Page 30 of Tempting the President
The doors open, and I’m hit with a wall of sensory overload: leather, whiskey, and the low growl of conversation. I’m in a dimly lit club, all concrete walls and industrial steel, a stark contrast to the penthouse’s luxury.
Men and women in leather jackets lounge on mismatched furniture, their sleeves rolled up to show tattoos of skulls and chains. The air smells of engine oil and danger, and I freeze, clutching my bag like a shield.
Is it just me...or does this place seem exactly like a supposedly fictional club featured in Eina L. Haze’s most popular series?
A guy with a buzz cut and a scar across his cheek spots me, his eyes narrowing. “Who’s this?” he calls, and my stomach drops as all heads turn...toward me.
Gulp.
How in the world did I end up here again?
No, wait.
Maybe the better question is...how in the world did a place like this end up occupying prime real estate space in Midnight Tower?
Doesn’t that mean Patrizio has to know about this? And that he’s a part of this world—
Don’t overthink, Jayne!
It’s very much possible that a club like this exists in Midnight Tower because of his friends, not him. Didn’t Patrizio mention about Giancarlo being in charge of their company’s properties? He could have been the one to lease this...and all without Patrizio knowing. Or maybe it’s Stefano who’s behind this, withhow he likes to invest in all sorts of things. And who knows, maybe even Jamie—
Ouch!
A woman shoves me back for no reason, and I glance up. And up. And up. Because she’s unbelievably tall. Like...I have no idea how tall Charlize Theron is, but she’sthatkind of tall, and so dramatically beautiful with her deep-set eyes, vividly red lips, and yes,of courseshe also has legs that go for days.
I take sidestepping her, but she mimics my move to block my way.
Huh.
She crosses her arms over her chest, and when the other women around her do the same thing, that’s when I realize fear might have gotten the better of me, since it’s only at this moment I realize I’m actually being...bullied?
“You don’t look like you belong here.”
She...totally has a point, and so I just nod. “I was about to leave—”
“Not so fast.”
She looks at me from head to toe, and every member of her clique—let me see, there’s one, two...seven,eight!—all eight members of her clique are actually following her lead like they’re some kind of flash mob...or playing a game of Simon Says?
“How did you get in here?”
I point to the elevator...which turns out to be a big mistake since all eight of her sidekicks gasp while Head Villainess here looksat me like she’s suddenly developed an intense dislike toward professors with more curiosity than sense.
“Which unit?”
“I don’t think I’m allowed to say—”
She takes a threatening step forward, and me being me—
“The penthouse,” I say right away.
I choose peace over violence, and that’s all there is to it, and my decision absolutely doesn’t mean I’m a wimp or...why are they all looking at me like theyknowI have an electric bike charging in my garage?
She’s lying, Harlie!
Lemme at her!
Just say the word, and I’ll slap this bitch all the way to hell!
