Alluring Deception

CHARLY PALMER

As my gaze falls upon the tender chunks of potatoes and carrots, gracefully drifting in the tranquil yellow broth, I feel my senses slipping away once more. But it’s not a mere fainting spell that befalls me, no, it’s a plunge into the murky depths of my psyche.

The soup becomes an ocean, vast and foreboding, its waves carrying me toward the abyss of my thoughts. The savory aroma turns into a haunting melody, beckoning me further into the abyss. And as I stare, lost in reverie, the shadows of my innermost fears and doubts begin to stir.

I’m once again confronted with the darkest corners of my mind, and I feel myself being pulled under by their relentless undertow.

It’s like a void. A dark void. A never-ending dark void consumes everything, so you are left feeling nothing. Empty. The emptiness is always there; I consider myself decent at hiding it, masking it with normal human emotions. But sometimes, on a dark day like this, I just keep staring at one point, searching for answers inside my head, trying to solve the puzzle; but just ending up at the same point I was.

Remembering her. Missing her.

Cindy was... she still is my best friend. But most importantly, she’s my sister. The kindest, honest, funniest, and most attentive person I’ve ever known. She’s only two years younger than me, but ever since our childhood, we were like other halves to each other. Sisters. By blood, by soul, by every sense that ever existed. And without her... my life just stopped.

My life stopped a year ago. It stopped the day we realized she was not coming back home. She’s missing.

I reach back to my memories once again, as I stepped into my parent’s house, worn out from a grueling day at the bank, my mind yearned for the comfort of a friendly voice. I longed to hear Cindy’s soothing words, to vent about the insufferable douchebags I had to deal with as clients.

But as I turned the corner, I was met with a scene that sent shivers down my spine. My mother stood in the center of the room, her eyes rimmed with tears and her expression as lifeless as a corpse. And then the words came, like a sledgehammer to the heart: Cindy was missing, without a trace.

My world was suddenly plunged into darkness, and the stress of my job was now nothing compared to the anguish of losing someone I loved. And at that moment, I realized that no matter how difficult my day may have been, it was nothing compared to the agony of not knowing where Cindy was.

“Charly? You haven’t touched your soup yet.”

My mom’s soft voice brings my head and my thoughts back to my parent’s house, where we’re having our casual Thursday dinner. I watch the bowl in front of me, before lifting my eyes and looking at both of my parents; my mom’s worried eyes and my father, irritated, as always.

“You’re thinking about it, again, aren’t you?”

“I’m always thinking about it, dad.”

“Maybe it’s time to let go and start living, Charly?”

As my dad once again tries to dissuade me from pursuing the truth about Cindy’s disappearance, I narrow my eyes at him, my determination unshaken. But even as I feel the frustration building within me, I can’t help but understand the exhaustion and hopelessness my parents must feel, in their search for their missing daughter.

“It’s your daughter we’re talking about.”

“Yes, my dead daughter!”

In an instant, the room falls silent and I can’t take more air inside my lungs, after my father just shouted those words at me. I watch his red, ragged, and angry eyes that are showing nothing but fury, exhaustion, and disappointment.

“Alexander...”

I know all of us were secretly thinking about it, but we never talked about it. That Cindy might be dead. Probably I was just avoiding that thought, because honestly; I couldn’t live with the thought that Cindy is dead. That I’ve lost my other half. My sister.

But after my father’s words, I think about it, for the first time. It’s only making the emptiness in my heart bigger, a sheer of nothingness that somehow takes over and holds my soul and threatens to kill me entirely. I’m already not living, I’m existing. This thought gives me this heavy feeling that’s like the weight of the world is resting on my shoulders and there is nothing I can do to get out from under it.

It would be if Cindy was dead. But she’s not.

“How can you say that?”

“Because I’m tired of seeing you living just to find her. You’re missing the best years of your life, Charly, and I won’t let that happen. We’re not talking about Cindy anymore, that’s it.”

“But dad...”

“You heard me, Charly. She’s gone. Just fucking realize that already!”

My dad stands up from the chair, aggressively, angrily, spilling the soup on the table. My mom keeps watching him with shock in her eyes as he leaves the dining room, not even turning around to look at us, slamming the door behind him. But I know it was just a matter of time, and which one of them will break first.

It’s their daughter. The daughter that they loved, and went missing with no trace at all. And after a year, we’re still in the same place we were. Her case hasn’t moved anywhere.

Or at least they think so.

Neither the police, nor my parents know that I found something, just a little detail about what might lead me to find Cindy, or at least, what happened to her. After a lot of questioning, and reading Cindy’s emails and texts, no matter how bad it sounds... it led me to a man. A bartender, Mike Goulding, who works in one of the most popular nightclubs in Los Angeles.

Though Mike wasn’t very talkative about it, especially when he didn’t know who Cindy was, before I realized she was using a fake name; but after convincing him, and a little bit of money that I gave him, he finally told me what he knows. About Cindy’s friends that I never knew about. The criminal world, the bad people.

But especially, he made it clear that one man was really important. Bad. Evil. And very close to her.

Jacob D’Asaro.

After the last, probably hundredth look in the mirror in my best friend’s, Caroline’s car I finally manage to open the door and get out of it. God, I hate this. It’s not me.

The outside is crowded, and the pungent stench of alcohol makes me want to get back in the car and leave this damned place like it always does whenever we come here to snoop on Jacob, the man that has to be involved with my sister’s case.

“God, I hate this.”

“But you still come here, Charly. Why do you think tonight will be different?”

Caroline stands next to me, watching the entrance to the club. The loud music, coming from the open door of the nightclub already makes others dance just outside. The guards, standing by the entrance with no smiles on their faces; looked as frightened as they were just out of prison. I know I want to turn around and leave this place, I hate places like these; but I have to do this for Cindy.

“I don’t know, I just feel like it.”

I take a glance at Caroline’s brown eyes which are watching me with such worry and kindness in them. Every time those liquid brown eyes looked down at me sorrowfully, it felt like I was falling into a pool of deep chocolate. Yes, my best friend got the most beautiful eyes a person can have. The kindest heart that gave me a true friendship and an opportunity to trust a person completely.

“I hope you’re prepared for the dudes that are going to try to get into your panties tonight. Because I am not.”

“This makes me realize why people drink at these places. It’s just so depressing you couldn’t enter it being sober.”

“So that means you’re down for a few drinks tonight?”

“Hell yes, I am.”

We were never the type to hit the clubs every weekend, searching for love or temporary satisfaction. But Cindy, with her stunning looks, thrived in that environment, soaking up the attention of eager suitors. It’s why I can’t help but suspect Jacob, the enigmatic owner of the clubs she frequented, might have a hand in her disappearance. He remains a mystery, and I can’t shake the feeling that he knows more than he’s letting on.

I’m not guaranteed he’ll be here tonight, but I have to try. I have to see him, watch him, maybe even listen to his conversations or follow him. This is the biggest and the most popular of his nightclubs, and it’s Friday night, so I’m almost sure I’ll find him here.

Almost.

“Let’s go, it’s getting chilly out here.”

I nod to Caroline and foot by foot, we got closer to the entrance. After a few minutes of standing in line, smelling the alcohol and sweat from other drunk dudes and girls, we finally reached the entrance. The big, angry, but alluring eyes of one of the guards stopped us to show our IDs, and a sort of cold wave went down my body as if he knew who I am and that I’m not here to party.

His eyes went down to my ID, reading my name, and the date of my birth, before going back to meet my gaze. His eyes are the glimmering color of emerald, sparkling in the streetlights like a fresh sheen of morning dew; but mysterious, like he was hiding something. Perfect skin, looking so soft that it makes you want to feel it between your fingers. Long, shiny hair. For a moment, he just angrily watches me before a smile starts to play on his lips and he opens his mouth, showing his pearly teeth.

“Enjoy your night, Charly.”

But I’m not here for the guys.

“That was so weird.”

“Even the guards are now flirting with you. Delightful.”

“Ugh, don’t even start.”

We walk down the hallway that has restrooms on each side, and other rooms, probably storage or the places where Jacob is hiding. Or hiding information about my sister. I know I have to get inside there, to check if I can find something; but the only time to be here is when the club is open, but it’s always crowded, so there’s no chance I could sneak into one of those rooms unnoticed.

As we step deeper inside the club, I notice that it’s impossible to see the dance floor, it’s wall to wall to people dancing to the club music. There’s no room for any more but somehow when Caroline and I walk past it the space magically comes. The bar is crowded as well, but there’s a thing for girls; they always serve us first.

The music is loud, beating fast as it feels like it’s beating inside my stomach, making even a girl like me want to dance. I know I’m not here to dance, to have fun, and the smell of sweat makes it even worse; but something inside me tells me to relax. To have fun. To forget, if only for tonight.

“Do you see him?”

“No. There are too many people.”

As we finally placed our order, two Gin Tonics glistening in the dim light, I couldn’t help but feel out of place. The noise around us is deafening, and our irritation is palpable as we try to blend into the chaotic crowd. However, the neon lights seem to have a life of their own, wrapping around us like tendrils, beckoning us to let go and dance. The music was infectious, and before I knew it, my foot was tapping to the beat, mimicking the bodies swaying around us.

I suddenly feel a hand, gently placed on my waist, but seeing Caroline standing in front of me I know that’s not my best friend that’s touching me.

I quickly turn around, knowing this will be again, the most frustrating situation when a guy will desperately tries to hit on me.

“Hey there, gorgeous.”

My gaze lingers on his captivating features; the richness of his dark skin, the depth of his dark eyes, and the wildness of his curly black hair - a sight that could make anyone weak in the knees. However, as he leans in, the stench of vodka escaping his lips washes away any remaining allure, leaving only a sense of disappointment in its wake.

“Could you please stop touching me?”

“What’s the problem, baby?”

I narrow my eyes when he tries to treat me like I’m one of those drunk girls that would hang on his neck just because he’s handsome.

“I can still feel your hand on me. That’s wrong.”

“Come on, sexy. Let me buy you a drink.”

He takes a step forward, close enough for me to smell his cologne and vodka, which makes me sick. I furrow my nose, taking a step back; but the guy doesn’t seem like he was going to let me go that easy, grabbing my black dress and holding on to it.

“Hey! I told you to let go of me.”

My palms press against his unyielding chest, feeling the solid muscle beneath his shirt as I try to create some distance between us. Surprisingly, he steps back on his own accord, causing me to turn around to see a tall figure with a commanding presence standing behind me, his deep voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

“Is there a problem?”

Just as always, I expected to see another drunk guy that was about to act like my Prince Charming; but what I never expected was to see Jacob, just in front of me, standing so close for the first time.

Jacob gazes over me, his eyes sparkle, the neon light making them look alive. The light brown color of his eyes is soft, the exact shade of a latte. A ring of gold hangs inside his iris, adding another layer of depth to his already beautiful eyes.

I had seen countless pictures of him, but nothing could have prepared me for the sight of him standing so close, his stunning features in full view. My breath caught in my throat as I take in the sharp lines of his jaw, chin, and cheekbones, all perfectly sculpted to create a masterpiece of a face. His dark eyebrows, usually so graceful, were now furrowed in a frown, giving him an air of intensity that was both alluring and intimidating.

But it was his thick, warm dark chocolate hair that framed his face, adding a touch of wildness and ruggedness to his otherwise perfect appearance. At that moment, I can’t help but feel as if I am standing in the presence of a Greek God, a being so perfect and glowing that it was almost otherworldly.

But I have to repeat myself he’s a bad person. He did something to my sister. And I can’t let his looks blindfold me.

“Mind your own business, mate.”

Jacob chuckles, drawing his eyes down to his feet, then back to the guy that’s standing next to me. Only a little, evil smile is dancing on his lips, but all I can see are his white teeth, shining in the dark.

“Are you fucking serious, MATE?”

“What’s your fucking problem? Leave us alone and find your bitch.”

“Excuse me!?”

My eyes widen with shock as I glance back at the man standing next to me, disbelief etched on my face at the sheer disrespect he had shown towards a woman. In my peripheral vision, I catch Jacob taking a step forward, his hands clenched into fists as he moves closer to the man.

“You dare to disrespect a woman in my presence?”

The man keeps watching Jacob as he waves with a finger, and probably, it’s the most powerful move I ever saw. Suddenly, a tall, muscular man comes to us, taking both of the disrespectful man’s hands behind him and dragging him out of the club.

Jacob handled it like it was nothing.

“Are you alright?”

For a moment, I was lost again, before his voice woke me up from the dream in my head that I was having. Like time stopped. Like there was no tomorrow.

The depth, the strength in his voice makes my body freeze when his eyes are locked directly on me, and when I can’t see anything evil in them.

“Um...”

It’s like he sucked every sense out of me, stopping my breath when I feel him standing close, smelling his spicy cologne and no hint of alcohol, only the scent of a man that’s so alluring himself. My eyes examine him, his tall posture, his muscular body, hidden under a simple shirt and jeans, and stopping on those lips that seem so extremely sweet.

“I’m fine. Thank you.”

“The most frustrating thing about clubs are those fucks that only cause trouble in here. You have no idea how many times I considered selling the place, only because of them.”

“You’re the owner?”

I try to act like I don’t know exactly who he is when in reality, I have been watching him for a year. Coming to his clubs every weekend, trying to see something that would give me a hint about Cindy. Asking about him. But there’s nothing that helps me; I only know his name, his age, and what he’s doing for a living.

And to get some answers, I know I have to get closer to him.

“No bragging, but actually, yes.”

“Oh... It’s nice to meet an owner of my favorite nightclub.”

“No need to lie, beautiful. Your face shows how much you don’t like being in here.”

A cold shiver runs down my body, causing me to swallow hard as my breath catches in my throat. With a seductive smile and a tantalizing wink, Jacob captures my attention, making me feel like I am the only girl in the room.

“Oh, um... That guy just ruined my mood.”

“I hope no one will bother you again. I’m Jacob, by the way.”

He lifts his hand forward with a curvy smile on his face, and I feel how my heart starts to beat like crazy.

No, I can’t forget who he is. He’s bad. He’s evil. He hides something.

“I’m... I’m Charly.”

My tiny hand slips into his strong, but soft and warm palm. He presses his fingers together, directly on my skin and the places where his fingers are, seem burning. Both of my palms start to burn. No, all of my body burns.

“Will you have a drink with me, Charly?”

My eyes widen in shock that he just asked me to hang out with him. And, even though I try to deny it inside my head, I want to spend some time with him. And not only because he has something to do with my missing sister; he’s probably the most alluring man I ever saw.

But I have to do this to get some answers. Maybe this is my chance to finally find my sister.

Jacob D’Asaro - is the epitome of handsome, alluring, and mysterious; every move he makes seems to exude an air of sexiness that could make me melt into a pool of sweat with just a glance. His captivating smile, with those pearly whites, could undress me of all my defenses in an instant. Yet, I must not forget the reason for my presence here, and that behind his charming facade lies a man with questionable intentions - someone I cannot let myself be lured by.

And the fact that he’s my sister’s former lover.