SEDUCTIVE {JOHN SHELBY}

chapter I

— two months earlier —

The sun shined through the large windows at club Réverie. The red curtains had been pulled apart by Mark, the bartender. He stood in the bar and polished the crystal glasses, his eyes roaming the large room. The bar was placed on the other side of the large stage. The wall behind the bar was covered in mirrored glass and the shelves was covered in different kinds of liquor. Between the stage and the bar was over twenty round tables with red tablecloths and a candle on each one. Along the walls was booths, more exclusive seats in the club. 

The stage had a red curtain that covered the whole wall, the dark mahogany floor was a nice contrast. Large chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Mark was proud to work there. He was dressed in a black suit and black button up that matched, a red rose pinned to his chest.

"Have you seen Madam?" Alfred spoke, interrupting his thoughts. "I will let the girls in soon." He continued as he walked towards the bar.

"In her office." Mark answered, nodding towards the staircase as he took another glass to polish.

"Alfred." Madam Carter said as she stood on the top of the stairs. "Are the girls here?" She asked as she walked down the staircase. She walked over to the bar and Alfred smiled.

"They are Madam." Alfred said and Madam looked over his shoulder towards the doors. Through the windows beside the door she could see a lot of women.

"Good, Lily is warming up." Madam said. 

"What do you think Madam, is our new star out there?" Mark asked.

"Hopefully," Madam said. "Hopefully we'll find someone that will bring that little extra to the show now when Lily will be leaving us." She continued.

"We need that to compete with Sabini." Alfred said and she hummed. 

"Heard that Sabini has his business messed up with the Peaky Blinders." Mark said as he kept to his crystal glasses. Both Alfred and Madam looked at the younger man. "It's the words from the streets at least." He continued.

"Who hasn't that man messed up with." Madam said before clapping her hands together. "Now let's open the doors." She smiled at Alfred who nodded. Alfred walked towards the main doors as Madam walked towards the stage, meeting up with Lily.

Outside the main doors stood over twenty girls, eagerly waiting for the doors to open. Some was speaking with each other, chattering loudly about how nervous they were. Other glared at the other girls before fixing their make up. 

A young woman with golden brunette hair stood quietly further back in the mob of girls. She wore thicker black tights, a matching skirt that was tied to her waist, a black bodysuit and a larger coat that drenched her petit body. Her hair blew messily in the wind as she bit down her bottom lip. The nerves made her body shake slightly and the other beautiful girls around her made her feel insecure.

"Girls never stop to surprise me." A young woman said with a thick Irish accent as she stepped beside her, a cigarette between her lips. She was tall, har pale blond hair cut short with bangs in a bun and the thick eye liner made her look bold. Her high cheekbones framed her face. Her thick brows bold and red lips hugged the toxic stick between her lips. "I'm Rita." She greeted herself, holding out one hand.

"Florence." She greeted back with a small smile as they shook hands.

"First time auditioning?" Rita asked and Florence nodded. "Nothing to be nervous about, you've been called for an audition so you must be good." She continued and Florence shrugged.

"A lot of talented girls here." Florence said and Rita exhaled smoke. 

"Ah don't mind them, half of them won't even get to dance." Rita said and Florence frowned.

"How so?" Florence asked.

Before Rita could answer the doors opened and her heart started to beat in her chest. An older man stepped outside.

"Welcome ladies, please step inside carefully." The man spoke and before Florence could walk Rita handed out a rubber band.

"Here put your hair up." She said and winked before starting to walk towards the door, following the girls. Florence quickly put her hair up in a bun, making it as tight as possible.

"Hurry." The man at the door spoke and Florence looked up and noticed her being alone before rushing inside. Florence walked inside and her eyes widen as her blue eyes wandered over the large room. She walked over to stand beside Rita yet her eyes couldn't stop moving around the room.

"Welcome to Club Réverie ladies!" A woman on the stage said. "I'm Madam Carter and this is my club." She continued. Florence could feel the nerves in her stomach, almost making her light headed.

"I'm very excited to have you all here today and I hope you are as well! As you know, we are looking for ten new dancers to join our club. This is Lily and she will be going through the choreography with you." Madam said and everyone listened, some acting like old time best friends kept on giggling. "It's important to listen." Madam said, raising her voice slightly, silencing the girls.

"Club Réverie is one of the biggest clubs in London. We strive to be the best at all times yet we have tough competition. I need to know that my girls are capable of listening." Madam said and Florence nodded. "Alfred will call you up on stage one by one, some of you will join Lily here and the other will join Ash." She said, nodding towards the man on the other side of the stage before walking off the stage to take a seat by one of the tables filled with papers. Alfred cleared his throat before looking at his paper.

"Amelia Ferguson." He begun and one of the girls stepped on stage. Florence knitted her fingers together seeing all the beautiful girls. Amelia stood on the stage, the bright lights in her eyes. Her tights, skirt and bodysuit was black. "You can join Lily." Alfred said and Amelia smiled before giving a thankful nod.

"Anastacia Armstrong." Alfred continued. Another girl stepped up, she had a black bodysuit yet her tights were nude. Florence bit her lip. "You can join Ash over there." His words made Florence inhale a shaky breath. Alfred continued to call up girl by girl and Florence saw how Madam looked at them all intently.

"Florence Green." Florence inhaled as her name was called. She walked towards the stage and Alfred gave her a nod as she walked past him. Her heart was beating in her ribcage like a wild animal. When she stood on the stage she could feel the eyes burning on her.

"You can step aside to Lily." Alfred said after a few minutes of silence. She nodded before walking over to Lily. A smile was on Lilys lips as she joined the girls. Florence hopped Rita would be called over to her as she tried to figure out who Ash was.

"And then we have Rita Harris." Alfred said ofter a while, Rita being the only girl left. She stepped on the stage, confidence oozing from her body.

"You can join Lily." Alfred said.

"If you are standing with Lily, congratulation you will start rehearsing and for everyone with Ash, we are glad you came yet we are not going further with you."