Illicit Proposition: A Dark Mafia Romance Read online

  You can do it, girl.

  I rolled my eyes from hearing my inner voice. The customers started to pile in, and I rushed into the back to start getting several cases of beer. At least Mark had listened to my idea about filling two of the unused sinks with ice, having cold brews ready to pop the lids. That had helped with productivity.

  When I returned with the third case, trying to slam the bottles into the frigid ice, I realized beads of perspiration were already dripping off my forehead and into the sink. Great.

  “Ms. Rapshire?”

  The voice wasn’t one I recognized, and nobody called me by my last name. It was usually either ‘hey, babe’ or ‘sugar’ in order to get my attention. “I’ll be right there. What can I get you?”

  “Um… I’m not here to partake in any beverages.”

  My God, the man was formal. I finally lifted my head. The person staring back at me couldn’t have shocked me any more than Mr. Blue Eyes wearing a dark suit and a red tie did. His attire was unusual as hell. “O-kay. Then what are you here for? If you’re looking for food, there’s a bar menu right over there.”

  “No food either.” He slid his fingers across the surface of the bar, taking a second before removing his hand.

  The neon glow coming from the lights under the plexiglass surface highlighted the fact the envelope was black with gold calligraphy writing, my name embossed on the front. “What’s this?”

  “An invitation.”

  I eyed him carefully. I’d never seen him before and I started to get the heebie-jeebies. “Um, I don’t know who you are, but I don’t accept invitations from strangers.”

  “Allow me to introduce myself.”

  Just then, I heard a huge crashing sound. When I looked over, I almost crawled across the bar. “Damn it. I’m sorry, but I gotta handle this.” The two assholes were hassling Jodie. That wasn’t going to happen on my watch, and especially since Mark was not only a chicken shit but cheap as shit as well. His refusal to hire bouncers in order to save money had cost us two good waitresses over the course of three months.

  “Of course,” he said.

  I didn’t wait to hear if the mysterious visitor had something else to say. I simply grabbed the baseball bat we kept behind the bar, moving onto the floor and in the direction of the assholes. Fuck. They were already drunk, and I’d only served them two beers. That mean they’d come into the place loaded and they were likely carrying a flask or two.

  “All right, boys. I think it’s time you paid your tab and left,” I snapped, keeping my hold on the bat firm, although I allowed it to drag along the floor. There was no sense inciting violence, even though I wanted to take a piece out of both of them.

  “Hey, sugar, why don’t you come party with us like your friend is gonna do.” The taller of the two was already slurring his words.

  “Like hell I will,” Jodie growled, able to push herself off the asshole.

  “Sweetness, I need to taste your nectar.” The second dude outweighed the first by a solid fifty pounds, but that didn’t bother me in the least. What did was when he lunged for Jodie.

  “That’s it. Get the hell out. If you don’t, I’m calling the police.” I took a step away, pushing Jodie then glaring from one to the other as I snapped the bat against my hand.

  “Look, she’s threatening us.” The taller asshole made the mistake of swaggering in my direction. By this point, there were a few nice customers surrounding us.

  “Leave her alone, jerk,” one of the good guys yelled.

  “Don’t worry, Jimmy. I can handle him.” I sidestepped the creep the first time, but there was something about the look in his eyes that let me know he wasn’t going to stop. The second long stride he took yanked the last of my patience away. I stuck out my foot, the man going down with a hard thud. Then I wrenched his arm behind his back, pressing the end of the bat against his kidney. “Here’s how we’re going to play this, dude. I’m going to let you up but in doing so, you’re going to be a very good boy. After that, you and your buddy are going to dip into your wallet where both of you will pull out every single bill you have. You owe this lady a tip. In fact, you owe everyone working the place a hefty wad of cash given your atrocious behavior. Today, just consider me in collections. You understand or do I need to help you do so?”

  Even as the second guy tried to intervene, the first cowboy knew it was in his best interest to do what I asked. That was, unless he wanted his arm snapped in two.

  “I got it. Fine. We’ll leave,” he muttered just as the crowd started clapping.

  “Way to go, Devon.”

  “You go, girl.”

  “Teach those assholes a lesson.”

  I took a step back, cocking my head. “I’m waiting.”

  They both grumbled but did as I asked, yanking out their wallets and to my surprise, several twenties. I waited until they were no longer in sight before snagging the money and taking a deep breath.

  The clapping continued.

  “You’re my hero,” Jodie said as she grinned.

  “Someone had to intervene.” I noticed Mark standing near the door and gave him a look. At this point, I dared him to chastise my behavior. I returned to my place behind the bar, trying to calm my nerves.

  “That was… impressive.”

  I eased the bat into position before returning my attention to the businessman. “Look, I’m not trying to be rude, but my patience was just sapped for the remainder of this night. What is this invitation?”

  He looked behind me, studying the liquor bottles stored on the shelves in front of the huge mirror. “Let’s just say something that might change your life, but only if you have the courage to follow through.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Courage? What was he talking about?

  The mystery guest simply turned around and faded into the crowd. What the hell? I slowly gazed down at the envelope, uncertain I wanted to bother opening it.

  “Who was that?” Jodie asked as she followed my gaze.

  “I have no idea. It’s some kind of invitation.”

  “To what?”

  “I’m not certain I want to find out.”

  “Maybe it’s an inheritance.”

  Huffing, I took one last look at the man before he faded out of sight. Courage. I had that in spades. “And you know that isn’t going to happen.”

  “You never know until you take a chance,” Jodie said in a singsong tone.

  Yeah, whatever. My luck wasn’t that good.

  Even though I’d shoved the invitation into my back pocket and continued to serve up drinks the rest of the night, the lure of looking at what might change my life kept rushing to the surface. When the last customer had been served for the night, I dragged the invitation back onto the bar, staring at the thick black envelope as if it was going to explode.

  “Open it, chicken,” Jodie taunted.

  “I don’t know if I should.”

  “What’s it going to hurt?”

  “Maybe everything.” I tapped the invitation with my fingers, pushing it forward and backward several times. What the hell. I could just toss it into the trash if it was another hokey scheme of some kind.

  I realized my hands were shaking as I peeled away the envelope flap, even swallowing hard as I pulled the thick notecard into the light, the damn thing also black as night. I read the invitation at least three times, uncertain what to think.

  “Come on. Don’t keep a girl in suspense.” Jodie leaned over the bar, an eager look on her face. “What does it say?”

  “Read it yourself.”

  She jerked it out of my hand, opening her eyes wide after a few seconds. “You’re cordially invited…” I could tell her eyes were scanning the lines several times like I’d done. “You’re kidding me. They’re asking you to come for a job interview?”

  “That’s what it says.”

  “For what?”

  “That’s the issue, who the hell knows?”

  “I think it’s exciting as hell.”


  “I think it’s weird. And it’s not going to happen.” Just as I started to tear it up, she placed her hand on mine.

  After giving me a stern look, she shook her head. “Don’t do that. There’s no harm in finding out what the request is all about.”

  “Request? It looks like a summons. What if it’s some kind of lure to kidnap me or something?”

  “And you really think they’d drop into a bar and hand deliver the notice to you?”

  I bit my inner cheek, trying to rationalize the offer as well as the crazy thought I had to find out what the bizarre invitation was all about. “Maybe.”

  She laughed. “Come on. At least sleep on it. You never know. The opportunity just might change your life.”

  Sighing, I grabbed the note, once again shoving it into my pocket. “Fine. I’ll think about it.”

  That’s exactly what I did.

  All. Night. Long.

  As I glared at the invitation in the morning light, I yanked out my laptop, googling the company. There was little about Dark Overture on the internet, but at least the address of the corporate headquarters was listed. The building was in the hottest business district in Atlanta where all the up-and-coming businesses and top corporate moguls had offices. While there was a website, the slick and colorful location was more of a landing page than anything.

  My hackles remained raised, but my curiosity was growing. I slid my cell phone closer, tapping the screen several times. This had to be a scam. I was much smarter than that. I pushed the phone away, determined to ignore it.

  Then I couldn’t stand not knowing.

  “Oh, what the hell.” I dialed the number, almost hanging up. When a receptionist answered, I found it difficult to speak. “Um, hi. This is Devon Rapshire.”

  “Yes, Ms. Rapshire. Mr. Darke mentioned you might call. We have an appointment for you this morning if that is suitable.”

  Jesus. They weren’t pushy or anything. “I guess that would be all right.”

  “An hour from now?”

  An hour. My God, I wasn’t even certain I could find anything suitable to wear.

  “I know it’s short notice, but Mr. Darke has a busy schedule today. Don’t worry, there is parking under the building.”

  “I guess that would be fine.”

  “Excellent. Mr. Darke is looking forward to meeting with you. We’ll see you then.”

  When the call was ended, I slapped my forehead. “What the hell did you just get yourself into?”

  Whatever the case, I definitely needed a change. Maybe karma was finally coming to my rescue.

  Or maybe this was the devil ready to drag me straight to hell.

  Chapter 2

  Devon

  Dark Overture.

  I’d been in several offices over the years but none as posh and incredibly spacious as the one I was standing in. Even the receptionist area had marble floors and the kind of art on the walls that I’d never be able to afford. I’d never felt so out of place in my life. I couldn’t even stand the thought of sitting on the gorgeous leather furniture.

  Sighing, I paced the floor, loathing the way I looked. I didn’t need to own expensive clothing, thank God since I couldn’t afford them, but I was significantly underdressed. The simple black skirt and basic crisp white tee shirt was all I’d been able to muster together given the short timing. I was nervous, finding it almost impossible to breathe.

  “Stop worrying, Ms. Rapshire. Mr. Darke might seem formidable but he’s really a pussycat once you get past his crusty exterior.”

  I almost laughed hearing the receptionist’s short description of him. She was as lovely as a person could be, very down to earth and almost motherly. But looks could be deceiving. “Have you worked with him for long?”

  “Oh, yes. He’s difficult to say no to.” She winked then returned to whatever she was working on behind the desk.

  A lump formed in my throat as I tried to take several deep breaths.

  One minute passed.

  Five.

  I had difficulty breathing at all.

  When I heard a buzzing sound coming from behind her desk only a couple of minutes later, I thought I was going to jump out of my skin.

  “Yes, sir. I’ll send her right in.” She gave me another far too perky smile. “Mr. Darke is ready for you. He apologizes for the delay. Just go to the end of the hall. You can’t miss his office.”

  I nodded, trying to get my legs to work. I hadn’t been in a pair of heels in so long I felt awkward, certain I looked ridiculous. As I headed down the corridor, I took comfort in the fact there were several other people in various offices. At least it was a real company. Mr. Darke’s double door seemed larger than what would be considered normal. Maybe the man had a God complex.

  I barely placed my knuckles on the wood when I heard him calling from behind the door.

  “Come in, Devon.”

  As I opened the door, I thought twice about backing out of the meeting. What did I have to prove to myself? Right? Courage. I had to find some level of courage. I walked in with my head held high, almost immediately slumping from seeing the gorgeous office complete with floor-to-ceiling windows and a corner bar.

  The man himself was just as I’d expected, debonair and sexy, although with his dark suit and tie, he appeared standoffish. While he wore no expression of any kind, his eyes were electric in the way they gazed down the length of me. The look wasn’t one of lurid longing but sizing me up.

  For what?

  “I’m Daniel Darke. I’m glad you decided to accept the invitation. Please have a seat.”

  While I did as he asked, I remained on the edge, staring at him with just as much scrutiny as he gave me. “What is this place? Who are you? What do you do? And why would you be offering me a job of any kind? You don’t know me at all.”

  He seemed amused that I was prattling on with questions, his slight smirk turning into a smile. “All in good time, Devon, but I do know you better than you realize.”

  “Yeah? How is that possible since you just met me?” I knew the defiance in my voice likely pissed him off. So what?

  Exhaling, he retrieved an iPad from his pristine desk, entering his code then taking his time to scroll through his files. “You were born in San Diego but when you were eight, your family moved to Madrid given your father’s work with the state department. You were formally educated there until your family’s return when you were seventeen. That’s where things went awry for you given your attachment to a boy who led you into a criminal life. Before you reached the age of eighteen, you’d successfully pulled off two of the largest and most difficult jewelry heists in Washington, DC.”

  He stopped long enough to glance in my direction, his eyes glistening as if the damn information was juicy instead of old news.

  “Fortunately, your father had kept his diplomatic influence, his power and contacts keeping you out of jail. However, the deal that was made still tarnished your record, preventing you from obtaining any security clearance as well as squashing many job opportunities. You currently work at Rowdy’s, a country western bar and restaurant, but you also translate romance novels into Spanish. Even with the two jobs, you’re barely able to make your rent. Your favorite color is purple, your favorite band Disturbed, and you prefer red wine to white. While you’re highly educated, you can certainly handle your own, including protecting people who work with you in extremely difficult situations. What you did last night was extraordinary, a true depiction of your character. How am I doing so far?”

  I was floored, shaken to my very core. My record had been sealed, at least for the most part, although my name had been libeled in the paper years ago. The little bastard from the night before had tattled on me. Had the fucker been watching and following me? Oh, my God. How stupid could I have been? “What do you want from me? Who are you?”

  Mr. Darke took a deep breath, lowering the iPad and leaning over his desk. “Fair enough. I know about your life, but you know little about m
y company. Dark Overture is a firm catering to mostly men, although we’ve certainly had our share of female clients, who are looking for a perfect companion to work with them for a short period of time.”

  That was it. I moved to a standing position, giving him a nasty hiss. “No way. I had a bad feeling about this. I’m not a prostitute, Mr. Darke. I hope in that little file you have on me it tells you that I haven’t even had a boyfriend of any type in two freaking years. I also hope it tells you that my father died of cancer, which drained almost every penny from my parents’ bank account. My mother went soon after of a broken heart. Did you get that in your great dig into my life?”

  “I am sorry about the loss of your parents. I know how lonely that can make a person feel. As far as a special someone in your life, yes, I’m well aware that you’ve shied away from dating, which also makes you perfect.”

  “Perfect? For what? Do you have some crazy, ugly billionaire standing behind door number three that you’re ready to sell me off to? Or is this about some kinky prince from a godforsaken foreign country who wants to sell me into slavery? I want nothing to do with shit like that. I might not have a penny to my name, but I do have my integrity and I plan on keeping it.” When I turned away, storming toward the door, I wasn’t certain what I expected, but it wasn’t total silence.

  I managed to grab the handle when he cleared his throat.

  “Are you finished with your tantrum so we can discuss the arrangement I mentioned?” His question made me furious.

  His quiet demeanor also made my curiosity go through the roof. I took several deep breaths before turning to face him. “Make this quick. I don’t have all day.”

  He chuckled. “I assure you that the arrangements are not sexual in nature, although what you do behind closed doors is your business. Some of our clients have found the attraction irresistible. However, I have strict rules that must not be crossed. I will cut to the chase since I can see your time is precious. My client is interested in your perfect Spanish as well as your ability to understand and appreciate culture in Spain. As you know, the dialect is entirely different than what is spoken in the United States. In addition, there are other skills that he finds perfect for him.”