Chapter 23
Mia
Oh God…
I’m here. I’m inside the playboy lounge and I’m supposed to stand in the room until the billionaires come in.
Mimi gave me a little run through of what to do and sort of what to expect.
This section is all private rooms that look like the VIP area of the club Nick and his brothers hang out in.
She said that the men who come here don’t always like having sex in public.
She said some of them just come to hang out with one of the waitresses of their choice.
Hang out could mean anything I suppose and I’m not sure what to expect.
I guess now that Nick telling me that he wouldn’t share me with anyone or let anyone touch me must have been a load of bullshit. I’m so stupid.
So very stupid. I claim to have this extensive academic mind and I actually don’t have the general common sense the average woman has.
He was just talking shit and didn’t even have the decency to come and throw me away himself. He got Mimi to do it.
I feel so stupid.
I suppose though this is what Chloe intended for me. Not on purpose and not because she was being horrible in any way or rude, it’s just that this is the job she knew of.
I’m standing in a corner of the room near a large aquarium filled with tropical fish. I mentally decide I’m going to look at that as much as possible and not make eye contact with anybody.
Before me is a table with champagne and a few bottles of wine. There’s also a decanter and a bucket of ice. Mimi said at the very basic level I’m supposed to serve the men coming in here their drinks.
I hope that’s all it is and I don’t have to do it topless.
I don’t even know who Denise is but I give her credit for doing what she does because I can tell anyone right away, I’m not going to be able to follow her act.
The music starts playing in the overhead speaker. It’s a subtle jazz tune I recognize by just the instrumental. I tense up, however, when I hear voices outside of the room.
My nerves spike. It’s a group of men coming in. Shit. Shit. Shit.
Calm… calm down. I have to be calm. I have to be calm even though I can’t breathe. I’m so stupid. I thought I was going to see Nick tonight.
What happened between the space of this morning and tonight?
What could have happened?
I didn’t do anything. I didn’t say anything out of the ordinary and I left like I normally do before he woke.
The door opens and two men come in first. Their eyes when they see me are comparable to a child on Christmas morning. They’re all wearing masks but I can see their reactions.
And fucking hell, another guy joins them and I swear to God it’s the man from the first night. The dom. Marco Antonella.
He has on a standard mask tonight. Black and silver.
It’s his eyes I recognize.
His eyes brighten the most as he comes in.
It’s just the three of them. I try to find my voice to greet them. I really do. I can’t though.
“Well hello,” Marco says.
It is him. He walks in past the other two men and comes right up to me.
“Hi,” I say barely above a whisper.
“Well it certainly is a pleasure to have Nickoli’s sub serving us tonight.”
I remember what Nick told me, that this man wanted to buy me. He told him I was his sub and he respected it. I don’t know much about that lifestyle but I don’t think the men would have their subs serving other men the way I am.
“I’m here tonight.”Belongs © to NôvelDrama.Org.
“Ohhh…” he says with fake sympathy, knowing what I mean. I’m right, the men wouldn’t just do that with their subs. I don’t know their ways but deep down I admire the level of trust they have for each other. That bond. It’s like they’re sealed. Fated. I don’t get that impression though from this guy. He reeks of something sinister and disturbing. Instantly I don’t feel safe around him.
“Can I get you guys a drink?” I ask.
He smiles and tilts his head to the side, looking me over. “You may. How about you take your clothes off while you’re at it.”
He says it just as simply as though we were talking about the weather.
The other two guys smile and take their seats on the sofa.
This…
This is the part I would have feared and I hate Nick so much right now for not even giving me a heads up.
I hesitate and I know I’m not supposed to.
Mimi warned me at least. Biting down hard on the inside of my lip, I pull off my negligee.
Underneath I’m wearing a thong that matches my heels.
So I’m practically wearing nothing in front of this man besides my heels, a thong and a fucking mask.
They’re all looking at my breasts.
Mimi said Denise calls the shots on what happens when she works. The rules are that they can’t force me to have sex with them, but they can cop a feel of my breasts if they want. That’s all. Nowhere else.
As if that’s fine, or like it’s supposed to make me feel better.
The asshole of course is well versed in the rules of this place and reaches out to have a good feel of my breasts. When the other two guys come over and join in, I back away.
“No. That’s enough,” I protest. “No more.”
Marco doesn’t like that very much. “We’re allowed to touch you.”
“No, I’m saying no,” I don’t care what the stupid rules are. I crouch down and pull my clothes back on.
I know I just acted out of the ordinary for them but this is ridiculous. It’s ridiculous and I’m not Denise, neither do I want to be.
I stand and try to regain some composure. “Now I asked if you want a drink,” I’m trying my best to sound like I’m in control but I fail. I fail miserably.
Marco looks at me and I can tell he doesn’t like what I did.
What was that Nick said about him being one of the most dangerous men in Chicago?
Yeah. I remember he did say something like that so I’m guessing Marco’s not used to being told no.
He looks at the other two guys and they nod.
I don’t know what they’re planning. Can’t even guess, until it’s too late.
The guy to the left grabs me in one deft move. I scream but the other guy comes for me and covers my mouth. They shove me hard against the wall and Marco moves in.
He fills his palms with my breasts and I feel sick.
“You little bitch, you think you can tell me no?” he balks, getting up into my face. “You don’t know who you’re messing with, do you?”
He squeezes me so hard I scream into the guy’s hand.
I’m guessing the girls here all do as they’re told and what they don’t want goes unnoticed because of the nature of the place and clientele.
I try to fight against the guys and to my horror Marco starts undoing his belt buckle.
The fuck? No way. No way in hell am I going to end up getting raped after all I’m doing. Something snaps in my mind. The instinct to survive and fight. I have to fight.
I have to fight.
He steps close and my foot flings up and kicks him in his balls with the heel of my stilettos jabbing into him. He doubles over and I use the moment to bite down hard on the guy’s hand that’s covering my mouth. I bite so hard I’m surprised the skin didn’t come off.
He lets me go and like a feral animal, I claw the other guy in his face. The panic fob is on the inside edge of my negligee. I reach for it and press down hard. I hope like hell it does what it’s supposed to because Marco comes at me and slaps me with the back of his hand so hard, I fall to the ground and hit my face.
Stars speckle my vision and I’m so lightheaded I can’t organize my thoughts. Everything switches between dark blotches and someone grabbing me. Another slap in my face has me crying.
I’m aware now, the slap brought me back to reality.
Marco gets on top of me and rips off my panties. I scream when he covers my mouth with his and try to fight back, but someone’s holding my hands and feet.
He’s about to hit me again when a gunshot echoes in the room.
A gunshot!
I’m sure it’s a gunshot… but in here?
Whatever it is makes Marco stop what he’s doing and the guys holding my hands and feet release their hold on me.
“Get the fuck up!” Roars a voice I would recognize in my dreams. Except this guys shouldn’t be in my dreams.
He’s a nightmare and I curse myself when my gaze lands on Nick and my stupid, stupid heart flutters.
“Nick, we were just having some fun,” Marco says, getting up. He stands and I shuffle away, cowering by the table with the drinks.
“Fun? Really? Didn’t look like fucking fun to me,” Nick counters.
Marco laughs. “Oh please, what the fuck do you care? I take it she’s one of your cast-offs.”
Cast-offs… so it’s true. That’s what I am.
The tears fall harder at the confirmation.
“Get out!” Nick thunders and I look up at him.
He looks so different to what I’m used to and I’ve never seen him with a gun before.
“Get out? I pay good money to come here,” Marco retorts.
“Money? Really? Your stupid shit money is no good here. You know me having you here is more beneficial to you than it is to me, Marco Antonella. Fucking get out and don’t come back.”
“Watch your tongue, boy. I could have you killed right the fuck now.”
On that Nick rushes him, slams him into the wall and holds the gun at his head.
I’m shaking.
I’m trembling from deep in my soul. The way Nick looks is like a killer looks. Is he going to kill him?
Marco attacked me with his goons, but death… it’s so … I don’t want it. I don’t want any of this.
“Don’t you fucking dare threaten me, Marco,” Nick warns. “Don’t do it. Get out and none of you come back. I’ve killed enough for the day, don’t want to end my night with blood on my hands.”
I’m listening. I’m listening real good because I need to hear this. He said he’s killed enough for the day and doesn’t want more blood on his hands. That is what he said.
Who am I kidding?
I can’t do this. I’ve already degraded myself.
I can’t do this.
I can’t do it.
Nick hears me whimpering, glances at me and steps away from Marco.
The guys who came in with him leave first then Marco follows.
It’s just me and Nick in the room now. He’s thrown me away so I expect him to walk out and leave me, he doesn’t though. He comes over, crouches down and reaches for me.
I’m too shaken to pull away. I’m too shaken to show how much I hate him right now for putting me in this position.
I can’t fight my heart that continuously betrays me when I’m with him so as he pulls me into his chest, I go to him and allow the tears to pour.
I’m there and I hate that I feel safe with him.
He holds me to him, pressing my head to his chest. Through my tear-filled haze I take note of the hammering of his heart
Nick takes me home.
We drove in silence and I just stared through the window of his black Ferrari.
It’s nice, real classy, the kind you see in the movies. I might have been more taken with it if the circumstances were different.
When we pull up on the drive I get out. I don’t say thanks or anything. I just get out. He follows but I don’t stop to talk to him or anything.
“Mia..” he doesn’t usually call me by name. It sounds weird coming from his lips.
It sounds normal.
I take my keys out of my purse and open the door.
Before he can say another word I go inside and slam the door in his face.
I don’t care anymore.
I no longer care. Tonight was absolute shit and I’m still at the point where I know I can’t do it, not any of it.
Dad comes down the stairs and I fly into his arms and I start crying again.
I don’t tell him why though, or that I’ve given up.
Like I’m his little girl, I cry for everything. Everything.
He takes me upstairs and puts me to bed then sits with me until I drift off.
I didn’t mean to sleep but I think the worry and shock of the night has stressed me out.
I wake early, at the crack of dawn and I get up to pull the curtains closer so the sun won’t come in. I decide I’m sleeping in today and damn everything.
Except I get to the window and stop in my tracks when I see Nick’s car is still parked outside. Exactly where I left it.
I narrow my gaze at what I’m seeing because I’m completely thrown that he’s still here.
Why is he here?
The tangle of emotion sends me downstairs.
As I open the front door Nick sees me and gets out of his car.
It’s strange, to see him so early in the morning. He’s always sleeping when I leave him and it’s always a lot earlier than this. So early it’s still dark out.
The morning sun beams down on him as he makes his way up onto the porch. It’s bright but not like it normally is at this hour. It’s the slight shift in season and I guess that the next few weeks will be colder and mornings will get darker.
Nick looks at me. I’m bare-footed so I really look petite next to him. I’m wearing a pink tank top and flowery pajama bottoms. I don’t look like the woman he’s been sleeping with.
His eyes show the wealth of concern for me but it’s lost on me.
It’s his fault.
Last night was his fault. He put me in that position and the memory of it makes me hate him all over again.
“Angel Doll…” he breathes and I don’t know what comes over me.
My hand takes on a life of its own and lands a slap straight across his cheek.
He’s guy number two who isn’t used to retaliation or the word no.
He looks at me like he can’t believe what I just did. It must be the opening of power but I raise my hand and slap him across the other cheek.
I slapped twice and I’m still alive.
He deserves it.
He keeps his gaze trained on me and I ball my fist at my side because I want to hit him again.
Instead I move back into the house, getting ready to close the door in his face again, but he grabs me and shoves me hard against the wall.
“Let go of me, you asshole,” I cry. The last thing I want is for Dad or Beth to wake up and see us like this, see him handling me like this. Nevertheless, I can’t keep the rage out of my voice.
“Mia, I didn’t mean for last night to happen,” he says quickly.
“Do you even care? No, you don’t, so don’t act like you do. Don’t act like you care. You don’t know me, in the real world I would never know you,” I throw back and I’m crying again. “In the fucking real world I wouldn’t feel for you. I would never feel for someone like you who would just cast me aside with a message.”
He tightens his grip on my hand and it’s painful.
“Next time… just kill me,” I cry. “Just kill me because I can’t pay you back and I’m not going through what I did last night, ever again. Just kill me when you’re ready.”
It’s the reality of the situation. My family owe Hector and I owe Nick.
I haven’t even worked for him for a month yet. People die for less. The other week Dad almost died for ten grand.
He gets closer, face contorting at my words and I actually think he might hit me.
I very nearly think he will because he looks exactly like a man I should be scared of, but instead he presses his forehead to mine.
“No…doll,” he says breathlessly and I hate the way his skin feels against mine. “You’re right. You wouldn’t know me. Don’t do it… Don’t feel for me. Don’t.”
Before I can answer, he moves away and leaves me.
I stare after him and watch him drive away.
The angst of everything has taken me whole. I’m thinking of everything.
Last night and everything.
Don’t feel for me…
I shouldn’t.
I know that. I could write down a million things that all warn me away.
The only problem with that is, it’s too late.
Last night happened with all its warnings but I’m caught in a trap.
It’s too late.
I shouldn’t want him, but I do.