Three months after Elle had decided to quit. Things had changed, but they had also stayed the same. She had finally gotten her accounting degree. A major milestone, but she was still dancing at club M… and sleeping with Gio. Which was why she was currently naked on the bench between the lockers, wiping the slick between her thighs with Gio nowhere in sight. Having been called away almost as soon as they were done, which was the norm.
But rather than accept it like she always did, Elle decided it was time to act. If she did not leave now, she would not be able to leave anymore.
She would be that woman who spent her best years making herself available for a man. Only to have nothing to show for it in the end but a broken heart.
After cleaning herself up, she re-opened her locker. She took off her stilettos, exchanging them for some sensible boots. Next she pulled on a blue summer dress, covering it with her coat and fixing her hair, taking down her ponytail and letting her blonde hair fall over her shoulder. Every layer of clothing feeling like armour. With her sizable cleavage covered, and her hair down, she looked like the girl next door. In fact, she had run into quite a few clients during the day, and she could always tell they were trying to place her, but could not recall where they knew her from. It was very funny, and useful.
She hoped it worked in reverse, giving her the strength to face Gio without being distracted by arousal.
Wiping off the last of her makeup, Elle put on some lip gloss and headed out. Going deeper into the club, each step taking her closer to Gio.
It hurt, for something that was supposed to be a no feelings type of situation…it hurt.
The sooner she ended it the better. She did not know when she had started developing feelings for Gio. But hopefully she was not in too deep. The quicker she made a clean break the better.
Quietly making her way through the darkened hallways, she tripped on something. Letting out a soft curse as she caught herself on the wall. Had one of the girls left their stuff lying around again? She'd told Cherry Top that if she left her shoes out one more time she'd find them in a dumpster. Mood souring, Elle decided against switching on the light, opting to reach into her handbag and take out her phone, the flashlight illuminating the dark hallway, showing what had tripped her.
Oh… her mind went fuzzy.
She'd been right on one end, it had been a shoe that had tripped her. But it was not one of the girls' shoes. In fact the shoe was still attached to the owner. Luke, laying in a pool of his own blood, eyes staring at nothing…dead.
/*
Her first impulse, upon seeing the body, was to scream. But then her survival instincts took over. The wound in the middle of Luke's chest was so fresh, dark blood was still oozing from it. When she had felt for a pulse, despite already knowing there would be none, he had still been warm. That increased the chances that the killer was still in the club. Reaching into her handbag she pulled out her taser. Gripping it tight as she gingerly stepped over the body. All she had to do was make it out the door, and start running.
Heart in her throat, palms sweaty, Elle slowly made her way to the door. Petrified that making a hasty exit would cause too much noise and attract attention. She was almost at the end of the hallway when she heard voices. Angry soundings, with muffled curses and the unmistakable sound of someone being hit. Despite her better judgment she paused, listening in, her feet carrying down the easy to miss corridor that hid the boss's office.
"… think you are so tough you-" The voice cut off, and there were more muffled beating sounds.
"Hold him," More hits followed, and this time Elle could her the strangled sound of laughter. The voice was laced with pain, but Elle still recognized it…Gio. His voice sharp, tinged with madness, and pain, but he was still laughing, taunting the men.
The realization that Gio was being beaten up slotted in the missing pieces of why Luke was dead on the floor.
Either this was a robbery, or it was an attack. Elle preferred the first option over the latter. A robbery meant it was probably some fools dumb enough to come at the Don on his home turf. But an attack meant someone was gunning for Gio, coming after the Romanos. What if they were not just there to send a message? She thought, wandering if that meant she had time to wait for help, but then she shook her head, another thought occurring to her. What if they had come to kill him?
The thought of Gio, her Gio, as dead as Luke, crumpled body left where it fell like he meant nothing had her moving. Her heart was beating so loud she was scared it would give her away, but Elle still inched closer. All the while, the sound of fists and kicks did not stop, and Gio was yelling, not in pain, but in rage.
"I am going to cut you to pieces, you son of a-" There was a loud thwack and Gio's voice cut off with a groan. Elle, finally at the door, looked through the tiny crack and had to bring a hand to her mouth to stop herself from gasping out loud. There were two men, obviously grunts, holding Gio on either side. An older bald man in baggy suit stood in front of Gio, holding a gun to his head. But rather than be cowed, Gio was leaning forward, pressing his head against the silencer. Blazing eyes daring the man to shoot.
There was a cut right above his brow, bleeding sluggishly, and as Elle watched, the man put the gun on the desk, turning back to Gio and catching him with a fist to the stomach.
"Apologies, Don Romano," The man said, patting lightly at the bruise forming on Gio's cheek.
"This is a mere formality to ensure that you understand your place before we begin negotiating," Gio spit at him, the action was rewarded with a barrage of fists to his torso, and this time when assault stopped, Gio's head lolled, eyes barely open.
"Stop making this hard on yourself, accept defeat, and only then will I tell you why I am here. It is something that will be beneficial to everyone," The man grabbed Gio's by the chin, forcing his head up, trying to get him to look him in the eyes, but Gio, still defiant, looked past his shoulder, his eyes widening slightly when he caught sight of Elle. The shock was gone from his face as quickly as it had come, his captors had not even noticed it, the beatings continuing.
In between the hits, Gio, now aware of her presence, was stealing glances at her…pleading. Not for a rescue, but for her to run, to get away. It was that, more than anything that gave Elle the final push of courage that she needed. Gio knew he would most likely die in that office, but he was still trying to make sure that she survived, that she got away. There was no way that she could just leave him behind.
Without warning she kicked the door in. The loud bang startling the intruders, she only had a moment to see the fear in Gio's eyes before the leader was moving, reaching for the gun he had left on the desk. But Elle was faster, her taser's aim true, it connected and the bald man went down like a felled tree, his whole body rigid. The men holding Gio moved to help their boss, letting Gio go.
Elle saw their eyes widen when they both realized there was no one holding their captive. But by then it was too late.
Gio, crouched down, reaching for his boot. Then he sprang back up. Elle caught a glint of silver as he moved. The next thing she knew, one of the men was falling. Blood spewing from his neck.
His companion put up more of a fight. They exchanged blows, bodies colliding, objects falling, glass and crystal decorations shattering. The man got a good hit in, leaving Gio disoriented enough for him to make a move for the gun. His hand had not even settled over it when he was thwarted. Gio's blade going right through it.
He howled in pain, seconds later he was silenced. Gio left the knife where it was, hands going to the man's neck. There was a loud crack, and the man went limp, eyes still wide open in shock.
Gio did not even look at him as he fell, already moving on to the man Elle had downed. He tied the man up using his own belt, then he moved to the gun, placing it in his safe.
Only once that was done did he turn to her, pinning her with his gaze. Elle froze, rooted to the spot, her mind screaming as she tried to process.