Luscious

11. Stranger Danger

Song: Freak - Doja Cat

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Luscious

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With me still watching, he wrote in a time for tomorrow and wrote the client name as 'Alessandro' before looking back at me.

"Until tomorrow, Ophelia,"

With my heart in my throat, I walked out of the office, only being able to capture air back into my lungs once I reached the safety of my apartment.

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My hand trembled slightly as I raised the cigarette to my lips, fumbling with the lighter before inhaling in and letting my body relax into the rough wall behind me as I blew out the smoke.

A jittery feeling had wiggled its way into my gut from the moment the boss wrote his name on that little piece of paper and it hadn't left since. The smoke calmed me down a little as I took another drag but not entirely as I had hoped it would.

I've always carefully regulated the number of cigarettes I consumed so that I could quit whenever I needed to but the need to calm my nerves had me toeing that line ever so closely.

I closed my eyes as I took my next drag, trying my best to silence my mind as the backdoor swung open next to me.

My eyes met a man I faintly recognize but couldn't entirely place.

He froze slightly in the doorway as he looked over to me, taking in the heavy coat that covered my scantily clad body.

Something passed over his face before he tightly smiled at me and closed the door behind him. Silence settled between us as I sized him up, taking in his casually smart outfit which fit the image of a gentleman's club to a tee.

"Can a borrow one?" He asked, breaking the silence.

My eyes widened at his question, not immediately realizing what he had asked for before I fumbled for the pack I had and handed it to him.

"Thanks," He murmured as he slipped out one cigarette and the lighter which was housed carefully in the pack.

My eyes didn't leave him as he placed the stick in between his lips and lit it, this obviously wasn't his first time.

He handed the pack back to me and when I took it back, I made sure our fingers didn't brush.

Silence settled between the two of us again.

I continued to analyze him as I stood by the door, not caring if he was bothered by it. Standing under a lighter part in the alley, it seemed as if he had dirty blonde hair contrasting with the brown I thought he had when he walked through the door.

"Do I know you?" I asked, speaking to him for the first time since he walked through the doorway.

He looked up at me, noticing my curious gaze.

"Not personally," He answered, "But I know you."

My eyebrows raised at his statement, what the fuck was he on about?

He chuckled slightly at my shocked face, taking in a drag of the cigarette and looking down the alley as some drunk girls teetered down the main street.

"I don't mean it that way, I've seen you dance," He clarified.

My face immediately relaxed at his words, thank god.

The hand that thumbed the knife in my pocket relaxed as I realized that he probably wasn't going to kidnap and kill me. I didn't let my guard down, though.