Mateo's P.O.V
t.w: drug and alcohol abuse, sexual assault
The low hum of electric music welcomes me as I approach the club. The brick building located on the outer skirts of New York has forever been renound for a complex history which leaves all who enter puzzled on how the club is still open. A familiar face of a bouncer greets me at the entrance along with a string of memories of a troubled teenage past and a reliance with alcohol, there's no need for waiting in line for me to be let in.
My ears strain at the wave of loud music which floods my ears, immediately I tense when my eyes connect with the faces of familair people, remnants of my past taunting me once again. Like a black sheep in a flock of white, my appearance differs from the sweaty and half naked bodies of the drunken dancers around me. Rolling up the cuffs of my sleeves, I begin to make my way to the back of the club where I know there will be an elevator with limited access. As I push through the crowd, I find myself moving further away from the elevator and closer to the bar.0 Shaking off the temptation, I focus on the elevator and continue on my way to it.
"Back to rekindle old vices?", the red-lipped girl with black hair, slightly messy from whatever activities she's been up to tonight, licks her lips and smiles seductively- which only strengthens my distaste towards her.
Clearing my throat, I take in her appearance as flashes of purple and blue flicker across her body, "You know I'm always welcome here Inaja, let me in", I internally wince at how my voice sounds, disgusted by myself and the flashbacks which come with it, I bite my tongue as Inaja forms a smirk.
She takes a step closer, the palm of her hand resting on my shoulder. Even through my shirt,her cold hands send shivers through me as she draws circles with her index finger, "Why the change of heart?", Inaja pleasures in how I stiffen at her words.
"You know I have no interest in you, but I need access to the lowest level and you're going to give it to me", Inaja still doesn't give up, continuing to trace her hands all over my chest. Turning to my head to the side as she attempts to place her lips on my neck, I let out a shuddery breath, "Don't act like I'm more than just another man to you, let me in and I won't have to make this difficult"
Inaja turns my head down to her, "I don't mind playing dirty", she winks.
Pushing her off of me and shaking my head I begin to let my frustration seep in, "Just give me the access code"
She crosses her arms, "And why do you so desperately need to get down there?"
"Inaja, let me in", I lower my voice.
"Don't be so scared of your tormented past, learn to embrace it lover boy"
I freeze at her words, flashes of red and green clash and I begin to feel uneasy, "It's urgent Inaja, please don't make this harder than it has to be", I plead desperately and watch as she considers it.
Rolling her eyes, Inaja lets out a heavy sigh, "I don't like seeing men act like boys, it's a hard turn off", she licks her lips and turns to punch in the access code for the elevator.
Running a hand through my hair, I pace back and forth as I wait for the elevator to make it's way up to the ground level. Inaja pulls out her vape and I allow myself to calm down and watch as clouds of white air leave her nose. The elevator opens and I pause at the appearance of the velvet walls and small chandelier which emits a drowsy warm light.
"You don't have to do this. You got out once before, you can do it again", Inaja wraps her arms around herself, her brown eyes allowing some sorrow to seep through.
Not wanting to give the real reason as to why I am here, I only give her a small smile and make my way into the elevator. There's only two buttons inside, but I don't need Inaja to explain which one to press because I've played this game a few too many times before.
"I know who you are, you know", Inaja stands at the door of the elevator, not flinching at the bright lights which shine directly in her eyes. Just barely I notice the glisten over her eyes, feeling sorry for her I don't press the button, allowing her to finish what she's saying. "I'm not afraid of guys like you and what you do." I remember the elevator door always closed slowly, obviously they never got it fixed since the last time I was here because it still closes just as slowly. "We could of been something, you know. But I get it, you couldn't survive this life but the truth it that no one does. We all just kind of endure it until it kills us." The door shuts and I can see through the barred door, Inaja's hopeless appearance as a guy walks up to her and slings an arm around her waist. I slam into the door and grasp the bars, shaking them and yelling at the man, but he only laughs and disregards my yells.
The elevator begins its descend down the past the other level of the club ("the seven levels of hell" Inaja once referred them as), lights from each different level shine onto my face as the elevator moves down. I've never been on any of the other lower levels, in fact I never knew how to get to them. All I knew was that the bottom level was the worst and that it ensured suffering. Inaja once told me that very few people get access to the bottom floor, I told her that it wasn't something to be proud of and she had only dismissed it, telling me that I was lucky.
Quickly dry-swallowing two serotonin pills, I try to steady my breathing as I prepare for whatever awaits me. The strong aroma of cigarettes, drugs and other smells intoxicate my senses, two guards grab me by the arms but I don't resist, allowing them to do the same ritual I've done before.
"I always wondered what did happen to you, figured you'd died from from an od or somethin' ", Julius, the older of the pair begins to ramble on. Keeping my head down and my mouth shut is the only thing which will guarantee any chance of getting out alive.
"Edgar should be happy to see you, he's quite fond of you", Malcolm snickers, and scratches his unshaven face. I was never very scared of Julius, of course I knew not to fuck around him but in comparison to Malcom I knew I had a smaller chance of getting beaten to death.
I had onlt been on the level twice when Malcolm decided to break my arm just for fun, in his defence he said it was because he had suspicions that I was a cop, which Edgar had to reassure him that because of who my Father was, there was absoluetely no way that I was a cop. Just because Stefano works with the government, doesn't mean that everyone's he's associated with is immediately protected.
"I thought it was quite ironic when Marco paid us a visit yesterday, he's only ever been here once before and well we both know that was because of you" Malcolm tightens his grip on my arm. "You must be returning the favour then? Saving him after he saved you not too long ago", his voice is sharp and sends electricity down my spine.
"What do you mean by saving him?" I ask, but keep my voice steady and a void of authority.
Julius kicks my shins, "I thought you would know better by now not to talk"
"You're not down here to pay him a visit, we all knew that the moment you were spotted outside the club that you were here to get your brother out of here. He's a little bit of a mess, not as bad as you were, but still a mess"
"Why can't you just go? Cass you know more than anyone that I cannot go back there. I don't want to relapse, what if they make me do something Cassie, please I can't be the one who gets him"
"It's been two days Mateo, you're the only one who has access and he needs you more than ever", Cass holds my hands and pleads with me.
"Why not get Diego, he may not have access but he always finds a way to get through things. This isn't the first time he's had to rescue Marco from a bar"
"But this isn't an ordinary club or bar Mateo. Diego would flip if he knew where Marco was, out of all people you know how much we all hate that place and Diego is the last person who I'd want down there"
"The last person?" My voice breaks, "Cass are you forgetting what they did to me? Diego has never even stepped a foot in there, he's never been affected by it!"
"You know he loves Tess and I know that you know and have seen what happened to Tess when she went with Stefano to that club. He'd go on a rampage if he knew where Marco is and that would just cause so many problems because of Stefano's association with the place. I'd go myself, as I have been for the past few months, but I'd be shot dead if I'm found even within a miles range of that place. You're all he has right now"
When I used to come here, there was a period of time in my life where I lived on the streets rather than at home. I had no connection with my brother or anyone for that matter, besides Stefano who just so happens to be a regular "customer".
He used to laugh and take something associated with pride when he saw me drunken, drugged and assaulted on the lowest level of the club. How the lowest level worked, was that there were multiple booths filled with strippers and drugs and I found myself in limbo, waking up and falling asleep with the intoxication of these factors.
Edgar the guy who owns the place, used to bring Stefano to his private section where I would always be found, I was like some circus animal and they all indulged in my insanity and reliance on these toxins.
There was this one time when I was slightly sober, that I had seen Stefano walk in with a teenage blonde girl who only seemed to be about two years older than me. She was so fragile and had her arms wrapped around herself self-consciously. The men in the booth used to throw her around and I remember being so high that I would just sit in the corner and watch her elusively move around.
That girl was Tess and the shame I felt when I was sober and returned home. Because of Cass, Tess was transfered and able to become an amateur mafia nurse- despite her little training she was still able to maintain the position. But all of this is a story which requires a different setting.
Sitting in the same booth as I did three years ago, is my brother who's shiny eyes don't even notice me as I'm dragged in by Julius and Malcolm. Next to him, Edgar manspreads with a girl draped over him. She hums to herself and giggles at the sound, Edgar strokes her back and whispers something in her ear as he notices me approaching him.
The girl moves onto another booth and Edgar's smile only widens as I stare at Marco who lets a girl who definitely is under 21 unbuttons his shirt. Disgusted, I wince and try to fight back the memories of older women touching me and forcing me to drink until I couldn't stand.
"Long time no see, my happiest customer. They say you can never truly forget who you are, or something like that. And I'm glad to see that you've remembered your roots, because this is where you belong."
Julius and Malcolm let go of me, giving me the signal to talk, "You know I'm not here for that."
Edgar shrugs, gold teeth shining despite the red hue of lights, "It was worth bringing up"
Evil, evil, evil , I repeat in my mind but am only reminded that I am no better than him for ever even allowing myself to be here.
Edgar wraps an arm around Marco and pulls him closer to him. My jaw clenches as Edgar places three pills into a glass of whiskey and hands it to Marco. Marco brings the glass up to his lips but Edgar pulls it away and tuts. "Inside this glass is the key to happiness", Edgar faces me and his smile darkens, "Tell me why I shouldn't give your brother the recipe to eternal happiness and you may leave."
Swallowing hard and unclenching my jaw, I keep my eyes on Marco who is acting in a manner which I've never seen him in before. He sways back and forth on the spot, humming along to the music and dumbly watching a woman dance on a pole.
"How would Stefano feel if he knew that you drugged and murdered his heir to the Italian mafia?" I ask, "Consider yourself a friend to Stefano but do not consider yourself protected. In a heartbeat Stefano would turn on you and shut down your entire operation"
Edgars smile drops, "And how do you know he treats Marco any different to you?"
"I know a lot more than I let on", Edgar lights a cigarette and stares at me with a look of undoubtable hate. He looks between Malcolm and me and then at Marco, his silence scares me more than anything.
"Are you threatening me?"
Shit.
"Because you've seen what happens to people who threaten Edgar", Malcolm adds, making a show of his gun which is strapped in its hollister comfortably.
"You know I mean you no harm, I just want my brother and to get the fuck out of here"
Edgar shakes his head, "Are you lying to me?"
"I assure you that I am here for only one reason"
"So then would you care to explain why Diego Russo is currently on my floor, walking towards us with a gun in his hand"
I whip around in an instant, my mouth hanging open stupidly as Diego furiously storms through. The people dancing are too drugged up to even care about the gun and continue going about their activities. Malcolm makes a charge towards Diego but is shot square in the forehead, the silencer on the gun careful not to disturb anyone else.
Edgar stands up in an instant, his eyes wide as he looks at the lifeless body of his best body guard. "What the fuck did he think he was doing, walking up to a man with a gun" Edgar spits but Diego continues to point the gun at him.
"I'm going to make this short and sweet." Diego motions with his gun towards Marco, "You're going to hand over Marco and Mateo. Then you're going to make sure that they nor me never step foot in here ever again, you make sure that we have the same fucking provisions that Cass has on this place, you fucking make sure that this fucking ordeal does not happen again."
"What makes you think I'll comply that easily?"
"Because you don't have a fucking gun on you, Julius here" Diego shoots Julius, "Is dead and the rest of your friends down here are so fucked up that they couldn't tell the difference between an apple and a pear if you held the two up next to each other in front of their faces. So I recommend you give up."
Diego's chest rises and falls, the bags under his eyes more prominent than ever in the red light and I can't help but notice his anger which is also directed at me.
"Just get the fuck out of my sight you wicked person"
Diego mockingly winces, "Don't make me fucking shoot you", he smiles, "Get your brother and follow me", Diego orders and I don't hesitate to comply.
Slowly walking to the booth, I suppress the flashbacks and lean down to take Marco by the arm. Edgar also leans down and grabs me by the collar, "I'll make sure that Diego and Marco aren't allowed back here but I'll leave a special opening just for you", his breath is strong with a mix of alcohols and I tense for a split second and haul Marco up on his feet.
"What are you doing here, you know you can't be here" Marco slurs and I scrunch my nose as the smells from his mouth flow out.
"Come on mate, you're going to be okay now"
"I don't want to leave", I stop walking and stare at him with wide eyes remembering how I had similarily said the same thing when he had hauled me out of here only a few years ago.
Diego charges over to us and grabs Marco himself, "I'll take him if you're too weak to, take my gun instead", he shoves the gun into my hands and begins back towards the elevator.
Taking one last look at the club floor, I try not to focus too much on the chaos which subtly unravels before me. Edgar gives a final smirk through the barred door and raises up the drink he had to Marco and drinks the entire thing before then collapsing to the ground.
"Good riddance" Diego huffs as the elevator lifts up off of the ground.
In a blur of loud music and colour, we finally made it to Diego's vehicle which was parked on the curb of the club. Three security guards escorted us out, as unnecessary as it was. Marco's moans of pain tell me that he's beginning the process of withdrawal, taking a mental note of his symptoms I know what to ask Tess for when we get back to base.
"How did you know where to find us?" I ask, breaking the painful silence between Diego and I as he drives back.
"I've been keeping note of every club and bar he's been to, he was due to show up here tonight. I guess I just got lucky coming when I did" He purses his lips, "And I asked Cass"
"Jesus, so everyone knows?"
" Well Tess doesn't know he came here tonight, but yes everyone knows that he's becoming a drunk" Diego's voice hardens and I notice his annoyance of Marco's choices.
"We really need to fix him"
Diego nods slowly, "He's no where near as bad as you were when Marco found you, but he's not far off. From here on out we're going to monitor him as much as we can, I don't want him in another bar or club for as long as we can control him"
I hum an agree and look at Marco who has fallen asleep in the back seat. "I blame Athena"
Diego turns to me with a confused expressions, "Cass said the same thing but I feel that I'm the only one who seems to be missing something"
I laugh sadly, "Marco admired Athie so much, she couldn't talk but something about her fascinated him and ever since then she's all that has consumed his mind."
"So what you're trying to get at is that Marco is acting up because of some chic? It's got to be more than that"
"Of course it's 'more than that', it's a build up of trauma from a life filled with an indoctrination of crime, Athena was just his tipping point"
"He's going to be in for it the moment he's sober I swear by it. This trial he's putting us through is no help with all the additional stress of what's happening at work and he's going to know it"
I laugh softly and his anger, "You need to loosen up a little D"
He looks at me gravely, "You want to know what happens to people like me when they 'loosen up'? They end up on the verge of an over dose in a club with filthy elitist men and drugged up women."
I swallow hard and wince, "I don't think I ever properly apologised for what happened"
Diego's expression softens, "No you did, so many times when you were in the car. I was driving, Marco was in the back seat with you holding a bag as you threw up and wept."
Tears fill my eyes and I bite my tongue to stop them from escaping. Diego tries to act like he doesn't notice but I catch him glancing at me occasinally.
"Stefano's in Washington with Dmitri, we've got the mansion to ourselves for a little while" Diego explains as he cotinues
Sighing heavily, I turn back to Marco who stirs in his dreamless sleep. Tonight has tormented me too many times than every nightmare I've had since I first entered that club, Edgars words hang heavy as Diego continues driving down a vacant and dark road.