Chapter Three

EMILIANO POV

I watch her walk into my clubhouse, she has on a skinny silver dress that stopped just above her thighs and if she bent over, she'd be giving the men around here a good view. The back of the gown was down to her waist and her straight black shiny hair dangled as she worked by. With those heels on her, she could easily match my height but still, yet, she won't compare.

"Vanessa is back I see," My best friend Zandro said and I eye him before facing the beautiful, fuckable woman that had manger to creep into my life like a mist. We've had dinner a couple of times and she's even met my family once or twice but she still seems distant and it was like I couldn't reach her. It's unbelievable to think that I've known her for one fucking year and we haven't fucked. She still manages to keep me in the friend zone.

"I thought she quit being a stripper" I mumbled to myself. It was true I met her at my clubhouse because she was a stripper here but I didn't think I'd find a liking to her which I'm not going to admit to anyone, not even myself.

"Nope. I heard from one of the other girls that she had a family problem so she went off work for a while." Zandro informed me and I nod my head, facing the crowd. Vanessa is bent over a counter, talking to a bartender. M****a! The fucker is making a pass at her because I can see the way he's smirking and his lips are moving slowly like he's slurring.

"Hold my drink!" I shove my cup into Zandro's hand and start walking toward Vanessa. When she spots me coming over, she stands straight, a smirk on her face.

"Liano" she called my name before her hands go round my shoulder pulling me in for a hug. "I didn't think you'd be available. You said you were going to San Fransisco" When she pulled away, her brows were furrowed.

"Uh...it was postponed till next week," I say and she smiled, popping her dimples. "What about you?"

"I—I work here" she stuttered with an amused smile making me scratch behind my neck.

"Oh yeah, "idiot. Say something else.

"I should let you work then"

"No, no. I don't climb the stage until after midnight" Vanessa said softly before taking my hand and walking me out of the clubhouse into the quietness of the barroom where just a few people lingered, talking. "Let's grab a drink, I think I need one"

"Sure. Drinks on me" I say grabbing her a stool and she smiled before touching my cheeks with her hand.

"You're so sweet" she smiled and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, in the process of coming close, I could perceive her flowery scent that just seemed to turn me on so quickly. I stare at her lips for the longest time before I pull away.

"Why haven't you been at work before now?" I ask and see her eyes widen, all of a sudden she looked uncomfortable. "You don't want to talk about it?"

"Yes," She mumbled.

"Is there a problem? You can talk to me you know. You listen to my problems all the time" I hold her hand before kissing her knuckles and she smiles before running her hands through my hair. She was about to say something when a red-haired walked to us and tapped Vanessa.

"You're up in ten," She said before walking off.

"I have to go" she gets up, plants a kiss on my nose tip, and then hurried out of the bar.

...

Before I knew Vanessa I used to enjoy watching her dance on stage with the pole and doing all that strippers do but now I just dislike the fact that I'm not the only one watching her. I look to my left to see two older men chuckling and whispering to themselves before they throw her some money and my hands clenched. One even had a wedding band on his finger. What a screw-up! His wife must be so proud of him.

Someone comes to sit by my side and I could tell it was Zandro. Even Zandro is watching her and it's annoying. I huff like a child facing the stage. Vanessa does something with her hips before going up the pole, rolling down, and turning upside down. The men cheer and holler.

"Wow, how'd she do that" I hear Zandro mumble. Seriously?

Two half-naked girls walk up to us and start dancing in front of us, blocking my view. One even attempts to seat on my legs. "Fuck off" I snarl at her and she looked startled for a second before walking away but the other remained with Zandro and he found it fun.

...

I walk quickly behind Vanessa going to shut the door of her car before she could get in and she stared at me in surprise.

"Liano, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just come home with me tonight" I say and she sighs.

"I'd love to but I got to head home. I have responsibilities" she huffed, opening her purse and searching for God knows what.

"You know I sleep better when you're around," I tell her and she smiles in defeat.

"What about my car?"

"Ken would take it back home" I refer to my bodyguard and she nods before walking with me to my car, I open the passenger seat for her and she kissed my cheek before sliding into the car. I grin to myself like a schoolboy before shutting the door.

...

"Tea or coffee?"

"Tea please," Vanessa said and I walk to the counter to ready her drink when I feel her hands go round my waist from behind and she rests her cheek against my back. "Hmmm...I feel warm"

Chuckling, I turn around and hand her tea which she collects and drinks. "Nicely made"

"I learn from the best" I smirk. I was only good at making coffee but since Vanessa liked tea, I had to learn to make it and she thought me the best she could.

"Wow, she was must be impressive" she teased and I hold her waist.

"She is," I say matter of fact while my eyes linger on her lips. "Vanessa..." My hands cup her cheek. "You're beautiful"

"Thank you" she smiled before kissing my cheek.

"Kiss me on the lips" I pout, she rolled her eyes before brushing her lips against mine but I deeper the kiss, my hand going to the back of her neck to hold her in place. She fought to withdraw but soon gave in, moaning into the kiss. It was even better than the first time we kissed.

"Liano" she pants and I carry her up placing her on the counter. "We should stop"

"Perché?" I ask in my foreign tongue and she creased her brow. Why?.

My hands do a fond movement on her bare thighs making her squirm. "Give in to me" I grit my teeth and she rolled her head back, a smile on her face.

"Never"

"Oh, you will" I pressure and she chuckled before wrapping her arms around my neck. "I know you want me to Vanessa and I've wanted you for so long" a fucking year!

"Why want me? What about your other girls?" She said with no emotion on her face besides a tug at her lips.

"Vanessa"

"You've slept with them, haven't you? See, you don't need me, you've got it all."

"Ok fine, I slept with Hailey last month but I was thinking about you the whole time you've got to believe me" I beg like a lost kid and I can't believe I'm the one for a second. What the hell is this woman doing to me?. I see a sad expression cross her face when I said I slept with Hailey but in a sick way, it made me feel good that she was jealous.

"I think I should go home tonight" She suddenly said before hopping off the counter and I grit my teeth.

"No, no...just stay with me, please...I won't try anything, please" I say again and she glared at me for a long time before agreeing. I sweep her in my arms, carrying her to my bedroom and when I get there, I deposit her on the bed.

"What about Russo?" She suddenly asked.

"It's almost four, of course, he's asleep."

"You should tend more to him you know" Vanessa snuggled into my arms after she'd taken off her tiny dress and worn one of my big shirts. I hold her small frame to my body, kissing her forehead.

"I know. He's a smart kid and sometimes he likes to be alone" I chuckle. She runs her hand up and down my chest.

"You must be so proud of him"

"I am" I save her the sub-story of how my brother almost thought Russo was his if I had not come to the rescue but I think she knows a little about the story. My hands tangle in her hair as I think about so many ways I could get her to open up to me. I've pretty much told her everything about me, including my nightmares about my papa and all but she never tells me anything. I guess I'll just have to press more.