Tiffany Ashley - Beyond the Velvet Rope

Thandie was thankful to Gage for guidance and found herself calling her mentor for advice when she faced an emergency. Gage always had the right answer. Gage had introduced her to just about everyone worth knowing, including her ex-boyfriend, Cam Stewart.

Cam. It hurt every time she thought of him.

They hadn’t spoken since she’d woken in his bed the previous morning. Thandie did not like to idea of him being upset with her, but it was probably best this way. Better they go their separate ways once and for all, instead of prolonging the inevitable.

She climbed the steps leading to her bedroom. One of the girls had left a note on her pillow, a reminder of her massage appointment at ten. Thandie looked at her watch and groaned. Her appointment allowed her only five hours of sleep. She would love to reschedule, but her masseur was hard to book.

Thandie eased into bed, fully clothed. She could smell cigarette smoke in her hair. She yearned to take a shower but was too tired. When she’d dropped Ruark Randall and his friends off at their hotel, Ruark had invited her up to his room to do ecstasy. She had to refuse five times before he got the point. She swore if she never saw the man again, it would be too soon. If she had the energy, she would vent her frustrations aloud, but in the grand scheme of things it didn’t really matter. In spite of for her frustration and weariness, Thandie loved her job. The satisfaction of hosting a successful event far outweighed the aggravation of babysitting spoiled A-listers. Besides, tomorrow night would involve another celebrity with a different story.

Miami, Florida

Elliot Richards slid his hands into the pockets of his slacks. He looked out over the crowded dance floor below. There, beautiful people swayed to loud techno music. Club Babylon was very much alive tonight. Babylon was his jewel, his mistress, his one true love. And his greatest accomplishment. What had begun as a thought was now reality. He’d spent years cultivating the idea, observing the industry, and building his knowledge. He was the man behind Club Babylon, the chic, multilevel dance club whose fame was growing by the minute.

Elliot owned a string of businesses throughout Miami, but Babylon was his obesssion. He was heavily involved in all interactions. He managed a team of fifty workers, comprised mostly of dancers, bartenders and cleaning crews. It was a large undertaking. Mercifully, he did not do it alone. His management staff was the best in the business. He was fortunate to have them, however, very little was done without his approval. Elliot was known for his innovative marketing strategies and extensive knowledge of the industry. That being the case, his staff rarely moved on anything without his say-so. Between the operation of Babylon and his other enterprises, Elliot barely had enough time to sleep. But this was the life he had chosen. Even on the worst of days, he couldn’t think of anything else he’d rather be doing.

Elliot checked his watch. In another hour, he would be expected to make his rounds, offering complementary drinks to VIP members and hugging beautiful, tanned women. It was his job. As the owner, he was obligated to work the crowd. If there was one thing that made Miami different from other party cities, it was its well-connected night scene. Everyone on the strip wanted to say they knew someone important. It seemed to work out that a majority of the people who walked into Club Babylon claimed they were close friends with Elliot, and thus demanded star treatment. His staff had their hands full, catering to the wave of celebutantes who flooded his VIP lounges. Managing a thriving business required long nights and countless favors.

However, there were advantages to being Elliot Richards. He’d been blessed with physical attributes most men could only dream of possessing. Elliot was tall, lean and handsome. His chiseled features were softened by an unusual combination of thick black hair and clear silver eyes.

And Elliot had one more thing working in his favor—he was wealthy. A series of smart business investments made early in his career had paid off, and he now had a vast fortune. Because of his good looks and money, Elliot never had trouble attracting attention from members of the opposite sex.

“Elliot, are you listening?”

Elliot turned to his management team: Adam Parr, Markie Duran, Rex Barrington, Eddie Bloom and Tom Comber. They were all looking at him expectantly.

“Yes, I heard you, Rex,” Elliot said in his low, untroubled voice. He moved to face his director of marketing. “I agree. We need to push the marketing campaign for the grand opening.”

“Everyone loves the changes,” Rex offered, “but if we want to hit the numbers that the renovation was geared for, we need to decide how we want to do it.”

Elliot nodded. He knew Rex was right. Rex was his director of marketing. The club needed a serious marketing push, and he had his hands tied with other projects.

Elliot inclined his head to his general manager. “Markie, your thoughts?”

Markie’s ears perked up. “I know we’ve all been busy trying to make sure we had all the supplies needed to open our doors on the scheduled date, but now that day is passed. We should focus on how we’re going to keep the club full. As it stands, we’re hitting good numbers because people are curious about the remodel. But that won’t last long.”

Eddie Bloom, the efficiency expert, spoke up. “Elliot, you bankrolled a lot of money into renovating the club. If you plan to recoup your funds, we need to do some serious marketing. Otherwise, the investment goes unnoticed.”

Elliot nodded. “Our campaign needs help.” He turned to look down at the crowd again. A lovely blonde woman hovered near the bar. She’d come with a date. A boyfriend? A husband, perhaps? It didn’t matter. Neither would be much of an obstacle. “We need to hire a PR firm,” Elliot mused aloud. “A well-known professional.”

Rex clapped his hands together. “Good idea. Perhaps someone who has connections up north? This would be the perfect opportunity to expand Babylon’s reach beyond SoBe.”

Elliot turned to address his team. “Is everyone in agreement?”

They all nodded.

“So, it’s settled,” Elliot said with finality. “Rex, call Warren and tell him I’m leaving the promoter assignment up to him. That way, if the investors aren’t happy with the results, they can point the finger at each other.” The men laughed collectively.

Elliot pulled himself upright, smoothing his palm over his suit lapel as he did so. “Gentlemen, if that’s all, please excuse me. I have something to attend to.”

He waited until the last man filed out of his office before descending the staircase which led to the arena floor. It was time to make his rounds.

Chapter Three

Staten Island, New York

Thandie carefully placed the bouquet of flowers on the counter and waited for someone to acknowledge her. As usual, she felt nervous. These visits were always filled with mixed emotions. She looked forward to them with the same intensity that she dreaded them.

As if alerted to her growing sense of unease, a nurse materialized from a corridor. She was a heavy woman with wide hips, rosy cheeks and smooth pale skin. Her name was Nurse Joanne.

As soon as she saw Thandie, her face split into a brilliant smile. “Ah, Thandie! I’m so glad you came. She’ll be so excited to see you.”

Thandie’s face lit up with elation. “Has she been asking for me?”

Nurse Joanne paused and then made a slight shake of her head. “No, dear, but I know deep down she’ll be thrilled you’re here.”

Thandie’s initial joy vanished, quickly replaced with embarrassment. She felt foolish for having asked. It was silly to think her presence would be desired, least of all remembered. It had been this way for years. It was silly to expect anything anymore.