The chef took charge, introducing himself and everyone else.
When it was her turn, Lane said awkwardly, “I’m, umm, Lane Petersen. Thanks for being so welcoming, and I’m so sorry if I ended up causing any delay in your work.”
The chef, Felicio, shook his head. “Figurati. It’s no problem. We will be more than happy to have you enjoy your meal in the kitchen if this pleases you”
“It does,” she assured him.
They went to work then, and her eyes widened when she saw the bulk of food they were tasked to prepare. There were dozens of boxes and bags of ingredients, and they quickly filled up the kitchen’s vast counters.
Seeing the questioning look in Lane’s eyes, Julieta volunteered, “It’s for tonight’s party.” She paused then said uneasily, “And please tell me you at least know about the parties, or Angelo’s really going to murder me.”
“I do,” Lane answered quickly, seeing the genuine worry in the other girl’s face. “He’s told me enough about it, but I didn’t realize his party would have so many guests.” She colored. “I mean, I didn’t know there were that many...”
“People like Signor V?”
She gave Julieta a small nod.
Julieta snorted. “Then you must have led a very sheltered life.”
Lane’s lips twisted. “Actually, far from it.” But now, she was beginning to realize that the darker side of life took on different forms. She might have been raised in bars and clubs, but all of them had been in the country, where folks were simple and their vices had been equally simple.
In those places, both prostitutes and clients would think sadism and masochism a crime and a sin.
As she finished her breakfast in silence, the staff eventually forgot about her presence and began to openly gossip about the guests and their antics. She listened and struggled to conceal her shock at what they were saying.
When she had thought of Angelo as a fallen angel, she had never imagined that he had fallen this much into the darkness.
But now that she knew...what then?
THE FIRST THING ANGELO heard was laughter coming from the basement, which had been redecorated to serve as a venue for his parties. He descended the stairs silently, and as he walked farther down the hallway, he heard his Lane’s distinct voice asking eagerly, “Then what happened?”
He frowned. What was she doing here? He had specifically instructed Julieta to keep her entertained while the staff prepared for tonight’s event. He quickened his steps, and when he reached the doorway, he had to pause.
Lane, Julieta, and other female members of his staff were seated in a semi-circle on the carpet, chatting and laughing while they arranged the flowers that would later on serve as table centerpieces.
For one moment, Angelo simply allowed himself to gaze at her leisurely. In the past months, he had not allowed himself this privilege at all, thinking that it would only make him more obsessed with someone who already belonged to someone else.
But now that she was his, living under his roof—-
He let his eyes travel over her slowly. Her caramel brown hair shone under the bright incandescent lights, and her curves were wonderfully evident despite the hideous outfit she wore, a white, flapper-styled blouse that made her look like a walking advertisement for wedding cakes.
Her eyes were shining with laughter, her face radiant as she listened with rapt attention to whatever it was the bodyguards telling her. She wasn’t just beautiful. More than that, she looked...happy, and it was a far cry from how she had looked like last night.
Fico’s voice suddenly rose in volume as he said, “And you know what the boss did?”
Angelo raised a brow.
Julieta, having heard the story already, simply shook her head as she waited for the punch line. Lane’s going to be shocked when she finds out just how immoral Angelo can be, she thought absently as she finished tying a strip of black lace around the flowers. She looked up, intending to ask one of the guards to hand her a vase, and that was when she saw the tall, still figure by the doorway.
Oh shit.
She heard Umberto argue, “Let me tell the signorina how it happened. I’m better at describing—-”
Not wanting the older man to get into trouble, Julieta cleared her throat loudly and said, “Welcome back, Signor V!”
There was a second of stunned silence before Angelo’s fifty-strong staff hurriedly assumed their proper positions. The women scrambled to their feet while the bodyguards snapped to attention. Fico and Umberto were pale-faced and they exchanged worried looks with each other, both of them hoping that the boss hadn’t heard anything that could get them fired.
Angelo’s unexpectedly early return was a pleasant surprise for Lane, and as she quickly came to her feet as well, she tried to think of something cute and flirty to say. The butterflies in her stomach made it hard for her to think though, and the fact that she could barely hear herself over the loud, fast beat of her heart wasn’t helping.