Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Lilly
Oh my God…
What a damn way to start the night.
Jesus…Running my car into the back of a Bugatti. A parked one at that. It’s not that I didn’t see it. And I don’t know why such foolishness fell from my lips when I told that guy, I didn’t see him.
Even if I were blind, I would have seen that guy and by the same token I would have known to stay far away.
The man is GQ gorgeous with the type of face reserved for Hollywood. His face is all angles and planes gorgeous and he packs the type of muscle best reserved for a men’s health magazine.
However, I can spot a guy that’s trouble from a mile away. Up close, it’s easier. Add the fact he had blood on the collar of his shirt, and that’s enough for the warning bells to go off in my mind.
Mafia … that was him. He looked Italian and carried the attitude I’ve grown used to with men of that caliber. They’re just like the Cartel. No different. Maybe worse.
What I do know is I’m lucky he didn’t push for me to sort out my clumsiness then and there, or behave like an ass over the scratch. And thank God it was a scratch. Who knows what it will cost me though, or what the claim will do to my insurance to spike up the monthly payments.
I sigh and pace up the stairs. I’m not late, yet, but bordering on it. I don’t think they will mind because I’m not supposed to be here for another hour, but I was asked to get here early to go over the performance tonight.
Performance…
That’s the part I’m looking forward to and the fact I can wear clothes tonight is a plus. There will be some routines in the weeks to come where I’ll basically be naked.
Dancing naked after not being on stage for close to five years is not my idea of fun.
Dancing naked in a sex club when you were on track to a career as a successful dancer was never in the cards for me. Not at all.
My cheeks burn. Maybe crashing into that guy was an omen I shouldn’t be here. Here at The Dark Odyssey. A sex club known for all kinds of debauchery and wild fantasies for the sexually adventurous.
He knew. That guy knew. He would have known I was coming in here. I was worried about being late, but I’ll admit shame filled me the moment I saw him realize I could only be parked where I was if I was going into the club. I couldn’t get away fast enough.
It doesn’t matter. This job is my chance.
A chance I have to seize with both hands to get my life back on track and pay off that fucking debt to Lev.
A damn debt I wish I never had to get. It was literally jumping from the frying pan and into the flames of hell, making my situation so much worse than it already was.
It’s not just me I have to think of now. I have a three-year-old daughter who depends on me and I have to be her mom. My little Rosie deserves all the good things this world has to offer. A home where she can feel safe and a mother who can take care of her. The way my mother took care of me.
Nothing else matters right now, and even if it were just me, I owe it to myself to get back to who I’m supposed to be.
It’s just the unknown that worries me.
I go up the steps leading to the dressing room and see Tatiana talking with Louise.
Tatiana is the choreographer who was hired for this project. Louise is the assistant manager here. She alternates her shifts with the manager, Mimi Giordano.
Mimi did my interview along with Tatiana. Both were nice to me, although I suspect Mimi probably saw how desperate I was. Tatiana was too impressed with my resume to see the other side to the job that would worry me.
She and Louise smile at me when I enter the room.
“Fantastic, you’re here,” Tatiana beams. She rubs her hands together excitedly.
I smile and try to act calm and cool. “Hi there. I made it,” I say tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.
“We’re so excited about tonight,” Louise says.
Both women frequent the club as patrons so they wouldn’t know how nervous I am. I’ve known them for a little over three weeks and I’ve heard enough stories to make a nun blush and have me in confessionals for a week, just from listening to them.
The way I figure it is this, it’s fine if you come here and meet a guy to hook up. If this is not your thing and you’re working, you become something else entirely.
In my case I’d be little better than a prostitute. They can sugar coat it all they want and make me feel like I’m being daring, but that is what it is.
That’s the part that gets me.
Tonight, could be the start of anything.
I’m the dancer, the angel representing heaven in the exhibition. I’ll be dancing in the hour-long performance and while I dance the men below who watch me will place their bids on who will have me for the night. Who will get to break my wings.
I try not to think about it, other than the fact it will pay me serious money if I can hack it.
“Are you ready?” Tatiana takes both my hands into hers.
“I am. It’s gonna be nice dancing again,” I try to sound enthusiastic.
“My girl, I can just imagine,” Tatiana sympathizes.
“I was so sad when I stopped dancing. Imagine dancing for over twenty-five years, show after show, touring the world, then stopping. But it was time for me. Chorography is great, but there’s nothing like being on that stage. Or, in your case, the crystal ball.”
I laugh and genuinely smile.
The ideas she’s come up with are ingenious and I can see why the club owners hired her. I’m supposed to dance in a massive crystal ball that moves around the ceiling on a mechanical device creating an illusion I’m dancing in the air.
The ball is big enough for me to glide around and leap through the air as if I am on stage doing a show. A show I’ll be the star of.
All that while I’m surrounded by sex. It’s called the Heaven and Hell exhibition for a reason.
During my time here I’ve only seen people having sex once. That was when I was leaving late after rehearsals. I wondered if people would seriously have actual sex. Then I saw it. A threesome at that, and right by the bar where I went to grab a glass of water.
“I’m excited,” I say.
“That’s what we like to hear,” Louise chimes in.
“I’ll go get the makeup ready and the stylists.” Tatiana is once again rubbing her hands together.
“We’ll do paperwork and join you in a few minutes,” Louise answers and Tatiana saunters away.
Louise gives me a cautious look and bites the inside of her lip. “How are you really feeling?”
“I’m okay.”
“As it’s your first night, Mimi asked me to take special care of you. She sensed you were a little nervous,” she states.
“I am. I guess it’s because I’m new and this … is new,” I confess.
I put on a good act over the time I’ve come here. I tried to make them think I’m this wild adventurous woman who’s in touch with her body and wants to explore sex in every way. Of course, they would think that when I ticked the box on the contract that said I’d be willing to do anything.
That’s what I did. Opening the floor for anything.
Louise and Tatiana were so thrilled, Mimi though? I knew she could see straight through the shit of a facade.
“I’m going to be real with you, and please don’t take this the wrong way at all.
For a start, I saw you dancing, and I can see you’re better than this, but that’s the same reason why we want you.
The Dark Odyssey is more than just a sex club.
It’s about fantasy, so we want the best. But not if you find yourself in a situation where you’re uncomfortable or feeling forced to do something you don’t want to do. ”
I nod my understanding. “I know and I get it.”
“Lilly, I know the money is seriously good. Mimi and I are both moms, so we know the value of good money. At least she has a good guy to take care of her. I on the other hand know it can be hard when you don’t have that, and I get why you’re doing this, but think about what you’re doing.
You said you’d do anything on your contract, and I have to let you know that anything means anything. ”
“I understand,” I assure her, but she still looks concerned.
The job is only for three months. Dancing alone will pay a base of seven grand per month.
That’s just for one hour’s work a night to dance virtually naked.
I don’t know anywhere else that would pay me that much.
I definitely wouldn’t make it dancing in the shows I’m used to.
What I’m pushing my neck out for is the predicted hundred grand I stand to make for being booked to spend the night with a man I don’t know, or men.
It could be more. After all I said I’d do anything.
The minimum bid anyone can place is two grand.
I was told it would likely be more than that, however.
And that’s why I’m selling my soul to the devil.
“I just want to make sure you’re a hundred percent okay with that. The men who come here have all sorts of tastes.”
“I know, and I promise you, I’ll be okay.”
She’s a single mom like me, but I don’t think she’s been through the hell I had to go through with my baby and the man who was supposed to take care of us.
In the end there was no one to keep us safe from him. I’m here now and this is the home stretch out of hell.
“Great. We’re all extremely excited. Well, this is it. You get ready and you dance. I’ll have someone there waiting to tend to you at the end of the performance. The ball’s flight will end at Christian lounge tonight.”
He’s one of the owners of the club. I heard it was Christian who hired Tatiana. Each of the owners do different things here. He’s responsible for some of the wilder attractions like what I’m doing tonight.
“Oh, cool.”
“He’s nice. Watch it though, he’s the last Giordano bachelor left, sexy as hell and hot as sin. The girls want to get him into their beds and a lot of them would love a ring on their finger. Get too close and you’ll make a few enemies.”
She chuckles and shakes her head. I’ll be fine. Men are out of the question for me, so the girls are welcome to him.
“Don’t worry about me,” I answer.
I’ll be staying away. Nice as Mimi and Salvatore are, there’s more than one reason for me to watch myself around that family. I’m aware who the Giordanos are. I did my research and it’s a known thing in Chicago that they’re a mafia family.
“If you need me for anything I’ll be there. The club’s safe word is red. If anybody tries anything you don’t like, you scream red,” she cautions with a stern expression.
Safe words….
I’m gonna have a hard time wrapping my head around this.
“Thank you,” I say.
“No worries. Let’s get you ready then.” The smile returns to her face and I feel more assured. The last thing I want is for her to think I’m going to chicken out.
I’m not.
* * *
I’m ready within the hour. My first performance is at eight. The club opens at seven, but most of the crowd rolls in at eight.
Tonight, I’m dressed in a white baby doll negligee.
It looks like the erotic version of something Tinkerbell would wear.
Underneath, I’ll be wearing a thong so people will definitely see my ass.
The top of the body is completely see-through, so anyone looking can see my very pink nipples pressing against the white of the fabric.
My hair is up in a tight high ponytail, but the ends flow down long with a hint of a wave covering my shoulders. That is my only covering. The rest of me feels naked and exposed.
Louise gives me a hopeful smile as I step into the crystal ball and I suck in a breath as it lifts into the air.
I’m on the fifth floor. No one can see me yet. I’m supposed to move when the music starts playing. Salvatore, does all the fancy tech. He designed this whole set up, and I felt it was comparable to something you’d see on a movie set.
On my first step I’ll become visible and activate the crystal ball. Smoke and lights will come on, and so will I. People will see me. I’ll become the dancer I was five years ago, before my world changed.
This will be a version of the dream I hope for myself with a dark twist. As soon as I step out, men will be watching me, wanting me. Probably paying to have me for the night. It might be one, it might be two or three.
Anything means anything at The Dark Odyssey.
The music plays and I take that step. The lights go on and although I’m about fifty feet in the air and the music fills the room, I hear it… the sound of amazement and wonder. A gasp in unison of the crowd below. It’s just like before when I used to dance on stage.
The same magic mom used to talk about. My mother was my guiding voice and light in the darkest abyss. As long as I danced the magic would always be in my heart.
It comes to me now and I’m not here. I’m the girl I was six years ago, before the devil placed a ring on my finger and chained my soul to hell.
I’m that girl who stood on the stage of the …
in LA dancing in the grand ballet. I’m the girl who played Princess Odette, Juliet, Carmen, and many others.
I’m the girl who looked out to the crowd and saw her mother watching on with pride.
Even though Mom is gone, the magic is still with me now as I move.
I glide in the crystal ball, becoming part of the music.
The routine Tatiana made up was simple and effective reminding me of the opening steps to Swan Lake.
For a moment I forget where I am and feel amazing.
Over the last few weeks, I practiced every day for hours, but my body remembers how to move naturally.
Mom always told me I was born to do this.
On stage, or in a crystal ball. I dance and leap and smile, feeling like my old self again.
The time flies quickly and smoke arises one final time as I glide in the ball to the last corner of the ceiling. This should be the end now. I’m heading to the lounge, the ball slows on its device, and the light dims in its effect as the smoke rises up.
I twirl into a pirouette and curtsey, bowing my head giving the illusion that I’ve travelled into it.
However, as I lift my head, I see him. The guy from outside in the parking lot. I blink several times and my nerves spike when I realize it really is him.
He’s sitting in the owners’ lounge with a cigar slinked at the side of his mouth gazing on at me with that wild interest that captured me and would have beckoned me to stare earlier when we met if I wasn’t so wary.
This guy though has a presence about him that breaks down walls whether you’re wary or not. That coming from someone like me is a big deal. Looking at a man like that if you’re me is enough to trouble my heart and make my soul quiver.
Reality knocks me when I realize I’m just staring. My nerves spike then when it dawns on me that he’s sitting by the barrier in the owner’s lounge because he’s one of the club owners.
The ball stops a breath away. Light and smoke fades, but I know he’s still watching me and even though I can’t see him, I can feel him.