Mafia's Woman

32- The Club

Arsenio's arm was wrapped around my waist as we walked into the club. I'd never seen such an establishment. There were people everywhere. Servers were delivering food to some tables. Other tables were full of people playing games like poker.  There was a bar that many people were sitting at sipping their drinks. There was also a stage toward the front of the building with a few poles on it.

As we walked in, I saw men and some women bow their heads in Arsenio's direction. "What are they doing?" I asked, confused. It was strange.

"Bowing is a sign of respect," he explained.

Glancing around, I saw some women staring at me. Some regarded me with polite looks, but others seemed stand-offish.

"Why are people staring, Arsenio?"

"They've never seen me with a woman wrapped in my arms before. Some of these women are jealous of you, upset that it's not them in my arms." He glared at a young woman who was staring rudely at me, causing her to glance down and walk away.

"Oh," I said quietly. I didn't like knowing I was disliked by people who did not know me. Dating a man they were attracted to was not a valid reason to hate me.

We walked over to the bar and immediately, a group of people got up from the bar, bowed their heads, and walked away. Arsenio pulled me to sit down in the now empty seats. A woman walked over and asked what we wanted to drink.

"Bring her a glass of water, I don't want anything," Arsenio said. She nodded and then walked away.

"So, what do you have to do here?" I asked.

"Just some business to take care of, nothing to worry about," he said. I nodded and looked down, feeling dejected, but didn't press him any further.

I felt fingers under my chin, pulling my face up to meet the beautiful blue eyes I had grown so attached to. "I will tell you later, I promise." I nodded and wrapped my hand around his. 

"I have to go now. Stay here, I won't be long," he said as he stood up, attracting many female eyes.

"Okay," I replied. He walked away from the bar and down a dimly lit hallway in the back of the club.

My jealousy spiked as many women stared at him as he walked past. Arsenio was a good-looking man, most women would be lucky to have somehow as attractive as he was. The lustful female gazes were to be expected and the looking didn't necessarily bother me. They could look at him, they just couldn't touch. What bothered me was knowing that those women would do way more with him if given the chance, while knowing he was in a relationship

I looked around the club, feeling very uncomfortable. I was not much of a social person, and I wished someone was there to keep me company. I didn't realize that Arsenio was going to go off to do his own thing, or else I wouldn't have come. Maybe that was naive of me to assume he would have included me in his work.

I continued sipping on my water and people watching for another twenty minutes before someone slid into the seat beside me.

I looked over at the person and saw an older gentleman sitting in the seat. He ordered a drink and then looked over at me. "I've known Arsenio his whole life. Not once have I seen him wrapped up with a woman," he said with a glance in my direction. His voice was heavy with an Italian accent. "My name is Adriano, what is yours, sweetheart?"

I didn't feel uncomfortable in this man's presence.  He seemed like a nice older man, like a loving grandfather, not a pervert. "My name is Eloise," I replied politely, but still a bit skeptical. "How do you know Arsenio?" I asked.

"Well, Eloise, I was friends with Arsenio's father back in the day. I watched Arsenio grow up into the man he is now." He paused and clasped my hand in his. I resisted the urge to pull my hand away.