Page 75 of Lovely Venom

“They’re with me,” Lucia’s date, Giovanni, tells security.

“Names?” the man asks with a bored expression.

Lucia gives him her name, and I swallow my nerves, wondering if this is such a good idea. The last time I was here, I didn’t exactly get a friendly greeting. I also suspect this isn’t going to go over well with Cristian when he finds out.

“Chantel St. James.” I force a smile when the man glances at me.

His expression shifts from bored to alert as recognition sparks.

“Welcome, Miss St. James.” He stands a little straighter. “Would you like me to arrange a VIP lounge for you and your friends?”

Lucia and I exchange a confused glance while her date looks slightly put out. He clearly wanted to impress her with his connections, but now I’m getting preferential treatment. It doesn’t make any sense.

“Thanks, but I think we’re just going up to the terrace,” I tell him.

“Of course.” He nods, but something flickers in his expression. “Just give me one moment to get clearance upstairs. We have a limited capacity tonight.”

He steps out of earshot to make a quick phone call, and a minute later, we’re met by another member of security.

“Miss St. James, I’ll escort you and your friends to the terrace.”

“Okay…thanks.”

The situation only gets weirder as we walk through the club and the rest of the staff members glance our way. Before we can even enter the elevator, a server arrives to greet us.

“Hi, Miss St. James.” She offers me a bright smile. “I’m Kelly, and I’ll be your personal attendant this evening. Is there anything I can bring you to start?”

“Oh, that’s not necessary.” I shift. “We can just order from the bar on the terrace.”

“Take the service.” Lucia elbows me in the side. “This is great.”

Kelly smiles. “It’s no trouble at all. I’m happy to bring you anything you need.”

“In that case, we’ll have two of your Original Sin cocktails,” Lucia says.

“I’ll take a whiskey sour.” Giovanni sniffs. “My friend will be joining us too. His name is Tommy Romano.”

“Excellent.” Kelly nods. “I’ll escort your friend up when he arrives, and I’ll get those drinks to you shortly.”

The three of us follow security into the elevator, and when we reach the top floor, he directs us across the terrace.

“Right this way, Miss St. James. We’ve reserved a private table for you.”

I thank him, and Lucia raises a brow at me when we see it. It’s not just a private table. It’s an elevated alcove with lush greenery, a waterfall feature, and panoramic views of the city.

“Enjoy your evening, Miss St. James.” The guard dips his head and walks away.

“Okay, who did you blow to get this kind of treatment?” Lucia asks.

“I wish I knew.” I take a seat on the lounge, glancing around the space. “The last time we were here, I was convinced the server might poison me.”

“Well, whatever happened, I could get used to this.”

“You can’t even reserve this lounge,” Gio remarks. “I guess it’s good to have friends in high places.”

It seems like more of a sarcastic observation, but I let it go. The only thing I can conclude is that Cristian’s security team saw me here with him on the last visit and made a note of it. In that context, I imagine all the boss’s friends get this treatment.

Lucia and Gio make small talk while I settle in and appreciate the view. It’s a beautiful night, and now that I’m here, I’m glad I came.