The look she got from the men in the booth told her all she needed to know. They enjoyed the show very much. Inéz smiled during her routine, positive that the job was already hers. She was moving her hips each time she got away from the pole and relied on her strength whenever she was on it. Each move was different and most were complex, though nothing Inéz couldn’t handle. Everything was wrapped perfectly in grace mixed with a hint of sex. That’s what was expected of her.
When the song came to an end, the adrenaline wore out, and in came the shame of what she’d done. The hungry gazes that men were giving her made her feel cheap and unworthy. Something she had never felt before. As a student body president, she had always been admired and liked. No one ever based their opinion only on her looks, but also her character. And they liked it. She liked it. But it wasn’t the case anymore. High school ended and she began a new life. One that was going to change her. There was no point denying it. However, if that was supposed to be the feeling she might have to get used to, she didn’t want any part of it.
She came up to Gastone who smirked making her even more disgusted. How could a man like him get off on something like this? He could easily be her father. But he didn’t have any daughters, so there was no use trying to make him see things differently. For him, it was pure lust and her age played no part here. Made Men used girls for sex and fun. It was their way.
"That was spectacular," said the Capodecina. "Come here tomorrow around three in the afternoon. Alberto will give you all the information you might need."
§ § §
Inéz decided to walk home. It was after midnight but she didn’t care. It was not like anyone was looking after her. It would ruin the whole plan. And starting from today, she would live only fifteen minutes from the club. Noah had bought her a small studio apartment so that there would be no suspicion as to where the girl lived, and no one, who might follow her, would see her get into the building where Falcone’s penthouse was. Gastone would do a background check on the girl since many Made Men were paranoid about being caught by the police or someone else. And Inéz would get a whole new life for the time being.
Layla Acero was a Spanish twenty-one-year-old girl. An only child who’d lived with her parents in Madrid all her life. She had decided to move to Las Vegas after getting into a fight with them. Soon, she got desperate for money, which pushed her to audition for the dancer’s job in Gastone’s nightclub. Or at least that’s what everyone would find about her when they did the research.
Thinking of the night’s events, she was already fed up with the job but knew better than to say anything to Noah, or plead with him to change his plan. It wouldn’t work on the Capo unless it was his own idea.
She reached out for her phone, dialing the number of the only person she wanted to talk to at that moment.
"It’s been a while. Did you forget you have a brother?"
Francisco’s voice came through the phone as cheerful and full of energy as always. But instead of giving Inéz happiness, she felt the tears slip out and roll down her cheeks. She missed her twin a lot, even wished for his 'I told you so' in spite of how annoying it would be. The man had always been prejudiced when it came to Lynette, believed the rumors going around the school about her being in the mafia, and thought of her as dangerous. It had all turned outtobetrueintheend.Hehadhisflaws,butthey’dnevermatteredtoInézbecauseshe would always love him with all her heart. As twins, they were almost always inseparable and fighting was just their way of staying sane in each other’s company for so many years. A normal brother and sister relationship. One that the girl wished to have back.
"Hello? Inéz, are you there?" She sniffled, trying to get herself together. "What happened?"
"I just had a bad day. Nothing major," she lied. "How are you doing?"
"I’m alright, but that doesn’t matter right now. Talk to me." He sounded really concerned. "Come on, I think you sometimes forget that you have been my constant shadow for most of my life, and I know you better than you think. It’s around one in the morning there, and you wouldn’t be calling if it was something as stupid as a bad day," he added.
Inéz smiled, realizing how well Francisco could read her. It had always been like this. Warmth settled in her heart. "I’m making one bad decision after the other, Cisco. How the hell did I get to this point? Out of both of us, I’ve always been the one to do the right thing. And now I’m screwing everything up."
Francisco laughed. "Sorry, it’s just so hilarious that you still believe you’re the reasonable one. That ship has long sailed, sister."
"Shut up, Cisco. You’re supposed to make me feel better," she groaned but found herself quite calm. Her brother wasn’t trying to be mean to her. She could always easily differentiate between his plain rudeness and amusement.
"You don’t have to be strong all the time. Allow yourself a small moment of weakness. There’s nothing wrong with it, Inéz. And bad decisions can teach you too. Make the best out of each one, and don’t look back. What happened, happened. Besides, I’m pretty sure that you’d be able to talk your way out of hell itself."
It was so refreshing to have someone who didn’t require the whole truth from her. Francisco knew that if she wanted to make allusions, but not voice out her actual concerns, he had to let her. Ever since they’d been little,
