Beyond the Velvet Rope. Tiffany Ashley

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СКАЧАТЬ Ms. Shaw.”

      Adam grinned. “I’m not letting her out of my sight.”

      “That’s good to hear,” Elliot said in a voice that seemed to convey just the opposite. “We wouldn’t want to lose her in the crowd. Anything could happen.”

      Adam chuckled, but Thandie frowned at the strange comment. Was he trying to warn her, or scare her? Uncertain if the remark deserved a response, Thandie looked away. She could feel Elliot’s gray gaze on her, and it was unsettling.

      She stiffened when he stepped around Adam, circling behind her, to come up on her left. His movement was slow and deliberate. He came within inches of brushing against her. She could briefly feel his breath on the back of her neck as he passed her.

      “I trust we’re keeping you entertained,” he whispered close to her ear.

      “Yes,” she replied skittishly; her nerves brittle from his nearness, which was too close for comfort. “I can see why Babylon is in high demand,” she said lamely. “The renovations are remarkable. The views are impressive.”

      “I agree,” he said with soft laugh. “The views are very impressive.”

      She looked up to find his gaze was not on the glass walls which overlooked the lower levels of the club, but trained on her. Thandie’s reaction to his words played right into his hands. A flutter of arousal began to churn in her stomach, her skin puckered with goose bumps, and her nipples tightened. She did not have to look down to know her response was noticeable. She could tell by the sound of Elliot’s soft chuckle.

      Thankfully Adam, who’d been keeping a watchful eye on the VIP guests, thus missing their exchange, asked, “How are we doing tonight, Elliot?”

      “We’ll hit our liquor sales goal,” Elliot replied unenthusiastically.

      “Better than nothing,” Adam said encouragingly.

      “So you say,” Elliot retorted. Without another word, he disappeared into the sea of people.

      Thandie looked after him, unsure what to make of Elliot. What had been the point of that? Was he trying to bait her into saying something foolish? Or did he simply enjoy unnerving her? She watched his retreating back, his broad shoulders leaving a wide path in his wake.

      “Elusive as always,” a voice said.

      Thandie turned around to see the speaker. Standing directly behind her was a dark-haired man with even darker eyes. He was average height, well suited, and there was an interesting lift in his voice, indicating he was not native to the area. She imagined under any other circumstance, he would strike her as handsome. However, her eyes still lingered on the spot Elliot had just vacated.

      “Of course,” the stranger continued, “that’s why women can’t get enough of him.”

      “Ah, you’re back,” Adam said, having noticed their visitor. He reached around Thandie to shake the man’s hand. “I thought you would be out of town for a few more days.” Adam inclined his head to Thandie. “This is Rex Barrington. He handles the marketing for Club Babylon.”

      Rex held out his hand to her. “And you must be the legendary Ms. Shaw everyone has been talking about.”

      “I am Thandie Shaw,” she said as she accepted his hand. “However, I’m not sure about the legendary part.”

      Rex chuckled. “You’re a woman on Elliot’s payroll. Around here, that makes you quite famous.”

      “So I hear,” Thandie said with a snort.

      “I didn’t mean to offend you,” Rex confessed. “It’s just that we’ve never had a woman on the management team. I imagine you’ll have an immediate impact on the culture here.”

      “She’s a lot nicer to look at than Eddie,” Adam added with a smirk.

      “Of that, I have no doubt,” Rex concurred. “Elliot outdid himself this time.”

      At the mention of Elliot’s name, Thandie instinctively sought him out in the crowd. It did not take long to spot him. In the short time since speaking to her, Elliot had maneuvered his way back to the main floor, and obtained a new companion. Even from this vantage point, Thandie could tell her enlarged breasts were fake and her pale blond hair came from a bottle. Even so, her attributes were admirable. She was yet another reason why the average male would envy Elliot.

      The two were just about to head up the staircase leading to his office door, when they were distracted by someone stepping out of the crowd. It was Warren, and he was attempting to introduce Elliot to a dark-haired girl. It was not Tara. Thandie had to squint her eyes before recognizing her as the pretty Asian girl she’d met earlier that day.

      Elliot smiled down at the woman, before taking her fingers in his and pressing his lips to the top of her hand. His opened his mouth to speak, but Thandie was too far away to make out the words. Whatever he’d said had been brief, because Elliot soon continued up the steps. He and the blonde disappeared into his office, the entrance to which was immediately obstructed by the giant Michelle. It was little wonder why Elliot had retreated into his office with the woman. Thandie’s imagination ran wild with the possibilities.

      “Thandie.”

      She jumped at the sound of Adam’s voice. Quickly diverting her eyes, Thandie turned to face him.

      “Do you want to see the DJ booth?” he asked.

      She smiled. “Please lead the way.”

       Chapter Five

      Star Island

      South Beach, Miami

      11:45AM

      Elliot woke earlier than normal. It was a quarter to noon; practically daybreak for a person who kept his late hours. He hadn’t returned home until six this morning.

      All three of his clubs had been exceptionally busy the previous night. Elliot routinely split his time between his clubs, which were conveniently located within a few blocks of each other. Because Babylon was his largest enterprise, it demanded most of his attention. However, he checked in with the managers at his smaller establishments regularly. It was important that they know he was engaged in their day-to-day operations, particularly when money was involved.

      Typically, Elliot began his day at Babylon, would slip away for few hours to visit Lush and Red Door, and would return to Babylon shortly before closing to help with the shutdown. He liked to be on site when the money from the cash registers was collected. Closing the club up for the night was an efficient, yet time-consuming, endeavor.

      * * *

      With only a few hours of sleep, Elliot was surprisingly alert and ready to start his day. He indulged himself with a long workout in his home gym, before cooling off with a few laps in the pool. He felt invigorated, lighter than normal. He knew why. It was the thrill of a new hunt. He grinned as he recalled the look on Thandie’s face when he’d left her last night. She was damned cute when she was uncertain of herself. And sexy. He recalled quite vividly how those small shorts wrapped around her shapely bottom. He was СКАЧАТЬ