Tia Rose answered the phone wondering what the man wanted. It was funny, but since she returned from Paris, she had gotten so many compliments about her style, her hair, and her body. It was still the same size-twelve body, but she learned how to accentuate the better parts and draw focus to her eyes and face with the right application of makeup. She felt really good about herself, but now she was nervous as she spoke with Dante. They exchanged pleasantries and he asked about France. He named some places he loved to dine out at and she wasn’t impressed in the least. She could care less about his money, and mostly about him continuing to use Malone’s for all his high-end store decorating.
“So, I have a proposition for you. Well, actually, I would like for you to accompany me to dinner this evening.”
She gulped. Dante Perrone was asking her out?
“Um, I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“Nonsense. You are a very attractive woman. I need you tonight. You see, I have a friend who is in need of a personal designer. He hasn’t had much success with the local area stores or abroad. Anyway, I told him all about you, and I was wondering if you could assist him. Perhaps give him some ideas this weekend at his estate?”
“I’m not too sure if I’m interested. I never really did that before. I have a lot to do with cleaning up the apartment after the break-in.”
“Oh, yes, that’s right. What a terrible way to return home after such a worthwhile trip to Paris. Well, I think you’ll change your mind the moment you meet the potential client. I planned a meeting at LaFonte’s tonight. My treat, of course. Can you be there by seven?”
She didn’t want to, but she felt that if she didn’t, she could upset Dante, and he was a good client of Malone’s.
“Okay. I’ll meet you there.”
She continued to chat for a few more seconds and then he ended the call. Now she would have to find something to wear. Perhaps one of the casual yet stylish designer black dinner dresses she found in a boutique near Versailles?
She went back to work, and began to wonder if perhaps this could lead to other opportunities, and some extra income. If she was going to continue to care for her unappreciative family, she needed more money.
She pondered over her own thought. Why do I continue to let my parents control me like this? They don’t love me. They never did.
What she really needed was a therapist. They’d have a field day with her. She just couldn’t let go. She couldn’t cut ties, no matter how bad her mother and father treated her, because they were her parents. It wasn’t right. She wanted to please them, but maybe she never would be able to, no matter what their demands.
Even asking her to die would be unlikely to please them. That would make them have to work for a living, instead of live off her hard-earned money. With aggravating thoughts, Tia Rose headed back to work on her computer.
Chapter 8
“She’s late. She’s not coming, Hudson. She figured it out,” Jagger stated as he and his brother stood by the side of the building. They were watching the front entrance to the restaurant, waiting to arrive for the dinner meeting that Dante arranged.
“She’ll be here. She always works late at Malone’s. She had to go home, change, and then take local transportation to get back across town to here,” Hudson replied.
“Yeah, well, as soon as she’s our woman, she’s moving in with us. I don’t want her living in that neighborhood. There’s no security there. No wonder her apartment was broken into.”
Hudson looked back at his brother.
“Jagger, you can’t be so pushy. Not right off the bat, anyway. You’ll scare Tia Rose. Promise me that you won’t go all cave man on her.”
Jagger looked away. He was biting the inside of his cheeks. He couldn’t believe he was standing outside of a fucking restaurant like some damn stalker waiting for their lover to arrive. This was fucking ridiculous. When he wanted something, he went after it and took it. No bullshit. He felt as if he were walking on eggshells and any wrong move could send Tia Rose out of their lives. Again. He couldn’t let that happen.
Hudson bumped his shoulder.
“Fine. I promise. But not for the entire night. I’m a no-bullshit guy. You fucking know that. If there needs to be a calm, rational one, then you be that person. I don’t have the patience.” He glanced at his watch for the tenth time in the last thirty minutes. “Where the fuck is she?”
* * * *
Tia Rose was still shaking. She almost cancelled this dinner date, but her gut told her not to. She wasn’t going to live in fear. When she arrived at her apartment, she felt uneasy. Like someone had been in there again. The detectives working the break-in at her place as well as the investigation and pursuit of her brother Sean said that her feelings were normal. Violated? She sure as shit felt violated. It took her hours to fall asleep and she was debating about taking some sleeping pills but worried that if someone broke in, they could rob her, rape her, and possibly kill her while she was dead to the world.
As she had entered her apartment tonight, she had a strong sense of creepiness. Something was bugging her out. Even tonight as she left her apartment, and traveled across town to meet Dante, she felt as if someone was watching her. She kept glancing over her shoulder. Living in New York over the last five years taught her to be aware of her surround
ings and to walk with purpose and direction even if she were lost. She supposed it was like this in all big cities, but she especially felt vulnerable. There was no one to walk with. No one to make her feel safe. She was all alone, and that was what her future held. Sometimes she debated about returning to Missouri, because even painful attention was better than no attention at all.
Felling sorry for herself, she exited the commuter bus, two blocks from the restaurant. She cringed just thinking about the trip back to her apartment late tonight. Why did I agree to this?
Because you always do as you’re asked. Dante is a nice person, and he could be hooking me up with some serious side money. Money I’ll need to keep supporting my screwed-up parents.
She took a deep breath and straightened out her skirt before she entered the restaurant. The host immediately smiled at her upon her arrival, as he looked her over. “Good evening, miss. Table for one?” he asked.