Page 52 of Scent of Desire
My heart stopped pounding, and my whole body stiffened. “W-What?”
“He asked for you. I’m calling you because despite everything, I care for him. Look—” She took a deep breath. “He said something like not doing an aphrodisiac. I don’t know what happened between you or what the fuck you did together, but you destroyed him, Lily. He needs you. If you love him, you’ll come save him.”
My eyes widened in fear. My heart cracked into tiny pieces that drew me toward Radcliff. Hundreds of questions spiraled through my mind. “Save him from? Why isn’t he doing the aphrodisiac? Is he okay? I—”
“Just come, Lily. I have no time to explain.” She paused. “Or don’t. I don’t care. After all, I’m doing this for him.”
She hung up.
I went through my phone’s contacts and let out an absurd laugh. I didn’t even have Radcliff’s phone number—how could I have hoped to win his soul?
I climbed up to my window and grabbed my keys decisively.
There was no other choice.
I’d always be there for Radcliff, no matter the outcome.
“It’s here!” I screamed to the taxi driver pulling in front of Club 7.
I rushed through the elite guests waiting eagerly in line in front of the entrance. The list was like none other I’d witnessed before. Politicians with shady reputations. Powerful figures who escaped judgment. Celebrities who had been subjected to scandal. Each of them was a sinner in Radcliff’s eyes, which could only mean one thing.
Radcliff’s plan was to make them pay.
Tonight.
I peeked at the invitations held in their hands while making my way to bypass them one by one. It didn’t make sense. The invitations were gold, with bloodred handwriting promising a night of excess like they had never experienced before.
The aphrodisiac.
Was he launching it? Despite the many complaints of the crowd, I was mincing my way up to the imposing security guarding the door. Melissa was with them, making an announcement.
“The club is closed for the night, we’re sorry.” The guests revolted in sync, and Melissa gunned her eyes at them. “Your invitations are extended for tomorrow. We’re experiencing a short delay for tonight’s show.”
“Melissa!” I pushed through the rest of the crowd, arriving next to her. “Where is Radcliff?”
She sighed, opening her arms to me and giving me a hand sign to join her. “Not here. Follow me.”
We bypassed the main door through the secluded alley to arrive at a small iron gate at the back of the building. The place stank of trash and urine. With the badge around her neck, she unlocked the steel back door and wrenched it open.
We stepped inside, and the only noise coming from the club was Melissa’s heels on the floor. It was deserted; not even the music was playing. Only the red spotlights danced wickedly in the main area, giving the vibe of a murder scene. The smell was vacant, chaotic.
My body tensed, a wave of acid welling up my stomach as we reached the corridor where the private rooms stood. “Where is he, Melissa?”
“He was in a meeting inside this room when—” Her chin shook, and she held the handle, struggling to articulate her next words. “He’s—”
She didn’t finish her sentence, and I screamed, the fear of losing him consuming all my cells, “I need to see him!”
“Prepare yourself, Lily.” Her voice was laced with sorrow, and her mint scent was stronger than I’d ever smelled.
“Open the door!” I shrieked.
My heart jumped to my throat when her badge unlocked the room. The smell of ashes and death poisoned my nose in a draft. I stepped inside the place, holding the nightmares of what could have happened, letting the corrupted air engulf me into its wickedness. In the midst of the darkness of the room, there was only a spark of red.
“Radcliff?”
Nothing but the whisper of demons warned me to step back, and a wave of cold froze me in place. I had entered the lair of a spider that would trap me in its web, and with this thought, I felt a sudden stab of terror in my gut.
And then, the door closed.
