Chapter 18: Strip club

ELENA'S POV

We were standing in this abandoned warehouse with stray objects lying about while we waited.

One of the stoic-looking henchmen at the warehouse brought a seat for Luca while giving me a glare like “I'm not getting a woman a seat”

Luca simply motioned me to sit instead and said nothing, a blank look on his face.

I sat down gingerly and scowled at the guard who scoffed Inwardly and looked away.

Honestly, we'd been here for just 5 minutes but I was getting bored. For Luca not to have said anything about the way we were kept waiting, I knew that it was either the said person we were waiting for was more powerful which was unlikely or Luca had something more sinister in mind which was why he was patient.

After a while, a door to the left opened and I heard the faint sounds of music booming behind the door as a pudgy middle-aged man stumbled out, his skin shining with sweat.

“Don Luca. I was surprised to hear that you had paid me a visit” he immediately said with a smile that made my skin crawl. This man was a wolf in sheep's clothing, I could tell that much.

Luca tucked his hands in his pockets. “Is that why you kept me waiting?” He asked in a calm tone.

The man's smile faltered a bit. “no, Claire didn't want to keep her hands off me. Also had some issues with Justin's wife, the woman kept blaming me for her husband's death…the little bitch didn't want to understand that it's all business so I did what I had to do…” he said nonchalantly.

My jaw dropped and my heart skipped a beat.

Luca's left eye twitched as he heard that. “You killed her?”, his tone was darker now.

“What can I say? She was too persistent” the man replied with an air of nonchalance.

I struggled to breathe realizing how dangerous this man was.

The man looked at me as though noticing my presence for the first time and he smiled. “is this your lady?” He asked Luca.

Luca smiled. “Yes, my woman”

The man gave a wide-lipped smile that made me quickly look away before I did something stupid.

“She's beautiful. You always had an eye for women. I wouldn't mind paying top dollar for her. The men here would love her” The man said eyeing me slowly.

Oh lord, this was a strip club or something.

Luca clenched his fists. “No, I would however want to go through your stuff though. Think she can stay in my room while I go about my business?” Luca asked.

The man nodded. “Your room is always ready. She can stay there. Natalie has been pining over you so you can also pay her a visit. I'll reduce the money”

My mouth formed an iron 'o'. He used to come here for the women. Did he still come here?

Luca simply nodded and helped me stand up from the chair.

“Alright Enrico, I'll meet you inside,” he said to the man whose name I just found out.

Enrico nodded and looked over the henchman who nodded and followed him back into the club, leaving Luca and I alone.

Luca immediately looked at me. “Now, I need your help. The bastard always carries a flash drive in the form of a pendant in his pocket. I need it. I can't kill him in public so I need you to get him In private. Other women didn't make it after trying” he informed me.

“Then what makes you think I can do it?!” I almost shrieked.

“You can say no, Elena. You don't have to. I won't let anything happen to you though. Will you do it?” He asked, his eyes piercing mine.

I thought for a while knowing that I was gambling with my life but I trusted him. I stupidly trusted him.

“Fine! But if anything happens…” I began to warn when he pressed a small object to my hand.

I looked at the small red lipstick with a button on the underside. “What's this?”

“If you want out, press that. I'll be there in seconds” he said.

I looked back at him. “A few seconds is enough for him to kill me”

He sighed and bit his lip. “Elena, Enrico is a fool who's a sucker for beautiful women. He's not a threat. I just can't get close enough to him to get it without causing a mob fight”

“Fine. But if I press this and you're not there in 10 seconds, I'll haunt you” I threatened him.

He chuckled and smiled. “That's not such a bad thing”

“10 seconds, Luca” I emphasized.

“I only need 5” he whispered before he led me into the club.

Not a club

A strip club.

Women dressed in skimpy clothes and lacy underwear were going about giving the hollering men a show. Disgusting.

Someone walked up to us and nodded at Luca. “Don Rico said to take her to your room so she could wait for you there.” He said nodding at me.

Luca nodded. “Yes, Take her there. Make sure no one gets in. I'll pick her from there” Luca said, his stoic face back in play.

The man nodded and looked at me. “Miss..”

I nodded and followed him through the silent hallways as we passed rooms that were filled with the sounds of laughter and sounds that I would rather erase from my memory.

Finally, we got a silent room and the man pulled out a key. “Here,” he said simply.

I opened the door and nodded at him then he left.

Stepping into the room, my eyes took the lavish space in and I sighed nervously. What If Enrico never came?

I didn't have to worry about that because there was a knock on the door a few minutes later.

“Who's there?”, I asked.

There was the sound of a key inserted and the door pushed open to reveal the repulsive man who sauntered in

“Enrico. I don't think we've been properly Introduced”

My fingers tightened on the lipstick and I swallowed heavily. Showtime.