15.Alin #2
She ignores my teasing and smiles proudly, as if she had sewn the clothes herself. We finish getting ready quickly and head downstairs, where Graham and Abert, one of the trusted men Luca assigned to guard me, are waiting.
“Great, now we have two babysitters,” I whisper to Cora, and she shrugs in resignation.
Cora shows them the address on her phone, and Abert immediately calls Luca to report. He approves, and we head out.
We arrive at the bar, with Abert and Graham a few meters behind us, scanning the area and attracting a lot of attention. I feel completely embarrassed, but the feeling is also a familiar one from back home.
As the daughter of the pod leader, a royalty lineage, my guards never left my side. I was lucky to slip away from them at the engagement announcement party.
Cora pulls my hand, bringing me back to reality. “I love Brazilian music! Let’s dance!” she says with a smile as a reggaeton song she loves starts playing. She drags me to the bar’s small dance floor, grabbing two shot glasses from a passing waiter.
I laugh and raise the shot with her, being more cautious this time, only taking one more shot. I stop even when Cora continues drinking and going wild on the dance floor.
I join her, and it seems we’re attracting a lot of attention.
Men try to approach, but they all back off quickly when Abert and Graham step closer.
They’re doing their job well, even if I really don’t want them to.
After two hours of non-stop dancing, releasing all the steam I held inside for two weeks, I’m starting to get tired.
But Cora has managed to force two more shots on me.
I drank them reluctantly. Trying to say no to Cora is an impossible task, even when she’s not drunk.
The floor begins to spin slightly, and I need to hold onto one of the bar stools to steady myself. Abert reaches me in a second and steadies me before I fall.
“I want to go home,” I say, and he nods, signaling to Graham as we head toward the car.
“You’re such a party pooper!” I hear Cora’s drunken voice behind us as Graham drags her out.
It seems he’s used to her behavior; he doesn’t even bat an eye.
I don’t say much, just walk closely to Abert, my dizzy head unable to stop thinking about Luca.
How much I want to see him. I want to tell him I’m not mad at him, that I know he’s not the monster he wants me to think he is, that I accept him as he is. Maybe that’s why he’s ignoring me.
“Where’s Luca?” I ask, slurring my words. Abert doesn’t answer and continues to push me forward.
“Probably with Mariano, at the strip club,” Cora yells drunkenly from behind, her voice dripping with disdain, as always when the Q’s strip club is mentioned. She really hates that place.
“Take me there, Abert,” I demand.
“Miss Gray, we’re heading back to the apartment,” he informs me with such calmness, as if we’re having a normal daily conversation.
“Take me to the club, now!” I order, trying to pull myself out of Abert’s supportive grip.
“Okay, okay,” he replies, signaling something to Graham with his head. Graham immediately takes out his phone, and we get into the car. After a short drive, we arrive at the club, and I quickly get out of the car, with Abert right behind me.
The bouncers at the entrance recognize him and let us in.
Without Abert’s support, I’m swaying from side to side, excitedly climbing the stairs to the upper room where he sat last time.
I struggle up the last step, trying hard to keep my balance, and then the horrific scene before me hits.
I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping I’m too drunk and just imagining things.
I open my eyes again, only to be shattered by the realization that I’m not hallucinating. A naked redhead is sitting on Luca’s lap, unzipping his pants. He sits there silently, accepting her, with no expression on his face.
Tears start to fill my eyes. I want to leave, but my legs won’t move. How did I ever think this man wanted me? Did I really build up these fantasies that he truly desired me? Was I that blind? The questions race through my mind when suddenly I hear Mariano’s voice behind me.
“Alin!” he calls again when I don’t respond, grabbing my arm as he sees what has been burning my eyes for the past minute.
“Luca,” Mariano calls to his brother, trying to draw his attention to me. Luca seems to snap out of his private erotic world for a moment. He looks at me and Mariano, not surprised at all, then brings his attention back to the girl in front of him without saying a word.
I can’t watch this any longer. It feels like a giant hook is tearing through my chest. I take a step back, turn, and start running.
I am fleeing from Abert, from Mariano, and most of all, from Luca.
I rush out of the club, my vision blurred by tears, and accidentally bump into a tall man standing in my path. I quickly apologize and wipe my eyes.
I look up at his face. His hair is blonde, his eyes are blue, and his chin is sharp. His skin is pale as a ghost, and his expression is cold and emotionless.
“Nice to finally meet you. The girl who stirred the pot, you made quite an impression on my guys,” he says without introducing himself, his glance sending a chill down my spine.
This man isn’t afraid of anything, and it’s not hard to see that.
Does he think I’m a prostitute? What does he mean by making an impression on his guys?
“I think you have the wrong girl. The prostitutes are inside,” I snap back impatiently, pointing toward the club entrance, my face swollen with tears. I sidestep him and walk away.
“In that case, you really are just Luca’s whore, nothing more,” he adds, and I freeze, feeling the hook in my heart sink even deeper. I stand there hurt, with no good answer to give, until I hear Luca’s familiar voice behind me.
“Stas,” he calls, and I turn quickly to look at him. The look in Luca’s eyes is darker than any devil’s when he looks at this man.
“Luca,” the man replies in the same tone. They know each other? Stas? Is he with the Russians? The realization hits me, and fear floods over me for Luca’s safety.
A hand suddenly appears from behind, grabbing mine and pulling me away. I instinctively pull back, ready to defend myself, and I breathe a sigh of relief when I recognize it’s Abert.
“Miss Gray, we’re leaving,” he announces. I don’t want to leave Luca here with him, but Stas’ words echo in my mind: “You’re just Luca’s whore.” Another tear rolls down my cheek. I cast one last glance at Luca, surrendering this battle, and leave with Abert.
Cora waits for us in the car, hugging me with concern as soon as she sees my tear-streaked face.
I start sobbing loudly into her embrace, and she just holds me tighter without saying a word.
She probably thinks it’s because of Stas, that I’m scared.
She has no idea how deeply the hook in my heart hurts.
She quickly urges Graham to leave. He obeys, and within moments, we’re already out of the club’s parking lot, merging onto the main road.
Cora keeps holding me the entire way, not letting go for a second, and I start wondering if it’s time to run away to another place.
We arrive back at the building within half an hour, and I decide not to return to Luca’s apartment.
“Is it okay if I stay with you tonight?” I ask Cora, pulling away from her embrace and adjusting my skirt that had ridden up too high, exposing my underwear.
“You don’t even need to ask, of course you can,” she replies, giving the answer I expected to hear, and we head up to her apartment together. She takes me to her and Mariano’s room, pulling out an oversized T-shirt, likely her husband’s, and hands it to me.
“Get rid of those clothes, tomorrow is a new day,” she says, as if trying to convince herself more than me. It seems her mind is also crowded with thoughts.
I don’t have the energy to argue and do as she says, changing into the T-shirt she gave me and immediately crawling into bed, pulling the blanket over me. She follows right after.
“Where’s Mariano?” I ask, a bit apprehensive that he might suddenly walk in.
“Don’t worry, he won’t be back tonight. They have some things to take care of,” she replies, and I hear the worry in her voice. I begin to understand why she seems almost as downcast as I am, but I’ve had enough of these brothers for now and decide not to press her with more questions.
I don’t bother telling Cora what happened at the club. I feel emotionally drained and am not ready to talk about it yet, especially since I haven’t even formed an opinion myself about the events of the evening or what lies ahead.
I look to my right, seeing Cora already half asleep. I sigh, desperately wanting to escape from this place. I need comfort in something, anything to hold on to.
I want to go for a swim, but with the constant surveillance, Luca would know my every move.
Instead, I decide to settle for a warm bath.
I quietly enter the en-suite bathroom and lock the door behind me.
I fill the bathtub with warm water, undress, and slip in.
My legs transform into my tail within moments, and I relish the soothing, comforting touch of the water.
I play with my fingers, creating shapes in the air with the water, contemplating that leaving might be the best decision for me.
I sigh heavily, deciding that tomorrow morning I would say goodbye to Cora and distance myself as much as possible from this city. It’s not the first time I’ll be starting a new life, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
I might be able to ensure my personal safety here, but I can’t protect my secret or my feelings if I stay. I submerge my head underwater, close my eyes, and drift off to sleep, embraced by the familiar sensation.