Dancing For The Mafia

3

Eliana

Peter pressed the elevator button, "Press the seventh floor, his office is easy to find." His phone beeped for the fifth time, "I'll meet you up there soon."

I nodded, a bit down that he wasn't coming along. But his phone had been going off since we left the room. The metal doors slid open and I walked in looking back at Peter. I waved a small, "Bye."

He wiped his fingers under his nose and smirked, "Still got you here with me my little dancer." I could feel myself blush a deep red as the elevator doors closed. I reached over and pressed the button for the seventh floor leaning back on the wall.

I resisted the urge to text Lucia, she needed to focus. This would throw her off her focus and bring her straight to the club. The doors opened and I read the large arrow making a right turn.

There was small clacking and a woman with blonde hair sitting behind a desk came into view. "Sit." She ordered without looking up from the computer screen. I walked over to one of the chairs taking a seat, looking around the room.

There were a couple of brown doors to the left and a large restroom sign to the right, a blue door under it. The woman continued to type, her eyes running across the screen. One of the brown doors opened, "Come." It was DeLeón, "I don't have all night slut."

"Go on sweetie." The blonde at the computer was smiling at me, her crystal blue eyes warm. "Trust me he doesn't bite, even though it looks like it."

I buried down a smile and stood up heading over to DeLeón's office door. He let me in and as I walked past he muttered, "I don't bite, I kill."

He closed the door behind him and I took a seat in one of the black leather seats in front of his desk. His office was a chill dark space, the interior of the walls painted an almost black grey. Only a small lamp on the desk was illuminating the space, a lit cigar and documents there as well.

"So you've worked at a club before, yes?" He was in the corner of the room, the clinking of glass following his movements. He asked another question before I could answer, "Did you like it?"

"I liked dancing." I always tried my best not to think about the last stripping job I had in Spain. I was young and stupid, "I've always loved it."

DeLeón came back to his desk with two drinks in his hand. I shook my head and he continued to hold it out to me. I grabbed the glass, "One crucial rule in my club, is that you never say no to me, understand?"

I twirled the drink in my hand as I stared at him thoughts of Peter resurfacing, "Understand."

His shades remained framed on his face, "You're going to have the best time here then Eliana Peña."

I choked a bit on my drink as he addressed me by my full name, how did he know? "Excuse me?"

"Do you take me for an idiot Eliana?" I didn't respond and he smirked, "Peter killed a man in the middle of the club, you know what you're dealing with Peña."

I chugged down the entire glass and rubbed my thumb against the rim, "I left that life for a reason DeLeón." I glanced up at him, "I just need the money."

He smiled, "Good, we're on the same page." He set his drink down and picked up his cigar, "You can keep up the American ruse as long as you want, you know I know Peña." There was a knock at the door and he stood up, "Our dancers aren't involved in the business, so you're safe. They never touch our dancers."

He opened the door and a tall slender woman with jet black hair hovering above her tan shoulders was standing at the threshold with a wide smile, "You must be Eliana."

DeLeón walked back to his seat, "This is Hazel, she's one of our dancers and will help you get your feel for how things are done around here. Now get out."

I stood up and went to the door Hazel grabbing my arm and leading me towards the elevator. She rubbed my arm, "The tough act is for show, trust me."

She towered over me easily with her height and I looked back at the brown door as we slowly got further away from it, "He must be a really good actor then."

Hazel pressed the button for the elevator chuckling softly, "He wouldn't hurt a fly, trust me." I tried not to show how unbelievable I found that statement considering what happened once I walked in the club.

We arrived to the dressing room, women sitting in front of their vanities getting ready for the night. Hazel led me over to an empty one, "This one will be yours." It was a creme color, a few stains here and there but overall still new. "You can decorate it how you want, nothing permanent in case you have to clear out."

I nodded and took a seat at the vanity, wanting a feel for it, "How long have you been working at the club?"

She shrugged and looked up in deep thought, "Five years I think, some girls have been here way long." She sat at the vanity next to me, "It's rare that girls leave, DeLeón really makes sure we're taken care of." She nudged me, "But he doesn't accept just anyone though, so you must be really good Eliana."

Now knowing that DeLeón knows who I am makes me question his intentions with me. "I'm decent."

"DeLeón doesn't take "decent" dancers, we serve to the crème of the crop of many important business associations. He needs the best so we are the best." Hazel threw a small candy in her mouth, "Got it?"

I faced myself in the mirror looking over my features, "Got it."

——
End of Chapter Three.