Finding Home: A Club Dark Novel (5 page)

He has this dangerous appeal to him. Like you just know he’s not a good man, like he makes a living off of doing bad things. He’s huge. He has at least six inches on me, despite the fact that I’m in heels. This man is all bulging muscle, taut and firm with his movements even though he’s in a suit. His face is clean-shaven, and his hair is trimmed. I can’t seem to stop staring especially into his dark eyes.

I’m mesmerized, and I don’t even know it. Not until Amber clears her throat. “Mr. Lewis, this is my new roommate, Lacey, the girl I was telling you about. She’s new to town so I figured I’d give her a tour.”

He stares at me a breath too long, and I feel my heart start to race and my palms begin to sweat. This has never happened to me before. For the first time, I have butterflies for a stranger. Suddenly, he releases his hold on my arms, and I feel the connection between us break. It’s almost like I can breathe again, like when his hands were touching me, my entire body froze.

“Nice to meet you, Lacey.” The way he says my name... I just know I’m in trouble, I need to stay as far away from this guy as I can. As good as revenge sex sounds with him, I’m just not sure I’m ready for that right now. “Tonight’s a big night, so make sure she’s not in the way.” He gives Amber a stern look. I give him a look of my own that says, asshole.

“Sure thing, Mr. Lewis,” Amber says as Mr. Lewis walks away. “That is Mr. Co-rey Lewis! He owns this place, and it’s best to stay on his good side. He may be nice to look at but he also has a temper, and it’s not pretty.” Lovely. Just what I don’t need in my life right now.

“Will I be in the way being here? Your boss did say it’s a big night.” I ask her, secretly hoping she says yes so I can leave.

“So long as you stay here at the bar you should be fine.” Amber gives my shoulder a light nudge and turns around.

“What’s down those halls?” My curiosity is getting the best of me and I couldn’t hold back asking any longer. She doesn’t answer immediately which has me a bit worried.

“You know how Cory, Mr. Lewis, says this is a gentlemen’s club? That’s just a front for legal purposes.” What the hell did I walk into and why would Amber bring me here without telling me all of this to begin with? “When you walk through those doors, you’ll see the usual; it looks like any other gentlemen’s club. We have strippers who cater to those who are just looking for a fun night and a good show.” Okay, I can handle that, it’s just like a strip club.

“But Mr. Lewis also runs a more lucrative business that makes us a little more exclusive. You have to pay big money to go down those halls, and you can imagine what lies beyond those doors.” I was fine until she continued, now I really do just want to go home.

“So basically this is a sex club?” I ask, looking at her with complete shock on my face.

“Exactly!” she says with a huge smile on her face.

“And what role do you play here?” I’m really not meaning to come across so judgmental, honest!

Luckily she doesn’t seem at all fazed by my question; she just plays it cool yet again. “Really I’m just a bartender. A lot of the clients who come here really are just looking for a show and not interested in touching. Some of the guys have wives and don’t want to completely betray them.” I get that and don’t have a problem with guys that want to enjoy a stripper every now and then. “My role is to just keep them happy, which usually just means getting them drunk. Some of them are content with that. Others end up converting to platinum members which gets them access to the halls.”

Wow, my head is spinning with all this information. What I’m gathering is, to outsiders, this is an upscale gentlemen’s club, but to members, it’s an illegal sex club.

I wonder why Amber would trust me with this information, why she thinks I won’t report this place? She doesn’t know me well enough to know if she can trust me with this information or not. I’m still trying to figure her out to get a sense of what kind of person she is. What I do know is I keep feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand up which leads me to believe someone has their eyes on me. I have a pretty good idea who that someone is too.

It’s about 11pm, and the club is starting to fill up. I’m sitting here at the bar watching Amber just to see what she does for a living. I have to admit that she’s pretty talented. Not only does she put on a great show twirling and filling the glasses, but she is also very fast about getting each of the drinks put out. There are at least twelve men seated at her side of the bar, and she hasn’t left a single one of them wanting. It’s getting to be pretty packed in here, and I honestly don’t know what to do with myself. I feel really out of place seeing as they clearly cater to mostly men here. All of the leering looks I keep getting is making me uncomfortable. I feel like they are all looking at me like I am one of the dancers and they are waiting for me to start removing my clothes or something.

I start to get that hair-raising sensation again right before I feel a firm hand on the small of my back, and my body instantly freezes. Goose bumps break out along my back as I feel a warm breath trail across my neck and a whisper in my ear. “Enjoying yourself, Ms. Carter?” Funny, I don’t remember giving him my last name.

“Yes, I am, Mr. Lewis,” I reply on a shaky exhale.

“Well, it seems you have the attention of over half the men in my club.” I turn my head back and forth looking around the room and sure enough there are over a dozen pair of eyes on me. “In any other place, I’d say that attention is good…” As he speaks in my ear, I feel his hand moving slowly up my back, creating a tingle in its wake, “but here in my club, I’m afraid you might not like their kind of attention.” At this, he disappears, and I’m left with my heart lodged in my throat. What the hell was that? What makes him think he can just put his hands on me?

A few minutes go by before Amber walks over with a glass of clear liquid in her hand and places it on the counter before me. “Mr. Lewis gave me explicit orders to keep an eye on you.” As if I need this presumptuous asshole looking after me. “Also, all drinks are on the house. This is our house specialty; don’t ask what’s in it. If you don’t like it let me know, and I’ll get you something else.” Well, who am I to turn down free liquor?

“Thank you.” I give her a friendly smile and grip the glass in my hand before bringing it to my mouth.

“Try to relax some. No one will mess with you so long as you stay right here. Most of them have already seen Mr. Lewis with his hands on you, so if they value their lives, they’ll stay away.” How nice! Just what I don’t need is Mr. Domineering thinking I am some piece of property he now possesses.

“Thank you, but I think I can handle myself,” I say, giving her more attitude than I intend.

“If you say so,” is the only response I get from her as she walks away to go tend to the customers. These people are really starting to grate on my nerves. Maybe I need this drink after all.

This is probably one of the best drinks I’ve ever had. It’s some kind of tropical concoction with just a hint of coconut. To me, that spells heaven. You can tell there’s alcohol in it but it’s very subtle which is both good and bad. Thankfully no one has bothered me, but I can still feel several pairs of eyes on me. I’m too scared to even look around, and I definitely don’t want to give any of these poor saps the wrong impression around here. Like I told Amber, I can handle myself. And I don’t usually scare easily. But I’m in a new place and all of my senses are on high alert. Once I’ve finished with the first drink, I signal for her to bring me another. I might as well enjoy myself.

“You may want to slow yourself down there, hon, it may not taste like it but these are pretty powerful.” Amber nods toward my drink.

“Are you kidding? I can’t even taste the alcohol or feel any of the effects,” I tell her as I hand her my glass.

“Consider yourself warned!” And there’s that smirk of hers again.

“Will do,” I say and down half of the glass she just placed right in front of me. She just walks away laughing and shaking her head.

Three glasses down and I have to go pee. There is no way I can hold it in any longer. Only I have no idea where to find a bathroom in a place like this? I guess there is no time like the present to find out. I go to stand but suddenly the world starts to spin. I don’t feel drunk, well not exactly. I feel extremely dizzy and like I’m about to be sick. I remember thinking what was in those drinks right before my entire world went black.

Ah man. What the hell happened last night? I feel like shit, and I seriously have to pee. With my eyes still half closed I get out of bed. My head is spinning, but I really need to pee so I fight through the dizziness and head straight for the bathroom. I take a few steps and then stop; wait a minute… This place does not look or feel right. This bathroom is massive and painted a dark gray. There’s a single sink with a glass bowl and chrome spout sitting to the left of the room, an old-fashioned bear claw tub sitting to the right, and an all glass stand-up shower in the far corner. I begin to panic as the events from last night come crashing back. Oh no! I was drugged, that has to be it. But where the hell am I, and how did I get here. I immediately start checking my body for signs of… I can’t even think it.

“Hello, Ms. Carter.” Startled, I nearly lose my footing. I know that voice. How did I end up here with him? Oh my God! He drugged me. I’m going to puke. I make a mad dash for the toilet. I hear the sound of feet hitting the tile floor, and I can feel his eyes on me. I just don’t understand.

“What am I doing here, stay away from me?” My voice comes out much weaker than I mean it to.

“Well, let’s see,” he says sounding completely cocky, “You did pass out on the floor of my club. Would you have preferred it if I left you just lying there on the dirty floor?”

I swear it sounds like he’s taking pleasure in this situation. I would have preferred not to wake up in a stranger's bed. I would have preferred not to wake up disoriented and confused. I would have preferred to be anywhere but here in some guy’s house that I don’t even know, but I don’t say any of that out loud. Instead, I say, “And why did I pass out? I’m no expert in the liquor department, but I’m quite certain that I didn’t have enough for it to cause me to blackout.” I’m pretty sure I know what happened, I just want to see if he’ll admit it to me.

“Ms. Carter, it appears that at some point last night you were drugged. I only brought you back here to make sure that you were okay.” Yea, I’m sure that’s why he brought me back here. I can’t think straight right now; my head keeps spinning and I still feel sick to my stomach. “Here, take these.” He reaches his arm out toward me and when he opens his hand I notice there are a few pills.

“Hell no will I be taking anything else from a stranger!” Is this guy for real? He just admitted to me that I was drugged and yet he’s still trying to hand me pills.

“Relax,” he says with a smirk on his face. “They are just aspirin. Right now, I’m pretty positive you have a pounding headache. If you would like to feel better, it’s best you take these and go lay down.”

I reluctantly take the aspirin from his outstretched hand. “How about you just take me home, and we’ll forget this ever happened. I won’t even press charges.” He’s on me so quick I don’t even have time to process it. I feel his hands on my shoulders and my back pressed up against the wall, the look in his eyes tells me I made a big mistake with that comment. His face looks deadly, his body is coiled tight, and all I want to do is hide.

“First, let’s get something straight here I did not drug you. I may run an underground sex club, but I assure you, I don’t need drugs to get laid.” The anger in his voice is clear. “Secondly, I’m not letting you leave here until I’m sure you have all of those drugs out of your system.” There is a sinister smile on his face and it causes my stomach to flip with fear. “After all, I do have a reputation to uphold and a business to run; the last thing I need is some chick bringing it all down because she couldn’t pay close enough attention to her drinks.” His grip on me is getting tighter and I feel pain radiate down my arms. “So, I suggest you get used to being here. Now take the damn pills and go get some rest.” With that, he finally releases the hold he has on me and storms out of the bathroom.

I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath until I released it. I crash to the floor in a very unladylike way. I can feel the flood of tears, but I don’t even have the strength to stop them. He’s right, though. How could I be stupid enough to let this happen? I’m usually so much smarter than this. I can’t believe I let my guard down, especially in a place like that and for what? So I can end up on some stranger’s bathroom floor ready to puke my guts out? Get ahold of yourself, Lacey, this was not supposed to happen. This was supposed to be a fresh start; a new chapter in my life and it’s not a good start so far.

Standing up, I reluctantly walk over to the sink and grab the pills he left there. Call me stubborn, but I don’t trust him enough to fully believe he’s not behind this, so I pick them up and walk straight to the toilet and then watch as they flush down the drain. The room is still spinning, though, so I think I’ll at least take his advice and go lay down. It’s not like I really have any other options. I can’t exactly drive right now with the state I’m in, and I don’t exactly trust myself to not end up in a much worse situation. I mean it could be worse, right? I could be tied up right now or in a ditch somewhere. But he’s got another thing coming if he thinks he can just or-der me around.  With that thought lingering in my head, I pass out again.

***

I wake up with the biggest headache of my life. It takes me a minute to figure out what woke me from my blissful sleep until I notice a sudden dip in the bed as someone sits down beside me. I don’t even have the strength to be startled or the will to move away, but I do groan. “I guess you didn’t take the damn aspirin!” he states rather than questions. Thank you, Captain Obvious. Luckily he seems much calmer than he was when he stormed out earlier.  A stupid moan is all I can manage in response to his question. He stands up quickly causing the bed to jostle me and then walks to the bathroom. Once he moves and I get my bearings, I turn my head and notice the clock on his bedside table reads a little after three in the morning. What time did I get here? How long have I been sleeping? It feels like forever but couldn’t have been long if it’s only three am.

“If I show you the bottle, will you trust that I’m not trying to hurt or drug you?” he asks as he holds up a bottle of Bayer’s Aspirin with an angry scowl across his face. At this point, he could give me dirt and I wouldn’t care as long as it got rid of the pounding in my head. I reach out my hand because forming words right now is not a possibility. He hands me the aspirin and a glass of water. I happily take both of them and a sigh of relief escapes my lips. After a few more sips of water, I hand the glass to him and lay down. I might as well try and get more sleep. What else can I do? I can’t function with a headache like this and he’s already told me he won’t take me home until he knows I’m better, so I’m going to need my strength if I’m going to be fighting my way out of here...

***

Once again, I’m startled awake. This time, however, my heart is in my throat and the pounding in my head is intensified. I couldn’t have been asleep for very long yet I notice that there is now someone lying next to me in the bed and they seem to be out cold. The stranger next to me isn’t even the worst part. What has me panicking is that I now have handcuffs around my wrists and both of my hands are restrained to the headboard.

“Go back to sleep, Ms. Carter, you are perfectly fine. The handcuffs are for your protection. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” As if that’s going to calm me down. I’m handcuffed to a bed with a man I don’t even know, whom I’m not even entirely sure isn’t the one that caused all of this to happen in the first place. “You do realize what you are doing here is illegal? If you are so innocent, then just let me go. I’ll call a cab and figure all of this out on my own.” I slide as far as I can with my hands bound so that I’m as close to the edge of the bed as I can get. The further I’m away from this man, the better. “There’s nothing that can be done about it this early. Now please, get some rest and I promise I’ll take you home tomorrow.” I can hear the frustration again, and frankly, I don’t care. He’s not the one now restrained to the bed. But I’ll indulge him, for now, but the second he takes these damn handcuffs off I am out of here.

The next time I wake up, I can tell I’m alone and thankfully the handcuffs have been removed. There is, however, a note on the pillow beside mine. I’m tempted to not read it, but curiosity gets the best of me. Sitting up, I grab the piece of paper and begin reading it.

              “Good morning, Ms. Carter,

I do hope you slept well last night. Depending on what was put in your drink, you may still be feeling a little off today. Therefore, I have placed two more aspirin on the table beside the bed. Please take them. You are welcome to have a look around and please make yourself at home. There is plenty of food in the kitchen if you get hungry. I should warn you, the front door is passcode protected so it will alert me if you attempt to leave. As promised, once I’m sure you are, in fact, going to be okay, you will be free to leave. If you wish, you may find me in my office in the room next door or in my gym downstairs.

X Cory”

Like hell am I staying here another minute. Who the hell does this guy think he is? Heading down the hall, I try his office first, but it’s locked. I try knocking and like a fool, I stand there for at least 5 minutes before I determine he’s not in there. The gym it is then.

I make my way over to the stairs and can’t help but notice how big and impressive this place actually is. It’s like an old mansion ripped straight out of the 1800’s, only it’s been modernized. The staircase is grand and appears to be made out of cherry oak— the same as the wall paneling. Despite the overwhelming size of the house, it feels very homey which is unexpected given the vibe I got from him. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I feel lost and I’m not sure where I should go. As I turn to head in the direction of the front door, a man in a dark black suit appears out of nowhere, and I can’t help the scream that escapes my throat.

“Oh no, Miss? I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” says the strange old man as he walks toward me. I take two steps back toward the stairs; maybe I can make it back up to the room and lock myself in there until Mr. Lewis shows his face. He must see the fear in my eyes because he stops walking and puts his hands up apparently attempting to calm me. “Ma’am? It’s okay. There is no need to be afraid, I am Albert Olsen, Mr. Lewis’ butler. Although he likes to call me Al, you are welcome to call me Albert.” He talks to me really slow like you would if you were trying to talk someone off a ledge. That’s when I realize I may be overreacting a bit. I clear my throat and try my best to calm my racing heart. I feel like a fool once again. But I’m still a little weary as I approach the butler.

“Good evening, Mr. Olsen...” my voice much lower than I intend it to be.

“Call me Albert, I insist,” he says, flashing me what appears to be a genuine smile.

“Right, Albert. I was just leaving. If you would be so kind as to get the door for me, I’ll be out of your hair.” There, I sounded pretty normal.

“I am terribly sorry, ma’am; I cannot do that,” he says, a frown replacing his gentle smile. “You must be hungry. I can show you to the kitchen and have Greta fix you something to eat if you like?” Okay, this butler has officially been put on my shit list. Right there beside Mr. Lewis. What the hell is up with all this you can’t leave bullshit. This guy has another thing coming if he thinks I’m staying here any longer.

“No, thank you. If you don’t mind, I’m looking for Mr. Lewis, and I would appreciate it if you could please show me to the gym.”

He gives me a brief nod before turning around and leads me down a long, dark, hallway I didn’t notice, hidden behind the stairs. The walls are completely bare and there is no lighting, which I find to be incredibly creepy. We reach a door at the end of the hallway and the butler signals for me to open it. Isn’t it his job to open the doors? Oh well, I think to myself before opening the door to find another set of stairs. How many damn stories is this place? “This set of stairs leads to the basement where you will find Mr. Lewis.” And with that, he turns and walks away. Great. Thanks, old man.

Slowly, I make my way down the stairs because, again, there is no lighting and the last thing I need is a trip to the hospital because I can’t see what’s in front of me. That would, however, get me out of this house. Stop thinking like that, Lacey! This man has no reason to hold you here, and you are going to put your foot down and get him to release you, I think to myself. Apart from a steady thump-thump I can hear coming from somewhere around me, it’s pretty quiet down here. I finally reach the bottom of the stairs and notice that they open up to a large dimly-lit room.  Glancing around, I don’t see much of anything until I spot a door at the far end of which I assume is where Cory is. Walking over to the door, I hesitate before opening it. Yes…I’m scared. This man wildly intimidates me. He’s dark, handsome, and mysterious, not to mention the fact that he’s basically kidnapped me and won’t let me leave. All character traits I do not need in my life right now. Suck it up, Lacey, I think to myself as I grip the knob and push the door open.

I’m completely and utterly stunned in place by the sight in front of me. The thump-thump sound I heard when I was walking down the stairs… that would be the sound of a shirtless Cory running on the treadmill. For once in my life I am speechless, he’s like a Greek god standing before me. A man perfectly sculpted for my eyes only. He’s wearing nothing but a pair of gray sweatpants and solid white Nikes. I can’t stop staring.  All thoughts of getting out of this place have left me, although they’re still in the back of my mind, as I watch him pounding away. Every muscle in his body is alive as he brings each foot down to the beat of a speeding heart. Thump, thump, thump, thump. I can see the sweat rolling down his perfect six-pack abs, and I have this sudden urge to go lick it off. No Lacey, you can’t think like that. You are trying to get out of here, remember? Right!