Chapter 5 A Deal

• Lily had no idea how things had spiralled so quickly.
• Karl, the man who had shown up at her door that night, had made it very clear—Trent's debt wasn’t going away on its own. With no money to pay off the $10,000 her brother owed, she found herself standing outside a high-end bar in the seediest part of town, wondering how on earth she’d ended up here.
• Karl had insisted she could "work off" Trent’s debt by helping out at the bar. "You’ll be fine," he had said with a greasy grin. "Just pour some drinks, smile for the customers, and in no time, you’ll clear the tab."
• That had been a week ago.
• The bar was nothing like the cosy flower shop where she spent her days. This place reeked of desperation. The clientele was rough, the kind of men who thought they owned the world and everyone in it—including her. She tried to pull down her miniskirt a little, but it was futile. It barely covered her ass. Her bustier was tight and uncomfortable, the sequins scratching at her skin. She felt a pang of regret for ever agreeing to work here.
• This was still easier than what some of the other girls did here. Karl was sleezy; he offered her to work as a stripper or a prostitute to pay off the debt faster. But she refused, determined to find a way out of this situation without compromising herself.
• Tonight was worse than usual. The crowd was especially rowdy, the drinks flowing faster than she could pour them. Lily could feel the tension in the air, the kind that usually preceded trouble. She was behind the bar, doing her best to keep up with orders, when she felt eyes on her. She looked up to see a man leaning against the bar, leering at her. His breath smelled of whisky, and his gaze was too bold, too predatory.
• "Hey, sweetheart," he slurred, leaning in closer. "Why don’t you fix me up something special, huh?" He winked, as though they shared some inside joke.
• Lily forced a tight smile. "I’ll get you another whisky; how about that?" she said, trying to keep her voice calm.
• But the man wasn’t interested in whisky anymore. He reached across the bar, grabbing her wrist. "Nah, I think I’d rather have a taste of you instead."
• Panic surged through Lily as she tried to pull her hand back, but his grip tightened. She looked around desperately, but the other bartenders were busy, and Karl was nowhere to be seen.
• "Let go of me," she said, her voice shaking.
• The man’s grin widened. "Come on, sweetheart. Don’t play hard to get. We both know you’re here for more than just serving drinks."
• Her heart raced as she struggled to free herself, but he only tightened his hold, pulling her closer across the bar.
• Just as her fear reached its peak, a calm, commanding voice cut through the chaos.
• "I believe the lady asked you to let go."
• The man froze, his hand still gripping Lily’s wrist. She turned her head and saw Giovanni standing just a few feet away, his expression cold and dangerous. His amber eyes fixed on the man with a look that could have frozen fire.
• The rowdy customer hesitated for a moment, then released Lily’s wrist, his bravado quickly fading in the presence of someone who clearly wasn’t to be messed with.
• Giovanni stepped closer, his gaze never leaving the man. "Now, unless you’d like to take this outside," he said quietly, "I suggest you leave."
• The man stumbled back, muttering something under his breath, and hurriedly disappeared into the crowd. Lily stood there, heart pounding, trying to catch her breath. She hadn’t realised how badly her hands were shaking until she looked down at them.
• Giovanni turned his attention to her, his expression softening. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle now.
• She nodded, though her voice felt trapped in her throat. "I... I’m fine. Thank you."
• He glanced around the bar, his brow furrowing. "I had no idea that the flower girl had other skills," he remarked.
• "Its complicated." She rubbed her wrist where the man had grabbed her, the skin already turning red. "But I don’t really have a choice, do I?"
• Giovanni’s gaze lingered on her wrist before meeting her eyes again. "Why are you here ?"
• She hesitated, not sure how much to reveal, but in the end, the truth spilt out. "Trent, my brother. He owes them money. A lot of money. And I’m working here to pay off his debt."
• Giovanni’s expression darkened, and for a moment, she thought she saw something dangerous flicker in his eyes. But then he sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "This isn’t right," he muttered. "You shouldn’t have to deal with this because of him."
• Lily shrugged, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over her. "What choice do I have? I have to protect him. He’s all I’ve got."
• Giovanni was silent for a moment, studying her, as if weighing something in his mind. Then, to her surprise, he pulled out his wallet and slid a stack of bills across the bar.
• "Take this. It should cover most of what he owes."
• Lily stared at the money, her eyes wide. "I… I can’t take that. It’s too much."
• He shook his head, his expression firm. "It's not free; I have a deal for you."
• "What kind of deal ?"
• He paused. "I need a fake girlfriend."
• Lily blinked, unsure if she’d heard him right. "I’m sorry, what?"
• Giovanni sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "I have a party to attend and I need company."
• Lily stared at him, her mind spinning. "Okay, but what does that have to do with me?"
• "You are beautiful, garceful and would look prefect on my arms."
• Lily shook her head, incredulous. "You want me to pretend to be your girlfriend? For how long?"'
• "Just one night," Giovanni said, leaning back slightly. "There’s a party this weekend. If you come with me as my date."
• "You must be kidding !" Lily said.
• "In return, I’ll wipe Trent’s debt. Completely. No more working here, no more worrying about paying it off."
• Lily’s breath hitched. The offer was tempting—more than tempting, really. If she agreed, she could get her life back. She could protect Trent without having to sacrifice her own freedom.
• She met Giovanni’s gaze, searching for any sign that this was some kind of trick, but his expression remained steady, almost pleading in its intensity.
• "I don’t even know you," she said after a long pause.
• "You still brought me flowers," Giovanni shrugged.
• Lily bit her lip, weighing her options. The idea was insane—completely out of her depth—but so was her situation. She couldn’t keep working at the bar; she couldn’t keep risking her safety just to pay off a debt that wasn’t even hers. This deal, as crazy as it seemed, could be her way out.
• "Fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I’ll do it."