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guy after all.
Chapter Seven
Rafe took her to one of the most popular nightclubs in all of Manhattan. He rarely frequented it
hanging out in noisy, crowded clubs wasn t his style but he had a feeling Crimson was the type of
place Cat was looking for.
She wanted to lose herself for a little while and he could understand that. Her family obligations had
to be taking a toll. What with that bitch-from-hell older sister, life couldn t be easy.
He d never heard such poisonous venom from a woman before. Annalisa Campioni s tone of voice
alone had sent a slither of dread down his spine when she started in on him. Not that he was scared of
her. Angry females he could deal with he d handled his mother and sister rather effectively since he
could remember. After all, he was the easygoing one, the charming one of the three Renaldi brothers.
Matteo was quiet and calm and levelheaded. Vincenzo was young and brash and impulsive.
But there had been no reasoning on his end with Annalisa. The woman had spoken of her sister as if
she was worthless. Useless. Her insults had shocked the hell out of him. Yes, his siblings drove him
crazy sometimes, but he would never, ever verbally tear them apart to a person he barely knew.
So he believed Cat deserved a momentary escape. And he wanted to be the one to provide it for her.
It was the least he could do.
She sat beside him in the car he arranged for this evening, practically bouncing in her seat with
excitement. The sequined dress fit her curves beautifully, showing off those long legs he was sorely
tempted to touch. The shoes filled his dirty brain with images of her sprawled across his bed, wearing
nothing else but those damn fuck-me shoes.
Swiping his hand along his jaw, he studied her out of the corner of his eye, reminding himself he
needed to rein his thoughts in tonight. She would most likely drive him out of his mind with lust
moving that pretty little body of hers to the music but she was jumpy. Hell, she d dumped him not
even forty-eight hours ago.
And now he wanted to never let her out of his sight again.
We re here, Cat announced when the car came to a stop in front of the club. She reminded him of an
eager child, her face practically pressed to the window as she stared out at the line formed along the
side of the building. Though there was nothing remotely child-like about Cat. It looks busy.
Don t worry, he reassured when she turned to look at him. We ll get right in.
It s almost eleven-thirty and look at the line. She pointed. I can t even tell where it ends.
The club s open til four a.m. The nightlife never ended in Manhattan. And trust me. I know a way
in.
The driver opened the door for them and Rafe followed Cat out of the car, standing tall so he could
survey the scene before him. Immediately he noted the various men standing in line. How most of
them blatantly stared at Cat, not that he could blame them.
The sequined scrap of a dress accentuated her sensuous figure, her long, dark brown hair hung in sexy
waves beyond her shoulders and when she turned to look at him, offering a shy smile in his direction,
his heart nearly tripped over itself.
Standing beside her, he slipped his arm around her slender shoulders and drew her in close, staking
his claim. She s mine. Don t waste your time because she belongs to me.
The majority of them looked away, losing interest.
Good.
Maybe we should go somewhere else, she suggested, her worried gaze scanning the line of
disgruntled wannabe club goers. Is there another club nearby?
I can get us in. Just follow my lead, he murmured close to her ear, the scent of her hair driving him
wild. And don t say a word. Let me do all the talking. I have everything under control.
She gave a subtle nod as he led her toward the two gentlemen who stood in front of the closed door,
casting their disapproving gazes upon everyone nearby. A red velvet rope swung across the imposing,
black-lacquered double doors, blocking everyone from coming inside unless they were specifically
admitted. Rafe could hear the muttered protests when he approached the door hosts, knew that
everyone most likely thought he was cutting in line.
Which he was. But he had connections. He knew the owner through his sister. Renaldi Accessories
had held a jewelry line launch at the location a little over three months ago. Not that he would reveal
that little tidbit of information to Cat yet.
For whatever stupid reason, he wanted to impress her tonight. Wanted her to think he could pull
strings, make things happen, make things fun for her. That he would do anything to ensure she had a
good time.
Absolutely juvenile of him, but when it came to Cat, she made him act a little crazy.
Evening, he said to the two very muscular, very stylishly dressed men standing in front of the door.
Their expressions were made of pure disinterest, their thick arms crossed in front of their chests, their
matching smirks almost disconcerting in how similar they appeared.
Rafe couldn t help but wonder if they were brothers or linebackers.
Line s back there, one of them said, flicking his chin. I suggest you get in it and wait your turn like
everyone else.
Cat glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening. The line wound around the building. He heard it
was like this every night. Stasia had told him more than once that Crimson was the hot spot to see and
be seen.
Considering he d come to New York to do nothing but work, he d had to trust her on that knowledge,
despite his playboy, man-about-town image. It was all just that for the most part an image. One he d
cultivated gladly since it got him and the business plenty of press. He helped divert the media from
questioning Stasia and her rather scandalous past too.
So he d never discouraged the dating-a-bazillion-women-at-once image he had. Never thinking it
could hurt his future marriage, which proved he was an idiot for never considering Cat s feelings.
He was so stupid. It hurt him to know he hurt her. How he hated that.
But truly, there had only been one woman for him. Despite earlier dalliances, the occasional date with
a beautiful woman, he knew Catalina was for him and no other.
Then she went and dumped him. Luckily enough, she dumped him and then promptly gave him a
second chance at convincing her they could make this work.
Over the next few days, that was his plan. Convincing her they could work.
This night, this very moment, was the first of many steps.
Pushing his thoughts out of Cat out of his head, Rafe focused on the skeptical men in front of him. I m
a friend of Terry s, he said, hoping like hell his name appeared on that magical list he d heard Stasia
refer to. She d told him the night of the jewelry line reveal that all Renaldis had been put on the
permanent entrance list. He hadn t cared then.
He sure as hell cared now.
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