Dario always woke up early, and because I was forced to be by his side so much, I did as a result too. Today though, when he roughly stirred and awoke me with a shake, I didn't need to open my eyes and check the clock to know even this was a ridiculous time to be up.

"I swear, there's no way I've gotten more than an hour of sleep tops." I shooed him hand away with as much force as my half asleep body could conjure.

"Don't make me drag you out of bed, Bella. We have somewhere we need to be, ASAP." I could hear the grit of his teeth.

"Where do we need to be?"

He was already fully dressed. I could smell the soap and cologne that clung to his body, the small droplets of water that fell from his perfectly tousled hair.

"I have some unexpected business I need to attend to at my club." He said.

"And you can't go there alone?"

"No, there's a task I need your help with." He grabbed my ankle, lightly tugging me.

I wiggled my leg out of his grasp, ignoring the heat that took over my body from his touch.

His response caused every last bit of sleep to leave me. He wanted to involve me in something related to his business? This meant he was starting to trust me, I was about to be privy to his private affairs in a way I've never been before.

"Give me twenty minutes and I'll be ready." I hopped out of bed with a newfound energy.

He grabbed a hold of my shoulders and tipped my chin up with his finger. "You get ten, darling, and don't test me, I have no qualms dragging you out of here half dressed."

"You would let the whole of downtown New Jersey catch a glimpse of my bare ass?"

"It's the middle of the night, the only person in downtown New Jersey that would catch a peep is me." His minty breath fanned against my face.

"Always wanting to peep, Mr. Moretti. If you want to see me naked you can just come out and say it."

"I don't want to see you naked." He pulled my face towards his and planted a kiss on my jaw. "I want to fuck this smug attitude out of you once and for good."

The rasp of his voice came out harder, brown eyes shined darker. Goosebumps prickled up and down my skin and a low ache began to settle in my core. But he couldn't know that, fuck no.

"You'd have to have one astronomically magical dick to do that." I took a stand back from him to regain my composure.

"I've got something in that nature." He smirked, taking a step towards me. "Now go get yourself ready, you only have eight minutes left. I'll be waiting in the lobby."

I gave him a good view of my middle finger and hurried to take a quick shower.

I decided to wear something a bit different after– a tight blue strapless dress that hugged my body. It stopped a measly few inches past my ass, and coupled with some heels, made me feel sexier than I have in a while. I didn't have time to do makeup or anything with my hair, but I was still club ready.

I was two minutes over the eight minutes I was given, but granted the abruptness of everything, Dario should be more than happy with all the effort I made in the first place.

He paced the front entrance of the lobby with an impatience that let me know the last emotions he felt were happiness. His head snapped to the side and took me in with an intense lingering gaze that started at the heel of my feet all the way up to my face.

Why did it make me feel shy? Why did it make me feel alive?

His brother never had an effect like this on me, not even close. I hoped the loathing I felt for Dominic would transfer over to Dario, but it only has in passing. It refuses to permanently stay.

"No loungewear tonight, Bella?" He asked.

"I'm not wearing yoga pants to a club." I rolled my eyes. "I know how to clean myself up from time to time."

I marched past him through the sliding doors to go outside.

A black SUV, similar to the one Dario was driving earlier, pulled up and the valet quickly exited the driver's seat to hand the keys to Dario.

"Where's Sonny and the rest of your men?" I asked.

"This was a last minute thing, we'll be in and out of the club in a few hours so I'll let them have their night off," he said.

The drive to his club didn't take too long and the packed parking lot caught my attention first, followed by the big sign plastered on top of the dark building.

The Coin gentleman club.

"It's a strip club?" I shot him a glare.

He pulled into a parking spot up front, not taking his eyes off the road to notice the look I gave him.

"Yes."

"From children's clothing stores, to strip clubs. Talk about diversifying a portfolio." I muttered.

"Indeed, Bella. If there's money to be made in an industry, who am I to not take advantage of it?"

"With all these industries you've taken advantage of, what's even the point of all the mafia stuff on top of it anyways? Wouldn't it just be easier to go fully legit and continue your legal business ventures instead of all this fighting with your brother?"

He took his seatbelt off and fell back against the seat, seriously pondering my question for a second.

"It's complicated. I've taken over the empire my father built, he tasked me with continuing his legacy. It's my duty to see it through," he said.

"But is it something you actually want to do or do you just do it because you feel it's your duty?" I asked.

Dario hopped out of the car and firmly closed his door. He walked around and opened mine, holding his hand out for me to take.

"Stop asking so many questions." He ended the conversation and guided me towards the back doors.

The response let me know I struck a chord. This was definitely something he's thought of before.

I could hear the bass of some upbeat music as we entered the doors labeled, staff only. We walked through a dimly lit hall, clouds of smoke puncturing the air and an overall smell of marijuana and other substances filling my nostrils.

As we neared the singular door up ahead, I could hear the sound of multiple panicked voices and overall shuffling.

"Yo, shotgun's here tonight, put that shit away before he gets all of our asses."

The inside of The Coin, at least this particular area, felt seedy, dangerous. The lights overhead flickered on and off like it could shut for good at any moment. The floors were dusty, the beige paint that covered the walls were chipping, and there was an overall smell of sweat and smoke. This was not how I'd expect Dario to upkeep any side of his businesses.

When he grabbed my arm before we entered the room, I actually appreciated the effort for once.

He led me in and stopped right by the door.

"What the hell have you done with my club?" Dario didn't have to scream to get everyone's attention. As soon as he walked through the door, as soon as he opened his mouth, all eyes were on him and all chatter turned to complete silence.

There were eight men in the room, and three half dressed women sitting amongst them.

"Dario, hey, it's nice to see you again." While the seven other men had the foresight to crawl into their shell, one unfortunate fool decided to cut the tension with a bright smile and overly enthusiastic tone like everything was peaches and sunshine. As he got closer and we could take in the smell that clung to him and the dilation of his pupils, it all started to make more sense.

I could hear Dario's heavy breathing, I didn't need to turn to him to know he was fuming.

The man held his hand out, hoping for Dario to take it for a shake. He waited a few awkward seconds while Dario looked down at his hand like it was diseased, which caused him to finally pull it back and take in the severity of the situation.

"Dario, we didn't expect a visit from you tonight. It's nice to see you. The place... it's had better days I'll admit. We're working on it." Another man, who pulled one of the strippers off his lap, recomposed himself to speak up.

He was slender and tall, with shaggy blonde hair that didn't look as mature as the lines and wrinkles that covered his face.

"We'll discuss the state of this dump later. Where the hell is Carlos?" Dario looked around the room with agitation.

"Last I talked to him he said he'd be here twenty minutes ago. I don't know, boss," shaggy blonde said.

The men and women began shifting their eyes from Dario to me. Strong gazes of question and curiosity, especially at the sight of our entwined hands. I still felt uneasy but I knew better than to let it show on my face, so instead, I kept my head held high and carried a false air of confidence.

"When he shows up, do me a favor and direct him to the count room, where I'll be waiting for him and most importantly, going over the numbers to make sure we haven't for any reason fallen short of our expected revenue."

If the men looked panicked before, now they looked like they were about to crawl out of their skin.

Dario led me out of the room, letting the men continue to panic behind him. We walked from the seedy back area, to the much more vibrant club front. The space is big. Dark lighting entrenches the lower seating area, where clusters of dark circular tables take up the space. It further enhanced the bright lights focused on the runway stage. Various poles line the runway, with women who ranged from half dressed- to fully naked, dancing and continuing to remove the small articles of clothes they had left on, to sensual R&B music.

The VIP sections were located on the upper level, each table with dark and red plush seats and a curtain that some had completely closed off, while others had wide open. The club was mostly men but there were a considerable number of women that accompanied them as well. Some were indifferent and bored, while others were just as enthusiastic as the men seated with them. Large sums of dollar bills filled the stage and floors of the VIP sections.

We moved through the clusters of tables on the lower level in such a quick manner, I was barely able to keep up with Dario if not for his hand being in mine.

"Did you need my help going over the numbers? I used to help my neighbor with his financials when I worked at his store in high school, I know a good deal," I said.

"No." Dario nearly scoffed. "That's not what I brought you here for."

I pulled his arm back, forcing him to stop in his tracks besides the bar area. "What exactly did you bring me here for?"

He lifted his free hand and pointed towards the bar. "We're understaffed, I need you to fill in for an hour or two."

He said it so nonchalantly with such a straight face that there was no mistaking it for a joke, yet, I still felt like cracking up in his face and reaching straight for his neck.

"You woke me in the middle of the night, brought me all the way to a strip club, just to have me fill in for your delinquent bartenders?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"I don't know how to be a bartender. I don't have any experience. I'm a chef, I work with food, not alcohol."

He tugged me towards the inside of the bar, and took his hand out of mine to place them on my shoulders. He had the audacity to actually begin rubbing my shoulders in a backhanded comforting way.

"I believe in you, Bella."

I was left stunned as he placed a kiss on my cheek and began walking away.

He moved to the back of the club and disappeared through the door.

I stood there for a minute, completely dumbfounded until I heard someone loudly clearing their throat.

I turned around to the scowl of a man that was nearly as big as Sonny. "Can I get my goddamn beer already? I've been waiting for half an hour."

It took me another few seconds to realize he was sneering at me. As if I was some incompetent worker and not an innocent woman forced into a job I was not prepared for.

Thankfully, Dario began making his way back up front. I rushed from the bar to meet him halfway, ignoring the curses the beer guy sent me.

"I'm not doing this. How much are you paying me anyways? You didn't think you'd get free labor out of me did you?" Cause you won't. I want- I want $5,000 an hour." I concluded.

"Fine." He agreed.

"Um, did you hear me? I said $5,000 an hour."

"I heard you loud and clear. You do a decent job, I'll give you the money."

I couldn't really argue with that. "Well, okay then. I guess I'll be your bartender."

"Just a word of advice, Bella, having a line of angry customers does not constitute doing a good job. I suggest you go back to your post and serve our guests if you want your money." He curled up the corner of his mouth and once again went to the back room.

It was hard, but I managed to put aside my irritation at Dario to start my work. I won't lie, all the bottles, glasses, and taps were overwhelming, and the line of impatient horny men were even more daunting. I had to push it all aside, though. After everything Dario put me through so far, I was gonna get every penny I could out of him.

After some struggle, I managed to procure a glass of beer for the douchebag, from the tap. He awarded me for it by throwing his money on the counter and continuing a string of insults about the club under his breath.

"Hey!" The next customer to call for my attention was a much smaller man that looked much friendlier. "I know you're like swarmed but can me and my buddies just get a round of tequila shots."

"No problem, coming right up," I said.

I grabbed a tray and five shot glasses, giving the nice man his drinks as quickly as possible. After him, the orders kept coming in at a steady pace.

I didn't crack, not even close. I was swift with the bartending, taking in requests and producing drinks without breaking a sweat. The club goers slowly turned from agitated to enthused. I was able to crack jokes and make small talk with those who sat at the bar and time flew without me noticing.

It came as a pleasant surprise to me, and I didn't take long to understand why I enjoyed it so much. I hadn't worked in weeks. I'd been following Dario around like a lost puppy or sitting around his house with no real responsibilities for far too long. I've been working since I was fourteen, I wasn't used to such a lax life.

Two men in sharp suits took up the two newly empty stools by the bar. They stood out immediately with their professional attire compared to the casual and club-y clothes of everyone else.

Despite their matching suits, their actual appearance couldn't be more than polar opposite. One was a tall, dark-haired, dark-skinned man, while the other was a shorter, red-headed, pale man. I noticed how they leaned into each other, whispering for quite some time.

After I finished with my last guess, I went over to them, leaning against the bar and smiling curiously at them. "What can I get you two?"

Their faces were hard set in a neutral expression that made it hard for me to decipher their emotions. For a strip club in the middle of the night, that was definitely rare.

"This is Dario Moretti's club, right? I heard he's in town, did he come in tonight?" The red-head asked.

"Oh." I paused for a moment because not only was the question unexpected, I didn't know how to respond. Were we supposed to be here secretly? Was there ever even a way to be here secretly? I decided to play it safe and remain tight-lipped.

"I'm not sure, I just work the bar. I answer to whatever greasy man lays half unconscious in the back." I tried to laugh casually.

The men did as well, but it came out stiff, fake as hell. I eyed them more curiously. Something felt off.

The dark-haired one must've felt the same way about me, his gaze held a similar curious suspicion.

"We'll just take two old-fashions and catch the show to get out of your hair." He pointed towards the stage where women continued to dance.

"Alright." I turned to make their drinks, relieved they'd be moving further away from me.

I slid their drinks to them and tried to give my best customer service smile. They grabbed the glasses and walked down to get seats at an empty table. I couldn't look away. They didn't even watch the show, instead, their eyes were focused on their phone screens or they chatted closely in each other's ears.

I was so focused on studying their behavior, I didn't notice Dario approaching the bar.

"You did well, Bella. You've earned your $10,000, now let's go back to the hotel." He said.

I didn't even look in his direction. I shooed him, still watching the men in black who began surveying the entire club space as if they were frantically searching for someone.

"Do those two men look familiar to you?" Right as I pointed at them, their eyes caught sight of me and it caused a chill to hit my spine.

They then shifted to Dario and rose out of their seats so abruptly the small table nearly flipped over.

"Motherfucker." Dario hissed, reaching into the belt of his dress pants.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked.

Before my question could be answered, I saw Dario pulling a handgun out of his waistband. I turned to look at the men and their guns were drawn as well.

It all happened so fast. The men lifted their guns to the ceiling and shot five rounds into the sky. Deafening bangs pierced the space, causing the music to abruptly stop and screams of panic to ring all around. Everyone ran for their lives, pure chaos blurred everything else.

They pointed their guns towards Dario as he reached for my hand and just as the shots fired, all the lights shut off, leading to complete darkness in the club.