~Antioco Bianchi~
~Adina Rush~
~`~December 31, 2000~`~
New Years Eve, two hours to go and the reset button would be pressed; a fresh start and yet another resolution certain to be broken.
"Let me buy you a drink?"
Adina Rush closed her eyes and attempted to ignore the man warming her body from the left. On December 31 the year before, she had resolved to stop clubbing, quit smoking, and end her love affair with costly bottles of vodka. She failed miserably by January 1st.
"One drink bella mia."
He was persistent and she was almost convinced when she swiveled in her chair and faced him. Adina had to admit for a white boy he was cute, hell, brutal truth would force her to confess the man was the epitome of fine. He stood barely six feet and his skin was still reddened by one too many hours spent in the sun. Where had he been to get sunburn like the one currently adorning his skin? She shook her head in an attempt to clear the increasing number of adult thoughts building in her dirty little mind. He was visually stunning, a delicious male specimen from head to toe, but he was a definite candidate for a New Years resolution to be kept. She had a terrible record with Jersey City Italians and Sicilians, and one look at this man told her nothing would change. He had trouble written all over him, from the Hugo Boss suit lining his frame to the Italian loafers covering his surprisingly large feet, Mr. Crystal Blue Eyes could only promise her heartache and pain.
"No thank you."
She slipped into a trance with the seductive beat being played by the strokes on the conga. The drink in her hand was nothing but ice cubes and a hint of the liquor that once inhabited the glass but she refused to indulge the offer of her unwelcomed guest. She motioned to the bartender for another and she was surprised when four crisp twenty dollar bills were pressed into the palm of the bartender's hand, "Her drinks...my money..." The lilt in his voice made her wet. The assertiveness in his command made her nipples harden. The man was dangerous.
Adina slowly steered her chair towards the sound of his voice, "I said no thank you."
His lips curled into a smirk and she nearly lost her control, "And I never take no for an answer."
She finally exhaled when he turned and walked away.
~`~
Adina didn't even know his name but she knew every crevice of the club his body inhabited. She saw him when he huddled with the dark haired men behind the velvet ropes of VIP. She didn't miss the brief samba he did on the dance floor with a Latina waitress. She resisted the urge to thank him for the drinks, the bartender prepared and slid to her grasp every time her glass ran dry. Curiosity had officially killed the cat, "What's his name?"
Lenny Santiago knew everything and everybody from Downtown to The Heights and throughout Bergen - Lafayette, "Trouble."
Adina rolled her eyes, "I knew that much," She sipped her drink slowly, "I need specifics; name, age, marital status...etcetera...etcetera..." Her voice took on the sultry tone it always did when she was on the verge of drunkenness, "Please Lenny." She batted her lashes and smiled brightly, "With sugar on top."
The older man gave in, "Antioco Bianchi but everyone calls him Ant, twenty - four, never married but never lacking a piece of pussy, one son Cristoforo," The man paused to wipe down the bar and shove a beer into the hand of a nosey patron, "He's in deep."
Her eyebrow quirked with the new knowledge, "Whose not," She didn't miss the flash of concern in Lenny's eyes or the tightness of his jaw, "Seriously Len, we've all done shit we're not proud of."
"You're blind Adina," He leaned across the bar and lowered his voice to a mere whisper, "Look at that suit, those shoes, and the company he's keeping," He took a deep breath, "Think about his last name and every robbery, murder, or violent act committed in the past ninety days and I promise you there's a link to the man coaxing you from your vow of celibacy."
Undeterred she continued her argument, "Maybe he's misunderstood."
Lenny quickly countered, "Maybe you're a damn fool."
~`~
Antioco Bianchi had lost interest in his game of cat and mouse.
It was New Years Eve and he needed a beautiful woman on his arm and hopefully in his bed when the clock struck midnight. There were several options available to him but only one that made his mouth water. He saw her as soon as he entered the small club. He ignored the warning glance Lenny Santiago tossed in his direction when he sauntered up to the woman with skin the color of hand pressed espresso. His pants grew uncomfortable but he needed to know more about her; a name, the sound of her voice, and feel of her skin next to his.
He was never one to employ the use of empty pick up lines. He asked to buy her a drink. She declined and he started a tab for her insatiable taste of top shelf vodka in spite of her protest. The woman had class, a fact evident, not just in choice of liquor, but in the silent way she carried herself. She wasn't busy trying to catch the attention of a man; she was content to enjoy her drink, the music, and the thoughts on loop in her head. Yes her dress was short and afforded the opportunity for him to steal more than his fair share of glances of her exquisite legs but her body was not her primary asset. He could tell with the attitude accompanying her responses to him, it was her wit.
He was intrigued, but it was too soon to fold, and show his hand. He had walked away from the bar to force her to make the next move. Too bad patience was not one of his many virtues. He didn't take no for an answer and he would entice the woman currently holding his attention for ransom to accept his silent invitation for more.,
Ant watched the hungry gaze of the mystery woman follow him around the bar. He didn't miss the way she spoke to Lenny in hushed tones, no doubt, inquiring about him, but when she had her answers, she still did not move. She was stubborn and that was a trait he could definitely appreciate.
He danced with other women, he laughed loudly at the jokes told by his associates, and yet, no movement from the lovely one at the bar.
Inspiration struck and Ant hurried to the turntables, determined to force her from her spot at the bar.
~`~
Music was Adina's weakness.
She pleaded with her parents for dance lessons the first time she saw The Nutcracker on public television. She gave up ballet and tap for more flexible interpretations. Her limbs moved of their own accord when music filled the air around her. She failed at playing an instrument, she could not consistently carry a tune, but she could dance.
When she heard the drop of the opening beat to her favorite Queensbridge duo's biggest hit, Adina flew off the stool she had inhabited for over two hours and ran to the floor. She didn't hesitate when she felt the body curve to hers from behind, nor did she protest when firm hands, skimmed her hips. She knew who had joined her and Adina Rush had no complaints.
~`~
"Come home with me?"
Adina slipped from his grasp when his lips delivered the words to her ear. Did he think she was easy? One more drink and prolonged contact with the bulge in his pants may have proven that she was, but this man was going to have to work hard for her affections.
She dipped further into the crowd and invited him to join her with a bend of her finger. He grudgingly complied. Coolly easing his way between the gyrating bodies to Adina, "You enjoy your games bella mia."
It was the second time that night he had used the term of endearment and she needed to ensure he understood her position, "I'm not yours...yet..."
Ant pulled her flush against his chest and brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, "The key word is yet."
Adina became increasingly aware of the close proximity of his body, the heart pounding in his chest, closely mimicking the rhythm of her own, and the intoxicating scent of her cologne. She drew closer to him, desiring to taste the thumb still lingering on the fullness of her lip. She heard the beginnings of the countdown to the New Year but pushed them aside for their playful ongoing debate, "Overconfident, aren't we?"
He shook his head, "Remember I don't take no for an answer."
She smiled and looked around, taking in the faces of the party goers ready to welcome another year. Her lips parted and instead of the reaction he anticipated she added her voice to the group's sound off, "Seven, six, five..."
His arm wrapped around her waist and held her in place, "What's your name beautiful?"
"Four, three, two..."
Before her lips could form the word one followed by Happy New Year, Ant Bianchi's mouth enveloped hers in a searing New Years' kiss. Adina's knees went weak and she would have fallen to the ground if he hadn't kept his arm firmly around her body. Her eyes slid closed when his tongue slipped into her mouth. She should have been appalled by the liberties he took when acquainting himself intimately with the warmth of her tongue. She wasn't. Her body craved more. Unfortunately Ant Bianchi was still in game mode, "Happy New Year."
He released his hold on her body and disappeared into the crowd.
Adina brought her fingers to her still tingling lips and mouthed her heart felt plea, "Call me."
