Chapter 69 Camilla’s Pov.
“One of my other clubs.” He soon replied simply as he closed the car door behind me.
In front of me was a strip club. A big freaking strip club. A luxurious one.
“Strip club?” My voice was louder than I expected. “You own a strip club? Seriously?”
“Hey. You wanted to come.” Àlvaro said defensively.
“Well, that's because I didn't know you were going to a strip club. It's afternoon for fucks sake! What the fuck would we be doing at a strip club?” I asked, walking behind him like a puppy while some men greeted him as if a God had just walked in.
“We?” He chuckled dryly. “Nothing. I'm just here to take care of something really fast and you'll sit at the bar and wait for me. Oh, and before you think of doing anything stupid, I have men all around watching.” He answered sharply.
When we got into the club, my eyes were glued to it and my chin almost hit the ground.
It was only afternoon but the club was crowded. Everywhere I turned to look, I saw poles on which some beautiful sexy women danced to the loud music seducing the men in front of them who in turn gave their money without a second thought just looking at these women.
Fucking losers.
The club was sophisticated, expensive and luxurious. The ENIGMA was nothing like it.
Àlvaro walked in with hands in his pockets, oblivious to what was going on around him while I was like a curious little kid that wanted to see everything. I had never been to a strip club before and everything was new and interesting to me.
Even the waitresses wore clothes that barely hid their body and they seemed proud of it. I could see some of the dirty looks they directed towards Àlvaro, biting their lips, desperately seeking his attention but he was barely interested.
I could see men dressed in expensive suits with beautiful expensive women on their laps, kissing, touching them for everyone to see and that captivated my attention.
“You're going to sit here and wait for me.” Àlvaro said, pointing at the bar and I nodded. “This won't take long.”
He moved his gaze to the bartender. “Look after her.” He said and the guy nodded. I had a feeling he does way more than bartending. Àlvaro gave me one last look before turning his back and headed towards one of the doors at the end of the club.
Two guards opened the door and once he entered, they followed him in.
Now, Àlvaro was out of my sight, allowing me to pay more attention to everything in the club.
“Would you like something to drink, miss?” The bartender asked me as he washed a glass. “Maybe water or something else?”
“Vodka sounds good.” I nodded at him with a smile and he raised a brow as if that was the last thing he expected me to say.
“I don't think that's a good idea for you, miss.” He shook his head. “Mr Castillo—”
I cut him off before he could even finish his sentence. “Mr Castillo isn't here now, is he? So just do as I said, thanks.” I faked a smile, leaving him no choice but to give me what I asked for.
The minutes passed by slowly and I watched how the dancers took turns on the poles as others walked down among the customers until they found the right one to take by the hand and lead them somewhere privately.
The girls had seductive smiles on their faces as they danced on the poles, giving the men the show of their lives and it made me hold my breath at how brazen and confident they were.
I got up from the chair, holding my glass of Vodka in my hand and with slow steps, I got closer to the nearby pole where a tall, beautiful, tanned girl with a perfect body was dancing like her life depended on it. She drew so many eyes to herself as her body moved around the pole.
She was so freaking beautiful, seductive, free. Free to do whatever she wanted and she was doing it way more than good.
For a split moment, I imagined that I was in her place, that all these eyes were on me and I had the freedom and strength to do whatever I wanted. That the event of the last couple of months didn't happen.
“Are you new here, miss?” I heard a male voice coming from behind me bringing me back to reality and I turned around to look at him. The man should at least be in his thirties but he was still so freaking handsome.
Brown eyes, full lips with a little beard on his sculpted face. He was tall and his body was covered in an expensive suit. “I don't think I've ever seen you here before. I'd remember you if I did.”
“Oh no.” I shook my head. “This is my first and probably my last time here.” I said, already weary of the unknown man.
“I see.” He nodded, his eyes lingering on me longer than necessary. “Not for you, I guess.”
“No, actually it's really interesting but different.” I sipped from my glass of vodka as my eyes shifted to the girl who was still dancing on the pole, tempting the men with just a look. “Very different.”
The man smiled at my answer. “You know, you're the first woman to come in here and steal the attention away from the dancers.” He said and I looked at him in disbelief. “I doubt many of the girls here have gotten that many eyes glued to them even when they're dancing naked. You're something else, miss.”
“Oh?” I exclaimed, not knowing what to say but definitely not believing a word he just said.
Of course, I felt a few men staring at me but isn't it in their nature to just stare at a lady even when she's fully clothed?
“Would you like something to drink…..?” He asked, waiting for me to say my name.
“Camilla.” I said and he nodded. “But I'll pass on the drink offer. Thank you.” I replied, thinking about how I had already drank my first vodka and there's a chance that if I had another drink, I might probably get drunk and we all know how I sometimes get when I'm drunk. Besides, it's still freaking afternoon.
“Why? A drink is always a good idea.” His lips turned into a small smile again and I felt his hands on my waist as he led me to the bar. I got goosebumps from his touch but I just couldn't tell if it was because I liked it or because I don't.
When we got to the bar, he pulled out a chair for me to sit on and sat on the one next to me. He ordered some drinks from the same bartender who was supposed to be looking after me. I could see his face was visibly worried, seeing me with an unknown man but he said nothing.
I was having a hard time keeping my attention on the man in front of me, whose name I still don't know. He was talking but I wasn't listening to a word he was saying until I felt his hand tuck some of my hair behind my ear, caressing my cheek lightly.
“Is everything okay, Camilla?” His voice was worried as he stared at me with those brown eyes. My name sounded weird coming from his mouth.
I didn't even have time to answer before his hand was ripped from my face and his body was thrown to the ground. He fell with a crash, his drink spilled next to him and the glass broke.
Àlvaro's big massive body stood in front of me like an animal guarding it's prey. I couldn't see his face but I could see his body rising and falling rapidly, his hands clenched into fists, ready to smash the poor man's head in. Pure fear was written on the man's face as he laid powerless on the ground.
I stood up, stepping between Àlvaro and the man, stopping him just in time before he skins this man alive.
“Leave him alone, Àlvaro. He didn't do anything.” Àlvaro's eyes were pure black, wild and heavy like he wasn't listening to a word I was saying as he kept his attention on the man behind my back.
“Get out of my fucking way, Camilla.” He hissed, slowly sending shivers down my spine and not in a good way.
“I'm sorry, Àlvaro. I didn't know she was with you.” The man said. He was now on his feet behind my back and the only thing stopping Àlvaro from getting to him was me between them. “If I had known, I would never have touched her or even gone near her.”
Àlvaro moved my body with his hand to the side in a not so gentle way, making me bump into one of the chairs. He grabbed the man by the collar, pulling him towards him and breathing heavily.
He ignores me and then acts like this when another man so much as talked to me?
What the fuck?
“You should be on your knees, thankful that I didn't cut off the hand you dared to touch her with.” He spat in his face with a groan and the man trembled in his hands.
“I'm sorry, Àlvaro. We're in business together and I would never touch your girl if I knew.”
“But you did touch her anyway.” Àlvaro hissed, shaking the man's body by the collar, before slamming his fist into the man's face. The man fell to the ground as blood began to flow from his nose.
“Àlvaro!” I yelled, stopping him before he attacked again because I know he would. It was written all over his face.
I grabbed his hand, squeezing it in mine. He was breathing heavily but as soon as he saw my worried look with almost tears in my eyes, something in him softened and he simply nodded. He stood next to me, still holding my hand like he was scared that if he let me go, someone would take me away from him.
With Vincenzo still out there, that was still a possibility.
“We might be in business together but I don't want to ever see your fucking face in my club again or I swear it won't be just your nose bleeding. His voice was icy, his gaze deadly as he stared at the man who scrambled to his feet again and stumbled out of the club.
“Look what you fucking made me do, Camilla. Don't you ever learn? After what you went through with my uncle, I thought you'd be weary of any unknown man but no, you choose to fraternise with them.” He growled at me, clenching his jaw. “His blood is on your hands, chica.”
“You're a crazy fucking psychopath and I see no difference between you and your fucking uncle.” I hissed in anger, wanting to punch him the same way he punched the other guy.
How dare he?