Beyond the Velvet Rope (15 page)

A group of their friends occupied the vehicle following them. This concerned Thandie when she’d arrived at their hotel, but after being introduced to each one, they seemed harmless enough.

Their caravan pulled up to the entrance of Club Babylon a little after eleven. Nate, a natural superstar, leaped from the SUV and smiled at the crowd anxiously waiting to enter the club. Even if he were not a celebrity, he held an air about him which demanded people take notice. It did not take long for him to be recognized. The screams began, accompanied by the blinding flashes of lights. Ever the gentleman, Nate helped the ladies climb out of the vehicle. Len and Raja were all too happy to latch themselves onto each of his arms. Thandie exited the SUV just before Carey, and the crowd went crazy again. Carey Charming was not as comfortable before an audience. He did not shrink away from it, but unlike his friend, he steered away from the crowd.

Placing a reassuring hand on his back, Thandie guided their party into the building before the crowd had time to get out of control. Already, people who were standing in line at other clubs were leaving to join the long line outside Babylon.

Once inside, Thandie could not have been more impressed with the club’s staff. Because she had called them before arriving, they were well prepared. Security gave them a wide berth, while Thandie and the girls navigated the group toward the VIP level.

Adam greeted her warmly before turning to welcome their party. They were ushered to a corner booth and drink orders were made. Thandie browsed the room and silently approved of Adam’s work. This level of the VIP area was filled with tall, beautiful women—if possible, more attractive than the normal VIP guests.

Len coaxed a few members of their party to the dance floor. This allowed the remaining group to spread out a little on the cushioned seats. This was apparently an invitation for every platinum blonde in VIP to occupy the recently vacated seats. Within seconds, five fashionably dressed women had infiltrated the ranks. They’d pressed themselves into every nook and cranny possible. Thandie, who was positioned between the two athletes, counted herself fortunate. Because neither had moved, she was comfortably seated.

Nate and Carey seemed unfazed by the presence of the newest arrivals. Indeed, they laughed and toasted one round of beers after another, paying little attention to their smiling admirers. Nate did his share of flirting, but Thandie quickly determined he was more talk than action. Carey exercised a different tactic. Although he appeared to be ignoring their company, more than once Thandie caught him slip a sly wink to the woman seated next to Nate.

She guessed that he, like Elliot, was a predator. She frowned at the comparison and immediately pushed it out of her mind. She might have succeeded, had the devil himself not entered the lounge at that very minute. Elliot spoke briefly to Adam before crossing the crowded room to their corner. He made eye contact with Thandie, and she stood to introduce him. Smooth as ever, Elliot reached for her, giving her a light and unassuming kiss on the lips. This, she suspected, was more for the benefit of their guests. Releasing her, he turned to the group and introduced himself to both men.

Years of experience must have taught him how to identify the hangers-on, as he expertly avoided the opportunistic women.

Thandie was amazed by his finesse. His natural confidence worked its magic over the group. He did not treat the men like celebrities. Instead, he treated them casually, as if they’d known each other for years. They immediately insisted he join them for a drink. Elliot agreed, only if they allowed him to pay for the next round. This offer was warmly accepted, and soon Adam was helping the waitresses deliver several trays of various beers and cocktails.

It struck Thandie how easily Elliot blended into the group. Even in the presence of hunky athletes, he still managed to trump them with his natural charm. He’d effortlessly shifted the group’s attention from the celebrities to himself, which seemed to take the pressure off Carey and Nate, putting them more at ease. Soon, the three of them were chuckling amongst themselves like newly found frat brothers. At some point, they’d slipped into speaking in code, a secret guy language that consisted of head nods, random shrugs of the shoulders and half-sentences.

Feeling left out, Thandie excused herself from the table. It was clear they wanted guy time. She wouldn’t dream of interfering, but it annoyed her that Elliot had so easily staked claim on her guests. Glancing at her recently vacant seat, she saw Elliot had stretched out, effectively eliminating her spot.

Scowling, Thandie searched out Raja and Len in the crowd. As usual, they were easy to spot. Both were laid across the bar, laughing uproariously, while guys took turns slurping body shots off their bare bellies. Right in the middle of the rowdy crush stood Warren, waiting his turn. Thandie could not quite remember if all these men were a part of the group they were hosting tonight. Even though it wasn’t the most tasteful method, the girls were doing their jobs; which was to make the club as entertaining as possible.

Spotting Romero, Elliot’s assistant, a few feet away Thandie inclined her head to him. He did the same, then he glanced at the girls. A look of utter disgust passed over his face, seconds before he exited the VIP area. Thandie couldn’t blame him. The girls were being outrageous tonight, but Elliot, Nate and Carey were laughing at the spectacle, and Adam gave Thandie a thumbs-up.

When Thandie finally returned to their table, the group became silent, as if her presence meant they had to stop having fun. Taking the awkward silence as his cue, Elliot stood to his full height. Carey and Nate followed his lead, forming massive mountains of flesh on either side of Elliot.

“Going somewhere?” Thandie asked.

Elliot flashed her one of those cocky grins she had labeled as his “I’m in control” expression. “Actually, I’m taking the guys to Matrix’s.” Before she could ask who or what Matrix was, Elliot pressed his hand against the small of her back and pulled her forward. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, “One day soon, I’m going to fuck you in those shoes.”

She’d been stunned. After the initial surprise wore off, she was too angry to speak. Instead, she’d watched Elliot lead Nate O’Conner and Carey Charming out of the club. Their entourage followed closely behind. Len and Raja made a sad attempt to join the departing group, but Elliot turned on them immediately and shook his head. That froze the girls where they stood. And they, like Thandie, stood planted in place while the group exited the building.

When her senses finally returned, Thandie’s face darkened. How dare he steal her guests! They’d barely been there for an hour before Elliot had whisked them away. And his whispered words...damn him. At first, she’d thought it had been part of his seduction, but the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. The words played a continuous loop in her head until she was practically shaking with fury. She now knew why he had whispered those words. He’d meant to shock her. He’d meant for her to be so completely undone she would be too paralyzed to argue. That sneaky bastard!

Her anger must have been evident on her face. Raja and Len rushed toward her with pouty faces, clearly frustrated with Nate and Carey’s exit, however, one look at Thandie and they scurried away in the opposite direction. Adam Parr approached her with caution. Calmly, he took the club soda out of her hand and pushed it toward a passing waiter to deal with. Lifting her hands to his chest, he squeezed them lightly.

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist you smile for me,” he said cheerfully. “Snarling is unbecoming on you, babe.”

“What is Matrix?” she asked.

“Matrix Lang?” he asked.

“How the hell am I supposed to know?” she snapped. Taking a deep breath, she offered her apology. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t meant for you.”

Adam gave another sunny smile. “Not to worry. You’re entitled to be upset. Your guests just got hijacked right out from under your nose.”

“He said he was taking them Matrix’s.”

Adam’s smile disappeared in a flash. “Be thankful you were not asked to go. That’s no place for a lady.”

“Says who?”

“Says someone who knows better.” He fixed her with a serious look. “I know you’re plenty pissed right now, but take my word for it when I say you came out better than you think. Had you been a man, Elliot would have expected you join them.”

Again she asked, “Who is Matrix?”

“Matrix Lang is a friend of Elliot’s. He owns a string of fitness clubs. He’s a bit of a celebrity around here, but he’s more popularly known for his house parties. Anything and everything has been known to happen there. Invite only.”

“Why would Elliot take them there?”

Adam rolled his eyes when he answered her. “Do you really need me to answer that?”

No, she didn’t.

Reading her face, Adam nodded. “I see it’s beginning to sink in now. Matrix’s parties are a pretty big deal. I take it they were suddenly interested in coming after you told them about our ‘no camera’ policy.”

Thandie hesitated.

“That’s what I thought,” he said smugly. “Chances are your two football stars aren’t supposed to be seen together. They probably asked Elliot where they could party in private.” He shrugged. “Matrix’s is the perfect place.”

“Whatever,” she grumbled. “He could have at least told me that.”

This made Adam laugh. “Count yourself fortunate he told you as much as he did.” Looking over her shoulder, he nodded. “Rex is coming. Are you up to making kissy faces with him, or do you want to have some fun?”

She scrunched her nose at him. “What did you have in mind?”

“You’ll have to come with me to find out.” Placing his hand over his heart, he said, “No funny business, I promise. Just a little fun amongst friends. Besides, you didn’t wear those shoes only to go home early.”

“What about the girls?” she asked. “I need to tell them I’m leaving.”

“Call them from the car.” Taking her hand, he tugged her toward the emergency exit. “Follow me, Alice. I have someplace wonderful to take you.”

Pausing only for a second, Thandie allowed Adam to lead the way.

True to his word, Adam had indeed shown her another side of Miami nightlife. He’d taken her to Red Door. Thandie was immediately concerned when the bouncer pulled the entrance door open. The club was decorated completely in hues of red. From the ceiling to the floor, nothing but red...and women. Adam had neglected to remind her Red Door was a lesbian club. Not that it mattered to her, but she would have liked to have been forewarned.

Boasting about the mojitos, Adam offered her a tall, frosted cylinder of green liquid before sipping from his own cocktail. Somewhat suspicious, Thandie drank from her glass slowly. True to his word, it was good. Very good. Before long, she was on her second glass and eager to start her third. Between waiting for refills, she found herself swaying to a techno remix of Madonna’s “Deeper and Deeper.” She was not exactly sure when she’d stepped onto the dance floor. But none of that mattered now.

She vaguely remembered dancing with Adam. He seemed to be more entertained watching Thandie dance with other women. Their soft hands felt good on her body, making her yearn for more. She was not attracted to women, but it was a wonderful experience to be touched without feeling the pressure to give something back in return. She was soothed by the idea of being surrounded by pretty women. Elliot Richards soon became a blurred memory from the past. She felt as if she was stepping out of her body, as easily as if it were a silken garment. The desperation to put tonight’s frustrations behind her was strong. If she had to use alcohol to do it, so be it.

* * *

The morning sun touched the Miami sky, painting the heavens in dusky hues of golds and lavender. It was not yet four in the morning.

And as the east coast was waking up, Thandie was preparing for bed. She stepped unsteadily out of the shower, clumsily wrapping a thick towel around her body. Her hair still smelled of smoke, but she was simply too tired to wash it now.

In the end, it had been up to Adam to take her home. When he pulled up to Warren’s house, he’d been forced to carry her because she simply could not walk in her shoes. Thandie babbled incoherently into Adam’s neck, while he struggled to unlock the front door. He lowered her gently to the floor, laughing when Thandie kicked off the shoes as if her feet were on fire. She listened to him make a bed for himself on Warren’s sofa while she bumped her way blindly toward her bedroom.

Now, patting herself dry, Thandie folded the towel over a chair before climbing into bed naked. She pulled the covers over her shoulders and sighed heavily. The sheets were cool, perfect for dreamless sleep, but as appealing as the idea was, her thoughts were restless. Her mind was racing in a dozen directions, and she was struggling mightily to keep her temper under control.

Tonight was supposed to have been perfect. She’d managed to wrangle two football stars into a club she was marketing. The rest should have been a cakewalk. What she hadn’t counted on was...well...Elliot. Thandie pulled the sheets high over her head. For the hundredth time, she asked herself how it was possible for such a good night to go so terribly wrong? The answer was simple. Elliot.

She still could not believe he’d stolen Nate and Carey out from under her. If she’d entertained any notions before that Elliot might make her job bearable, she was wrong. This was a lesson learned. Quietly, she vowed she would not let him grandstand around her again like that. Where Elliot was involved, she would be on her guard both personally and professionally.

Chapter Ten

T
he first phone call came shortly after ten o’clock in the morning, and the rest soon followed.

The word was out. Everyone was talking about Carey Charming and Nate O’Conner being at Club Babylon. Before leaving the club with Adam last night, Thandie had sent tweets, Facebook updates and emails to her new local contacts, alerting them of Babylon’s recent guests. It had taken a few hours before catching on, and now the news had gone viral. Aided by the buzz surrounding Carey and Nate’s free agent status, it was still trending on all the top social networks.

Alternating between washing her face and brushing her teeth, Thandie was hard at work distributing the news to any journalist, gossip columnist or TV reporter willing to listen. She repackaged when needed, embellished when necessary, and mentioned the club at every opportunity. Although the evening hadn’t gone the way she’d planned, Thandie was still reaping the benefits of securing the appearance.

When there was finally a lull in the phone calls, Thandie finished dressing. By the time she made her way downstairs to check on Adam, she was wide awake. She located him in the kitchen, seated at the breakfast nook with Warren, nursing a cup of coffee. Folding down a corner of his newspaper, Warren grinned at her. “Good morning, kiddo.” He nudged his chin toward Adam. “Look what I found asleep on the couch.”

Thandie gave him a smile. “How do you feel?”

“Well enough,” Adam said sleepily.

“How was the couch?”

“Better than you might think.” He dragged a hand through his untidy hair. “I think I was worse off than you. Who would have thought mojitos could be such a kick in the ass?”

Thandie slipped into the breakfast nook, opposite Adam. “Thanks for bringing me back home.”

“No problem. You needed to cut loose.”

“Will you get into trouble for leaving the club early?” she asked.

“Nah. Thanks to you, my boss didn’t notice. I doubt he returned to Babylon last night. Matrix’s parties run late into the night.”

“Matrix?” Warren dropped his paper. “Matrix had a party last night? Why didn’t anybody tell me?”

Adam smirked and then winced at his watch. “Is it already one o’clock?” He grimaced. “I better be going. I have a meeting with Elliot at three.”

“You do?” Warren asked, suddenly very interested. “Anything I should know about?”

Adam shook his head. “Club membership business. Not overly exciting stuff.”

Just then Raja and Len shuffled into the kitchen. “Hi, Adam,” they said in unison.

Adam jumped, startled by their arrival. “Oh—hey, girls.”

Having just woken up, Len and Raja still wore the camisoles and cotton shorts they’d worn to bed. It was innocent enough attire, but to a red blooded man like Adam, it was a lot of exposed skin so early in the day. He stared at their bare legs a second too long, before blinking and looking away. Len and Raja grinned to each other. They knew they had him.

“You aren’t leaving just yet, are you?” Len asked coquettishly.

“I was just about to make breakfast,” Raja added.

Adam stole another look at their legs before shaking his head. “I really need to be going, but thanks for the offer.” He gave Thandie and Warren a parting grin. “I’ll see you later.”

“I’ll show you out,” Raja offered.

“Me too,” Len chirped.

Thandie watched as the girls followed Adam out of the kitchen. Beneath the table, Warren nudged her. “I don’t remember them ever offering to cook breakfast for me.”

“Count yourself fortunate,” Thandie said lazily. “Neither of them can cook.”

Warren shook his head sadly. “The pretty ones never can.” He shook his newspaper out and began to peruse the page.

Thandie watched him scan the paper. His brows furrowed sharply as he squinted at the words, a look of deep concentration etched on his forehead.

Warren looked up suddenly and caught her studying him. “What?”

“Nothing,” she said, quickly averting her stare.

“Do you have big plans tonight?” he asked.

“Rex is taking me to the Yurman party.”

“That sounds like fun. You should have a good time.”

“What about you?” she asked.

“I have a dinner date.”

“Someone special?”

“Very special.” He said this in a low voice, as if it were a great confession. Thandie’s gaze lifted to meet his. Lines she had never noticed before deepened around his eyes, making his face appear strained and shadowed. Suddenly rising, Warren tucked his newspaper under his arm. “I think I’ll go for a swim,” he said. Without another word, he left the kitchen. Thandie stared after Warren, wondering what was bothering him. She might have pondered it longer, but her thoughts were distracted when the girls sailed into the room, full of breathy giggles.

“He is so cute,” Len sighed.

“Who?” Thandie asked.

“Adam,” she said dreamily.

“Oh,” Thandie said, having momentarily forgotten all about Adam.

“What was Adam doing here this morning?” Raja asked, a hint of accusation in her voice.

“He slept on the couch,” Thandie said. “I hope you girls are ready to work. We have a lot to do today.” Thandie poured herself a cup of coffee, and carried it into the dining area. The room was exactly how they’d left it, cluttered with papers.

“Let’s talk about Adam some more,” Len volunteered, having followed after her.

“Let’s not, and say we did,” Thandie quipped. She was saved from having to say more when her phone began vibrating. Pulling it out of her jeans, she checked the display. It was none other than Jarvis Taylor.

Thandie had worked with him in the past, hosting album release parties for his artists. Jarvis was an AR director who’d been credited with coproducing some of the top albums currently on the
Billboard
Top 10 list. This was an oddity because Jarvis could not play a single musical instrument, yet he was the biggest shaker in the music business since Clive. Because of his reclusive nature, many people had never laid eyes on him and certainly wouldn’t recognize him in a lineup. Meeting him in person was rare. Speaking to him on the phone was an impossibility. Jarvis rarely, if ever, called anyone directly. He normally delegated such tasks to his assistant-slash-girlfriend.

Thandie was apprehensive about the call because it could only mean one of two things: Jarvis was either pissed off about something or he needed something. Thandie wasn’t kept in suspense long. Being the businessman he was, he got right to the point.

Jarvis was representing a Spanish artist who would be traveling to Miami at the end of the week. With her first English-speaking album scheduled for release this summer, Jarvis needed to generate buzz for his artist.

“I need her in VIP,” Jarvis said.

“Of course,” Thandie agreed. “Who’s the artist?”

“Samara.”

Thandie had to search her mind. Samara wasn’t a huge star in North America. If her memory served her right, Samara was better known for her modeling than her singing. And then a thought snagged—something Raja had said. Finally it clicked. Samara was the opening act for Shay Thomas. When Jarvis confirmed her suspicions with a curt yes, Thandie figured Jarvis would not be willing to contact Shay Thomas’s people for her.

As soon as she hung up, she relayed her conversation to the girls. Raja and Len found little interest in escorting Samara to Babylon, but when Thandie asked them to contact Shay’s publicists and extend a duel invite, their attitudes changed.

With the girls preoccupied making arrangements for Samara, Thandie was free to work on securing entertainers for the club.

There were several deals in the works, but nothing yet confirmed. So far, negotiations with Nikki Minaj’s reps were proving more complicated than expected. If Thandie somehow couldn’t manage to lock-in the appearance, she hoped this wasn’t a chilling forecast of things to come.

Securing girl band Sugar & Spice would be a major accomplishment, however the possibility looked bleaker with each passing day. On the positive side, she was close to acquiring Will.i.am for a guest DJ spot, but was still deliberating dates with his manager.

Discussions with the agents for Pitbull and Ciara were coming along nicely, however proposed prices were more than Thandie had budgeted for. She had to consider secondary, and more cost effective, options.

Reaching out to her affiliates in New York, Thandie obtained contact information for The Freshman, the teenage DJ who’d performed at Phenomenon. Also as a backup, she’d put in a call to Celeste, the manager of The Pussy Cats, an exotic dance troupe.

She was momentarily distracted when Warren entered the room. He was dressed in a suit, and had taken obvious pains to style his hair. He fiddled with his tie nervously.

Thandie meant to ask if everything was all right, but never got the chance. Warren gave a mock salute, before shouting his farewells and heading out.

Checking the time, Thandie decided to call it quits. She’d put in more than enough work hours today. Besides, she had a few things she wanted to do before Rex arrived to pick her up. She was looking forward to their evening with anticipation and anxiety. She was unclear whether she wished to pursue anything with Rex or was simply curious about his motives. A voice inside her head warned her it was not good to become involved with a peer, but in the aftermath of her encounter with Elliot in the Tower, she was in desperate need of a distraction.

Leaving the girls to update online message boards, Thandie retreated to her room. After searching through her suitcase, she could not decide on anything suitable for the Yurman party. She didn’t want to lead Rex on by wearing something too revealing, yet she didn’t want to look like a nun. She compromised by deciding to buy a new outfit, hopefully something on sale. It would be good to get away from the girls for a little while.

Dressed for comfort in a tank top, jeans and her favorite Kors sandals, Thandie slipped out of the house. Deciding to leave the car behind, just in case the girls needed to run errands, Thandie called for a taxi to pick her up. Tucked in the backseat of the cab, she watched the streets of Miami sweep by in flashes of color. She liked being alone. She needed the silence.

Thandie was dropped off at Merrick Park, an upscale shopping center in Coral Gables. She took her time roaming the boutiques, satisfied to simply stroll the walkways, drifting in and out of designer shops as she went. From Benetton to Burberry, Gucci to Furstenberg, Thandie figured she’d burned two hours and shamelessly spent seven hundred dollars on new clothes. She might have regretted her purchases had they not all fit so perfectly. This was yet another reason to earn her pay at Babylon.

Shopping was serious business, and she soon grew hungry. Locating a small café, Thandie decided to stop for quick bite to eat. While she waited for her order, she decided to call her assistant in New York. This turned out to be a mistake. Amanda was compelled to detail every difficulty she’d experienced since Thandie’s departure from the city. By the time she managed to get Amanda off the phone, she’d lost all her enthusiasm for shopping.

Grabbing her shopping bags, Thandie prepared to leave. This proved to be a confusing task. She’d roamed about the mall for so long, it was difficult to retrace her steps. Deciding she could flag down a taxi from any entrance, she made her way to the nearest exit. Stepping outside, she found there were no taxis in sight. Looking down the street, she could see a busier corner. Although her bags had noticeably become heavier, it was a short walk ahead of her. Besides, there were more storefronts along the way.

* * *

Once she was on the main street, she stepped toward the curb and waved for a cab. The traffic was unusually brisk, causing the first taxi to reluctantly pass her up. Frustrated, she dropped her hand and looked down the street. There were no parked cabs available. Pushing her sunglasses on top of her head, she searched for the next cab.

She turned to check her image in the window of a trendy bar. And then she did a double take. Her eyes fluttered up, looking through her mirrored reflection toward the bar where a slumped-over figure sat. He did not seem to have made up his mind if he wanted to sit or stand, so he leaned dangerously against a barstool. Just then, a taxi pulled up to the curb and honked to get Thandie’s attention.

She waved the driver away and entered the bar. She approached the man slowly, noticing the bottle of bourbon he was nursing. Placing her shopping bags on the floor, she occupied the seat next next to him. He didn’t even notice.

“Is this seat taken?” she asked

“Not if you’re a pretty lady.” Without even looking at her, he smiled into his glass. “You can take just about anything you want if you’re younger than thirty.” He finished off his drink before pouring another serving. She could not help but notice his hand shook as he did so. From the smell of him, this wasn’t his first glass.

Thandie placed her hand on his back. “How long have you been here?”

Warren Radcliffe gave a weak smile. “Not long.” He looked at his watch and then frowned. “I got here around three.”

“Shit, Warren. That was nearly four hours ago. What are you doing here?”

“I had dinner plans with my kid.”

“Your kid?” she asked, confused.

“My son.” His voice caught on the word, and he quickly cast down his gaze.

Thandie looked around. “Where is he?”

He shook his head. “Not here.”

“What happened?”

“He blew me off.” He took a sip from his glass. “Said he had other, more important, plans. He wasn’t here for more than five minutes before he left.”

She pointed to the bottle before him. “So you decided to have a pity party instead?”

Warren’s white head perked up. “Something like that.” He lifted the liquor bottle. “Care to join me?”

“No, thanks.” She glanced at the wall clock. “Don’t you think it’s a little early to start drinking?” It wasn’t until she leaned closer to him that she actually got a good look at him. His normally worry-free spirit was gone. He was visibly tired and, more shocking, he looked his age. She couldn’t hide her concern.

Warren waved his hand. “Don’t worry about me, kiddo. What have you been up today?”