“Yes, I can relate to that,” Aquarius answered and looked at his watch, and then to the bar, where the waitress was talking to the bartender, who – strangely enough – looked familiar to her.
“Obviously not,” the man accompanying her in her booth sighed out aloud.”
“Sorry,” Belladonna stated honestly. “But, if it’s any consolation, I wouldn’t stand you up.”
“Thanks.”
Licking her lips Belladonna tried to focus her eyes in order to get a better look at the bartender. His blonde hair was neat, he was lean and tall, and definitely way younger than her.
“I don’t think we are allowed to hook up with the employees of this place,” Aquarius said, sounding almost jealous, “I can’t remember where it was written, but I’m still sure.”
“I’m not interested in him.” Belladonna shook her head. “He’s a bit too young for me – not that I mind younger men,” she gave him a look from the corner of her eyes, teasing him. “He just looks familiar.”
“You think?” Aquarius ignored her implication.
“Yes,” Belladonna answered, not clarifying to which possible answer she was responding.
Her mind took a break before she pieced the puzzle together: “From the club!” she whispered exclamatory. “That’s where I know him from.”
It was the same good-looking young bartender from the club where she received her invitation, and as far as she could remember he had warned her about joining. She had completely forgotten and ignored his warning and now she was sitting here, being Belladonna and somewhat felt like the boy’s warning had come true; which was ridiculous.
“You sure?” Aquarius sounded more than just doubting her memory, more like he wanted for her to doubt herself.
Slowly she turned towards him, cocking a brow, even though he probably couldn’t see the facial expression, he definitely could read her demeanor.
“No, I am even surer,” Belladonna blurted out before she could stop herself and she could see how Aquarius jaw tensed as a reaction. “Do you know him?” she added.
“You are very observant.” was his evasive answer.
“I have to be,” she agreed, but stopped herself before she gave away too much information about her true persona, and concentrated on the man next to her.
“I figured as much,” he answered, looking straight at her. “I have to admit, I want to know more about you.”
Belladonna felt a strange heat in her stomach but ignored it. This place was about anonymity and she wouldn’t risk her membership only to get to know someone who would end up disappointing her anyway.
Still, she couldn’t stop herself from looking Aquarius straight in the eyes, only to see a strange mixture of curiosity and vulnerability in them.
“Don’t get attached to me, Merman,” she heard herself tell him. “You’ll only end up hurting yourself.”
“Those are strong words, Belladonna,” he countered and somehow her name sounded strange spoken by him.
Somehow she was curious how her real name would sound, if he said it. She couldn’t explain the strange attraction she suddenly felt when it came to him. Maybe it was because she knew that he had seen her face, and that was as intimate as it could get in this place. Alice shook her head with her eyes closed. He had distracted her from what she had been about to do.
“Excuse me,” she said, rising from her spot and moved, before he could stop her; Belladonna didn’t look back but headed straight for the bar.
“What can I get you?” The young man instantly asked when she arrived at the bar.
It could be a product of her imagination, or she could be simply right about the fact that she knew the bartender. Although he was wearing a mask it was the same blonde hair, the same statue, the same voice as at the club where she had received her initial invitation.
This was the young man who had warned her not to get involved with the club. And here they were.
“My bad to ignore your warning,” Belladonna countered and the man in front of her froze for a second and then obviously pondered whether he should play pretend or not.
Before he got the chance to react, she continued.
“How are you affiliated with Aquarius? Did you get him an invitation? Because I know that he’s pretty new to this place. And why would you warn me about joining this club? Spill it, before I report you.”
Belladonna was bluffing. She had no idea if she was right with her assumption. It could all be just a figment of her imagination, and yet, all of this was far too perfect to be a coincidence.
Plus, she felt pretty confident in her new skin.
“Okay, okay,” the bartender lifted his hands in defense, before he leaned towards her, speaking under his breath. “Just tell me which drink you want so no one notices and I'll tell you what you want.”
Belladonna was surprised about how easily she had broken him, which only made her more careful.
“Vodka Martini,” she answered, trying to sound cool.
The bartender nodded and she noticed how his glance brushed off of her and searched the booth she had come from. She didn’t turn around, because she didn’t want to raise any suspicion, neither to Aquarius, nor to someone else.
The young man returned to her with her drink, placing the glass straight in front of her.
“Just… don’t report me or my brother, it took me months to get this job and I really need it,” he whispered.
“Your… brother?” Belladonna repeated and couldn’t fight her curiosity.
She was intrigued. Brothers. Her dirty mind had an imagination of her own, and she quickly shook her head to get rid of a strangely arousing fantasy.
This wasn’t something she had suspected but she tried to play it cool, faking that this was exactly what she had suspected.
“I won’t report you,” she stated matter of fact. “Just tell me what’s your brother’s business and I’ll pretend that I never made you.”
“He’s not the guy you seem to know. That’s all I’ll tell,” the bartender said and Belladonna slowly picked up her drink and took a sip, never taking her eyes of the man in front of her.
He broke the same moment she placed her glass down on the counter.
“Okay, he’s a reporter,” he continued. “I never should have told him about this place but I’m not good a keeping secrets when it comes to him. Please, just don’t report us.”
“A reporter,” Belladonna repeated, more for herself than in order to intimidate the bartender.
“I couldn’t keep my mouth shut about this place, because, let’s be honest, it’s pretty amazing, and if I could afford this place I would be a member and not an employee.” He was spilling words like a fountain. “So I broke my vow and my brother learned all about the Dark Alley. But I didn’t get him a membership, I swear.”
“Calm down,” Belladonna smiled at him. “Your secret’s safe with me. Just don’t be surprised when I don’t trust you with any of mine.”
“Thank you, madam.”
“You’re welcome.”
With that she had turned around and started walking back to her booth, where Aquarius was still waiting, watching and probably making mental notes.
“So,” Belladonna sat down slowly, taking another languorous sip of her drink, before she continued. “You tried to throw me off because the cute guy behind the bar is your brother.”
Aquarius froze, and it was obvious that he was cursing under his breath before he attempted to answer.
“No,” Belladonna gestured with her hand and cut him off. “I don’t need any of your false excuses. Just tell me: is your interest in me genuine or am I just a story to you?”
The man in front of her blinked a few times before his shoulders relaxed and he scooted closer to her.
“I didn’t mean to meet you or get as involved with you as I have today, you have to believe me as much,” Aquarius said lowly, making her shudder as she became aware that she now was part of something close to a conspiracy; she didn’t like tha
t feeling “When I learned about this club from Brian I coaxed him into spilling to me anything he knew about this place. I never intended to pull you into this or to get involved as I have, with you. I promise.”
Alice needed a moment to rethink.
“You didn’t answer my question,” she stated.
“I genuinely want to get to know you. Outside of this place and I promise I’ll keep you out of all of this.” He was quick to answer.
“But you want to use me just as much.”
She didn’t mean it to come out that hard but in the end it didn’t really make a difference, did it?
“No!” Aquarius moved even closer, and if she didn’t like him as much as she did, she probably would have brought space between them right now.
Why the hell did she care?
She could call him out right now; get him thrown out of this place just for breaking her trust. But she hadn’t had she.
“I didn’t expect to meet someone like you right in front of the Alley,” he explained, “and watching you, getting... that was way over my expectations. I wanted to...”
“Don’t,” Belladonna cut him off. “I know exactly what I am getting into and I enjoy it. That’s what this place is about. It’s giving you a chance to enjoy yourself and explore fantasies you’ve been too ashamed of or to confess to. Don’t you dare make a story out of it. Don’t you dare take that freedom away from anyone. This is a true sanctuary. Don’t you dare destroy it.”
Aquarius stayed silent looking at her with a blank expression.
“What?” Belladonna spat out, angry at herself that she had been intrigued at the man who obviously was looking forward to ruining her newfound paradise.
“I won’t write a single word about this place,” Aquarius suddenly stated.
“If you promise me to meet with me next week, and be my obedient slave.”
His words struck her like lightning, searing through her nerves, tingling her skin and all her sensitive spots. Such a demand was the least she had expected of him and it shocked her as equally as it aroused her.
“Don’t answer me now,” he raised his hand and stopped her from her initial answer. “Think about it first. I will be waiting here for you in exactly a week. If you show up, you’ll be completely at my mercy, if not, I will publish an article about this place the next day.”
Belladonna simply stared at him, stunned by the fact that he was really pulling this off. She hadn’t expected him to be like this, to be this relentless, and almost cruel. But even more it was strangely arousing that the fate of this place was in her hands. It would be her who decided if this place stayed a secret or not. Aquarius put her in a strangely arousing position of power and torment.
“I’ll see you in a week,” he got up, his glare glued to hers. “Or not.”
And with those words he left.
Dark Alley:
Master
Dark Alley Ep. 3
D. S. Wrights
Eleven
Alice was sitting in her favorite spot, at her favorite diner, rotating her Mocha-cup slowly in her hands, staring outside. She didn’t hear Bianca call her name, and only snapped out of her thoughts when her best friend touched her shoulder, making her flinch in surprise.
“You were far away, girl,” Bianca smiled widely and pulled Alice into her arms the second she had risen from her chair.
“Yeah,” was Alice’s short answer. She sat down again, barely noticing that her bestie was waving at the barista, who knew both their favorite drinks by heart.
How could she possibly explain to Bianca what had happened? Sure, she could recount her little adventure with King of Diamonds and Aquarius to the letter, making her best friend turn as red as a traffic light, and both of them would enjoy it.
But the ultimatum? The blackmail?
Bianca wouldn’t understand, would she?
She wasn’t supposed to know anything at all, about any of it, anyhow.
Alice had woken up early. Refreshed, and that despite her having tormented her mind about Aquarius’ ultimatum. It wasn’t about the idea of completely submitting to him. That fantasy was actually one of those she really wanted to try out, but it was King of Diamonds she had thought about asking, because he seemed to be very familiar and conversant in all of what he did. It was the ultimatum that she completely despised. She didn’t want to be blackmailed into submission, because she knew she wouldn’t enjoy it like that.
Even worse, she had no chance to talk things through with Aquarius. They hadn’t exchanged numbers, it was forbidden anyway. Apart from that he had said: “I’ll see you in a week… or not.” So, he probably wouldn’t be there tonight. And she wasn’t even sure if she wanted to see him at all.
He had never been her choice for a partner to submit to. Not really. Although the idea of seeing his face, of having a secret within the secret of the Dark Alley, was absolutely hot. She probably would have given into the allure of that. The only thing wrong was that she had wanted to do it at her own time; she had wanted it to be her own choice for when she was ready.
“What’s wrong?” Bianca asked, reaching out to take her hand, as she always did when something was up.
“There’s a snake in paradise,” Alice said thoughtlessly, bringing up her free hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. “You know that I’m not supposed to tell you any of this.” She added and let out a sigh, eventually explaining. “But I need someone to talk to.”
The biggest fear that Alice had was losing her best friend, and with her the only person she felt like really being able to talk to. The longer she thought about her initial behavior, the stupider she had felt about it, and the more grateful about Bianca not being mad at her for it. It had just made it even clearer for Alice what luck she had with having her as a best friend.
“I told you about the guys I have met,” she finally continued after Bianca had been patiently and worriedly waiting. “Turns out that the cute one is a reporter.”
Her best friend’s expression froze in shock. She shook her head before she regained the ability to speak. “No way!” She shouted, and slapped her mouth shut with her own hand.
“So much for being cute,” Alice shook her head briefly and realized how deeply disappointed she really was with him. “Aquarius is the brother of one of the bartenders who worked at the club the night when I got the invitation. He’s threatening to publish an article about the club unless… well, you can guess what.”
“That’s low,” Bianca said what her best friend was thinking. “And pathetic.”
“Yeah,” Alice sighed. “If he had requested me the usual way, I would have met up with him, but like this…” she looked Bianca straight in the eyes, while her own feelings were dawning on her. “I feel cheap, misused, molested even. It just ruins the whole idea of the Dark Alley.”
“I’m so sorry. He’s an ass.” Bianca took her hand. “You could just report him. He surely had to sign the contract like you did. They could sue his last shirt off.”
“You are right. It doesn’t make any sense,” Alice frowned and nodded slowly. “He can’t talk to anyone about the Alley. If he published something about it, just as he threatened, he would be buried in law suits and losing all of them. So, why did he do it?”
“Do you think he is bluffing?” Bianca asked, slightly confused about Alice’s train of thought.
“The only way he could write about the Alley would be without going into detail. Even if he wrote about me, the contract prevents…” Alice cut herself off.
“So, what are you saying?” Bianca inquired.
“He thinks that I never saw that contract,” Alice started smiling, but her expression instantly changed to the opposite. “This means, he thinks that I am either a hooker, or an escort paid by the Alley.”
“Oh, wow,” Bianca commented, quickly looking around, checking if anyone was listening to them, and squeezed Alice’s hand. “Next time we talk about it, we do it at your apartment, okay?”
Alice
’s expression was still dark. She was furious. How in hell had Aquarius come to that conclusion? She would rip his head off. No, she would do worse.
When her best friend said her name, she eventually nodded and answered. “Yes, you are right. I just had to talk to you about it.” Alice took a deep breath and scurried the thunderous clouds of her thoughts away. “You asked if we could talk, not me,” she placed her hand on Bianca’s. “So, shoot. I’m all ears.”
“I want you to be my maid of honor,” Bianca broke the news. “You don’t have to be the only one organizing it all, but I want you to be there next to me at the altar. You are my best friend, after all.”
Alice swallowed hard, but then grabbed both her best friend’s hands and nodded wildly while tears were gathering in her eyes.
“Of course I will be there!” She smiled honestly.
Bianca looked like a heavy stone had fallen from her shoulders.
“I’m relieved,” she admitted. “After the bomb you dropped, I wasn’t sure if you…”
“Stop,” Alice cut her off. “I know I’ve been a bitch about this. I felt like my biological clock was ticking, but it isn’t. I am sorry about that. It’s just…” Again she swallowed dryly. “You all have found the guy you want to grow old with, and I felt as if I was going to end up as the old spinster. I just recently noticed that I am okay with that. I’m not going to sell myself short, just for the sake of being married.”
“And that’s perfectly fine,” Bianca laughed. “I see myself envying you for your freedom!”
“And I am going to organize everything. You are going to get a bachelorette party and you are going to be deeply embarrassed!” Alice laughed out loud, she already had an amazing idea.
Alice wanted to channel the feeling of the Dark Alley into the bachelorette party, the mystery, the feeling of not being bound to the rules or normal society.
She would give her best friend the feeling she had imagined for herself when she became a member of the Dark Alley.
Right then and there she knew how she would handle Aquarius. She would protect her own fantasy, her very own freedom. No man would tear that away from her.
Dark Alley: The Complete First Season (Dark Alley Seasons Book 1) Page 12