01- Katya meets the devil

KATYA

Only my boyfriend of five years would think the best place to celebrate our anniversary is in a club surrounded by naked women.

“What do you think? Don’t you like it?” He asked me, grinning from ear to ear.

Like it? I fumed.

I was holding the thong Daniel had gotten me for our anniversary gift. A bright red thong shaped in a heart that I could not for the life of me figure out how to put on.

“It is beautiful” I forced out of my restricted throat.

“You are going to put it on and wear that black dress I love seeing you in and we will hit this club that just opened up. My friend, Gerard mentioned it to me some weeks back”

Well, I should have fucking known that the reason he had suggested we go to Dubai was to check out a new club.

Daniel had always been what you would call a connoisseur when it comes to clubs. He loved finding out and exploring clubs. I could not say I had been blindsided with that part of him but he had never cheated on me no matter what…

“I was thinking maybe we could go to a fancy restaurant, have dinner and then I could put this on when we return? It is our anniversary, babe”

I watched the smile on his face turn into a pout. He always did that whenever I said something he did not agree with.

“I know it is… that is why I want to be at this club with you, Katya. Baby, please just this once… for me?”

Now, how could a girl say no to that?

I did figure out how to put on the love shaped thong and we ordered a cab to the club.

The Ninth Circle, I read the name of the club out loud.

Whoever owned the place did not waste any resource at all.

The building rose in front of us like a black monolith, all glass and black panels that reflected the skyline in fractured pieces. Red lights traced the edges of the structure in thin lines, glowing like veins beneath the surface.

“Jesus,” I murmured under my breath as I stepped out of the cab.

The entrance was crowded with people but not one person was out of the straight line they had organized.

At the door, stood two men in black suits, their presence alone enough to silence any thought of causing a scene.

Daniel let out a low whistle beside me. “Yeah… Gerard wasn’t exaggerating.”

His hand slid to the small of my back as he guided me forward.

We took our place at the back of the queue with Daniel straining his neck every two second so he could check how the line was faring.

Ten minutes later, we were still stuck way back.

My toes were cramped in my heels and I could feel sweat snaking down my spine but Daniel seemed oblivious.

I was just about to insist that he and I find a restaurant when a man in a black suit approached us… well, me.

“Are you here alone?” He asked, ignoring Daniel who still had his hand wrapped around my waist.

Before I could speak, Daniel already did.

“Are you blind?” He shot at the man.

The man ignored him and reached for the phone in his pocket. He spoke rapid Russian into it.

I knew it was Russian because my father was Russian… not like I could understand the language.

The man finally turned to Daniel.

“Both of you… come with me” He said.

He walked to the front and spoke to the men there who took one look at us and signaled we come forward.

Daniel walked in front of me.

“Look, man… we did nothing.”

“You have been granted passage into the club” The guard interrupted. “We just need her phone number”

“What do you need her number for? Daniel asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“The club would like to upgrade your visit to VIP. A phone number is needed to register that in the system”

“Then take mine|”

The man shook his head.

“Hers would do or nothing… except you would like to return to the back of the line?”

“I will give it.” I said.

I was not about to go to the back to queuing in these heels.

I ratted off my phone number and watched the man input it on the iPad he was holding.

He then nodded and walked to the door, signaling for Daniel and I to come with him.

He made sure to hold it open for us and after that, he escorted us in and straight to the VIP section which was upstairs and darker than the rest of the club.

When the man left, Daniel scoffed.

“Well, this is nice except for that asshole hitting on my girlfriend.”

“It was just for registration, Daniel”

He stared at me like he could not believe what I was saying.

“If you really believe that then you are truly gullible, my love and anyways, it doesn’t matter… come on, let us get drinks”

I struggled to catch up to Daniel against the throng of swaying bodies on the dance floor. It was weird because only the women were dancing while the men watched. It was almost like they were giving the VIPs some sort of private show.

 Daniel had ordered a drink for me before I got to the bar.

“Damn, I need to use the bathroom” He said.

“I will come with you”

“No, stay here. I will be right back. Get some more drinks… its our anniversary, baby” He pressed a kiss to my lips, smearing my lipstick and then he was gone.

I drowned the drink he had gotten for me in one gulp then took a look around the room.

It was a beautiful club… maybe I could enjoy it a little bit, I thought.

“Your man seems to have forgotten you.” A deep accented voice came from my left, moments later.

I should not have looked.

I should have ignored him.

Maybe… just maybe I would have gone home and my life would have remained the same.

But I did look.

There was a tall broad-shouldered man, dressed in black staring at me with the most intense look I had ever seen.

He had a buzz cut and there was something peeking out of his collarbone I could not quite see. His eyes were deep green in a face that held a day old stubble that made him look even more dashing.

He was gorgeous and he knew it.

“He went to the bathroom” I said flatly.

I did not know why I felt the need to explain Daniel’s whereabouts to this man.

A corner of his mouth lifted in amusement.

“Surely, it does not take a man that long to fire up his cock, no?”

I turned to him with a glare.

“I would like to be left alone if you don’t mind” I said, making sure my voice was very stern.

“I do mind, Kotyonok. No man should keep a beautiful woman like yourself waiting”

I rolled my eyes to show my disgust.

What was with accented men and thinking women would fall to the ground when they opened their mouths?

I turned to him fully now, my eyes taking in all 6’3 of him.

I smiled and leaned in closer, tracing one finger down his arm resting at the bar table. I watched his pupils dilate as he watched my finger.

“Is that so, Mr…”

“Nikolai” He supplied.

I mustered a sweet smile then said.

“Mr Nickolai…Fuck off, will you?”