SEVEN'S POV
Victor eyes me from the other side of the basement floor as he paces.
"Leave us." He tells Curby who followed us down here. Curby simply nods before making his way back up the stairs, following orders like a good acolyte. He never questions Victor's orders, or mine for that matter.
I on the other hand haven't been so obeying when it comes to the rules, not recently anyway. Not since I met her.
"I don't want to have to punish you Seven. But so help me I will." Victor threatens.
"I'm sorry I spoke out of line." I apologise for undermining him upstairs at the bar in front of Lilianna. I don't know what came over me, I've never gone against Victor like that before and I know it surprised him as much as it surprised me. But I couldn't stop myself. I hate the thought of her being on show for all those perverts upstairs. I hate the thought of her being uncomfortable because of them.
"What has gotten into you?" Victor demands.
"I don't know." I admit, looking down at my hands as I twist the gold ring on my index finger. It's true, I don't know what the fuck has gotten into me.
"You're spending far too much time here. I need you out in the city, we have bigger things that need attending then this fucking cesspit." Victor grunts.
"Is it the girl?" He asks me and my head shoots up.
"Who?" I act dumb. I know exactly who he's talking about.
"Don't play stupid with me boy." He points a warning finger at me.
"The girl from the bar. You had her working in a fucking t-shirt and not out front. Is she the reason you beat that kid the other week?" He questions.
I knew he'd bring that up. He walked in on me beating the shit out of that fucking soldier wanna be for touching her. A couple slices to his neck just wasn't good enough for me. And when I rewatched the security footage of him grabbing her over the counter the rage just took over. I had to go out and hunt the fucker down till I felt his punishment was justified for touching her the way he did. I probably shouldn't have brought him down to the basement to carry out the beating, since Victor ended up barging in on my little play date and made me stop.
"No." I lie again. I've never lied to Victor, but once again Lilianna has me breaking rules for her. Victor's dark eyes meet mine and I know he's looking for the lie written in my face but I've been good at keeping my emotions unreadable, he can thank himself for teaching me that.
I hate looking into uncle Victor's eyes. They remind me so much of my fathers. Only I remember my fathers to be brighter and warmer when he looked at me. Not like Victor's. Victor's eyes remind me of a snakes; cold, dark and calculating.
"Do I need to remind you of the rules we have in place here?" Victor asks me.
"No." I repeat. I know them all too well. They've been torturing me for the last couple weeks.
"Good. Because if I find out that you've so much as touched that girl I'll skin her in front of you." Victor threatens and my breathing accelerates at his threat of Lilianna.
"Don't forget who's club she's working at. Who she's working for. She's my property." He says with a smirk and my jaw clenches.
"I understand uncle." I answer him, keeping my voice steady.
"She is pretty that little flower. Much too pretty for men like you and I." He reminds me. I'm well aware Lilianna is too good for me, but it hasn't stopped me thinking about her. Imagining her at night laying next to me.
"She wouldn't want an old man like me. But I guess since she's my property, I can do what I want with her. She wouldn't have a choice but to have me." Victor says staring at me. I know he's only saying this to get a rise out of me and I fight the reaction I know he's looking for.
"How would that make you feel Seven? If I were to have my way with your pretty little flower?" Victor taunts and I'm too slow to stop my hands from balling into clenched fists by my sides at the thought of him within touching distance of Lilianna.
Victor's snake eyes lock onto my hands movement right away and he smirks. He's got a rise out of me which tells him everything he needs to know.
"See how weak a woman makes you." Victor gestures to me.
"She's got inside your head, and now you make it easier for anyone else to." He explains as he begins to pace slowly in front of me.
"Need I remind you the dangers of a woman, Seven?" He asks and I stay silent. Annoyed at myself because I know he's right. She did get in my head, and he was able to use her so easily to get into mine. I hate it. I hate the hold she has over me already.
"A woman was the reason your father was murdered." Victor reminds me and my jaw clenches at the mention of my father.
"His own best friend chose the touch of a woman over a lifetime of friendship with your father. And that detective bitch wormed her way so far into his head he chose to give your father up to the authorities. Murdering him in her custody! A woman weakened what should have been the strongest of alliances and tore your family apart!" He shouts at the end.
I've heard this story many, many times growing up. And it infuriates me every time. The betrayal my father faced right before his death by the one he trusted most outrages and disgusts me. And I always swore I'd never make those same mistakes that were made by them both. I'd vowed to never trust anyone, and to never get close to a woman. Like Victor pointed out, they just make you weaker and easier to get in your head.
I've taken those vows very seriously since I was ten. For fourteen years I haven't trusted anyone completely. I haven't been with a woman longer than a night, nor have I cared to. But then I met Lilianna. She makes me want to be around her all the time and I find myself taking any opportunity I can to try get close to her, any opportunity to try touch her soft skin.
I didn't understand it at first, who am I kidding I still don't understand it. She's become a confusing outlier to my vows and it's been driving me fucking mad trying to figure out why. Why her? Is it because I know I can't have her? Because I can't touch her? It's seems unlikely as none of the other girls who work here make me feel this way. Or is it because I know she'd never want someone like me? She's smart, obviously beautiful and way out of my league. The type to marry a successful doctor, or lawyer or politician.
Some days I wish I could just fuck her to get her out of my head. But something deep down tells me fucking her just once won't be the end to it. And that in fact sleeping with her would probably make it worse. I wouldn't be able to handle just one time, I would want her even more after that. Just imagining being with her has driven me mad every night since I first saw her.
"We're the only family each other have now Seven." My uncle reminds me, taking me out from my thoughts of Lilianna.
"I've done everything I can to protect you from his mistakes. To raise you how my brother would have wanted. I'd hate to see you fall short of your true potential because you were too weak." Victor speaks quieter and almost sounds sincere. Almost.
"I won't let you down, uncle." I promise him and he nods. Satisfied with my answer. He's quiet for a moment as he watches me. My body tensed, bracing itself for the potential beat down about to be delivered to me, but surprisingly it doesn't come.
"Let's go back upstairs. I need my drink." Victor says eventually and I follow a couple strides behind him as we leave the basement.
When we get back on to the club floor Victor makes his way over to the bar where one of the men has taken over serving drinks. I don't follow him and instead go sit next to Curby in the private area.
"Nice to see you're still looking pretty." Curby jokes as I sit down next to him. To be honest I'm also surprised I didn't get a beating too just for disagreeing with Victor in front of someone.
"Guess he was in a good mood." I shrug.
"Lucky for you." Curby remarks and I nod in agreement. The last beating I got from Victor I couldn't see out my left eye for a month and I actually was worried I'd end up blind but it came right after about five weeks. I think one of his rings was the culprit. He actually inspired me to wear my own collection on my fingers, they help rough up the skin and they hurt like a fucking bitch to be punched with. But I've started taking them off before I have to punch people repeatedly now, I broke my finger and a knuckle against some dudes face and I couldn't get the rings off because of the swelling which made it way more painful. So now I take them off to do it. It might be easier just to not wear the rings but after wearing them for so long now they've grown on me. Plus I think they look kind of cool, and they remind me of my dad. Some of them are actually his old rings.
"Have you seen—"
"She hasn't come out yet." Curby interjects, already knowing who I was asking after. I don't like how obvious and predictable my pining for the girl has become. But out of anyone to notice, I'm glad it is Curby. I don't think he would tell anyone of his growing suspicions about my recent behaviour.
"You gotta keep your cool tonight Sev. Especially with him being here, it'll just provoke him." Curby warns me.
"I know." I answer shortly. I'm well aware how much Victor wants me to slip up so he can take action against me or Lilianna.
"I'm serious. It's gonna be worse now that she's a server. You can't go beat everyone up who touches her now." Curby continues.
"I said I fucking know." I bark at him, frustrated at the situation, pinching the bridge of my nose in an attempt to pull my emotions together.
"As long as you're prepared." Curby hums as I brush an irritated hand over my hair. He's right, it will be worse and I won't be able to react this time. Especially not with Victor here.
I fucking hate this. I hate that she's having to do this. I know she's not going to like it, she's not like the other girls that work here, she's not use to this kind of life. A lot of the girls that work here have been here since the day they turned eighteen, following the footsteps of their older sisters or mothers. Not Lilianna though, she's only here because she needs the money. Not because this is the only career path she knows.
I can't deny I'm very eager to see how Lilianna looks underneath her clothes. I've been imagining it ever since she brought that fucking bag into my office to show me her underwear. I can't believe she knows about what I did with them. I've never been embarrassed in my life, but when she told me she knew about it I was humiliated beyond belief. Fucking Kitty and her gossiping big mouth. I should have fired her for telling Lilianna, it's awkward enough having her around after she caught me with my dick in my hand.
"Jesus Christ." Curby stammers next to me and I look over at his mouth hanging open looking at something. I follow his line of sight, my eyes finding her right away.
Fucking hell.
A shy Lilianna walks through the club following a very proud looking Kitty.
She's dressed in a black matching lingerie set and I feel my blood rush straight to my crotch. She looks remarkable, nothing like I've ever seen before and I'm relieved to see none of the items she's wearing are see through.
"She looks phenomenal." Curby practically drools next to me and I smack his chest.
"Stop fucking gawking at her." I frown at him and he rubs his chest to soothe where I hit him.
"You gonna tell that to them?" He asks and gestures out to the club floor where all the men are watching Lilianna walk past them.
Frustrated heat boils through my blood as I watch them gape at her almost naked body. I know exactly what they're thinking about her, it's written all over every one of their punchable faces. My hands ball into hard fists on my lap and I shift in my seat, fighting the urge to run over there and give them something else to ogle at.
"Calm down Sev." Curby encourages me.
"I am calm." I spit. I'm definitely not. I'm wound the fuck up as tight as those little mechanical walking robot toys, only I won't be waddling awkwardly in a line. I'll be destroying everything and everyone in here that looks at her.
"This is what Victor wants. He wants you to react like this so he can retaliate." Curby reminds me and I take a deep breath through my flaring nostrils to try calm myself down.
I know he's right. I know Victor is only doing this to prove a point and remind me of my place and the rules. I need to keep my calm, for Lilianna's sake.
My eyes follow her long body, studying every inch of it as she moves. I've never been so attracted to someone before it's actually terrifying. She always looks beautiful but seeing her dressed like this is something else and I'm finding it very distracting and incredibly difficult to keep my distance.
I need a distraction.
"Where's Destiny?" I ask Curby and he smirks at me.
"I'm sure Victor is going to love that." Curby replies.
"Shut up. He won't care, she gives everyone lap dances and she even fucked Victor a couple months back. I never touch her anyway." I shrug and Curby rolls his eyes at me.
"Well I'm sure Lily is going to love that too. She's a big fan of Destiny." He says, his tone doused in sarcasm.
"What do you mean?" I look at him and then back to the floor, my eyes hunting for Destiny.
"She was giving Destiny a blinding death stare the other night. Think she's a bit jealous of her." Curby says as I wave Destiny over.
"Jealous? Of what?" I scoff. Destiny has nothing on a girl like Lilianna, why would she be jealous of her?
"Oh I wonder." Curby sarcastically remarks, his eyes looking between me and a half naked approaching Destiny. And I'm confused at first before my brain finally catches up.
She's jealous of Destiny because I get her to give me lap dances? Is that what Curby's implying? Why would Lilianna be jealous of that?
"You requested my services." Destiny smirks as she stands in front of me.
"Just hurry up." I tell her and move my arms over the back of the seat.
"I should be getting paid extra to deal with your attitude." Destiny rolls her eyes at me but climbs onto my lap anyway.
"You're lucky you get paid at all for the shit job you do." I retaliate.
"Fuck you Seven." She says as she rests herself on my lap.
I don't bother to look at her or her tits as she moves herself against me. Instead my eyes search the room for the one thing I want to be looking at right now. Lilianna.
I find her at the bar with Kitty, a black tray now in her hand. Victor is also looking at Lilianna, and my jaw tightens when I see his eyes roam her barley covered body. And as if he knows I'd be watching he looks over to me and I consider glancing away but decided not to shy away from his eye contact.
He simply nods at Destiny on my lap, before raising his drink at me in toast. Victor brings the drink to his lips and downs the whole thing, slamming the glass back onto the counter and saunters away.
I look around Destiny on my lap to Curby.
"Follow him and come back and tell me when he's left." I tell him and he nods before standing up to follow Victor out the club.
My eyes go back to Lilianna. She's on the floor now, going from table to table for drink orders. She looks so good, so fucking tempting in her underwear.
"Looks like I'm not that shit at this after all." Destiny comments, she smirks and looks down between us at my lap. My blood has been pumping directly to my dick while watching Lilianna.
"You're actually hard for me." Destiny's voice is low and I get the feeling she's trying to flirt with me.
"Not for you." I clarify and her smirk drops.
"Excuse me?" She sounds offended but I don't care.
"Just shut up and keep going." I instruct her and she begins to move again.
I can't deny that Destiny's body moving over mine does feel good, but it feels even better when I imagine Lilianna in her place.
And seeing Lilianna dressed the way she is right now is helping me imagine a whole lot of sick things.
My eyes focus back on her, she's taking an order from one of the customers sitting down by the stage. Her back is to me, and fuck that's a nice view. Her long back is so attractive, the dip of her skin between her ribs is something I can't describe. I want to run my fingers down it and feel how soft the skin is. Her lower back is even more attractive, with two small dimples on either side of her spine that are confusingly appealing. If I was to hold her hips my thumbs would press into them perfectly. And then there's her bum, Jesus Christ that fucking ass.
I groan at the sight of it and Destiny brings her lips to my ear.
"You like this huh? If you want you can fuck me in my car in the lot later. No one will know." She whispers and I cringe at the feeling of her breath hitting my ear.
"What? No." I frown and move my head away from her to keep looking over her shoulder at Lilianna. Just in time to see the guy she had just been serving reach a hand up to smack her bum and my whole body flexes to jump up but I stop myself.
"Wow calm down I said later not now." Destiny laughs and I wish she'd just shut the fuck up. My blood is pumping as I witness Lilianna step away from the man in discomfort, her hand briefly touching over the reddening skin the man just assaulted.
"He's gone." Curby's voice comes from beside me again.
"You're sure?" I ask him.
"Yeah. Watched his car turn the corner down the street. You're good." Curby confirms and that's all the clearance I need.
"Get the fuck off me." I tell Destiny.
"What?" She's clearly surprised.
"I said get the fuck off me!" I yell at her and she scrambles off my lap quickly.
I adjust myself in my trousers quickly, and watch as the man who slapped Lilianna's ass goes in for another. This time he grabs a handful of the flesh from her behind as he tries to pull her down onto him. She's desperately trying to push his grip off her and I stalk over. My blood is fiery hot with rage. The kind of rage only she manages to provoke out of me. I think it's jealousy but I'm not a hundred percent sure.
I push my sleeves up my arms before lunging myself over the seat and at the handsy creep. My hands find his neck and we knock over many glasses as the chair he's sitting on topples over from my attack. He's caught completely off guard as his hands fly up to my wrists in an attempt to get them off his neck. But he's too weak and I'm far too strong, fuelled by this new strong emotion awoken within me. My hands clench tighter around the mans throat till I see him start to turn a deep red, pulling his head up before slamming it back against the club floor.
"Sev, stop!" Curby's voice is shouting next to me. I can't see him, my vision is dark and zeroed onto the pink man beneath me. All I can see is him touching Lilianna, and my fingers clench a little tighter.
"Seven!" Curby yells and I slam the guys head against the floor again. He's almost purple now.
"Please Seven, stop!" Her voice breaks straight through me and my hands let go immediately. The man gasps for air and I look up from him to see everyone in the club is staring at me.
Fuck. I didn't mean to loose it.
I look over at Lilianna and she's looking between me and the man underneath me with wide eyes. I feel a couple sets of hands pull me up off the man by the shoulders and move to restrain me.
"I'm alright, I'm alright!" I tell them and shove them to let me go. They drop their hands from me and go to check if the man is okay.
"You should probably leave Sev." Curby tells me.
"I'll sort the cameras." He says and I nod at him.
I walk in the direction of the back, grabbing Lilianna's wrist as I do. Pulling her out the dark club with me.
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