The Creepy Stranger
RENEE
“I still can’t believe you slept with Robert, Renee.” Nicole snickered for the umpteenth time. Her snide remarks echoing off every wall and corner of the room.
“Please, Nicole. Don’t start.”
“Oh, Renee…” She purred before continuing. “You went to his office to confront him about the restaurant, but he ended up fucking you. Way to go, Mr. Robert. I love me some a dirty-minded man.”
“Nicole don’t gloat about this. And don’t remind me of that mistake.” I groaned, burying my face in my hands.
“Mistake?”
“Yes. It was a mistake. Something that happened out of the blue and…”
“And then what? Come on, girl. I know you wanted it.” Nicole snickered.
“How? Why would you say that?” I shot back defensively, raising my head to face her fully.
“Because that look of massive sexual satisfaction is written all over you, bitch. You are positively glowing tonight. Since I got home from work, and you told me about your hot angry sex with your sugar daddy, you’ve been floating!” Nicole smirked, and no matter how badly I wanted to call her bluff, I couldn’t deny that she was right.
I was glowing.
The dusty moonlight streamed through the window, highlighting the light pink flush on my cheeks. At the same time, my thighs ached in an unexpectedly pleasant way. The sting of my earlier sexcapade with Robert wasn’t fading in the slightest.
I was acutely aware of how much I enjoyed the feel of Robert’s fingers stroking my skin and having him inside me.
Sighing, my shoulders slumped as I closed my eyes to fight off the embarrassment brewing. I repeated stubbornly. “What happened today was a mistake.”
“Whatever you say. I’m not going to tease you anymore. But, if it makes you feel any better, how many times did you orgasm?” Nicole winked, wiggling her brows suggestively, and I blushed even more.
“Just cut it, Nicole. I’m saying nothing.”
“Where did he fuck you? On the office desk? Or the wall? The balcony? Overlooking all those skyscrapers and tall buildings?” Nicole laughed, and I gave her a nasty look. “Mistake or not, what matters is that you enjoyed it. If the opportunity presents itself again, you’ll open your legs and let him have his way. That’s how far gone you are with this man, Renee, no matter how hard you try to deny it.”
“I won’t. What happened today won’t happen again.”
“Really? What does this mean for your relationship, then? Are you guys back together or what?”
“What? No!” I exclaimed sharply.
“The photos I saw say otherwise.”
“What photos?”
“Paparazzi. You and Robert walked hand in hand, going to his car. Your head was on his shoulder, and you seemed to be having an intimate conversation.” Flipping through her phone, Nicole held it up for me, but I refused to look.
“Those pictures don’t mean anything, Nicole. Robert and I aren’t back together, and we never will be. And, I haven’t accepted the restaurant and-”
The shrill ring of Nicole’s cell phone stopped me mid-sentence.
Excusing herself for a minute, she answered sharply, muttering one-word responses to whoever was on the other end. When she hung up, there was a mischievous smirk on her lips.
“Who was that?” I asked.
My best friend squealed, declaring, “That was my date for tonight.”
“Your date?”
“Don’t tell me you forgot.”
“Forgot what?”
“I have a date tonight with that handsome hunk I met at the gym a few days ago. I told you, and you agreed to tag along as a third wheel.”
“Oh boy… I remember now. I don’t think I’ll be tagging along anymore.” I sighed, and Nicole shot me daggers.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“I’m not in the mood to go clubbing right now, Nicole. I have a lot on my plate, and-”
“And I know why you don’t want to go.”
“Huh?”
“You still feel loyal to Robert. Coming with me to the club involves loosening up and having a good time. It means you’re open to meeting new people, and you don’t want that, right? And Robert will be furious if-”
“Robert and I are over, Nicole! I don’t give a damn what he thinks.”
“Then come with me to the club. Let’s have a good time. After all, you’ve been cooped up in this apartment for too long. Don’t you think it’s high time you had some fun?”
“Alright. Fine. I’ll come with you,” I muttered after a few seconds of internal deliberation.
Would letting loose and having fun with my best friend hurt? Besides, I still felt haughty about what happened between Robert and me, and I needed some distraction. Going to the club with Nicole and her plus one would be a good distraction.
Even if my mind and body were screaming no!
Nicole, smiling triumphantly and patting my shoulders, cut through my thoughts and said, “Good. That’s my girl. Get up, and let’s get dressed. We’ve got a long night ahead of us.”
~~
An hour later, we arrived at the nightclub, an elegant building in the heart of downtown Orlando.
The exterior looked inviting from the outside, with golden glass windows and sleek metal walls reflecting a beautiful mixture of blue and gold.
However, things were very different on the inside. The floors were carpeted in burgundy, and hard rock music played throughout the lobby.
Large chandeliers adorned the ceiling, and lights illuminated the crowd and their dancing bodies.
A long corridor stretched out in front of us, leading to the center of the building and a pair of double doors guarded by armed guards.
This place was upscale. Very posh. A part of me was excited to finally get out of the apartment for the night-away from the constant reminders of Robert.
But another part of me was worried that I’d lose control and do something stupid or inappropriate if I drank. And Nicole liked to drink.
I rarely drank alcohol except on rare occasions, and tonight was one of those occasions.
“Greetings and welcome to Club La Paloma. What would you like to drink, ladies?” A masculine voice snapped me out of my reverie, and after blinking twice, I noticed we’d come to a halt in front of a highly ornate quartz bar countertop.
“Some hot shot tequila for the ladies and a glass of Irish whiskey for me, please.” Bruce, Nicole’s date, spoke to the bartender, who gave us a cheeky smile and then replied, “Very well, sir. Coming right up.”
I turned away from Nicole and her date when they got too handsy. My gaze roved relentlessly around the building, taking in every detail of the people at the club.
Men in high-end tailored suits crowded the dance floor, sipping cocktails, dancing, and clashing with their female partners.
The smell of cigarette smoke, sweat, and perfume lingered in the air, tingling my nostrils and making the hair on my arms stand on end.
A sudden flash of what could only be a camera had me frozen in place, and my heart thudded in my chest. Were the paparazzi here?
Had some fanciful reporter recognized me? I wasn’t in disguise, and my skimpy dress wasn’t enough to fool anyone.
My fear was quickly dispelled when I realized the flashing lights were coming from strobe lights strategically placed throughout the room.
“Oh, good grief.” I muttered, relieved.
“Here’s your drink, Renee. Bruce and I were going to the dance floor. Would you like to join us?” Nicole asked, grabbing my left arm and pulling me along before I could say anything.
“No, no. Nicole. This isn’t….” Before I could finish my sentence, Nicole had already yanked me onto the dance floor, dragging my unwilling body alongside hers toward the center of the crowd.
A few minutes later, I was thoroughly lost in the cacophony of the loud, fast tempo filling the dance floor.
I moved to the heady sound music and tried to find my footing while I spun on my axis. Arms flailing, I tried to enjoy the exhilarating sensation coursing through my body.
I was half drunk with an empty tequila glass and music pulsing in my ears. I felt invincible in my awesome imagery.
This was a lot of fun. It was pure bliss-laughing and dancing freely. To completely forget everything that’d happened in the previous few weeks, or even earlier today-the incident with Robert in his office and… cringe.
I could forget about everything here on the dance floor. Forget the anguish and hurt, the frustration and regret. Forget about a dark-haired man who plagued my senses in the worst way possible.
This man who wouldn’t leave me alone, no matter how hard I tried to push him away and regardless of what I did. He just wouldn’t let go.
His persistence was both irritating and intriguing. So, as I thought about him, even when I’d vowed not to, so many emotions swirled inside me.
I…
“Hello, baby girl.” Someone whispered loudly in my ear as they pressed themselves against my back. “I brought you something to drink. Your glass was empty.”
I didn’t respond at first. Instead, I grabbed the drink offered and poured the contents down my parched throat.
“Ah…” I exhaled, my cheeks burning crimson red as I turned to face whoever they were. “Mmmm… thank… you.” I stuttered, my lips curling into a smile as I looked up at the man before me.
Dressed in all-black attire, and blonde gelled hair slicked back, he looked handsome but in a creepy, eerie way.
“Did you enjoy the drink?” He asked, smirking and arching his brow. He stepped closer to me until he was pressed against my body.
Feeling his presence this close sent shockwaves across my skin, causing a strange and unsettling sensation to run through my spine, knocking me off balance. However, I quickly recovered.
“Yes. I did. It has a sweet flavor and… what’s the name?” I half-yelled this time because the blasting music was too loud to talk.
“Passionfruit. A nice drink for a lovely lady like you.”
“Yeah, right.” I shrugged, taking a step back, but before I could move further, he grabbed my waist and yanked me against his body.
“Hey. What are you doing?” I yelled angrily, attempting to pull away. But I was no match for him, and he gripped me tightly, refusing to let go.
“You liked my drink, and I think I deserve a better thank you, don’t I?” His words were laced with arrogance, malice, and a dangerous implication that sent shivers down my spine.
My head was also beginning to spin and hurt a little, but I maintained my stance.
“I’ve already expressed my gratitude. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need….”
“Not so fast, girl. I’ve been watching you since you walked into the club. Now that I have you, you’re not going anywhere.”
“Wait a minute, what? No! You leave me alone! Nicole!” I yelled, my terrified eyes darting around as I searched for my best friend. She was nowhere to be found.
“Looking for your friend?” He snickered, darkly laughing as he continued. “I’m sorry, but you may have lost her. Last I saw, she was making out with her date in a dark corner. Sorry to burst your bubble, sweetheart, but you’re all by yourself.”
Fear coursed down my spine. He was right.
I was alone. Nobody was here to help me-no one to save me except myself.
I was aware of how vulnerable I was. Fear took control of my mind, and I was compelled to flee. I needed to get as far away as possible. This man was evil and the hands clutching me became tighter and tighter.
I could try shouting for help. Maybe I could draw the attention of the bouncers and…I took another look around.Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.
Nobody seemed to be paying attention to me. They focused on their vices-dancing, drinking, and having a good time.
They didn’t notice the tall, muscular man with an evil glint in his eyes looming over a terrified young woman.
I decided it would be better if I fought him. I needed to stand up for myself and take action.
I screamed for help as I struggled furiously against him. I continued to push and kick him with my foot as hard as I could.
“Help! Help!” I tried to project my voice over the music.
“You’re fighting back now? Well, that’s great. I like it! I love fiery ladies. I’m sure this is how you’ll be in bed while I have my way with you.” He laughed as he tightened his grip and began to drag me away.
“Let me go. You’re hurting me!”
“Not at all, slut. You’ll think twice next time before dressing like a whore or taking drinks from a stranger. The drug should be working by now, dammit.”
“Huh? What drugs?” I asked as I felt a sharp, splitting pain in my skull.
“Don’t worry, baby girl. I’ve got you.”
“Did you put something in my drink?” All the color left my face as realization hit on me. “What did you do to me? What’s-”
My vision suddenly became even blurrier, making it impossible to walk straight.
I wanted to fight him more, to resist his advances, to put an end to what he had planned for me. But he was stronger than I thought, and he knew it.
With my shoulders slumped and every ounce of strength gone, I gave up fighting and waited for the dizziness to pass.
Helplessly and in despair, I let him take me.
Was he taking me out of the club? Or to the restroom? Or to a private section and… With the drug in my body, I couldn’t tell what was happening anymore. Everything was a blurred mess of colors, sounds, and shapes.
The only constant thing in my vision was his hand, which gripped mine even tighter than before…
“Let go of my woman!”
A familiar voice echoed through, breaking my consciousness apart and shattering every last inch of my sanity.
It couldn’t be, I told myself. But it was.
I tried to turn around in the hope of catching a glimpse of him, but my captor refused to let me go. Instead, he accelerated his pace, dragging me along.
“I said, let her go!” The familiar voice shouted from behind me, and this time there was a loud crash, and something heavy hit me square on the head.
My legs gave out from under me, my eyes spun wildly, and everything went black.