Friday night

“Maybe I should drive my car tonight,” I said to Marc when he came to pick me up for our ride to the club.

“What? Why?” Marc looked at me confused.

“I just had a thought... What if somebody that was there last week, is there tonight again and saw us came together last week but never hang out together, then tonight doing the same thing? Wouldn't that look a bit suspicious?” I asked him.

“Where the hell did all that came from?” Marc looked at me weirdly.

“I told you, it's just a thought that came to me a couple of minutes ago,” I replied.

“Well that's a stupid thought, and that wasn't a part of our plan” Marc deadpan.

“Well, I think we should have a change of plans tonight,” I said to him.

“Lexi,” Marc said in a warning tone.

“Marc. Just for tonight, okay. We'll be behind each other all the way and at the same place, we just won't be in the same car. Now come on” I said to him as I ushered him out the house not waiting for him to further object to my suggestion.

************************

When we had reached the club, the instant change in the environment was obvious. It was a different scene and feeling than the week before. There was more security now, and there weren't as many people present as the week before. I headed to the bar just as I did last week, Marc had come to the bar area as well and ordered a drink then disappeared back into a corner once more.

I sat down and ordered a drink from the bartender. It was the same one from last week.

“You're here again.” he smiled at me as he places my drink in front of me.

“Yeah, I just needed to get out this weekend again after a long week of work,” I said to him as I took a sip of my drink.

“I totally understand” he smiled at me.

After a few minutes, I noticed there was a bit of commotion. Two guys were being escorted out of the club, they must've been in some sort of fight. I looked around and also noticed a group of three men talking to each other in one area. They were all dressed in dark expensive-looking jacket suits and something about them just screamed authority and power. Also, the way most people kept glancing at them and nodding at them in a form of acknowledgment whenever they passed by. At one point I saw one of the men seemingly shouting at another.

“What's all that about?” I asked the bartender who was still at my side of the counter.

“It has been a bit chaotic in here since last week,” he informed me, “Everyone is a bit on edge.”

“Why?” I asked as I feigned ignorant, although I had a very good idea of what had caused all the chaos and I think I played a big part in it.

“Some guy was found dead in the bathroom last week,” he replied.

“Oh my gosh! What? That's awful. What happened?” I still pretended to be clueless.

“He was stabbed in the neck, it was terrible.” the bartender replied, “He was found by another patron who reported it. The place had been crawling with police, and it has been really frustrating.”

“That's horrible, do they have any idea who did it?”

“Not at all, and that's the strangest part. Not one suspect, so now the boss has been here almost every night since trying to smooth out things” he replied.

“The boss?” I asked.

“Yeah Mr. Cavelli and a few other employees.” the bartender said.

“Oh,” I replied.

I sat there for a couple more minutes as I tried to catch bits and pieces of conversations around me. Some were talking about the guy who was found dead and who they believed could be responsible as well as talks about the boss.

“Simon, give me a drink.” a guy called out to the bartender as he came and sat on the stool beside me with a sigh.

“The regular sir?” The bartender asked.

“Something stronger,” he replied as he leaned his arms on the counter.

I turned to glimpse at him and almost started drooling. I found it hard to believe that one guy could be that hot and good-looking. He was the epitome of 'Lexi's type of guys', the type of guys you'd usually see on the cover of a magazine and advertising those Calvin Klein underpants- the sexy male models. He looked to be in his mid or late twenties but also quite mature. His dark hair was messy as if he had run his fingers through it a million times and the little stubble which grown on his face, made him looked ten times sexier. I quickly look away though not wanting to be caught staring.

“Thanks, Simon,” the guy replied as the bartender placed his drink in front of him. In almost one gulp he finished his drink and placed the glass back on the counter.

“Another one please,” he instructed Simon who nodded at him as he took up the glass.

I glanced at him once more and noticed how his jaw seemed to be clenched. He must have felt my eyes on him because he turned to look at me, but I quickly turned back my head and adverted my eyes down to my drink in my hands.

“Here you go, sir,” Simon said as he placed another drink in front of him. This time he only nods at Simon who went back to doing his job. I glanced at him to see him pull a cigarette from his pocket, placed it between his lips, and lit it.

I groaned slightly. Why do all hot attractive guys have to smoke? I hated smoking and from what I had noticed with most people who smoked, it tends to leave a funny stale after scent which wasn't very attractive.

“Oh, I'm sorry. Am I bothering you with my smoking?” I heard him said.

I turned to look at him and realized he was talking to me. I also noticed he spoke with an accent that was definitely not American and strong, one that I've recognized from meeting and living with Alphonso--Italian.

“No, no it's okay.” I shook my head. I was still using my British accent.

“I'm sorry, that was rude of me. I shouldn't even be smoking in here, I just got a little stressed.” he apologized as he put out the cigarette in an ashtray that was on the counter.

“It's fine, I understand,” I said to him.

“Of course it isn't, this is a no-smoking zone anyway,” he said as he took up his glass and put it to his lips.

I turned my attention back to my drink which I was nursing for a while as I took a sip now and then. I had noticed how his fingers gripped the glass tightly which caused u the muscles in his forearm to bulge. He seemed to be tensed and upset about something.

“Uhm... I don't know if it is my place to say...” I said hesitantly which caused him to turned his full attention to me. “...but if you grip that glass any tighter, I'm pretty sure it's going to give way right there in your hand. You're probably going to hurt yourself.”

“Yeah you're probably right he chuckled as he loosened his grip on the glass.

“Definitely, I would not like to be that glass right now. Whatever it did that got you that mad at it” I joked as I noticed the tension seemed to be eased a bit.

That got him laughing a bit which was the most beautiful thing I had heard in a while. He then extended his hand out to me and introduced himself. “I'm Gio”.

“Lexi,” I said to him as I took his outstretched hand and shook it.

“Thanks, Lexi, I needed that cheering up.” he smiled at me as we withdrew our hands.

“No problem, we all have our down days at times,” I assured him.

“Yeah, and work stress,” he said. “So, you're British?”

“Yeah” I nodded.

“Noticed the accent.” he nodded before his phone started ringing.

“Lucas?... Yeah... I'll be there in a minute,” he answered his phone then hung up.

“It was nice meeting you Lexi,” he said as he got up.

“Yeah, you too” I smiled at him as he smiled back and walked off.

“I see you've met the boss,” Simon said as he came back in front of me with a little smirk.

“Boss?” I choked out as I looked at him with wide eyes.

“Yep,” Simon the bartender nodded.

“That was the club's owner Mr. Cavelli.”

What? That was The Mr. Cavelli? I had no idea. Well, he was definitely a hot one and very pleasant to the eyes. This just makes finding out information about him all the more fun. I thought to myself.