Page 26 of Scent Of Obsession
“I didn’t mind doing it,” I added in a whisper, as if I was treading water, searching for my breath.
He lifted himself from his seat, and my nostrils flared. He smelled of nightmares and fantastical dreams. A mystical land on a rainy day under the moonlight. A dark symphony melting with the lava of a volcano.
“You asked what perfume I want you to create for me.” He passed in front of me and stopped.
The silk fabric of his suit brushed my arm. We were side by side, our bodies aligned, yet they were shifted in the opposite direction.
“Yes.” I gulped.
“I’ll show you.”
Necks turned, but bodies frozen, the dark mirth in his gaze swiveled to my brown eyes.
“We’re going to my… club.” A sardonic hint of a smile drew across his face. “But I’ll not be responsible for you, and I ask for you to be discreet. Don’t make a show of yourself. I won’t be your savior or anything—you’re on your own.”
Just like I had been all of my life.
I folded my arms over my chest. “I can take care of myself.”
“You’ve seen nothing yet.” His words, like venom, caressed my nape. “I suggest you change. You have ten minutes.”
The alley of Club 7 was deserted, similar to one of those scary scenes where murders happen. The imposing metallic back door of the club was guarded by three men with strong figures, as if whatever was inside would never see the light of the day. The bouncers bowed in front of Radcliff and slid the door open.
All I needed was one step inside to be transported to another universe. The lights and the rich wallpaper were a burning red. The sensual music gave me goose bumps. The servers were dressed in elegant costumes, serving all types of aphrodisiacs and exotic food. It was over-the-top splendor with big stained glass, corrupting their holy meaning, the air charged with debauchery and secrets.
In the main area, some intimate and private spaces with velvet couches were displayed. They were occupied mostly by men in expensive suits with a substantial wallet size. Politicians. Businessmen. Men with a shady reputation. They were all here, tasting Radcliff’s possessions, their evil laughter vibrating into my whole core.
At the bar, alcohol and cash flew without pause. But what surprised me most was the show. A mix of the beauty of a Parisian cabaret with the exhilaration of a circus and the vice of a gentleman’s club. It felt like we’d jumped into the craziness of the roaring twenties.
On the stage, under the spotlight, there was a girl with a square pink wig who was executing an aerial dance. She was naked with only glitter covering her intimate parts. She was sensual, the reincarnation of every man’s desires. All eyes were on her before a couple of other girls joined her for a glamorous performance. They were goddesses, Aphrodites, sirens, weakening men’s souls. There was something addicting about this show. A certain freedom to be who you wanted for an instant.
I didn’t agree with any of this. I didn’t belong here. That splendor disguise was a lie; it smelled fake. Radcliff had tricked the sight of his guests into making them believe it was the Eurasian field, but he couldn’t trick my nose. The only thing missing in this sumptuous debauchery was the intoxicating scent.
That’s when I understood Club 7 was a depiction of each sin.
Greed.
Gluttony.
Lust.
Wrath.
Pride.
Sloth.
Envy.
“Radcliff.”
I turned around, hearing the voice of a woman. To my surprise, she was the one who’d mocked me before the hunt on New Year’s Eve. Her luscious dress displayed each of her perfect curves, her red lipstick beautifying her femme fatale look with glossy raven hair. There was no need to pretend she did not know how appealing her look was, and she was using it. Radcliff remained silent alongside me while she glared in my direction.
“I recognize you.” She inspected me from head to toe, a frozen smile on her face.
I wrinkled my nose at the smell of her. Her fresh green notes, a mix of galbanum and mint, itched my nostrils in a burning sensation.
“Melissa. Lily,” Radcliff finally spoke, but he couldn’t be more bored to present us. “I have some business to attempt.”
