Chapter 2: THE PAST

ISABELLA’S P.O.V. I hated working at the casino. Exotica was the one place that everyone wanted to go. It was where the richest men went to play and where they found their call girls. If you worked there, you were practically a celebrity because of the people you were around. When I applied, I didn’t even think I was going to get the job because they liked their women a certain way- tall, white and skinny but I was the opposite. I was tall but thanks to my African American mother, I had dark skin and I had curves. I had never hated my body until the moment I saw the women at Exotica. When I got the job< I was reeling with excitement until I realized that all that glittered was not gold. The men were rude and disgusting and the only reason I was hired was so that I could be their exotic woman. I was treated like an object and harassed more times in a day than I had been in my entire life. I wanted to quit but I had nowhere to go. The tips were good and for the first time in forever, I had my head over the water so I stayed. Everything was going perfectly until one night. It was Friday and it was obvious that something was happening. There was an obvious shift in the atmosphere and the usual bustling atmosphere had a tinge of tension to it. Even my co-worker, Bella noticed. Just before our shift started, we were called by the manager. “I don’t usually do this but we have some important people coming in,” he explained and as I watched him, I saw something like fear in his eyes. “I don’t need to tell you who they are but when you see them, you will know.” “Is that why the place feels like a graveyard?” Bella asked and he nodded. “You will not speak to them unless spoken to and you will stay out of their way.” “Are they royalty?” I couldn’t stop the question from tumbling out. “Of a sort,” he hesitated before saying more. “Be on your best behavior girls. These men are powerful people. They own this place and by extension, they own you too.” He didn’t say anything after that and I was left looking confused as hell. For the next thirty minutes, nothing happened, then I felt them. There were a lot of them, I couldn’t have counted if I wanted to but I assumed they were about thirty. They walked in together and I noticed they walked in a sort of formation around two men. The first had brown hair and dark brown eyes. There was something about him that screamed mischief. He had a smirk on his face and I caught him winking at the other customers, I knew he was going to be trouble. For some reason, he didn’t grab my attention as much as the other guy. People would have noticed the scar on his face first, his impressive height or the tattoos that climbed up both arms but it was his eyes that drew me in. They were like shards of ice and when he caught me staring, I had to look away. “They’re terrifying,” Bella whispered to me and I couldn’t help but agree. Bella and I went to serve them drinks and I had to fight to keep my composure because the man with the blue eyes was staring at me. He didn’t take his eyes off me for a moment, not even when his friend leaned in to whisper something to him. I tried to pretend like I was unaffected but the truth was that his gaze was intense and it had me squirming where I stood. When we got away from them, Bella grabbed my arm. “He likes you.” I rolled my eyes. “He is intrigued by me, Bella, just like everyone else in here. I don’t look like the rest of you.” “Maybe, but I know interest and he is interested.” “Just like everyone else here. Everyone wants to bang us not because they want us but because it is convenient.” She frowned and I cleared my throat. “I will be right back, I just need to use the bathroom.” I didn’t wait for her response before I made my way into the staff bathroom. I stayed in there for a few minutes trying to catch my breath when the door opened. I thought it was Bella so I ignored it but I got a whiff of the expensive cologne and I turned to see the man from the table. Up close, he was a lot taller than I had thought and I had to crane my neck to look up at him. “This is the staff bathroom,” I told him but he made no move to leave. “I can show you the way to the guest-” “What is your name?” His voice was like velvet and he spoke with the hint of an accent. “You were not here the last time I came around.” “Isabella,” I said softly and he hummed as he closed the distance between us. I took a step back and my back hit the sink. His eyes tracked my movements and the corner of his lips tilted up. “Do I scare you, Isabella?” “No.” The lie came easily. I was terrified of him... but not for the reasons he thought. He raised a tattooed arm and tucked a braid behind my ear. As he did so, he leaned down and his hot breath fanned my ear. “I think you’re lying.” My breath hitched as he spoke and I fought the urge to arch into him. His hands were gripping the sink on either side of me and keeping me trapped between his body. I had been with my fair share of men but none had made me feel a fraction of what this stranger was feeling and I didn’t even know his name. “What do you want?” I asked softly and I felt his smirk. “You, I want you in my bed tonight.” “I don’t even know your name.” “Lorenzo,” he answered off-handedly. “What do you say?” “I shouldn’t fraternize with customers.” The words were barely out of my mouth when he leaned down to press an open-mouthed kiss to my collarbone. He licked and sucked on the spot until I moaned softly. “I won’t tell if you don’t,” he whispered. I had never done anything like this in my life and for some reason, I was contemplating it. I wanted to refuse but his lips were assaulting my neck and I couldn’t think straight. “Okay,” I said finally. “I get off at 1.”