(Lola)
It was well past midnight when I arrived outside the city’s most exclusive Club, Sinner. The queue of people waiting to get it stretched around the block, dressed in gowns that cost upward of twenty-five thousand, and yet most would be waiting in line for hours only to be turned away.
Sinner was the kind of Club reserved for the hottest and richest the city had to offer; if you weren’t famous or earning above 100K, you were not coming in.
I move past the gathered crowd to the front of the queue. The bouncers scanned me from top to bottom as I approached from my designer red bottom heels up to the red satin slit dress and v-neckline that left nothing to the imagination.
“Name?” the bouncer asked, his face carefully blank.
“Lilly Waters. I am a guest of Lord Maxwell,” I declare, masking my face with board disinterest. The bouncer types my name into his tablet, waiting for the system to load.
“I love your dress!” Called a young, pretty blond standing in the front of the queue. I give her my best impression of a bitchy smile before turning back to the bouncer, clicking my tongue in irritation. Finally, the screen loads up, showing I was indeed on the guest list, and the bouncer waves me through. I walk past without so much as a backwards glance or mutter of thanks.
When I get into the Club, I am instantly greeted by one of the staff, a young girl in a little black dress who already knew my name. Not because I come here often, but because Sinner had been built to be the highest level of luxury, and that was the level of service expected of such a fine establishment. The women offered me a glass of complimentary champagne worth 300 a glass, practically gold dust, yet in my option tasted the same as any cheap bottle of sparkling wine.
The room was dimly lit and filled with the rich and famous. Music so loud it was hard to hear yourself think, the air filled with a misted drug that makes you relax and have a good time whether you want to or not. I allowed the women to escort me through the Club toward the private mezzanine level, separated from the rest of the Club with one-way glass. Reserved only for the elite of the elite, people like Lord Maxwell, that came to a club like this and spent a year’s salary in a single night.
Lord Maxwell, also known as Tim. I know. Finding him in the middle of snorting coke off a prostitute’s tits. While his business partners sat at a table in the far corner playing a game of blackjack. Several other half-naked women entertained his other guests with dancing, drugs, sex and whatever else they wanted.
I stepped into the room without blinking; it was nothing I hadn’t seen before. Thankfully the music in here was bearable enough that we could speak without screaming.
“Lilly Waters”, Called Tim right-hand man, standing up from the poker table. I smile at Javier, walking over to give him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.
“Javier, it’s been a while. How’s the new wife?” I asked, fluttering my eyelashes at him.
“Still a bitch Spending all my money, but that is nothing new!” He jokes, earning a laugh from a few of the men seated at the table.
“If only you asked me,” I flirt, smiling broadly to hide my repulsion. In reality, the thought of being with a man like Javier or Tim made me want to slit my own throat. They were not real men, their hands soft and their stomachs weak. A man like that wouldn’t know how to pleasure a real woman.
“I’ll keep you in mind for wife number three,” he winks, placing his sweaty hand at the small of my back. I smile up at him through my lashes, fighting the urge to break his arm in two. “Oh, Javier, how you flatter me,” I giggle, forcing myself to blush. Javier licks his lips, his eyes dipping to my cleavage. I let my hand trail over his wrist, using the distraction of my tits to effortlessly unclasp the Rolex from his wrist without him noticing.
“Excuse me, for a moment while I freshen up,” I remark, heading toward the bathroom. The men in the room were staring at my arse as I retreated, too distracted to notice the 50 grand watch clasped in my hand.
In the bathroom stall, with the door firmly locked. I attach the watch to the garter strapped to my upper thigh, adjusting my dagger to accommodate the extra weight.
Over the past few years, I became somewhat of a professional thief and scammer. Tim and Javier believed me to be the daughter of a wealthy businessman, pursuing a career in modelling with boobs for brains. They saw what they wanted to see. It hadn’t been hard to create a fake Instagram account and a few fake photoshoots. Horny men were only too eager to follow me. If anyone had bothered to look closely, they would see who I really was. But in a man’s world, they never saw a woman as a threat—big mistake.
I returned to the poker table a fresh glass of champagne in hand, more expensive than the one I had been given on my way in.
I spent the night flirting with Javier’s business partners, where they complained about their wives, mistresses, children, money and business. It was dreadfully dull to listen to; I’d have much rather spent my time in jeans and a t-shirt drinking in the local or curled up on the sofa. Still, I had made more money in one night in this place than most people made in a year; all in all, it was worth every second.
By the time I returned home, I had swiped Javier’s watch, a diamond engagement ring from the pocket of a man’s suit jacket, two gold chains, a tungsten carbide wedding ring, Armani sunglasses and three sets of cufflinks. And I didn’t have to open my legs to obtain any of it.
By the time I returned to my apartment on the wrong side of the city. The sun was making its way over the horizon. I kicked my heels off at the door and stripped off my dress, letting it fall into a pile on the floor. I place the night’s loot onto my already overflowing dressing table. Not bother to remove my makeup or brush my teeth before collapsing onto the bed.
I couldn’t have spent more than a few hours when the sound of someone violently pounding on my door woke me from my slumber. And considering nobody from my new life knew where I lived, I was reluctant to open the door. I highly drought it was Sam, considering we hadn’t spoken a word to each other in over five years. Meaning whoever it was, wasn’t here to borrow a spoon of sugar.
Bang! Bang Bang! The person thumped on the door. Silent as a cat, I roll out of bed. Before quickly shrugging on a baggy hoodie and sweatpants I’d left on the floor the day before. Not forgetting to pick up my dagger from the dressing table before silently making my way to the front door on bare feet. Keeping my distance as I peer through the peephole from afar, resting my hand on the wooden frame to keep me balanced.
Outside were three large men, all of them dressed head to toe in black. Only their eyes were visible through the black ski masks hiding their faces. I glimpse the sight of a gun tucked into the waistband of one of the men’s dark jeans, causing me to jerk back, narrowly missing a vase. Shit!
There was no way I could fight three men loaded with guns with nothing but a 6-inch dagger to defend myself. They defiantly didn’t look like they had a problem forcing their way inside if I didn’t answer.
Scuttering back to my bedroom, I snatch up the backpack I had stashed under the bed for emergencies. Just as something hard slammed into my front door. Fuck! I didn’t allow myself time to pause before running to the window. With some effort, I managed to force it open, the wooden frame groaning in protest in the process and only allowing me to open it halfway before getting stuck. But it was enough to allow me to crawl out onto the fire escape below.
The front door burst open at that moment, the cheap wood splintering in the process. I didn’t wait another second to see what happened next before making my escape, not bothering to conceal my heavy footstep.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t had time to grab any shoes, but luckily the fire escape was void of any glass or needles that would slice into my skin. Once I managed to get enough distance between us, I could put on the trainers I had stashed in the bag.
“Down here!” calls out a male voice from above. I had already made it three stories down at this point, with only two more to go. But that didn’t stop the man above me from shooting at me, causing bullets to ricochet off metal and stone. I duck, a small yelp leaving my lips.
“Ceasefire! Ceasefire!” Another male shouts, his voice sounding strangely familiar, but I couldn’t quite place him without looking. “The boss wants her alive!”
I reach the bottom of the staircase, jumping over a puddle as I reach the bottom, just as their footsteps vibrate through the metal from above.
Barefoot I start running, tugging my hoody up to conceal my hair and face. It didn’t take long before I had lost myself in the city’s busy streets.
Twenty minutes later, with no sign of the men pursuing me, I make my way into a McDonald’s bathroom stall. Before switching my clothes into; a black crop top ripped jeans and trainers. Then fishing out a burner phone in the front pocket and sent a quick text to the only number I had saved to the phone.
Me:
SOS city apartment, not safe, shots fired. Need assistance.
A second later came Sam’s reply:
Little Sis, is that you? Are you hurt?
I roll my eyes at the screen. The one-shot I had to feel as if I was in a movie, and Sam rowens it.
Me:
No, it’s the Easter bunny. Can you help me or not?
A long pause. Then someone bashes on the bathroom stool, making me jump out of my skin.
“I’m in here!” I snarl, kicking the door to ward them off.
“Are you taking a shit or something? I really need to pee,” The girl whined from the other side of the door.
“No, I’m in the middle of a four-way with Justin Bieber “, I snap back sarcastically.
“You don’t have to be so rude!” The girl hissed before stalking off. I roll my eyes, turning my attention back to the phone.
Sam:
Someone is in a lousy mood :P
Me:
Seriously bro?
Sam:
;) I’m on my way. Stay out of trouble until I get there. I’m not really in the mood for murder right now
Me:
Dick.
Sam didn’t reply, hopefully, because he was already on his way to the city. Even if he broke the speed limit, it would take him at least a few hours to get here. Sam surprisingly hadn’t asked me where I was; I wonder how exactly he planned on finding me but didn’t bother to look too much into it. I was running on minimal sleep and didn’t feel like thinking too much right now.
I pack my hoddie and sweatpants into my backpack before heading back out onto the street. I needed coffee.
The roar of a motorbike on the street outside the coffee shop had me instantly sitting up. I peer out the window taking in the crowded street and road beyond. Sure enough, three Harley Davison in mint condition sat out on the curb outside the coffee shop. The rider astride the matt black tank Legacy, dressed in faded black jeans and a tight-fitting leather jacket with the Eagles Wing logo embroidered on the back, was my brother. The other riders were Ace and Tats.
Sam revved the engine, the only warning I’d get that he was outside. The sound making a few people on the sidewalk jump back in surprise, giving the riders a healthy amount of space as they walk around. With a groan, I pull myself out of the chair; my legs had gone stiff from sitting for so long.
As soon as I stepped out onto the sidewalk, Sam’s pine-green eyes met mine. The only part of his face was visible due to the helmet, tinted visor having been pulled back. He looked me over as if seeing me for the first time. Which I supposed, in many ways, he was.
I had been two weeks away from my seventeenth birthday, the last time he’d seen me. In the five years we had been apart, I had changed a lot. I wasn’t the awkward teenager he remembered; my body and personality had matured significantly since then. I had a nose ring, belly piercing, and tattoos that were not currently visible. Yet Sam, from what I could tell, hadn’t changed a day.
I didn’t realise we had been staring at each other until Ace wolf whistle broke the silence. Pulling my attention away to away from my brother. Sadly Ace wasn’t as sexy as I remember; he’d put on a lot of weight in the last five years and looked far older than his age. But that didn’t stop my heart from fluttering just a little.
“Dam, Sissy, you’re looking fine,” Ace approved, giving me a roguish grin. Sam cut him a look that promised death if he made a move on me. Somethings don’t change, apparently. “What? She does!” Ace laughs. Either he had finally grown hair on his balls since last we met, or Ace had truly forgotten Sam’s possessive big brother act.
“At least one of you look happy to see me. I’m riding with you, cowboy,” I flirt, giving Ace a wink purposely to piss off Sam.
Sam had always hated it when the guys gave me any kind of attention, but I was a grown woman now. If I wanted to jump into bed with Ace, there was nothing he could do to stop me.
“Yes, Mama,” Ace beamed, not even attempting to hide his grin.
I smirk inwardly, snatching the spare helmet from Sam before stalking over to Ace’s bike. My brother watched me with predatory focus the entire time without saying a word.