Read Online Havana Jazz Club by Lola Mariné - Free Book Online

things to her.
    “I know, doll, I know,” Orlando said, his voice now turning sickly sweet again. “Just go with him. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Women know how to satisfy a man without even letting him touch her.”
    Billie’s eyes were brimming with tears. She was about to protest when Gregorio came over to them and grabbed her impatiently by the arm.
    “End of discussion,” he said unceremoniously. “There’s a taxi waiting at the door. Be good, cutie.”
    And with that, Don Gregorio took Armando by the arm as well. Joking the whole time, he led them both toward the front door and then practically hurled them into the taxi. Billie looked back, searching for her husband, but Orlando had disappeared from view.

CHAPTER 11
    In the taxi, on the way to the hotel, Armando tried to break the tension by babbling uncontrollably. He wasn’t an innately social man. He had few friends and had handpicked each one of them. In fact, the proprietor of the New York had put him in a tight spot. It was still early when he had finished eating dinner, and he didn’t feel like being cooped up in his hotel. So he had gone to the bar with the intention of having a drink and killing time by enjoying the show for a bit, just as he had on many previous occasions when he had traveled to Madrid. Not that he had any complaints about enjoying the company of a woman. Gregorio had introduced him to girls before, and he had had a fine time with them. But this beautiful young girl intimidated him. She wasn’t like the rest of them. She had class. It was clear she was educated and sophisticated. Her persistent silence obligated him to fill it with meaningless platitudes that even he was embarrassed by—he was acting like a teenager. True, he had expressed his admiration for the girl to Don Gregorio while she was singing, but he had meant nothing by it. He had no ulterior motives, but Gregorio had practically forced him to take her. The girl didn’t seem very happy, but that hardly surprised him. She was so beautiful she had the luxury of choosing her clients, and he was quite aware that he wasn’t the cream of the crop.
    Billie was stunned. She couldn’t believe this was really happening. The man was blathering on beside her, but she couldn’t even hear him, let alone respond. The streets blurred past the window unseen, and he didn’t even notice when they reached the hotel. Her mind was still locked on Orlando’s eyes, his cold gaze reproaching her for her lack of willingness to cooperate. When the car stopped in front of the luxurious hotel on Paseo de la Castellana, her heart began racing. She kept her eyes down, embarrassed, as they passed by the reception desk and the concierge said good evening in a neutral tone, responding to her companion’s greeting. They went up in the elevator in silence, not looking at each other, and suddenly she found herself in this stranger’s room.
    “Would you like a glass of champagne?” he asked.
    She might have said yes, or maybe she said nothing. In any case, seconds later, she heard a bottle being uncorked, a sound she had grown accustomed to during her performances. But it was never she who laughingly caught the explosion with a glass in hand. Armando offered her the foam, and Billie heard the characteristic clink of glass as they toasted. She downed her glass in one gulp to give her courage. The man then took it from her hand and put it down on one of the bedside tables. They were standing next to the bed.
    “You’re a beautiful girl . . .” Armando said, contemplating her with pleasure as he lifted her dress straps off her shoulders.
    He unzipped her dress, and it slipped to the floor. He was ecstatic as he contemplated her toasted skin, covered only with a few choice bits of lingerie. The man’s breathing sped up. Soon he was panting. Billie wasn’t sure whether this was because he was overweight or just excited at seeing her half-naked body. Either way, it