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When Alice entered the Dark Alley that night, she ordered to meet up with Aquarius, if King of Diamonds didn’t request her. She planned to wait for her blackmailer until her patience was worn out. Until then she would have some free drinks at the club, and watch people entering and leaving.
Knowing that his threats wouldn’t come to fruition, and that she could spend her time with planning the perfect party for her best friend, Alice was extraordinarily calm. She enjoyed watching people enter and leave this place while she was downing one long drink after another.
For whatever reason, she didn’t feel threatened by what Aquarius had told her. Strangely enough, after talking to Bianca, she felt more empowered than before.
When he finally stepped through the door and walked towards her, she wasn’t nervous, nor scared, but smiling, and she knew that the expression on her face was putting him off, maybe even warning him, but she didn’t care. He wasn’t the one to put her in chains, or take her submission.
So, he didn’t expect to see her until the ultimatum he had pressed upon her, but yet, as she was waiting for him, he was there to get her answer. Belladonna couldn’t hold back the smirk that conquered her face as she saw Aquarius approaching her.
She didn’t say a word as he came to her table, maybe because he didn’t expect her to know or suspect anything. All she could feel for him at that very moment was disdain.
Belladonna waited for him to sit down until she spoke.
Belladonna… she might have been the person Alice became when she hid her face behind the mask with the nightshade flowers, but somehow she realized that this person was not just in her imagination. Belladonna was the part of her that she had learned to hold back because society had taught her to.
And right now, it finally dawned on her that society was wrong.
“Sit down,” she told Aquarius when he opened his mouth to say something, and he immediately shut it again to take a seat opposite her.
Belladonna glared at him through her mask, while he was unable to pull his eyes from her. Not even when the waitress came and asked to take their orders. Belladonna didn’t know what came out of her mouth, and she didn’t really care, because she enjoyed too much the kind of affect her glare had on the man at her table.
When the waitress left, Aquarius began another attempt at starting a conversation, but Belladonna lifted her hand and made him stop in his tracks.
“My answer is ‘no’,” she told him and sat up straight from her leaned back position. “And, go screw yourself.”
Aquarius was obviously shocked and confused.
“You know, I did like you,” Belladonna continued. “Until you thought I was a whore.” She shook her head and picked up her speech again as he was about to answer. “I signed the same contract as you did. The very same contract that will sue you if you write anything about this place. I am a member, just as you are. Well…,” she grinned at him. “Probably with a higher status than you.”
Again Aquarius attempted to talk, but she just shook her head.
“No, you don’t get to talk or explain,” she said, darkly. “I am done with you. And if you want to stay and enjoy this place without tainting it with your pathetic plans, you will shut your mouth and not talk, to me. At all. I am being merciful to you, because I could report you and your idea of writing about this place. And I’m pretty sure that they would instantly sue you, and ban you.”
This time Aquarius didn’t open his mouth, but just looked at her with an expression of regret, but not guilt, which could have been interesting if she hadn’t been so angry at him.
“I don’t know what I am more: angry or disappointed,” Alice heard herself say. “Because I really felt like there was something between us. But I was wrong. You disgust me. And I don’t care if it was an experiment, or whatever.”
He stayed quiet and continued to just look at her as the waitress returned with their order and placed it in front of them. She quickly and calmly checked if either of them wanted to place another order, then left.
Belladonna was pleasantly surprised when Aquarius did as she had told him. He didn’t talk to her.
“I might change my mind one day regarding you, and give you a chance to explain yourself and make it up to me. But that’s not today.” Belladonna explained slowly. “God, I would have loved to fuck you, but it’s not going to happen. I’m not letting myself be blackmailed into sex. Not at a place like this. So screw you.”
Was there a hint of emotion in her voice? She chose to ignore it and just glare at the man in front of her.
When silence spread between them, Aquarius nodded slowly, taking his drink and downing it with a few fast gulps. Again he opened his mouth, obviously wanting to say something, but he stopped himself and pressed his lips shut, even gritting his teeth, then shaking his head again.
Even without words Belladonna could see his regret, but she wouldn’t feel pity or allow herself to care. He had judged her without giving her the benefit of the doubt or talking to her, and she wouldn’t allow anyone to treat her like that. Not in here. Not at the Dark Alley. No, she wouldn’t.
So, she silently watched him get up and leave.
Belladonna didn’t feel like she had made a mistake, or that she was too hard on him, and yet it stung her to watch him walk away from her table and sit down at the bar where his brother was working. She allowed herself to watch his heavy steps and sit down to order a drink. It stung even more that he didn’t look back once.
She wasn’t sure if he was obediently following her orders or was putting her behind him. It was the first that was acceptable to her and the latter that literally hurt.
But why? She had no rational explanation for that. Maybe she was more interested in this guy than she was able to admit to herself.
But again: why? Because she knew his face?
Because he was just as new to this as her?
Because whenever he smiled something happened to her?
Because she had woken up from a dream where he had taken her up against a wall, whispering dirty things into her ear?
Within this dreamland of the Dark Alley, Aquarius was the only real thing she with certain knew. Maybe that’s what was really hurting her about his betrayal.
So, she kept sitting there, requesting refills of her vodka martini every time the waitress passed her by. And with every drink, she felt more and more lonely, continuing to stare holes into Aquarius’ back as he stayed sitting at the bar, getting refills of his own.
It had to be the fourth or fifth drink when Alice realized King of Diamonds wouldn’t show, or request her, which only made her realize that her own actions and decisions were standing between her and her pleasures. Having principles wasn’t a bad thing, and she wasn’t regretting what she had told Aquarius. She would stick to that, yet, while she continued staring at his back, Belladonna knew that it wouldn’t change the fact that she wanted him. Being mad at him didn’t change anything, either. Knowing his face just made everything worse. And the last thing she wanted was to pine over him or the adventure with him she had passed up on.
“Fuck,” she said to herself and accidentally drew the attention of her waitress, who approached her instantly.
“Can I get you something?” She asked politely.
Belladonna’s instincts were faster than her rationality: “A room,” she said and blinked in confusion at herself, while the woman’s fingers in front of her tapped on her tablet computer.
Belladonna remembered that Big Guy, Alfred, told her that she had a silver membership at the club and the brochure she had at home stated that silver members had access to the rooms at the upper levels, though she had no idea how to get there and what they would look like, but as far as she had read, there were rooms even more special.
“Room two just became available,” the waitress ripped her out of her thoughts, turning the tablet towards her. “Please type in the access code.”
Belladonna nodded a
nd typed in the first four digits she could come up with and got up.
“Through the doorway,” the woman decently gestured to where Belladonna already had assumed it would be. “Then one level up, the first on the right. You can use the elevator or the stairs.”
“Thank you,” Belladonna answered and nodded briefly.
“Take the elevator on the right,” the waitress stopped and turned around. “The left one is for entertainment purposes only.”
Belladonna responded with a smile. There was only one purpose she could come up with, and she decided that she would have to try it.
Her legs had already set her into motion towards the bar where Aquarius was still sitting and talking to his brother, who noticed her approaching and looked up. He definitely said something to his brother, because he turned around to look at her.
She could only imagine what was going on in his head at that moment, because her steps were pretty determined. As she reached him, he instinctively got up from his stool, which showed that he had at least some manners.
Belladonna grabbed his hand, changed direction and pulled him along with her.
“Shut your mouth, you still don’t have permission to talk to me,” she told him without even checking if he actually attempted to say something, which he had.
Walking around the bar and through the doorway, she chose the stairs, because she wasn’t sure if she would change her mind when she stopped walking or started looking at him.
She knew that she was pretty much doing exactly the opposite from what she had told him, and he wasn’t that stupid that he didn’t realize it.
Maybe that was the real reason why he stayed silent, although the idea of him shutting up because she told him so was far more appealing to her.
As she reached the next level of the building, the door with the number two on it was the first one on the right. She instantly spotted the smooth digital display next to it. Still not looking at him, she felt the need to explain: “I know what I said, and this doesn’t change anything. It’s just that ever since I met you, I fantasized about fucking you.” She was surprised how easily the words came from her mouth while she typed in the code. “Even more since King forced you to watch. So this is nothing more than getting you out of my head. Understood?”
She turned around and the door unlocked.
Aquarius’ blue eyes seared her through his mask and he stayed silent. For a split second Belladonna was sure that he would turn around and leave again. Until his other hand reached out and opened the door.
Her heart started to hammer wildly in her chest as she walked into the room backwards while he silently stalked her. Yet, as soon as he pushed the door shut, he maneuvered her against the wall directly behind it, finally placing his hands on her hips, the heat of his body burning through the fabric of their clothes.
He just looked at her, still not saying a word, and she was convinced that he wouldn’t start talking until she allowed him to.
This was perfect.
Because anything he could say would probably ruin the moment. And the fact was, he didn’t need to talk to her. The way he looked at her and moved closer said more than enough, just as the way his hands moved down the black tube dress she was wearing.
He was so close she could kiss him, but she didn’t. But now having contemplated it, kissing him was all she could think about. Her breath turned shallow and she couldn’t stop her eyes jumping to his lips.
His patience was killing her.
“I give you permission to kiss me,” she whispered, even though she had planned to sound resolute.
Before she had any time to ponder about his thoughts, he already had caught her face with his hands and slammed his lips onto hers. As their mouths connected, Belladonna’s body seemed to come alive.
The buzz that had fueled her blood was instantly replaced with a live current. The heat she felt radiating from his body against hers was taking over her own. What started off as one languorous kiss turned into a dozen, and only when her arms started snaking around his body, pulling him closer by his clothes, did his tongue challenge hers.
Belladonna hadn’t expected to be kissed like that. She had been sure that Aquarius wouldn’t be patient either, that he would start talking as soon as she pulled him along with her, Again, she had been wrong. He still didn’t say a word. Worse, his kisses made her dizzy and yearn for more. Still, she could feel every inch where his fingers were sliding, lowering from her mask to her neck, leaving a trail of aching skin.
These masks were starting to annoy her, because they restricted him to where he could put his mouth. They knew each other’s faces, this was ridiculous! And the rules only said that the Club was to be entered with a mask on, not that it had to stay on all the time. The decision was made. Belladonna reached back to open the ribbon that held her mask on her face, and pulled it off.
Aquarius, who was pushed back, watched her and quickly did the same. He reached out to take her mask and placed his onto the sideboard at the opposite wall, along with his. All the while he didn’t ever take his eyes off her. She was simply being too impatient, already pulling up her dress, making him realize that she wasn’t wearing pantyhose, and probably not even panties.
Words had never been so unnecessary.
He was back with her in the blink of an eye, pushing her up against the wall easily, allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist, while his burning lips continued trailing paths of need down her skin. Her hands found their place in his hair, even though she wanted to rip off his shirt and see the body he was hiding beneath it. Something else was more important, though.
“Don’t keep me waiting.” She breathed out, panting.
Again, Aquarius didn’t say a word, just looked at her deeply and distracted her with his stare. She didn’t notice what he was doing until it was too late, because he teased her with his mouth coming closer to hers, while she was impatiently waiting for him to kiss her.
He bit his lower lip briefly, before he closed in on her, bringing his open mouth onto hers.
He made one movement that pressed her against the wall behind her, and filled her up instantly and completely. It took her breath away while she stared into these deep blue eyes, trying to inhale some air. He was larger than she had expected, but just the size she had imagined the last time she had dreamed of him. The only difference from her dream, was that they hadn’t been alone.
Again, he waited for her to grow impatient. Belladonna had no way to influence what he did, being pinned to the wall by him. She started squirming, trying to use her muscles to create some friction, but it just wasn’t the same.
“Fuck me,” she breathed out and all he did in response – first – was to grin and chuckle.
“You’d better show what you’ve got if you don’t want this to be just a one-time thing,” Belladonna hissed.
Aquarius jerked out of her, just to push back in with one powerful thrust, bringing his lips onto hers in the same movement. This time, there was no break, however, but he continued to do what she had been asking him to. Belladonna clung to him, digging her fingernails into his back, as he took up a pace she didn’t know was possible. Still plunging into her so hard, that she feared he might be too big.
She felt intoxicated in every fiber of her being, and listened to herself whispering dirty things whenever he dared to stop kissing her, which only seemed to make him treat her rougher. And she loved it.
She could feel his teeth piercing her skin at her neck, his tongue scraping along her sinews, while he kept plunging into her as if he had to prove something. It was the friction he created, against her clit and inside of her, that pushed her higher and higher, until she was incapable of breathing. Her eyes were glued to the ceiling when she started to see stars, finally reaching the canopy. She could see them all exploding along with her when she finally came, feeling him release inside of her, despite the protection.
Belladonna still dug her nails into his back when they both started returnin
g from the high they had reached. Eventually Aquarius put her back down on her feet, which were as wobbly as her knees. He turned away to get rid of his condom and returned with her mask.
Smiling with satisfaction, she kept watching him, while she was putting on her mask again. When he had done the same, he just looked at her, still not saying a word.
“You can leave,” she told him, since she wanted to cool herself off in the bathroom. This place looked exactly like a hotel room, with another door right next to her and a doorway opening up into a bedroom.
Again Aquarius just looked at her, silently. When she didn’t add anything, he nodded, and she was sure that there was disappointment in his eyes.
Belladonna watched him open the door and leave, while she had the satisfaction of using him and giving him the very same feeling he had given her in the past. Who was the whore now?
Twelve
Since it was Saturday Alice had switched off her alarm and chose to sleep in. Not only because it was the best way to ignore what she had done the night before, but also because she could relive it, being in that world between asleep and awake. The power she had felt, ordering Aquarius around, and even more, him completely obeying her demands, had been extraordinary. And the result of it had been so satisfying. Yet, lying in her comfy bed, returning to the Dark Alley in her mind, she kept wondering if King of Diamonds would approve of her behavior. He hadn’t been there, but maybe he did keep tabs on her.
Alice didn’t know which idea she liked most: him being indifferent, or him being absolutely furious about her behavior. She was sure that it was he who had invited her to the Dark Alley in the first place, so she could imagine that he might feel some possessiveness towards her. She probably would if she were in his shoes.
Alice decided that she wanted King of Diamonds to be furious.
After getting out of bed, she called Bianca while she had a late breakfast, telling her the whole story over the telephone, pushing the paranoia that the Alley might spy on her calls aside.
Dark Alley: The Complete First Season (Dark Alley Seasons Book 1) Page 13