Dancing For The Mafia

Italicized dialogue are said in Spanish by the characters but read in English by...um you.

Eliana

I highlighted the word and definition for hydrophobic as I went over my notes. There was a small giggle and I looked up, “We came here to study.”

My roommate had her lips between her teeth as she tried to suppress her laughter, “One more video.” She sunk into her chair, her tan cheeks bright red as she continued to laugh.

Movement in my peripheral vision caused me to look out the glass window of the study room. Onlookers and workers at the front desk had their attention on us.

“Lucia.” She sniffed sitting up her gaze shifting to those outside of the room. I tapped my notebook with the end of my highlighter, “Study.”

She came over and grabbed one of my highlighters, “Okay studying.”

After a couple of minutes I nudged her with my foot, “You did send me those videos right?” She looked up under her lashes with a smirk that I loved. “Good.”

Minutes passed again, “Ready for your interview?”

I became heated in my seat shaking my head, “I haven’t stripped for people since I was in Spain.” I scoffed, “And to be honest I didn’t like it that much.”

Lucia turned the page, “You’re a goddess on the pole though Anna from what I’ve seen, they’ll love you.” She twisted the highlighter in her fingers, “If anything I can pick up extra hours to—”

“No.” The apartment was both of our responsibilities. My old job was paying me crap and change, this is the paycheck upgrade we need. “I just hope American strip clubs pay their dancers as much as they did in Spain.”

Lucia scoffed, “It’s rich fat men in there, they’ll throw money at you even before you start dancing.”

I chuckled and ran my hands down my pale arms dotted with goosebumps. “Drop me off before work?”

Lucia ran the pink highlighter down different sections of the page, “Who else would?”

Lucia drove her blue mid-size sedan in front of the entrance of the club. With the sun already setting, the neon colors of the club sign LEON slowly became apparent. I looked back before opening the door, but before I could get a word out Lucia smiled widely, “Good luck!”

Anxiety burned in my throat as I tried to ease it with salvia. I tugged down my mini jean skirt and readjusted my stripped tube top as I walked up to the big muscular guards. “Good evening.”

“Evening.” I shrieked before clearing my throat for a deeper tone, “Evening. I’m here for the auditions.”

After double checking for ID they pointed behind them, “Past these double doors, there will be a second pair, open those. You’ll find someone to help you.”

“Thank you.” I whispered and walked past them and through the first set of double doors. I instantly felt the cool breeze of the chilled air conditioning with a push. Loud music shook the empty dim lit hallway I stood in, and the beat was coming behind the next set of doubled doors. I put my hand on the bar handle and took a deep breath before pushing it open.

"Fucking hell.”

I was pulled by my arm and my back was slammed into something hard. My eyes widen at the large gun in front of me and the bloody face of a bearded man. The trigger was pulled and I screamed shutting my eyes. Something warm dotting different regions of my face.

I opened my eyes and wiped my face, red staining my fingertips. I shifted my gaze to see the same bloody bearded man bleeding on the floor, a hole buried against his splotchy forehead. The music was still blaring loudly in the background, the warm presence still behind me. I looked around the purple colored room, a few people glanced in my direction but continued on with their own business at their booths.

I remained speechless.

“Are you here for auditions?” I turned around and looked up at the man towering behind me. His blonde hair was gelled back, and he had on an all black attire. His defined chest visible by the open buttons. His grey eyes took me in as my brown eyes did him, ”Beautiful.”

“You just killed that man...” I debated on if the silenced gunshot was the reason that nobody was in a panic. Maybe nobody saw. Nobody had to have seen. Because if they seen, they wouldn’t be this calm.

The man shrugged and his dangling silver ear piercing shook, “He stole my drink and laughed.” He reached for my face and I backed away, “I’ll show you where the auditions are and the bathroom. Want to look presentable at the audition, yes?” He began to walk away and I looked back at the dead man before following behind him.

I held onto my bag tightly debating on texting Lucia. This behavior wasn’t new to me. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen a man killed in front of me. But that was then.

When I worked for him.

“This is the bathroom.” He pointed at the door with a woman symbol on it. ”You understand Spanish?”

I ignored his question and went into the bathroom. I pulled the paper from the dispenser and ran it under the faucet water. I looked up at my face and wiped off the splatters of blood that stained it. I threw the paper away and pushed my brown hair behind my buff shoulders. I took a deep breath hoping this audition doesn’t kill me and walked out the bathroom.

The man was leaning on the wall, slipping his phone in his pocket once I came out. He continued down the hall and I followed behind him, “You didn’t answer my question.” He pressed the up button to the elevator.

“What question?” He wouldn’t need much convincing, I looked fully American anyway.

He shook his head as the metal doors of the elevator opened, “Never mind.” We entered the elevator and he pressed the button for the fourth floor.

He leaned back on the wall, “Is your name Leon?”

He chuckled, flashing his top white teeth, ”León.” He enunciated, ”DeLeón to be exact, it’s my Uncle’s surname that I share with him. This is his club.”

I watched the numbers of the elevator go up, “So the person that will be in the audition room will be....”

“My Uncle.” I nodded, “Unless you want me to be there too?”

I looked over at him and he smirked. I ignored him and looked up at the numbers again.

——

End of Chapter One.