wide and ushering me forward.
“We need to wait for the rest of our party,” Esme replies, looking nonchalant as she swipes the bottle of expensive champagne from the ice bucket and proceeds to pour it into glasses. “They are on the way.”
“Very well. I will return to escort you in a few minutes,” he says before walking off.
Propping my elbows on the table, I lean over at Esme. “Text the others. Tell them we’re leaving.”
“Are you out of your mind?” She stares at me like my brain has just escaped my skull. “Do you know how many girls would kill to get into the VIP area? And he’s reserving the Givenchy booth for us. The freaking Givenchy booth!” she squeals, clasping my hands. “It’s usually reserved for celebrities. C’mon, Sierra. We can’t pass up this chance.”
“That man scares the shit out of me, and I want to put as much distance between me and him as I can,” I tell her before sliding off the stool.
“I’m with Sierra,” Pen says, climbing off her stool. “There are plenty of other clubs we can go to.”
“He wasn’t that scary,” Esme protests.
“That’s only because you were too busy eye-fucking that other guy to notice the vibes he was giving off.” Pen grabs my arm. “The way he was looking at you creeped me out.” She visibly shudders.
“Tell me about it.” Planting my hands on my hips, I drill Esme with a deadly look. “It’s my birthday and I’m pulling rank. I want to leave. Now, before he changes his mind and comes back for me.”
“There you are!” Tammy shrieks, throwing her arms around me from behind. “We didn’t know where you went,” she adds, slurring her words as she steps around me, slinging her arm around Esme’s shoulders.
“We might have run up the tab,” Heather says, looking a little apologetic.
“Don’t worry about it. My father’s good for it.”
Father put a ton of extra cash on my black card to cover the costs of this weekend, which is ridiculous and unnecessary as I already have enough in my account to feed a small nation. He forgets I’m not like my sisters. I don’t waste thousands every month on designer clothes, bags, and shoes, and I’m not at the beauty salon or plastic surgeon every other day. Now they are married, at least Father is no longer footing astronomical bills.
If he took the time to talk to me, Father would know this about me. But he’d rather throw money my way than have to suffer my company. Both my sisters let him throw lavish parties for their twenty-firsts at The Drake Hotel. They were full of his old cronies, and I was so bored at Serena’s party I fell asleep under the table. I didn’t realize I was hidden by the tablecloth, and Father almost called the cops when they couldn’t find me at the end of the night. He grounded me for two weeks after that. All because sixteen-year-old me had the audacity to fall asleep. So, when Mom offered me the same party option, I turned her down flat without having to think about it. I think she was relieved.
“Oh my, wow. That is freaking awesome! I’ve heard the VIP room here is sick.” Tammy shrieks as I rejoin the conversation.
I groan. “Don’t you start. You didn’t meet the owner. He gives me the creeps.”
“He wasn’t that bad,” Esme argues as she applies a fresh layer of gloss to her lips.
“He looks like the kind of man who devours puppies for breakfast,” Pen says, looping her arm through mine.
“And pussies for lunch,” Esme quips, throwing her head back and laughing. I pin her with a look. “What? She walked right into that one.” She nudges me in the side. “You’ve got to admit it’s funny.”
“There is nothing funny about being trapped in that man’s heated stare. Trust me. I feel ill just thinking about the way he looked at me.”
“He’s gone now, and you heard him, he has business, so you won’t see him again.”
“Nope. I want to leave.” I’m not naïve enough to think he doesn’t have plans to seek me out after his business has concluded.
A chorus of boos ring out, and I clutch Pen’s arm as the other six girls beg me to stay. In the background, I see the irritated expression on the manager’s face as he stands back while we debate it. “Come on, Sierra.” Tammy puts her hands on my shoulders, fixing me with a pleading look. “Let loose! It’s your birthday, and we’re in Sin City, so sin a little; otherwise, why did we drug Tony?”
Valid point. But still. Maybe Scarface Salerno isn’t in the mob. Maybe his looks earned him that reputation, but whether he is or isn’t is beside the point now. I’m on his radar, and I’d prefer to disappear off it. Hanging around here won’t do me any favors. “We can get into the VIP room elsewhere,” I say, hoping my father’s name is enough to swing it for me around here.
“Not at this late hour,” Esme says. “You usually have to arrange it in advance unless you’re a known celeb.”
“We won’t let that man anywhere near you,” Heather says, and the others nod in agreement.
“There are seven of us, and we’re not going to let him come within ten feet of you,” Esme agrees.
“Don’t treat me like I’m an idiot, Esme. That man always gets what he wants, and a bunch of girls won’t stand in his way.”
“Then how about this.” Esme stuffs her lip gloss down the front of her dress and walks over to me. “Let’s go for an hour, and then we’ll leave. He has only just gone into a meeting, and I doubt it will be over before then. That way, we get to say we partied at the VIP room in Flame and you get to avoid he who shall not be named.”
The others are looking at me with anticipation, excitement transparent on their faces, and I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer. “Ugh.” I shove my hands through my hair. My gut is telling me to run, but my heart wants to make my friends happy.
“Babe.” Esme eyeballs me earnestly. “Do you honestly think me or Pen are going to let anything happen to you?” Excitement lights up her eyes. “Getting into the VIP room in a club like this is virtually impossible. I bet even your dad couldn’t have organized it for you. You can’t turn it down. Think of all the hot rich dudes and the free champagne. Your birthday weekend will live on in infamy. We’ll still be talking about it when we’re old and gray and have long given up our dancing shoes.” She rests her hands on my shoulders. “It’s just one hour. Please, Sierra. Please say yes.”