Observing Him at the Club
Upon hearing this, Ava almost choked on her drink; she didn’t expect him to be so direct.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I am, Mateo Licciardi. It seems you don’t beat around the bush.”
“I like to be direct and honest about what I think and feel.” There was that smile again that could melt even an iceberg.
“I see.”
“I want something more with you, and let time put things in their place.”
“What if she comes back?” Ava wanted to know how much he still felt for her.
“I don’t know. I’d be lying if I said I know how I’m going to react. I’m trying to get her out of my heart.”
Ava was hurt by Mateo’s last words, and she let out a heavy sigh. He just stared at her.
“So you’re going to try something with me, pass the time, maybe I’ll fall in love with you, and then she shows up, and you kick me out, is that it? Or am I mistaken?” She had to try to sound drastic to avoid suspicion.
“Seen that way, it sounds really bad.” Mateo’s face became serious.
“Let me think about it, I’ll let you know my answer in a few days.” Ava had to lie, when what she really wanted was to throw herself into his arms.
“That’s fine, Miss De Luca,” he said with a wide smile that melted Ava – “I’m willing to wait for you.”
They finished breakfast and returned to the corporate office. They said goodbye at the entrance, and Mateo took her by surprise, giving her a passionate kiss. At that moment, someone took a photo, a reporter who had followed them from the restaurant. They didn’t realize they were being photographed – “This news will be a hit,” thought the reporter, moving away with a big headline in mind.
The next day, Tadeo arrived at Ava’s apartment, visibly upset, and showed her the newspaper.
“What is this, Ava?”
She took the newspaper and saw the front-page headline: “Playboy Mateo Licciardi Back to His Old Ways, Finds Comfort in the Arms of Concert Pianist Grecia De Luca.”
“This will ruin your image. They’ll see you as second best, as someone who doesn’t care about preserving her integrity.” Tadeo was truly upset, and this time, he didn’t plan on hiding it.
“Or maybe it’s quite the opposite, Tadeo. Perhaps my next concert will sell out quickly. Maybe they’ll see me as the woman willing to make Mateo believe in love again.” She said without giving too much importance to the matter, trying to calm down both Tadeo and Lola, who watched the scene while feeding the baby.Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.
“I hope you’re not wrong, Ava. It’s too soon after his breakup with Daria.”
“He’s told me the reasons behind his engagement to her. He hasn’t forgotten me; he still loves me.”
“Have you told him who you are?” Tadeo asked, concerned.
“No, he knows me as Grecia.”
“You’re playing with fire, and you know it.”
“It’s true, I know, but I’m determined to win back his love.”
Tadeo felt saddened; he had hoped that one day she would come to love him, but from the beginning, he knew that Mateo was the love of her life. He accepted his defeat but vowed to always be by her side, ready to support her in whatever way he could. And woe betide Licciardi if he ever hurt her.
“I have to get back to my office. Licciardi sent me the files that Daria took from your uncle’s computer.”
“So, you knew?” She felt upset hearing this.
“Know what?”
“That Mateo got engaged to Daria so she would help him get those files.”
“I assumed it yesterday when he sent them to me.” She looked at him, trying to guess if what he said was true.
“Did you get my invitation to the bondage club event?” She asked, interested.
“Much to my dismay, yes, here it is. But I’ll go with you; there’s no way you’re entering that place alone.”
Ava hugged him warmly; Tadeo was a very loyal friend who cared for her at all times. He had never confessed his true feelings to her, and he just sighed resignedly.
The day of the event arrived, and Ava looked stunning. She wore a provocative wine-colored dress, the color she always used when trying to get Mateo’s attention. The top part was made of lace, with long sleeves, and the sheer fabric revealed a small top of the same color. The dress was long, with two slits on the sides that showed off her legs. She looked sexy without appearing vulgar. Her hair was loose in waves, and she wore wine-colored heels to match the dress. Finally, she put on a black mask with a small feather on one side.
Upon seeing her, Tadeo thought she looked spectacular. He didn’t know why she was so interested in this event. Maybe it was just curiosity. He knew that Mateo had taken her to the club before and what had happened there, but he didn’t think she had developed a taste for such practices, at least not one she had let on.
They entered the event arm in arm, and anyone would think they were a couple. Mateo, who was at the bar, saw them enter, but he didn’t recognize them due to their masks. He admired the beauty of the girl but dismissed the idea that he might know her. He thought that he had never seen that couple in that place before.
Ava immediately recognized Mateo; to her, he was unmistakable despite the mask. He was leaning on the bar, sipping a drink, and chatting with Akiro.
She observed the decoration of the place; it was dimly lit, and hanging from above were cages with some girls dressed exotically swinging slowly to the rhythm of the music. The waiters wore gothic suits, all with masks.
The center of the dance floor lit up, and a guy was bound, but this time not to a cross. He was kneeling, his hands tied behind his back, connected to his ankles by thin chains secured to his ankles, and he was shirtless, wearing only pants, with a blindfold over his eyes.
Two girls twirled around him. Ava bit her lip, unable to avoid remembering the sensations that these types of games had once stirred in her body.
The girls were dressed in black leather tops and panties, and they had leather garters on their legs, wrists, and necks. One of them was running a small ice cube over different parts of the guy’s body.
Tadeo noticed that Ava was absorbed, watching the dance floor. It was normal for something like that to catch her attention.
“That technique is called ‘fire and ice,'” he said.
“Wow, I don’t understand the purpose of the ice.”
“They use a balance between heat and cold, stimulating nerve receptors in the skin. The game consists of leaving the erogenous zones for last, thus tormenting them,” he explained.
“Ufff.”
“Your cheeks have turned red, hahaha.”
The girls on the dance floor continued their game. After a while, the guy began to shiver slightly. The girl paused for a moment and then continued running the ice over his body.
The other girl took a small whip and began to give small strokes on some parts of the guy’s body. The way the women moved was slow and enchanting.
Ava looked for Mateo with her eyes. He was still at the bar, focused on what was happening on the dance floor. This was him, and she had to accept him as he was. If she forced him to suppress himself, sooner or later, that world would attract him again.
Tadeo received an unexpected call at that moment. It was from the corporation, and he needed to go there promptly because a murder case had come up.
“Ava, I have to go to the corporation. I wouldn’t like to leave you here. I can take you to your apartment.”
“Don’t worry; I’ll stay,” she replied firmly.
“Ava, a place like this could be dangerous for a girl alone.”
“Don’t worry; it’s a very exclusive place. No one can enter, and besides, Mateo and Akiro are here.” That was precisely what concerned Tadeo the most.
“I see. I’ll call you as soon as I’m done in case you want me to pick you up.” The detective realized it was futile to try to convince her.
“Okay.”
Tadeo left, very upset. He knew she had stayed there to get closer to Licciardi. Once he left, Ava stood up and headed for the restroom, passing near Mateo and smiling at him.
“This girl looks familiar. I think I know who she is,” thought Mateo. When she returned, she walked toward him.
“Hello, sorry, I saw that your partner left. A place like this isn’t suitable for a girl to be alone if she’s not familiar with the environment,” he said. In a way, she felt annoyed. Was this how he approached any woman? He was quite forward.
“Don’t worry, I stayed because I saw that a good friend is in this place.”
“So, just a good friend? Am I really only that?” She smiled when she realized he recognized her.
“Hello, Mateo.”
“What are you doing in a place like this?”
“Simple curiosity. I asked Tadeo to accompany me.”
“I thought you looked familiar when I saw you both enter.”