She is such a tough-ass, he told himself. She’s like a damn ice goddess.

He took a breath and said, “Okay. I apologize.” Then he paused and added, “I’ll just save all that for the other girls.”

Lucina shook her head as she climbed into the car with him. She said, “Anyways, I have a lot of plans to go over with you for this year. And I have a whole list of performers and celebrities that I would like for us to bring in.”

“Any Latino folks on that list?” Ivan asked her. He had already told her about his club development idea in Chula Vista.

Lucina answered, “Of course. I even want to invite Brazilian models here to San Diego to enjoy Café Seville. I also met the Chargers’ star running back, LaDainian Tomlinson. We can throw a birthday party for him next.”

That got Ivan’s attention. He asked her, “You met L.T.? I’ve been meaning to ask the other guys to introduce me to him, but I didn’t want to offend any of them by making them feel less important or anything, you know.”

“Like you say, you just ask them,” Lucina quipped.

“So, when did you meet him?”

“Two days ago.”

All of a sudden Ivan felt a wave of jealousy come over him. LaDainian Tomlinson was a huge name in San Diego. He was young, flashy, and popular. Ivan immediately wondered what his partner thought of the running back.

“So, what was he like?” he asked.

Lucina told him, “He was very polite and down-to-earth, a good Southern guy.”

Ivan hesitated before he took the wheel. He asked her, “What does that mean?”

“That means he’s not from L.A. or New York. He’s more soft-spoken and respectful.”

Okay, just leave that shit alone, Ivan told himself. It’s only business for her.

He even decided to play her all-business motto against her. He started the smooth purr of the Bentley engine and commented, “You know what, I’ve never even seen you with a guy outside of business before.”

Lucina stared back at him. She said, “And I haven’t seen you with a woman outside of business, either.”

Ivan knew for a fact that Lucina suspected he had been intimate with Ida during her brief period of working the doors with them. But outside of that, she had a point. Both of them seemed to be all business. However, Ivan had been intimate with two of Lucina’s girls on the low.

And when I see that Carolyn Padilla again, that will be one more in the bag, he plotted. If I would have asked for her phone number when I talked with her the first time…

Ivan decided to leave the business-and-pleasure conversation alone. They had nowhere to go but rocky roads with it. So he nodded and told her, “Okay. You’re right.”