Empire

Chapter Sixty - Cassandra

Cassandra ~

There was line wrapped around the street to get into the club, but we took a side entrance, avoiding the crowd and making our way straight toward a VIP section that clearly had a high price tag.

It had a similar layout to some clubs I'd been to in L.A., with a high priced VIP section that overlooked the bar and dance floor, giving full view of everyone below. It wasn't quite as loud up in the third story suite that seemed to wrap around the entire perimeter of the club and Xavier led us to a plush couch that had a small table with an ice bucket in front of it.

Xavier lowered himself down onto the couch, pulling me into his lap and kissing my neck as he used one hand to wave the waitress over.

"None for me, I've already had three or maybe it was four." I said with a tipsy laugh.

"You sure? Come on, live a little." Cruz teased, wiggling his brows at me, giving me confidence that I didn't necessarily need at the moment.

He has a point, it's not like I have to be anywhere tomorrow.

"I mean what's one more?"

I watched Cruz send an effortless wink my way and felt Xavier sigh as I sat in his lap, ordering one more martini for me.

"One more, princess. Just one." He said with a grin before kissing the tip of my nose.

Raf stood beside us, unable to stop scanning the crowd of people, unable to relax or enjoy himself as the music pulsated through the club. The bass was so deep that it made my abdomen rumble and the entire VIP section had a bluish glow to it as the low lights danced around us.

"Don't mind him, he's just checking everything out. He'll loosen up." Xavier said next to my ear as he set me down gently on the couch next to him.

We sat on that couch and talked, laughing together as we sipped our drinks. Occasionally friends or business associates of the Gambino family would approach, but either Raf or Xavier would dismiss them, waving them away like stray animals.

Eventually Raf wandered over to the bar and Cruz had all but disappeared into the crowd leaving Xavier and I sitting comfortably on the couch as if we were the only people in that club.

"Do you dance?" I asked, looking down at the crowd of people on the dance floor.

"Does it look like I dance?" He arched a brow at me before looking down at himself as if to check to make sure he was still intimidating and huge.

"So why do you come here?" I asked with a laugh.

"We own the place. If we don't make an appearance every so often they forget who's in charge."

Xavier stretched his arms across the back of the couch arrogantly as he said the words.

"They? Who is they?" I asked, prompting him to lean forward close to my ear.

"Everyone." He whispered with an icy tone that sent a chill down my spine.

I loved his dominance, the power that filled the air around Xavier. He was respected - feared and I was his.

Feeling the buzz from my cocktails I couldn't stop smiling, right up until the point that Cruz appeared with a scantily clothed woman on his arm. She practically fell into his lap on the couch next to us and I felt my smile start to fade as she draped herself across him.

Xavier followed my gaze and subtly leaned down explaining who the woman was.

"That's Lola. She's the niece of one of the high ranking families. One of Cruz's fathers friends. It's been expressed to us that her happiness is...of importance." Xavier rolled his eyes with his tone flat and irritated.