Chapter 3 Beneath the Glitter

Pain shot through me as I felt a frozen ache lingering in each part of my body, unable to catch a proper breath as I lay on the bed. The night brought the echo of another long day filled with the weight of each word and gaze.

I managed to sit up, resting my back against the wall as I released a sigh, trying to get a grip on myself. The last client's grasp was still stained on my skin, leaving me to question my existence in this job every day. The painful fact remained that I wasn't able to get any money today since it wasn't payday. I couldn't repeat my actions of drugging and stealing the customer's money like the last time, so what could I possibly do now?

My only hope was in begging Nate and seeing if his cruel demeanour could show some mercy. I knew it wouldn't work as easily as I hoped, but the least I could do was try.

I gently stood up, climbing each step as I walked into the bathroom, splashing some water on my face. I washed my face, leaving a glance in the mirror after. I noticed tiny bruises, I had to keep hidden from my mother's sight.

Applying some touch of makeup to hide them, I stepped out of the room and walked down the stairs, my eyes scanning for Nate, intent on asking him if he could help out. To my dismay, I couldn't catch a glimpse of where he was, so I was left to wander around the club area.

My gaze landed on Ruby walking by. I couldn't say she and I were on good terms. From the very day I started here, she'd had a look that spoke of jealousy, of hatred. I had no idea why, but all I knew was that she was known to be the best, taking each fun at the job as though it was her dream.

But I had no intention of making enemies. I couldn't afford to have one; all I ever wanted was my mom's recovery, nothing more.

"Ruby," I uttered, calling her, only to receive a frowning glance in return.

"I just want to know if you know where Nate is," I said, trying to be polite.

"It seems you just don't know the respect rule. That's 'boss' to you. You'd better address him with respect. If anyone catches you calling Nate 'sir,' I can't assure you how jaw-rolling your punishment would be. And next time you call me, it's best to address me as ' The Head Courtesan.'" She sneered.

I had little time to argue with her. It was nighttime, and I had to return home soon. My mom must still be up waiting, but I couldn't leave without the money.

"Alright, Ruby, please, can you tell me where the boss is?" I asked, swallowing my pride.

She gave no response at first, her furrowed brows leaving a piercing gaze. "Check the last room up ahead. He's there." She finally said, turning to leave.

I approached the room door after a few steps, my hands reaching for the door handle.

My mind rethought my actions. What if Nate saw this the wrong way? I couldn't easily forget the warning he gave me last time, those narrowed eyes darkening with fury. Should I really be doing this? But if I don't, my mom-no, I have to.

I whispered to myself, mustering some courage as I opened the room door and walked in. My eyes landed on Nate, seated with four other men. Their discussion came to a halt at my mere entrance, all eyes gazing at me with fury.

"What are you doing here, Sierra?" Nate's voice came like a storm, jolting me and nearly making me stumble.

"I'm really sorry for barging in like that. I'll leave now," I said, apologizing as I turned to shut the door behind me. I leaned against the wall on the other side, my heart aching. I was sure Ruby knew about the meeting, and yet she sent me here without mentioning it, knowing the outcome of the punishment for such defiance. Some weren't even considered for a second chance.

Aiming to leave, I saw Nate stepping out, his grasp tight on me as he pushed me against the wall. "Why are you here, Sierra? Things were let to slide today, but next time, if such happens, I can't assure you what will happen."

Nate's eyes and grip were like no other, those eyes showing a mix of anger and care that I couldn't understand. The men present weren't familiar to me, and for all I knew, they must have been discussing business matters they wanted hidden. I just hoped they didn't see me as a threat.

"Sierra?" Nate's voice snapped me back to reality. "Why did you come here?"

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to ask for a favour."

"A favour?" he scoffed at the mention, retreating his grasp as his eyes weighed on me. "Speak."

"Well, it's my mom."

"Your mom? What is it with her again?"

"I need some money for groceries. You can deduct it from my pay. I just need the money right now, please-"

"Enough of this, Sierra. You know things don't work like this, and you've been here for quite a while. On the boss's order, nothing has been done to you unless you break the club's rules. I've tried helping you in the least possible way. If the bosses get a glimpse of all you've done so far, mostly with the part of you drugging and robbing the customer, I can't assure you that your mother's medical care will go as smoothly as it was set to go. And I can't assure your safety either."

But something felt odd and different about him this time. Those cruel and merciless eyes of his seemed to soften for just this moment. But even with all he had said, I still needed the money.

"You speak of my mother's bills, but not much has been done about that."

"The hospital claims she will be alright, so now it's up to you to obey and work without any more questioning." He said

"The hospital claims and my mom's state don't match. Her sickness hasn't yet been cured. I admit it had stopped once, but now it's worse than ever."

I watched Nate glance to his right and left. "I know you're desperate for your mother to get better, and you want things to move along smoothly, but wake up from your dream. You agreed to the contract, and now you're bound to this club. Don't try to turn into a traitor. When the boss sees fit, he'll let you off the hook and-"

"Let me off? And how many has he let off, huh?"

I came here for some money to buy food, but one thing was staring me in the face: Was I ever going to be free from working here? My mind accepted that things wouldn't go as smoothly as expected when I wanted my freedom. I had never seen anyone who worked here leave. They were mostly disposed of when customers started complaining about them fading off and no longer being attractive. That's when they'd see them as trash and dispose of them. Return? I doubted it. None had been heard from after being dismissed from the club.

I knew there were many secrets lurking around in every nook of this club, secrets I didn't want to get involved in.

"Leave now, Sierra. Consider this a warning," Nate uttered, turning to leave, ignoring my words as he entered the room, closing the door behind him.

I walked down the stairs gently, the realization hitting me that I had failed to get some money.

"What am I going to do now?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. My legs led me through the crowd, dancing and music blaring in the side of the club, amidst all the displays of nudity. I found myself at the bar.

"A drink..." I croaked, suddenly finding myself holding a glass of wine. Drinks ordered by us were usually placed on the house, so we wouldn't have to pay for them. But should I be drinking? I needed something, anything to distract me from all that stood before me.

I wasn't drinking to feel better. I wasn't drinking to feel anything at all. I just wanted to stop. Stop thinking. Stop remembering. Stop existing.

The world around me began to blur, the edges of the room fading away like everything was melting. My head felt heavy, the weight of everything catching up to me. I tried to stand, but my legs gave way, and I stumbled.

Before I could hit the ground, a strong hand caught me, steadying me.

"Hey, sexy. Wanna come home with me?" the voice came through like a whisper.

It was one of the customers who had come in looking for a good time. Maybe this was it, my ticket to getting some money. But if the house found out that I stayed late, working at the customer's home, I'd surely be in trouble. Still, he must know the danger before he asked, and this was my only chance. Giving the risk, it was worth it.

I nodded and soon found myself outside the club with the man, slowly leading me through the dimly lit streets.

"Wait here. Just got to get my car first," he said, leaving me with a flickering smile as he walked a short distance away.

I rested my back against a nearby wall, holding up my body so I wouldn't stumble, as my eyes were still blurry, and I couldn't catch a proper glimpse of what was happening.

Releasing a sigh, I shut my eyes for a moment. My ears picked up on whispers that grew louder by the second. They felt like cries, a weeping sound followed by a mumbling of words. Managing a few steps, I walked through the street, approaching the source of the voices and using the walls for support so I wouldn't stumble.

My eyes landed on four blindfolded people. From their clothing, I could tell they were students, but I wondered what was happening and why they were blindfolded. As a figure approached, I hid and leaned against the wall, slowly peeking out to catch a proper glimpse through the dark, shadowy area.

It was Dominic De Santos, the infamous owner of the Moonlight Club and the most feared mafia lord. No one dared to look him in the eye, and some said he was nothing compared to his brother, who remained a mystery to many, including myself. I questioned what he could possibly want with these students.

I watched as they removed the blindfolds from the four students' faces-three boys and one girl.

"So why did you do it?" Dominic uttered, bending down a bit, his eyes narrowing in fury.

"I am sorry, we had no idea. Please let this slide," one of the students pleaded.

"Let this slide? You came to me, you said you needed the work, and I needed students who wouldn't raise suspicion since my business is done both on school grounds and on the streets. But you ended up messing up. I mean, I wouldn't have guessed that a bunch of teens would have tried to stab me in the back. So you work for Gregor, one of my family's greatest enemies, double-crossing me and ratting out all my dealings to him?"

"Please, we won't do that again, Dominic, sir, please," the student begged.

"Oh yeah, you won't, because I will make sure you don't," Dominic said, standing up and shifting his gaze to one of his men behind him. "Take care of them. Don't kill the girl. She might end up being useful. You can kill the three of them."

He left, and I watched as one of his men brought out a gun. In a swift motion, he pulled the trigger, and I saw one of the students fall to the ground, their blood splattering around the area. My face paled, my eyes frozen in stunned silence. My legs stepped back as I slowly retreated, the echoing cries of the students fading to a gentle hum that suddenly fell silent as the bullet pierced through the air.

My mind could only process one word: 'run.' As I turned to flee, my purse fell, hitting the ground, and for a moment, my body froze, my eyes fixated on the bright light pointed at me.

"She's a witness. Don't let her escape," I heard them say. My legs moved frantically, attempting to escape, but my intoxicated state made my steps clumsy, and I kept stumbling to the ground. I refused to give up, leaning against the wall for support after a fall. Eventually, I found myself on the roadside, mere inches away from being hit by a car.