Chapter 7

Hannah

Leonardo's eyes never left mine. "I prefer 'potential benefactor,' but yes. I believe we had an appointment to discuss mutually beneficial arrangements."

I couldn't form words. This gorgeous man, who had defended me, was now offering to be my sugar daddy? The universe had a sick sense of humor.

"This is... quite a coincidence," I finally managed.

"Is it?" His smile deepened, revealing perfect white teeth. "I own this pub, Hannah. And several others, including The Velvet Room."

Emma's elbow jabbed into my ribs. "Told you he was loaded," she whispered, not quietly enough.

Leonardo's gaze shifted briefly to Emma. "Would your friend like to join us for a drink?"

"No!" Emma answered quickly. "I mean, I was just leaving. Got a... thing. Very important thing." She backed away, giving me a thumbs-up behind Leonardo's back. "Text me later, Han!"

And just like that, I was alone with him. Leonardo gestured toward his table. "Shall we?"

I followed him to the corner table, acutely aware of the eyes following us. He pulled out my chair, waiting until I was seated before taking his own.

"So," I said, trying to sound casual despite my racing heart, "you own this place?"

"Among others." He signaled to a server, who appeared instantly. "What would you like to drink?"

"Um, whatever you recommend."

He ordered something I didn't catch, and the server disappeared as quickly as he'd arrived.

"I must admit," Leonardo said, leaning slightly forward, "I was intrigued when I saw your profile. Even more so when I realized you were the same woman from that night."

"You recognized me from my profile pictures?" I asked, surprised.

"I never forget a face." His eyes held mine. "Especially not one like yours."

The server returned with two glasses of amber liquid. I took a sip to hide my nervousness and nearly gasped at the smoothness of what had to be extremely expensive whiskey. The liquid warmed my throat and settled into a pleasant heat in my stomach.

"You like it?" Leonardo asked, watching my reaction with those intense eyes.

"It's incredible," I admitted. "I usually stick to whatever's on happy hour."

He smiled, a small quirk of his lips that transformed his face from merely handsome to devastating. "Macallan 25. Life's too short for mediocre whiskey."

"At my budget, life's too short for any whiskey," I joked, taking another small sip.

Leonardo leaned back in his chair, studying me. "So, Hannah. Tell me about yourself. What keeps you busy when you're not creating profiles on sugar dating sites?"

I felt my cheeks flush. "I'm finishing my post-grad in marketing. I work part-time at a Café to make ends meet, which isn't going great." I gestured vaguely at the situation between us.

"And when you're not working or studying?"

"I read a lot. Mostly romance novels." I took another sip of liquid courage. "The steamier, the better, if I'm being honest. I'm also into art and fashion design. I sketch clothing sometimes, just for fun."

Leonardo nodded, seeming genuinely interested. "Creative pursuits. I admire that."

"What about you?" I asked, emboldened by the whiskey. "Besides owning pubs and rescuing women from drunk assholes, what does Leonardo Salvatore do?"

A shadow of amusement crossed his face. "I maintain various business interests. Import/export, real estate, hospitality." He waved his hand dismissively. "Boring corporate stuff, mostly."

The casual way he brushed off what was clearly an empire made my head spin. This man didn't just own a pub; he owned a corporation. A big one.

"So you own The Velvet Room too?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Among other properties." His eyes never left mine, watching my reactions with unsettling intensity. "I find the hospitality industry... entertaining."

I finished my whiskey, savoring the last drop as it burned pleasantly down my throat. Leonardo signaled to the server again, but I shook my head.

"This is sufficient for now, thank you." I placed my hand over the glass. "Any more, and I'll make decisions I might regret."

His lips quirked. "Fair enough. Shall we discuss terms, then?"

"Terms," I repeated, the word feeling strange in my mouth.

"I believe in being direct, Hannah." Leonardo leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I propose an arrangement for three months initially. If we're both satisfied, we can extend to a year."

"And what would this arrangement entail exactly?"

"You would accompany me to business dinners, social events, and occasional weekend trips. I require someone intelligent, beautiful, and discreet." His eyes traveled down my body in a slow, deliberate assessment. "You fit all three criteria admirably."

"And in return?" I managed to ask.

"Ten thousand dollars monthly, plus expenses. Clothing, transportation, accommodations – all covered." He stated the figure so casually as if he were discussing the weather rather than an amount that could change my entire life.

"Ten thousand?" I repeated, doing quick mental math. Vincent wanted fifteen thousand within the month. I'd still be short.

"Is that insufficient?" Leonardo asked, reading my expression.

I hesitated, calculating quickly. "Actually, I was hoping for a bit more. I need some extra cash for a personal matter this month."

"How much more?"

"Another five thousand would help tremendously," I said, trying to sound casual while asking for a sum that could change my life.

Leonardo studied me for a long moment, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his glass. The silence stretched between us until I was certain he would refuse.

"Twenty thousand for the first month, then ten thousand monthly thereafter," he finally said. "Consider it a signing bonus."

Relief washed over me. Twenty thousand would cover Vincent's fifteen and leave me with breathing room. "Thank you. That's very generous."

"I'm not being generous, Hannah. I'm making an investment." His voice took on a harder edge. "Let me be clear about something. This is a business arrangement, not a relationship. I don't do love or emotional entanglements."

"That's fine with me," I said quickly. "I'm not looking for romance either."

He leaned forward, his eyes intense. "Good. Because I've had sugar babies in the past who developed... misconceptions about our arrangement. Women who thought they were brilliant enough to manipulate me or take advantage." A cold smile touched his lips. "I dealt with them in equally brilliant ways."

A chill ran down my spine. "What does that mean exactly?"

"It means I reward loyalty and punish deception. Quite simple." He took a sip of his whiskey. "You'd be surprised how many women think they can outsmart me."

"I don't plan to outsmart anyone," I assured him. "Just fulfill my end of the arrangement."

"Smart answer." His expression softened marginally. "You know, I had two meetings before you today. Neither woman possessed half your beauty or intelligence."

The compliment sent an unexpected flutter through me. "So you do this often?"

"I've had arrangements for the past two years. I find it efficient." He shrugged. "Why waste time on conventional dating when this serves my purposes better?"

"Can't you just find a girlfriend?" The question slipped out before I could stop it.

Leonardo's laugh was short and humorless. "A girlfriend wants love, commitment, a future. I want companionship without complications. Sex without strings. Someone beautiful on my arm who understands the boundaries."

I took a moment to process his words. His bluntness was jarring but also refreshing in its honesty—no games, no pretenses.