Author Games: The Last Cannon

TASK EIGHT: Cosmo Cavalli [1]

The first time I laid eyes on Cosmo Cavalli, I was sure she was going to ruin my life.

Perhaps ruin is too harsh of a word to describe the way she completely altered me. But what other word can be used to describe the way my heart aches when I catch her scent? Or the way my breath catches when I watch her dance? Everything about Cosmo is electrified to the fullest extent. Dull colors become neon, the sun gets brighter. She's dazzling.

As she prances across the screen, I can physically feel my heart being squeezed dry with emotion. Despite the cuts that etch themselves into her once flawless skin and the deep, dark crevices that stain under her eyes, she is beautiful. She keeps her confident, sexy smirk plastered on her pale pink lips. I had never seen them without lipstick before, and it is quite troublesome. She has a distinct look of longing stuck in her eyes, and no matter how confident her smirk was, I knew she was slowly falling apart.

"It's been twenty six hours and she still has all her clothes on." Someone complains before the bar erupts in cheers and laughter. I clutch my blue tinted liquor, unsure of how they could be enjoying it. The liquid splashes in my cup before it finally coats my throat. Eden opens a bottle of the liquid as he refills my glass. I catch the name on the logo, my breathing stopping for a moment. Neon Lights. Her favorite. She would always try and steal the bottle because she likes how the light looked against it. Someone cheers again, too loud for the cramped space. "God damn, I'm a slut for Cosmo Cavalli."

His friend downs another shot before shaking his head. "You're a slut for anyone, Ferraro." More cheers erupt in the bar, and I begin to wonder why I came in the first place. I keep my eyes trained on the television, watching as Cosmo calls out for the boy from One.

"Nah, mate, have you seen how she works it? I have spent entire paychecks on that ass." I slam my drink down, the blue liquid sloshing onto the bar. I know I shouldn't be angry; as her boss, a chunk of her money went my way. But I didn't care about the money, not anymore. She made me realize that. Still, the part of me that aches as I watch her shudder on the screen boils with anger at their words.

As I take another shot, I turn towards the man beside me. "They don't even know her." I tell him, watching the man. I had never seen him before in my life, but the way his face drooped and his eyes were masked with blood, I figured he was a regular drunk. With a sigh, I look towards the television, watching as her eyes crease in frustration. "No one knows Cosmo Cavalli."

The man doesn't make any motion to make me believe he hears me. His eyes stay focused on the amber liquid in his glass, his toothless mouth open slightly. I shift my attention back to the screen, watching how Cosmo practically throws herself onto the boy from One. He was a Lyons. His brother had just been slaughtered. Cosmo darts into his arms like a puppy reunited with her family. Everything coy and seductive about her vanishes as her trembling body fits against his.

"Oh!" Another drunk cheers, lifting his glass into the air. "Finally going to get a show!" I shake my head as I devour another shot. While their sexual fantasies could have been granted days ago, they were no longer possible. Cosmo rarely ever got this way. I had only seen her slip into this form once and it was the most terrifying night of my life.

There is a knock at the door to my office. I swivel the chair around, allowing me to click off my music and unlatch the door. Big Lux stands in the entire frame of the doorway, his hair ruffled and a huge grin spread across his face. His clothes are wrinkled and only half the buttons on his shirt are latched.

"My, my," He remarks, pulling out his oversized wallet as he slowly drifts into the room, "You really have a winner with that one."

I nod politely, smiling as he hands me the stack of bills he owes for Cosmo's service. My heart is torn between the money that rests in my hands and what I made her do. She seemed excited, but who wasn't on their first trip to the Backroom? Plus, Big Lux is a regular and his wallet paid for the rent on more than one occasion. Cosmo didn't have to do anything she didn't want to. Still, guilt sat on my chest and I couldn't shake it, no matter how many times I stroked the wad of money in my hand.