Dirty little games

Lola's POV

A whore. Is that what they'll call me?

Maybe.

But a whore who feeds her family is better than a princess who lets them starve.

I stood outside the club, staring at the flashing neon sign.

Music pulsed through the walls hard enough to shake the ground beneath my heels.

My stomach twisted.

Once I walked through those doors, there would be no turning back.

Just then, my phone vibrated. It was Ava.

I closed my eyes before answering.

"Lola!" she yelled. "Tell me you haven't gone inside."

"I'm already there."

She fell silent. Then whispered, her voice trembling lightly. "...Please don't do this. Okay? Just listen to me".

For a brief second, I hesitated.

But if there had been another way, I wouldn't be here.

No company would hire the daughter of a bankrupt mafia boss. And Liam, my boyfriend, needed cancer treatment.

My father couldn't even step outside without debt collectors waiting.

"I'm so sorry, Ava. But I have to." I answered resolutely.

"Lola!".

I ended the call before she could say more. Because if I listened to her for one more second, I'd walk away. And that won't save anything.

Taking one shaky breath, I pushed open the doors. The music swallowed me whole immediately.

Men laughed as women poured them drinks.

Slowly...I slipped my coat off. Watching every attention turn to me.

Black lace hugged every curve of my body. A silk veil covering half my face like a sinner hoping God won't recognize her.

"Hey, wanna be my girl for the night?" A guy walked up to me, trying to wrap his arms around my waist.

"No, thanks". I pushed him away.

The men stared. Eyes hungry and predatory. Some pointing fingers at me. But I couldn't care less.

Someone whistled and another guy cursed under his breath.

I ignored them all. Because none of these men mattered. Only the money in their wallets. did.

As I walked toward the stage, the DJ looked at me. "You new here?"

I nodded once and he smirked.

"Go make them empty their wallets."

The spotlight snapped on. Looking at the cold pole standing at the center, I wrapped one hand around it and closed my eyes.

Then I started to dance. Swaying to every rhythm of the music.

Cheers exploded almost instantly.

Soon, cash flew towards me. Single notes slapping against my skin, bundles, different brands of liquor poured on me, every drop trailing down my body.

Men pushed closer to the stage.

-

Somewhere in the crowd, I heard someone scream my name.

"Lola!"

It was Ava. She had gotten here.

But my movement didn't pause at the slightest.

"Please!" Her voice cracked. "Get down! I'm begging you."

I smiled. If I stopped now, everything I'd been trying to hold together would fall apart.

By the time I was done, the floor was buried in cash. I picked up my jacket, stuffing every note into the pocket.

As I walked toward the exit, voices followed me.

"Come back tomorrow, bitch!"

"Shit. She's so fucking incredible!"

"I'll pay double next time!"

After everything that had happened, I was so exhausted. The money I had earned would go a long way. Or maybe I should come back as they wanted? Earn more, save more.

I was sure the crowd would only get bigger. Which meant more income.

"Lola." Frank stood beside his car, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I can drive you home."

I wasn't going home. I lied to Dad that I was spending the night with Ava.

I forced a smile. But before I could answer, Ava shoved past me, climbed into Frank's car and slammed the door.

I just sighed and gave Frank a small nod before sliding into the backseat.

The drive was silent, heavy and awkward. She didn't look at me once, and I knew why.

She hated the idea of me stripping, no matter how desperate things had become.

Finally, I gathered the courage and broke the silence after we got down. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

As if she had been waiting for me to speak, she snapped.

"Sorry? You ignored everything I told you and danced half-naked in front of strangers. And now you just say 'sorry'?"

Her words cut deep. Tears blurred my vision. Maybe it was seeing me about to cry, she stormed into her apartment, slamming the door shut.

I thought she had locked me out. But when I bent the handle, it opened.

She stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed.

"Liam got diagnosed with stage two cancer and needs medication. Dad also hasn't been the same since his bankruptcy". I confessed.

"And you know no one would hire me".

Her expression softened, guilt flickering in her eyes. "We could still figure things out. You really don't have to ruin your life" Her voice was scolding but gentle.

"Then who saves them? I can't just stand and watch them suffer."

She pulled me into a hug, gently patting my back. Maybe for now, that was all I needed.

That night, I couldn't sleep. My mind spun with thoughts of everything that had been bothering me.

By morning, she was still asleep. I took a quick shower, dressed, and slipped out.

When I got home, Dad was sitting on the couch.

I smiled, placing a thick stack of cash in his hands.

He stared at it, shocked. "Where did you get this?"

"I won a bet." I interrupted quickly, forcing a smile to hide the lie.

"I'll keep it in your study." I darted upstairs, heart racing in my chest.

If I stayed longer, he would know I was lying and I didn't want that.

Later, I cooked breakfast, set the table, and left before giving room for talks or questions. But as I left, I could still feel his lingering gaze on me.

Since most of our properties were gone, including the cars, I boarded a taxi straight to Liam's apartment.

The front door was closed, but not locked. I pushed it open and the living room was empty, clothes scattered on the floor.

His pants, and the shirt I'd bought for him.

My heart lurched instantly.

Then I heard a muffled groan. I couldn't be mistaken, it was him.

I rushed toward the slightly ajar door of the bedroom and pushed it open.

And what I saw inside left me paralyzed.

Lola's POV

I froze.

Sheets tangled on the bed.The air heavy with sweat and shameless moans.

Liam.

The man I stripped for. The man I thought was fighting for his life... wasn't dying in pain.

He was inside another woman. Pounding her from behind, one hand gripping her hair, while he groaned like every thrust was heaven.

He didn't even notice me standing.

My chest felt like someone had reached inside and ripped everything out with bare hands.

"Liam..." I whispered, but it came out broken, raw and trembling.

The next second, he pulled out, shoved the girl aside, and climbed down from the bed.

He wasn't shocked or looked guilty.

His eyes were cold, empty, cruel and irritated like I was some rotten garbage thrown at his doorstep.

A wave of dizziness washed over me and I had to grip the doorframe to stop my body from collapsing.

Maybe I wasn't seeing properly. I tried to convince myself. But the words that came out of him made me sober out of delusion like I was doused with a bucket of cold water.

"Don't you know about privacy?" His voice was sharp, dripping with mockery. "You think you can just barge into someone's room like a stray dog with no leash?"

The disgust in his tone made it difficult for me to breathe. My lips parted, trembling. "How...how could you..."

All I could see was a stranger. Not the same person I had spent five freaking years of my life with.

But he cut me off with an ugly laugh.

"Look, Lola. I'm bored. I've been bored of you six months into this relationship." His eyes widened. "But who in their right mind would dump the daughter of a millionaire? Knowing you always spent like water. You were so stupidly generous, I couldn't resist playing along."

"And now?" he sneered. "Now you're useless. You've got nothing left. And I've already got a new girlfriend." His eyes slid back to the girl on the bed, who had the audacity to smirk at me.

She didn't even flinch when I stepped inside. Instead, she tilted her head, lips curving into a smug smile, as if she enjoyed the show.

"Well, well," she purred, adjusting the blanket around her naked body with no shame. "So this is the famous Lola? Honestly, I expected more."

She stepped down from the bed, already wrapped up in a tiny towel, arms crossed with a triumphed look on her face.

"Five years of relationship yet you couldn't even keep your man interested?".

Her words were laced with mockery, and the way her eyes swept over me from my messy hair to my clenched fists made my blood boil.

"Her laughter filled the room as she looked at me like I was a clown.

"How dare you!". I lunged towards her, wanting to grab her by the hair but Liam stepped in between us shoving me aside and I almost lost my balance.

"Don't you dare! And please do us a favor and get lost. You are not needed here. You stupid dumped thing!". He uttered coldly.

Five years of relationship and he has never stood up for me. Not even once. And now? The first time I would ever see him stand up for someone, it was against me.

Something inside me snapped as I glared at him..

"Smack!"

My palm connected with his cheek, the sound echoing through the room. His head whipped to the side, shock flashing across his face.

"This first slap," I hissed, my chest heaving, "Is for what you just called me."

His jaw tightened. He stepped forward, hand raised as if to strike back.

But I was faster. My knee shot up, hitting him square in the groin. That was reflex.

He dropped instantly, groaning, sweat breaking out across his forehead.

"Liam..Liam.. are you okay?" His mistress asked him, concerned as she rushed to his side.

I stepped closer to Liam, a dangerous smirk curling on my lips despite the tears burning in my eyes.

Sensing I might do something crazy, the blonde scrambled out of the room, picking her clothes, and bolted past me. She ran so fast I couldn't even grab her to teach her a lesson. Such a coward. I thought she knew how to run her mouth.

"Smack!" Another slap landed on Liam.

"This second slap," I spat, "is for letting this useless bitch talk down on me." I said it loud enough so she could hear while running out.

Images flashed through my head. The birthdays I remembered while he forgot mine, the gifts I bought, the rent I paid, the opportunities i handed him on a silver platter. The nights I stayed awake planning surprises while he was probably with someone else... or laughing at me like I was a fool.

I had never made it easy for anyone. But for Liam? It had always been a free pass.

"Smack! For five years of wasted love."

"Smack! For five years of deceit."

"Smack! For making a fool out of me."

Each word dripped with venom as I slapped him again and again until my palm burned red. My tears weren't from heartbreak anymore. They were from disappointment in myself for loving him this much.

His eyes finally snapped up to meet mine, blazing with hatred.

"I hate you, Lola," his voice shaking with fury. "Always acting so arrogant like the world revolves around you. I hate you more than I've ever hated anyone."

His words stung worse than the betrayal itself.

For a moment, I just stared. Silent and frozen.

Honestly, I never knew he hated me this much and the look in his eyes caught me off guard.

Then I turned to leave.

But my steps halted. I remembered.

The real reason I came here.

I slowly turned back to him. He was still panting on the floor, one hand clutching himself, the other bracing against the bed frame.

"One question," I said quietly, though my voice shook. "The cancer... the diagnosis. It's fake, isn't it?"

His lips curled into a cruel grin.

"Oh yes. Fake. An act. All so I could squeeze more money out of you. But who would've thought your useless self couldn't provide any? And your father..." His laugh was bitter, sharp. "Your father went bankrupt. So pathetic. That's what you are. Pathetic".

--------

That sentence gave me chills as I hurried out of the apartment, my feet carrying me like I was being chased. Shame washed over me as his twisted laughter echoed in my ears. Tears streamed hot down my face.

So this was it? The same man I stripped for, all to get him "medication." Five whole years wasted on a lie.

I flagged down a taxi, sinking into the seat. My body heavy with exhaustion.

By the time I got home, the house was silent. Dad wasn't around. I curled up with my plushie, and somewhere between rage and exhaustion, I blacked out.

But the sharp crash of glass jolted me awake.

Heart pounding, I stumbled toward the sound.

At the foot of the staircase, Dad stood in front of the study door, phone pressed to his ear. A glass lay in shards around his feet, his other hand balled into a fist. The air was so heavy I didn't dare breathe too loud.

"Mr. Grey, I'm giving you just twenty-four hours to pay me the money or else... You know what I'm talking about. And you wouldn't want that to happen, would you?"

The man's voice on the other end was so cold it crawled down my spine.

Dad's jaw tightened as he answered, "Sure, Mr. Blackwoods."

The call ended.

Then....he turned.

My blood ran cold. I darted behind the hallway console, pressing myself flat against the wall. His eyes scanned the corridor, sharp and suspiciously, guessing I was eavesdropping.

Why was he so tense? The words I heard weren't enough to shatter glass or make him look like this unless he was hiding something.

Lola, darling?" His voice softened. "Darling, are you home? Just come out. Dad can see you. You don't have to hide."

I wanted to respond to him but remembered how he looked suspiciously around earlier and my lip went tightly shut.

"His footsteps drew closer. Each step made my lungs tighter. He was almost at the corner I was hiding. I held my breath completely, praying he wouldn't hear the thumping of my heart.

He sighed and turned away. Only when his footsteps faded did I let out the breath I had been holding. My chest heaved, my palms looking damp.

Where was he headed? Curiosity kicked in as I furrowed my brows, slowly tailing behind him.

The basement.

The same one that had always been forbidden to me since childhood.

He'd said it countless times, a girl like me didn't deserve to be born into the mafia world. So that door was always off-limits. And because he was 'Dad', and always a good man in my heart, I never questioned it. I was his little princess, spoiled with money, wrapped in protection.

But as the heavy iron door shut behind him, fingerprint and a code known to only him sealing it, a thought I never had before struck me. What could be in there?

I stood frozen, staring and guessing, until reality snapped me back. He didn't know I was home. If he came back and found me near the basement, I would answer questions I wasn't ready for.

I bolted upstairs, changed quickly, grabbed my phone, and escaped to Ava's place.

By the time I arrived, it was almost night.

"Hey, girl," Ava greeted, pulling me into a hug the moment she opened the door.

I slumped against her shoulder, tears threatening to fall.

"What happened?" she asked softly, stroking my back.

"We broke up," I whispered.

I told her everything. From Liam's cheating, to the fake diagnosis. She listened without interruption, but sometimes her eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

When I finished, her eyes blazed. "That crazy jerk isn't even worth licking your toenail. Who does he think he is?"

Despite my pain, I laughed weakly. Then my gaze drifted to her bed, piled up with skirts, gowns, and trousers. "Babe, are you going somewhere?"

Her cheeks flushed pink. "It's Frank's birthday. And...I'll be attending as his girlfriend."

My jaw dropped. "Girlfriend? You didn't tell me you guys were a thing!"

She twirled, giggling. "We kissed at the mall when I helped him try clothes in the fitting room. Then he asked me out so I said yes."

I gave her a long look. "He better treat you well."

Just then, my phone rang. Dad.

Unease curled in my stomach. For the first time in my life, I didn't feel safe answering him.

"Aren't you going to pick up?" Ava tilted her head.

My thumb hovered, then clicked.

"Lola," his voice was gentle. "Did you come home earlier today?"

My pulse skipped. Does he know or suspects I came earlier? Images of shattered glass and his tense expression flashed through my mind. I lied before I could stop myself. "No, Dad. I haven't been home."

A long pause. "Alright, then. Nothing's wrong. I just... thought you came home earlier." His tone softened again, almost sweet.

"Well, Dad, I won't be sleeping at home tonight. I'm with Ava."

He hesitated. "Why, darling?"

That threw me off. Since turning nineteen, I'd slept out countless times, and he had never cared. Why now?

I forced a brittle laugh. "No reason. Just wanted to stay with her tonight."

"Alright, princess." His sigh was soft. "Stay safe. Daddy loves you."

"I love you too," I whispered before hanging up. Finally breathing a sigh of relief.

It had always been obvious that dad loved me the most. Giving me the love I needed from both parents since I didn't grow up with a mother.

Perhaps, he just didn't want me to know about him being threatened to pay his debt, which was why he had acted so strongly on the phone call at home. That was the only reasonable explanation to this mess.

Then it clicked. He needed money and was hiding it from me. He didn't want me to worry.

My hand brushed the cash intended for Liam still stuffed in my pocket. Not nearly enough. The men at the club flashed in my mind, chanting for me to come back.

My eyes narrowed as I thought of something.

When Ava finished dressing, I asked casually, "When will you be back?"

"By dawn. I'll be staying overnight with Frank. Won't you come? He even gave me an invite for you."

I shook my head quickly. "I look awful, babe. Just go without me. Tell him I'm busy."

She smiled, kissed my cheek. "Okay. Take care."

Perfect. Dawn gave me time to do whatever I had to do.

I rummaged through the dresses I kept at her place until I found the lingerie and veil from the night before. My fingers trembled, but my mind was set. Tonight, I'd dance again. For Dad.

---

The club roared the moment I stepped in. Whistles, claps, hungry eyes. I shrugged off my jacket, tossed it to a man at the corner like yesterday, and claimed the stage.

The pole was cold against my palms, but my body flowed with the music. Every sway, every spin, was fire. Money rained down, bills slapped against my skin. The crowd screamed louder with each move.

"Didn't I tell you she'd be back?" someone shouted among the crowd.

In minutes, I made more than double the night before. My veins pulsed with adrenaline. Every twist of my body was for being free from debt and living a peaceful life.

Until the music went off.

A man in black strode toward me. Suit, sunglasses, expression unreadable. He didn't look like any of Dad's previous bodyguards that had worked for him.

"Who are you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Boss wants to see you," he said low.

Boss? My mind raced. A big shot? Maybe luck was on my side tonight after all.

But then suspicion hit. "Is your boss planning to sleep with me? Because if he is..."

"No." His voice cracked, flustered. "Not that."

I followed him upstairs, heart hammering in rhythm with each step. Staff whispered as we passed.

"They say a huge name is here tonight. Keeping his identity anonymous". Nudging their shoulders against each other.

By the time we reached the top floor, the air had changed. Cooler, sharper and quieter than the mess that was going downstairs. Even as a millionaire's daughter, I couldn't afford the fourth floor. I could only afford the second. This was a place even my father's wealth had never reached.

We got to the VIP room and the guard opened the soundproof door.

There he was.

Legs crossed on a sleek black leather chair, the dim light casting a soft glow across his face. Sharp jaws like it was carved, piercing eyes, black curls falling carelessly over his forehead. He looked like an angel who mistakenly fell into the mortal world. Everything about him radiated danger and dominance.

My heart stuttered. How could someone be terrifying and devastatingly beautiful at the same time?

"Welcome, Miss Grey," he said smoothly.

I froze. He knew my name.

I stood, pretending to be bold but couldn't meet his gaze straight on. His presence was too heavy and consuming.

He was a big shot, something so little like knowing my name would be a piece of cake to him.

"Who are you and why was I called up here?" I summoned the courage to ask, bracing myself up to look into his eyes.

"Which of your questions should I answer first?". He asked, lazily raising a brow.

Although I wanted to know why he had wanted me here but I was more curious about his identity

I swallowed. "Who are you?"

He swirled amber liquid in his glass before dropping it on the glass table beside him.

"I am Damien." He said. Now lighting a cigarette.

The room fell silent. The tick of the clock became the only thing that could be heard. His eyes held mine, daring me to look away.

And then, the corner of his lips curved. His voice cut through me like a sharp blade as the smell of smoke enveloped me.

"...Salvatore DeLuca." Voice calm.

The name struck me like lightning, my body turned ice cold and I almost passed out on the spot.