NIGHTSHADE

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: CLANDESTINA ~ SALVATORES]

Raven, seated at the highest part of the party room, twirled the whiskey in his cup, his handsome face looking dull and emotionless as if he would prefer to be anywhere else.

"I don't know who comes to a club and doesn't club," Shadow remarked, an invisible crow squawked at the emptiness in the room. Raven had the whole area cleared out just for himself; he didn't want to come in contact with any human being, his partner was already enough baggage to handle.

"Eyes on the package" was Raven's only curt words, before taking a sip from his drink.

Shadow sighed, "Can I at least get one girl for myself? I can't sit in a club all night without having a squishy feeling all over me; I'm not into men," Shadow cried, mentally pulling his hair. He wanted to party; little wonder other agents declined working with Raven; the man was some serious high maintenance.

Raven pulled out his phone, clogging his ear with an AirPod, he said, "Wake me up when there is movement; if another human, apart from you, should enter here, you'll have to clean the blood." He said coldly, reclining on his chair; he closed his eyes to solitude.

Left alone, in silence and an empty room, Shadow decided to stand close to the railings where he fed his eyes and desire as he watched the strippers show their skills on the pole.

"Oh looks like Adolf just arrived," he muttered, sipping his own drink. After some long minutes, the man hit the iron rail. "The girl, the pusher...Raven Raven" he ran to his partner.

Raven's cold coppery brown eyes opened to look at Shadow, displeased that his rest was cut short. "What?" He asked.

Shadow pointed, "The girl....the pusher....she and Adolf....VIP" the young man stuttered.

Raven narrowed his eyes at his partner; there was never anything he did right. "They are at the VIP?"

Shadow nodded like a lizard, "Maybe they want to exchange the chip, we have to go down!!"

...

Lily was surprised to see her boss; he didn't look like someone who enjoyed such a noisy environment, especially with the type of business he opened. People who dealt with flowers were delicate and calm, but come to think of it, she too, Lily, was in a clubhouse so maybe it was the same for the man too. Lily nodded; she didn't want to be quick to judge people.

"The place you wanted to go, I didn't know it was Shera of the night," Mr. Adolf said in a goofy voice.

Lily tapped her feet on the ground shyly, "Yes, I mean No, my friend invited me."

Mr. Adolf nodded, "Your friend..." his eyes stopped at the ginger-curled girl behind Lily who was giving him a charming smile.

"I am Victoria, but my friends call me Tori, pleased to make your acquaintance," Victoria grinned, stretching out her neatly painted nails to shake the man who supposedly was Lily's boss.

"Nice to meet you too, if you both don't mind we can all share a drink," Mr. Adolf replied, shaking Victoria's hand.

Lily raised her hand to refuse; it was already awkward meeting her boss in a clubhouse now sharing a drink with him would put her in a tight spot. "No, we-"

"We would love that, thank you." Victoria cut in, giving a piercing look at Lily who wanted to crash her party spirit.

When they finally settled on their seat, relaxed with drinks in front of them. Victoria leaned closer, "Lily, you didn't tell me your boss was a hot catch! Are you trying to hide it? That's low."

Lily shook her head, "I guess his friends invited him; he is not that kind of person."

Victoria sucked her teeth, "Now listen Chile, your boss is 'That kind of person', in fact, he is a regular. See the way he is sitting on that chair; it's his favorite spot, and that girl serves him always, that right there is his favorite drink." The girl pointed out important details.

"Who are you?" Lily asked, stunned at how her friends seemed to know almost everything.

"How I know yeah? I just know, and again he is rich, very rich. See his shoes, his car key, and his wristwatch. Are you sure he only sells flowers?" Victoria asked, now interested in Lily's boss.

Lily, who had never paid much attention to her boss, finally turned to look at him. In a way, the man was unusual; despite not having constant sales from the flower shop, he always paid Lily early and added a bonus. Even when Lily had thought the shop would go under, it didn't, and thinking about it now, Victoria's question made sense. Was she sure the man's wealth came from selling just flowers? Because if that was it, he would be on the road begging for food with Lily beside him.

"I...I don't know" Lily muttered.

"Act natural; he is coming," Victoria nudged Lily.

Mr. Adolf walked towards the girls, with a smile on his face. "Lily, and...Tori yeah?" Victoria nodded excitedly that the man was calling her without formalities.

"I already asked that everything you girls would take today should be put on my tab; have a great evening. I'll be taking my leave now." Mr. Adolf said before turning to leave the room.

Victoria blushed, "So elegant, now that's one rich hunk, 'everything you girls would take should be put on my tab' as expected!" Victoria repeated, holding her chest happily.

Lily rolled her eyes; it was typical of Victoria to fall in love at first sight with rich men. "Tori, we hit the 'jackpot' let's go home so I can work for the 'jackpot' tomorrow." Lily's words were laced with sarcasm, as she made air quotes with her hands everytime she said the word 'jackpot' and this didn't go unnoticed by her friend.

Lily and Victoria were teasing each other when the door to the VIP opened again, and a young boy stepped inside.

Victoria was the first to catch sight of the person, and she tapped Lily, as she couldn't find words..."Lily..is that?"

Lily turned to look at the person that made her friend speechless, "What Tori, another jackp...." Lily's voice trailed, her skin paled like she had seen a ghost.

"Fred!!" Lily shouted as she jumped up from her chair; standing at the door was her younger brother with another group of men. For one, Fred was underage, what was he doing here?.

Before Lily's younger brother could explain himself, the police barged inside the room led by none other than Jeffrey.

"Everyone freeze! On your knees," the policemen shouted.

Lily raised her hand, waiting for the police to leave so she could ask her brother serious questions and give him an earful.

"Someone reported drugs; search everyone," Jeffrey shouted in a strong voice.

Lily gulped when the police stopped moving in front of her brother. Then she heard the worst sentence.

"Found it!"

Inside the backpack Lily's brother carried was white substances. Lily's life flashed in front of her eyes; it felt like she was in a drama, and the director would scream cut! But right there in her eyes, her younger brother and only family was cuffed and hauled away as a drug dealer.