Chapter 3 Three

" How did I get home last night?"

" That reminds me, you owe me for playing the role of a chauffeur."

" You will be my maid of honor."

Loretta rolled her eyes," That is not even in ten years time." She joked.

Clara's mouth fell open, "I will get married sooner than you think."

" We can only hope so." She replied.

" Why are you here?" Clara inquired again. She noticed the worried look on Loretta's face. Beneath their banter, something bothered her.

Loretta looked sideways to check if anyone was listening.

" What do you know about Desires?"

" The Bar?" Clara scrunched up her forehead.

Loretta stared at her. " Of course, the bar." She replied. The effect of yesterday's hangout was showing in her friend's inability to think fast.

" It's a private bar, and for the elite and semi-elite."

" Is that all?" She asked.

" Yes, is there any problem?"

" Do you know the owner?" Loretta inquired.

" No, what is going on?" Clara asked, her interest was piqued.

" I heard it is a cover-up for the mafia business."

" How did you get to know that?"

" I have my sources." Loretta replied, Clara certainly would not expect her to reveal her sources. Anyone could be bought.

" I am visiting the bar tomorrow. I have some digging tomorrow."

" Don't go. They'll notice you sniffing around." Clara tried to talk her out of her decision.

" What is it to you? Do you have any intel on the bar?" She asked.

Clara shook her head, this was the mafia they were referring to. They were well-connected, and would squash Loretta if granted the opportunity.

" What if you get caught? You will be asking questions at the bar, yes?"

"Yeah, he is affiliated with a case. I will get them, and put them behind bars." She vowed.

" Let another person handle this case." Clara advised.

" That's an insult, I will get them, I promise." She said.

Clara sighed, she couldn't talk much today because she was exhausted," Okay. Since that is what you want to do. How can I be of help?"

" We will go to the bar together tonight. No drinking, just watching my back. We will be asking harmless questions. Dress prettily." She replied.

" When do I ever not look lovely?" She asked.

" Today." Loretta replied and they burst into laughter.

Loretta couldn't wait until seven p.m. that evening. She heard that the men came to do their business on Tuesdays and Fridays.

" I can't see anyone yet. These are normal people." Clara commented after an hour. She drank a lot of soda water.

" They'll come, we just have to wait." She replied.

" Maybe the source was lying." Clara tried again, and Loretta groaned.

" Do you want to go home?" She asked.

Clara nodded sheepishly. " Yeah, but..."

" It's fine." She replied, and watched her friend exit the bar. She was alone. Furthermore, she was waiting for people to be drunk before she started asking questions.

After being able to gather some info about how this bar came into existence, its license, when she attempted to ask about the underground business. A lot of people moved away. She was running in circles.

With a frustrated sigh, she marched to the bar with her pen and notepad in hand. She pulled out a high bar stool and climbed on it. The height difference was obvious because of the heels she wore.

The bartender turned and gave her a professional smile. " Good evening, ma'am. What may I get you?" He asked.

" Give her a glass of your most expensive champagne." A very deep male voice spoke behind her.

Loretta turned to see who it was, a very tall stranger with broad shoulders.

" Coming right up, sir."

"I will pass, please." Loretta attempted to leave when he grabbed her hand. His palm was warm, and the hotness was transferred to Loretta. What the hell? She thought, and her eyes fell on their hands. He had nice fingers, though. He could also be one of those people who drugged unsuspecting girls.

She looked at him subtly, watching as the drink went down his throat. Never did she think that the Adam apple could be sexy. He was wearing a blue suit, which accentuated his six-pack figure. She saw his lips lift up in a smirk when he caught her staring.

" What?" She asked.

" It's not poisoned if that's what you are afraid of." He spoke. He had not removed his shades. Who wears shades in a semi-dark environment? Something told her that he was hiding. What was he hiding from.

" What is your name?" She asked.

The stranger smiled, she looked like a new patron, and had the face of an innocent cat.

" Champagne, right here, sir." The bartender said.

The stranger sipped his drink like that, and passed the glass cup toward Loretta.

She waited for some minutes before looking up. Then Loretta did what she never thought she would do, what she did. She took the cup and downed it all in a gulp. In a minute.

" Impressive." The stranger said, smiling a bit.

" Remove your shades." Loretta instructed, and scanned the bar for the people she was waiting for.

" Follow me home." He invited, and Loretta's head shot up.

"Why should I?"She asked and sized him from head to toe.

"Because I asked," He replied, Loretta sneered at him.

" I don't follow strangers home." She replies, she created that rule since she was in college. No one would say she ever followed them home.

" Don't or won't?" He asked.

" Both. Thanks for your generosity." Loretta replied and stood up from the stool, making her way back to the lounge. The stranger grabbed her wrist, rubbing the back of her palm with his thumb.

"I'm not a bad-" Loretta didn't let him finish his statement, she yanked her wrist free from his grip and walked away, feeling disgusted.