The Slavery of Cleo

Hey!

This is my first attempt at writing a series so I apologize in advance if it isn't great in quality, I'm still trying to figure things out. Any feedback is welcome and I hope you all enjoy it!

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Chapter One

Champagne, it all started with Champagne.

My roommate Jessica just gotten a job promotion that she was hoping for and we decided to go clubbing at one of the fancier clubs in the middle of town. Usually these types of clubs were ones that we wouldn't normally dream of going too since they were so expensive, but since it was a special occasion, Jessica insisted.

"It'll be fun and an excuse for you to wear that low-cut dress you bought months ago." She grinned at me like a teenage schoolgirl as if we were going out past curfew and not a couple of twenty-one-year old adults.

I sighed. I didn't even bother to remind Jessica that it wasn't my intention of buying that dress, but the mistake of the shop assistant bagging the wrong one. It was a coincidence that it was in my size.

When I realized I had the wrong dress, I wasn't sure what to do with it. It looked tight, low cut, and far too glam for my kind of style and I was too shy to return it.

So, I abandoned the offending garment into my closet and forgot about it ever since. Until Jessica made me wear it.

I knew I couldn't say no to Jessica since once she got a decision in her mind there was no power on earth that could persuade her otherwise. It was no surprise she got that promotion.

"Cleo, will you stop sulking and stand up straight so I can get a proper look at you?"

Jessica dramatically rolled her eyes at me as I stood in front of her full-length mirror, looking like a little girl's fashion project.

The dress was a bright red with little diamantes running up the waist and through the shoulders, partnered with nude tights and my only pair of black heels. I didn't mind the heels since I was 5 ft 2 and this gave me some height.

"I look like a call girl." I stared at Jessica.

"You do not Cleo, the dress hugs you in all the right places and you look hot as hell. C'mon, the cab is going to be here any second."

Before I could argue, Jessica grabbed her purse and coat and was out of the room in a blink of an eye.

I grabbed my black clutch bag and my jacket and headed out the door alongside her. I had to be the responsible one and make sure I had keys to the apartment. Experience with an excited Jessica and many joiners taught me that I was never to trust Jessica in charge of keys. Especially when she was excited.

***

The club was something out of a movie. Large black rooms that were filled with rainbows as all the colorful lights bouncing off the walls, dancers suspended on glass tubes looking like supermodels, groups of men in sharp suits sitting in booths with buckets of drinks and girls hanging off their shoulders.

We were given little entry cards that were quite intriguing, matt black with a gold foil bird with a spear through it. I had to wonder what the name of the club was for this to be their logo. As I tried to find the name on the building, the bouncer gave me an annoyed grunt as I was holding up the line due to my curiosity. He was wearing dark shades, so I couldn't see his face properly but the shape of his mouth certainly didn't look patient.

Jessica led me to a booth she had pre-booked this morning and was met by our other friends Sarah and Mel, who were around a similar age. From there on the night was great. We all had a catch-up, laughed at the dancers in the suspended tubes and Sarah left wondering if the girls could breathe in those things. I rolled my eyes and laughed as I saw a woman approaching our table.

She looked like a pixie with her white-blonde hair in a short stylish fashion. Her outfit looked completely transparent if it wasn't for all the diamantes and glitter plastered onto it. The pixie woman gave us an overly long smile, but it didn't seem genuine. It seemed business-like.

"Would you lovely gals fancy a bottle of champagne? We're having an offer tonight and you sweeties like look you could do with a top-up!"

Pixie-woman gave another overly large smile and I could see the whiteness of her obviously bleached teeth. I knew she wasn't talking about me when she asked for a top-upup, since I was the only one at the table which hadn't finished their cocktail. I didn't really drink that much.

Jessica's eyes lit up however and since it was her night. Sarah made the group decision for all of us to chip in for the champagne in Jessica's honor.

"Since it's a special occasion, let's all get tequila shots as well!" Mel shouted in excitement.

Mel was the dangerous one in the group, who really didn't need an excuse or a special occasion to get absolutely hammered. However we loved Mel, so we cheered in agreement and Pixie-woman cheered at getting a sale tonight. She tapped a few buttons on her small palm-sized tablet and Sarah handed Pixie-woman her contactless card to make the payment.

I was use to bars that made you have to stretch over the counter to put your card in the reader and attempt to not get felt up by a random stranger. It was things like that, that made this place scream expensive and I dreaded to think what my share would come too in the morning. Although before I could really dwell on it, our drinks came to the table.

The festivities of the night continues as we gave a toast to Jessica on her work promotion, asked Sarah for updates on her upcoming wedding to her fiancé Adam and had to pry Mel away from the dance floor, as she began to make a show of herself due to the tequila.

Mel slumped down beside Sarah at the booth, almost spilling her drink at the table.

Sarah gave Mel an annoyed look but soon laughed it off and then before I knew it, all eyes were on me.

"So Cleo...How's your dating life going? I mean when is it are you going to get a guy on the scene?" Sarah asked whilst taking her drink off the table since she could see Mel swaying side to side out of the corner of her eye.

I could feel the heat rush through my cheeks as I blushed and I finished my second glass of champagne off. I only ever had one boyfriend, back in high school who was all talk and liked to think he was God's gift to women. I can validate that he was not, due to our unfortunate night of losing my virginity to him.

Since then I had never really gotten a boyfriend. I was always very shy and could never flirt. The closest thing I've had to a boyfriend since was then, was a blind date Mel set me up on with her boyfriend's cousin. It was so embarrassing I think it scarred me for life.

"Well, I mean it's just not the right time. I'm still building my photography portfolio to finally go freelance and with my Dad, maybe if I find the right guy eventually..." I began to mumble away to myself looking for more excuses but before I could, Jessica pounced.

"Oh come on! Your photography is going great, you carry that camera everywhere! You, Cleo, need to start living a little and be wild for once. You're twenty-one, not fifty-one!"

Jessica did a bad impression of a grandma and shoved a tequila shot in my face. All the girls started chanting my name, which earned us odd glances from people from other booths. I quickly grabbed the tequila shots and gave them a scornful look.

"Fine fine! Look I'll drink it just shut up you three. People are beginning to stare at us like a pack of dogs!" I took the shot and felt the burning sensation run down my throat into my chest.

"Let them look, Ill roll over for any man's bone!" Mel slurred and tried to give an awful dog howl noise before Sarah quickly covered her mouth shut. It took us all about two seconds before we were laughing again like school girls. Soon the alcohol began to kick in like a warm hug that let me relax and loosen up.

Suddenly I could appreciate the music around me and the colourful lights.

I downed a few more tequila shots and the burning was now a bearable, smoother sensation going down.

I put a hand to my lips when I began to feeI pins and needles coming from my lips and thought I felt a spark coming off my fingers.

Sarah laughed at me at my drunkenness and Jessica pronounced it was officially time to get on the dance floor. I hardly protested as Jessica dragged me to the middle of the dance floor, just as another song was coming on. I started to sway and as the beat came in, I was dancing without a care in the world.

The colours began to float around us and it looked like it was something you could catch if you were quick enough. People who were walking past us brushed against me and it felt like energy going through me, leaving me with a tingling sensation of wanting more. I just felt comfortable and dare I say it, free.

For once I, Cleo Knightly, the girl who had her whole life organized, was dancing without a care in the world.

I don't know how many songs I danced too until the colors that seemed so pleasant to be around started to seem nauseating. The people brushing past me began to tip me off balance. The dance floor suddenly felt like being in the eye of a storm with made everything move so fast and left me feeling fragile. I began to look around and saw that I couldn't see Jessica any of the girls anymore. Swarms of people on the dance floor began to look like a barricade and I couldn't get past the drunken dancers. I could feel myself starting to panic.

Hot blood was rushing to my head as I felt trapped, lost and suffocated with the heat of the club.

Suddenly I felt somebody barge into me, making me go off balance. I heard a crack as the heel of my shoe gave out and I didn't even have time to gasp as my body made its journey towards the floor.

A hand quickly grabbed my arm and I felt another strong arm wrap around my waist, saving me from hitting the cold floor. I tried to get a look at my mysterious saviour, but it was hard to tell. All I could see was the room spinning and coloured lights flashing over us, changing his appearance into different colours. He had a strong jawline and what I think appeared to be stubble around that handsome grin, as he looked at me.

The lights made it hard to pinpoint what color his eyes were and his hair looked perhaps to be a sandy blonde shade, but I could've been wrong. I tried to grab onto him to regain my balance and my hand unintentionally went to his belt; before I could reach it however, he quickly redirected my hand onto one of his broad shoulders. I noticed he was wearing a waist jacket that made him look all the sexier.

As I stared into his eyes, I couldn't help feel a little erotic. Fantasizing about being a damsel in distress wrapped up in his big strong arms, him lifting me up and kissing me all over. I felt that tingling sensation go through me again and I blushed, embarrassed at myself that I'm imagining this over a total stranger!

"You alright there Darlin'?" He had a deep sultry voice, thick like chocolate.

I gave a sheepish nod and he helped me up. Leading me away from the swarm of people away from the dance floor, still holding me up.

He had given me another look over before he chuckled.

"You looked like a dear in the headlights out there Darlin'. You sure you're okay?"

That was the second time this stranger called me darling. No one had ever called me that. It was rather odd but I wasn't something deep down told me I wasn't against it. I gave another reassuring nod, trying to find my voice that didn't sound like a gushing fangirl.

"Mhm yeah, I'm just a really bad dancer." I said whilst I fidgeted with my hair.

"Maybe you just need a strong lead?" My saviour man smirked at me.

Was he flirting? Somehow the look in his eyes seemed completely serious, almost intensely so. The smirk he was giving made it difficult to tell which was which.

Before I could answer, a tall, skinnier man came up to my saviour from behind and said something I couldn't comprehend. Maybe it was because of the music or the fact the room was still spinning.

My saviour kept looking at me the whole time whilst mystery man spoke, his eyes still intensely fixated on mine.

"Cleo there you are! we've been looking for you everywhere." Sarah's voice rang loudly and I turned around to find her behind me, looking concerned.

"I was dancing, I couldn't find you."

"You okay? You don't look so good."

Sarah's expression was filled with concern and noticed my broken heel.

"Aww Cleo, I'm sorry we lost you. Honest. C'mon, let's get you home. Jessica is with Mel who's puking in the bathroom. We said we'd meet outside to catch a cab."

I nodded and turned around to thank my saviour but as I did, he and mystery man had vanished. I didn't see them leave and I kind of thought he would say goodbye. I quickly corrected that thought in my head. What kind of expectation is that to have over a guy I just met? I didn't even get his name and I'm expecting him to say goodbye to me?

Then again, I did wonder if I imagined it since he just disappeared into thin air. Maybe it was all the tequila?

Sarah helped me carefully walk down the stairs to the entrance of the club since my heel was ruined and my ankle hurt from the near fall. She gave me another sympathetic hug as we stood outside of the building whilst waiting for the other two girls to meet us outside.

The fresh air was doing me some good and I looked up at the clear night sky, where you could start to see some stars poking their heads out. I cuddled my jacket around me as the night air was beginning to get bitterly cold. Sarah kept checking her phone to see if she missed any calls from her fiancé.

I looked around for my saviour and wondered how pathetic I was, pining over a guy I had just met two minutes ago and didn't even catch his name. Oh well, a girl could dream, couldn't she?

Eventually, we heard Jessica and Mel walk out giggling, which erupted another annoyed grunt from the same bouncer. Mel seemed to look a lot perkier from all the vomiting and Jessica was still on a buzz it seemed. Jessica approached me, placing a caring hand on my arm and asked me if I had a good night.

Although being separated wasn't exactly a bonus, I didn't want Jessica to feel like she had to be responsible for me. Especially when this night was all about her. I gave her my best reassuring smile and linked arms with her.

Us four had begun to walk a few steps away from the club, crossing at an alleyway before Mel pulled us to an abrupt stop.

"Wait! We need to get a picture by the club, so we have something to remember it by! It's not like we go here often!"

Mel clapped her hands excitedly and Sarah and I exchanged a tired look to each other but we decided to go for it.

I volunteered to take the picture. I was much better at taking pictures than being in them and all the girls were too drunk to argue. I took my phone out of my clutch bag just as we heard a large bang coming from the dark alleyway, followed by the crashing sounds of trash cans.

It made my ears ring and Sarah and Jessica quickly turned around surprised. Mel just laughed, being too oblivious to care about the sudden noise coming from the dodgy looking alleyway.

"Must be a bouncer throwing someone out?" Jessica said reassuringly and then laughed a little at the drama portion of the evening taking a new chapter.

I narrowed my eyes trying desperately to see what it was and I saw the faint outline of a man appearing to be looking at me. I couldn't see his face or anything about him really. I was probably just being paranoid, as the alcohol's buzz was wearing off. Without paying much attention, I gave a few lousy photographs causing the flash on my phone to go off which lit up the alleyway for a few seconds.

My heart sped up when I spotted a man standing there in the middle of an alleyway. There was another man there too, laid lopsidedly on the wall.

When the last of the flash appeared, I thought I saw blood and although I didn't see many details, I knew I saw something I shouldn't of.

I tried not to gasp loudly and began to walk a few steps away from what I just witnessed. Shaking my head, I don't know what I saw. It could have been a bouncer throwing a drunk out or raccoons looking through the garbage. I was just overreacting because I was drunk.

"Cleo! Where are you going? The cab is here!" Sarah shouted me and Jessica stopped me from crossing the street in a panicked daze.

When my eyes looked back at the alley, It was just dark with nothing. Maybe I imagined it like I imagined the savior. Although I couldn't shake a sickening feeling in my gut, dread maybe. We bundled into a cab and I was silent on the whole way home. Jessica and I got out first as Sarah and Mel lived a few streets away.

I was so frazzled by tonight that Jessica had to get the keys out of my bag and open the door. Where I promptly walked into my bedroom, leaning on the wall.

I kicked my heels off and pulled my ripped tights off. I wanted this dress off of me. It seemed to suffocate and pull at me. It made the tightness in my stomach clench even more. I looked at the bright red color of the dress and it made me think of what I saw on the ground in the alleyway. Suddenly I had to run into the bathroom and I vomited violently.

Jessica heard the sounds and came running by, holding my hair back.

"Looks like someone's had a good night."

***

The light came through the curtains and abruptly woke me from my slumber. As if you could call it that. My head was banging and it felt like lead as I tried to lift it up from my pillow. I looked around at my room, shoes, tights, handbag, and dress all scattered on the floor.

I tried to patch my memory together of last night, but it was hazy and I was too distracted at how dry my mouth was, like the savannah desert.

I put all my effort into standing up and hobbling into the kitchen. I sighed as I stared at our barren kitchen, we had both forgotten to go food shopping.

I needed something greasy that would go well with coffee. I was lucky that there was a café a street away from our apartment building.

I grabbed socks and put on my workout shorts that were grey and loose. I was thankful I had waxed my legs a few days ago for these types of emergencies. Tight clothing was not something I wanted near me when I had a hangover.

I put on my bra and instead of hunting around for a t-shirt, I put on my burgundy hoodie over my bra since I was only going to the café.

I chucked on some sneakers and headed over to Jessica's room.

"Hey, I'm going to Beanzie if you want me to get you anything?"

The hangover demon had clearly possessed Jessica, since she chucked her duvet over her head and groaned in disgust at the prospect of food.

I shrugged. I guess I could pick something up for her on the way home.

On the whole journey to the café, I couldn't help but think about last night.

Did I meet someone? I remember being caught but, nothing, just blanks. When I got to the café door, I vowed it was the last time I ever would drink tequila or anything else Mel suggested.

When I walked through the door, it chimed alerting my presence. I had just missed the morning rush hour, so the café was pretty quiet with most tables empty. As I got to the counter, I leaned on it with a desperate need for coffee.

"Hey, can I get a medium flat white please and a bacon sandwich to go? Thanks." I looked at the coffee boy as if he was the solver of all my problems.

The coffee boy gave me an odd awkward smile, probably thinking I was a crazy demented lady begging for coffee. Until I caught my reflection in the chrome counter I was leaning on. I forgot to brush my hair!

It looked like a crazed lion's mane pointing in every direction. I tried to desperately flatten it with my hands with not much succession.