Lacus Arsenault's pov
It has been 421 days since my mother passed away, 421 days my father have locked himself in a small room with a court yard.
I walk down the corridor with a tray in my hand, on the tray there is some water and food, I'm delivering dinner to him since he refuses to go out. I deliver it myself instead of having a slave doing it is because I want to have a word with him. I inhale the moldy scent of this hallway, this hall way is so eerie, too quiet compares to the other sections of the mansion. No one comes to this place, slaves and my men alike.
The door of his room is completely sealed shut except for a small window at the bottom for me to deliver foods. It feels just like a prison, I thought. Except he's not trapped, he could walk out anytime he want, the only thing that is trapping him is the past, the ghost of the woman he love. At least a prison is full of screams and wailing, unlike the unnatural soundless here.
He tried to function for the first few days she passed. But he simply can't bear to look at the mansion, when he sets his gaze upon the big king size bed he thinks of her lying on it with him, when he sets his gaze upon the garden all he sees is her tending the flowers with her caring hand, and when he walked down the passage ways he can almost hears her footstep, the click of her heels mixing with his leather shoes.
So he had no choice but to lock himself in a room, like a turtle retreating back to its shell. Rumors fly, loyalty wavers, the members refused to follow a weak don. My father was a strong man, but even strong man cracks for their lovers. But I refuse to fall like him, I will stand tall, I will lead the Arsenault family as the mafia prince I am.
At first the members of the Arsenault family didn't take me seriously. They laughed, they say 'He's merely a teenager, he's only 23 years old. he doesn't have what it takes to lead.'
Age is just a number though, all these years my father sharpened me like a blade with his roughness, I'm ready. I'm proud to say that I'm the youngest mafia don in the history of the Arsenault's family.
Many didn't listen to my orders at first, plotting to take over, so I culled them one by one, eradicating their family line, all that's left is the ones truly loyal to me.
I knocked on the door, no respond, just like yesterday and the day before, I'm not surprised. I set the dinner tray down through the door and picked up the tray from the last meal. There's only a few bites left on the old tray, at least he have eaten, many days I come and find untouched food.
I'm worried for his health, I wonder how skinny he is now, I brought him a doctor the other day, he screeched like an insane men, not opening the door.
"Father," I croaked through the metal door, hoping he'll hear me. "You told me to be strong once, you told me to never shed tears. But look at yourself now."
I continued, not waiting for the reply that I know I won't get. "I miss the old you, the one who is so wise, so full of experience. You need to move on. I need your guidance more than ever, with Street Diablo and our mafia family on the verge on war."
"This morning we had a meeting with them, we come to the agreement that Street Diablo, the Mexico mafia family will search our mansion and investigate on our men's background, if they cannot find solid evidence of Ethan is killed by our men within a month, they will have to apologize to us for the accusation and return to being partner. If they find solid evidence, we will eradicate the murderer's entire family line." Me and Roxy come up with this compromise, foxy Roxy, always so witty, what should I do without her?
I waited for a reply that I won't get, maybe a compliment for how well I handled the situation, I always want his validation, even when he lost his mind. After a few minute of standing in silence, I turned and left, I have more important business to tend to than to waste my time with a broken man.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
"So he still haven't spoken a word?" My fiance said when she saw my irritated expression.
"Yea. That old men needs to get a hold of himself unless he want to continue the Arsenault family."
"Why does it matter?" Roxy asked. "He already lost all his dignity as the mafia don the moment he had the mental break down infront of everyone last year. The family's fate is in your hand now."
"Our hand." I corrected her. "Roxy and Lacus against the world. Without you I couldn't have ever come this far. It was your idea to wipe out all the unfaithful bloodline."
She smile bashfully at my compliment, tugging a loose brown strand behind her ears. "I'm very flattered. Anyways, stop worrying." Her finger runs through the crease at my brows, smoothing it. "Everything will be alright, the drama with the Mexico mafia is settled. Why don't we go enjoy ourselves tonight?"
I grinned. "What do you have in mind?"
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
"Why did we come here? Isn't this one of the hundreds of strip club I owned in North America?" I pulled my long coat tighter over myself, shielding me from the cruel south wind. I feel my mother's envelope pressed against my breast pocket, that thing is so precious that I take it everywhere.
"We will be looking at girls stripping," She smirked, twirling her silky hair.
"Ok when you said you wanted to enjoy ourselves tonight I didn't expect you to drag me to Paradise Den." I groaned.
"I told Demien to come too, he's meeting us inside, he's so obsessed with that one stripper, I think her name is Cherry?"
"Her real name is Sherry Valencia. The girls who works at Paradise Den usually go under a nickname, they are not suppose to reveal their personal information." However I know because I'm the boss.
When we entered, the manager himself come to greet us. "Hello boss, what brings you here?" He said nervously, not daring to meet my eyes.
Beside me Roxy laughed at his scared form. "Relax, you are not in trouble, we just came here to enjoy ourself."
"Of course, of course." He blinked, "Are you here to gamble, to drink or watch the dance?"
"The dance of course, book us the table with the best view.
A few minute later Demien joined us at table 23. "Hey Lacus." He runs towards me with a smile.
I return one of my genuin smile to him. I get up, the three of us hugged. "Is been so long since I see you!" I exclaimed.
"Is only three days, but ok."
Demien is one of my childhood friend, we grew up together, now one of my most trusted men.
"I bet you are here to see Cherry!" Roxy mocked.
"Yes of course! I heard she's on duty today. I'm gonna ask her on a date afterward."
I heard of Cherry so many times, Demien is always talking about her, though I never have a chance to look at her in person.
"Goodluck man." I patted him on the back. "Anyways do you guys want any drinks? Alcohol is a must when you are at the strip club."
"I'll just have a beer." Roxy said.
"I'll have four gin."
"Four gin? What the fuck man?" I scoffed. "If you got drunk, me and Roxy won't be carrying you back to the mansion, you are on your own."
We waited for the strippers to arrive. I can't help but to feel excited. Demien talked about Cherry so many times, now I'll have the chance to witness her in person. I wonder what kind of divinity is able to make the heartless Demien fell in love. The waiting is fleeting, soon two gorgous lady wearing baggy hoodie and half transparent black leggings.
"That's Cherry!" Demien exclaimed, pointing at one of the lady. She have bright red hair chopped into a wolf cut, making her looks cute and badass at the same time. Her face white touched with red, from either the excitement or the warmness of Paradise Den. She's very beautiful indeed, but not as pretty as Irie.
My chest clutched at the thought of Irie, I miss her so much. I miss fucking her.
The girls catwalked on stage, their hip swaying beneath the hoodie, their heels are so high is like they are walking on bricks, they must've alot of practice, if I were them I'd probably twist my ankle. Their chest bulge, even the baggy cloth can't hide their big boobs. They took off their hoodie when their hand reached for the pole, revealing a super tight corset with a mini skirt. The essence of strip dancing is that they take off their cloth slowly during the dance until they are fully naked. The hoodie flies into the crowd. The perverted men yelped, fighting each other to get the hoodie, they all wanted the girls's cloth.
My friend Demien is one of the perverted man, he groaned when he didn't get Cherry's hoodie.
"Is ok bro, there will be more cloth, maybe if you are lucky you will get her lacy underwear." I say.
The girls slithered likes snakes against the pole, showing off their feminum curves slowly. Beside me Roxy screams in excitement and Demien threw cash on stage. The old me would be thrilled too, if I never met Irie.
The girls got away from the pole, they did some sort of Latin dance on stage. Their black mini skirts twirls like blooming flower, a few times they twisted so hard that their thong was showing. As the beat drop, they did one final swirl and their mini skirt fells to the floor. The man climbs onto stage like hungry men, fighting for the skirt.
Next they went to the pole, running their leg over the metal rode as if they are inviting the men to rush on stage and pry them open. Slowly, they pulled the black off, revealing a little skin at a time until their dainty leg is completely nude except for the thong around their private part, and even that is half transparent. They twerked, showing off their ass proudly, as if they are inviting the man to spank them.
"Damn! That bitch can dance!" Roxy roared, punching Demien in the arm.
This is where the real strip dancing starts, the girls wrapped their leg around the pole, hoisting themself up, the flashy colourful light shine on their smiling faces. They spin and spin, changing the position of their arms and legs once and a while. I gasped as they let go of their hand, with nothing but their leg supporting their leg, one mishap and they will fell with their head landing first, that requires some damn good skill.
At last, they threw the corset away too, underneath is no bra, all there are is some stickers covering their nipples. They run their fingers over where the sticker is. Roxy jabbed at my elbow. "Here it comes! Here it comes! They are about to go full nude!" Roxy is bisexual, she had an ex-girlfriend. Not to mention she have a great passion for dancing, she's a figure skater herself.
The men cheered so loudly that it drowns out the music in the background, Demien cheered the loudest, he threw the most bills too.
Sudden a girl was infront of me, blocking my view. "Umm sir, here's your drink." Her voice is so sweet and the scent is so familiar, could it be..
Irie recognize me the same time I noticed her. "Irie.." I started, but she dashed away before I can get my word out.
What the fuck is she doing here? Didn't she know how dangerous this place is? She could get drugged or raped, or even worse, murdered. My blood boiled at the thought.
I pulled my phone and found the manager's caller ID. I texted him: Fire the waitress name Iris Sinclair. He didn't dare to ask questions, he obliged.
For the rest of the dance, I couldn't concentrate, all I can think about is why the fuck is Irie at a stripe club.
When I get calmed down the realisation hits me, Irie is not slut, she couldn't be here unless she absolutely have to, she probably come here because she needs money urgently, and of course I have to help my darling out.
So I went on my burner phone…