Dancing For The Mafia

5

Eliana

The man handed me a large stack with a dark blue tape around it marked 2500. "I thought the starting pay was 4000, that means I'm short 1500."

"You think your little tease on the pole was worth 4 grand?" I turned around to see DeLeón walking by with his trademark sunglasses strapped to his face. He was lighting up a cigar, "Dance like you mean it...." He stopped in front of me blowing out what he inhaled, "And you get your full pay."

I placed the money in my bag staring into his dark shaded eyes as smoke filled the space between us, "Whose to say that dance wasn't me meaning it?"

He chuckled, "I've been around for a while Peña." I shuddered slightly at his use of my last name, "I know when a dancer fully feels her dance."

My phone buzzed and I took that as a sign to hold my tongue. I put the receiver to my ear and Lucia's voice filled the speaker, telling me she was outside. I returned my phone to my back pocket, "When you have a chance tell Peter I said goodbye."

DeLeón reached in his pocket and spoke into a white receiver looking thing, "Hey Peter your new whore says goodbye. I think she wants a bedtime kiss." DeLeón and the guy at the pay table began snickering.

I rolled my eyes slightly and walked out of the club, the sky already turning a light blue as it prepared for dawn. Lucia's smile faded as I got closer to the car, "Don't."

She closed her mouth slightly, "But..."

"No." I put on my seatbelt and leaned back into the chair wishing to be swallowed by it. "Later."

The car jolted a bit as Lucia began to drive, "Fair." I turned my head to face the window closing my eyes, "I do have to swing by the grocery store, is that okay?"

I turned my head to face her once again and my hair followed along covering my eyes, "Of course that's okay Lucia, when have you ever asked?"

She chuckled and laid back in the drivers seat speeding up, "It's all about communication Ana, had to make sure you were still up to the tedious task." I smiled slightly knowing she wasn't lying when she emphasized grocery shopping with her being tedious. "I'm going to recite the list, help me remember."

I pushed the black trolley as we went down the aisle, "Coconut milk." Lucia stopped in her tracks and took a couple steps back standing in front of the cans.

She attentively looked through each can, judging the expiration date, ingredients, and calories per serving. "Lunatic Lucia roams the aisles yet again." I chuckled and turning around seeing Daniel push his own trolley filled with random items, "Good morning ladies."

"Pretty sure harassing customers can get your employee card revoked Mister Ditzy Daniel sir." Daniel smirked and walked over kneeling down next to Lucia, "You're too close."

He took a deep breath through his teeth and picked up a can for her, "Not close enough."

Lucia stood up and continued to look through more cans, "I looked at the one already, don't want it."

I chuckled softly to myself at their interaction and leaned forward on the trolley. Since our first grocery store trip Daniel had taken a liking to us. It didn't take a genius to see that the two had slowly fallen for each other. "You know we have special cans in the back if you want to go look at a few Lucia."

She scoffed, "Not only does it sound like you're going to murder me, how gullible do you think I am?"

They began to bicker amongst themselves and I shook my head, hoping they just kiss. I felt a heat cascade over my shoulders and looked up to see a familiar face. The blonde smiled before disappearing into the next aisle. My feet were walking in his direction before my brain could tell it to. Lucia called out behind me, "Don't venture far sweetie!"

I threw a thumbs up and rushed into the next aisle hoping that he wasn't too far ahead. I was stopped in my tracks by a heavy set of hands on my arms; my nose consumed in a familiar hard smell. I looked forward at the chest in front of me and slowly looked up to meet his grey eyes. "Careful my little dancer." His hand slowly traveled from my arm up to my face as he rubbed under my eye, "Did I tell you how beautiful you are Eliana?" I nodded and he smirked, "Good."

My body seemed to fall to his command, my brain still pulling reason,"How did you know I was here?"

He chuckled and my heart skipped at the sight of his perfect rows of whites, "I have my ways." His eyes slowly fell down to my lips, "I didn't say goodnight."

He used his thumb to push my chin up and I agreed whispering softly, "You came to say goodnight?" His other hand dropped to my waist as he pulled me in. His face slowly came down on mine as he used his hand to tilt my head to the side, "Peter?" He slightly pulled back so our eyes could meet, "Why are you doing this?"

"There's something special about you Eliana. I've watched who knows how many entry auditions to the club." He rubbed my bottom lip with his thumb as he continued, "I need you, I feel it." He grabbed my hand and put it on his chest, "I feel it in here."

He was clearly affiliated with the mafia, his ties in it as deep as his lineage. I didn't want to plant roots into such a thing again. It was almost impossible to remove myself last time,"How, you just met me."

"You ever see someone, look into their eyes and realize everything happened the way it did so this moment could be?" He cupped my other cheek with the hand that was on my waist, "I've met and fooled with a lot of girls Eliana I won't lie to you." His fingers massaged the back of my head, "But they're not you, nor will they ever be. It's you I know it is. I know."

I was ready to choose Peter, since he touched me I could tell something was different too. "Promise?"

"I put it on my Mother." My eyebrows lifted and he chuckled, "There are no secrets around the club."

There was no use hiding it anyways. He lowered his face towards mine and someone cleared their throat loudly behind us. My face burned and I looked back to see Lucia smiling, Daniel beside her. "Lucia..."

"You must be Peter."

——
End of Chapter Five.