Romance with the Cursed Siren

CHAPTER 37. Unmasking Lotus

Crystal once again felt broken, though she expected little. Yet Jason’s reaction hurt her to the core. It’s been months that Crystal and Jason haven’t seen each other again and almost a year since her parents separated from her. Jason never contacted her and doesn’t have any idea what’s the update of the mission that he was working on with her. All she knew from Margaux was that the man flew to London.

Crystal continues her performance every night at Mi Paraiso while keeping her distance from humans. She refuses every luxury that is offered to her and pleads with Margaux not to let the guests take her out and in return she will have to accompany her most important client that is arriving at the Creekwood soon. She agreed as she remembers the pills that Jason gave her before.

‘That could save me.’ she presumes.

Every male customer has gone mad while Lotus is dancing in the middle of the stage, gripping the pole in the center while swaying her body gracefully until her eyes darted to a familiar face entering the paradise. Suddenly, anxiousness filled her entire system, and immediately ran off the platform to hide backstage.

“What is he doing here?” she nervously mumbled while catching her breath, holding on to her chest.

“Lotus? What happened, dear?” Margaux suddenly appeared.

“Uh, nothing. It’s just, I suddenly felt dizzy.” she reasons while dramatically pressing her temple to make Margaux believe that she’s saying the truth.

“That’s unfortunate, Lotus. Come with me, I’ll give you some medicine to make you feel better.” Margaux slipped her arms on Crystal’s and pulled her to the bedroom.

‘That medicine couldn't kill me, right?’ she hoped, biting her lower lips for lying about her health.

“By the way, there is a customer that paid you for a private performance in the VIP room,” Margaux suddenly announced as she handed Crystal the pill and a glass of water.

“Private performance?” She repeated, feeling confused.

“Yes, and you can’t say no to this. I granted your request to refuse every guest asking for you to take out and you do not know how much money we have lost by now, so you have to attend at least this one.” 

Crystal bent her head down and started getting worried. Margaux noticed her sudden expression and sighed.

“I told you not to involve your feelings while doing this job but you didn’t listen.” She suddenly scolded Crystal.

"Jason is not the type of man who will have a serious relationship with anyone working in a stripped club. He's just like our other customers who’re bored and want to discover more excitement." She added.

"Alright now, take the medicine and fix yourself." Margaux finally ordered.

While walking through the crowd behind Margaux, Crystal bends down her head, trying hard to hide her face as she knows Gabriel is just around. She brought some sedatives and put them inside her brassier, though she is not sure if it really works.

'It has to.' She claimed

The moment Margaux opens the door of the VIP room, Crystal shivers down her spine and swallows several times with her dry throat. Seeing Gabriel inside the same room, making out with another woman on the couch while his friend, who has a wide grin, welcomed her.

“Mr. Diaz, here’s your request, my most exquisite angel that will surely complete your night, Lotus,” Margaux announced enticingly and pushed the lady inside the room that poorly lightened up by the dim light and the brightness that came from the screen of the wide flat television in front of the L-shaped couch and center table.

“Finally! Thank you so much. Now I’ll be soon getting the answers of what magic you have to make everyone crazy over you, including me of course.” he said as he stood up and extended his hand forward to invite her.

“Hi, I’m Axel.” But Crystal suddenly lost her voice as she felt terrified about the scene that was happening inside the room. Axel noticed her uneasiness.

“Just don’t mind them, come on,” he said and held the small of her back with no permission.

“Thank you so much, Margaux. But I can handle it from here.”

Crystal jerked her head around to look at Margaux with her pleading eyes, but the aged woman only answered with her sharp ones.

“Alright, I’m going now. Enjoy you guys.” She bid goodbye before she turned away.

“Lotus, your hand is shaking, are you still not used to this kind of view, huh?” leading her to the other side of the couch, but the lady didn’t answer. She kept her head down to cover her face as much as possible. Gabriel shifted to greet Lotus and push the lady he was kissing with, but she didn’t let him and deepened the kiss even more. Crystal was biting her lower lip under her silk mask to suppress her emotion as she tried hard not to have a glimpse of the horrible scene.

"Hey! Would you stop that!? This is supposed to be my night, right?" Axel complains, and that's when the two stop kissing, and Crystal recognizes the woman Gabriel is kissing with is Rose.

"By the way, Lotus. This is my friend Gab. He is such a hopeless romantic guy that is why he acts like a teenager who is about getting his first time on the bed." Axel ridiculously announced that made Gabriel huffed in irritation.

"Look who's talking. Among us, it is you who keeps on dreaming about this masked girl just like the other insane men outside while I'm already content with the comfort of my angel here." Gabriel remarked and pinched Rose's chin teasingly and pecked her.

“f**k off." Axel pushes Gabriel.

"Anyway, why don’t we take this off to show your beauty, huh?” Axel said and about to pull the fabric from her face but she quickly gripped it tight.

"Ma-maybe later?" She timidly said.

"Are you scared of me? Don't worry, I'll be gentle." Axel whispered in her ear as he started caressing her thighs. That was being exposed because the hem of her dress pulled up when she sat down.

"Maybe she is more comfortable when dancing, aren't you? Why don't you show us your moves?" Gabriel suddenly interrupted and played music in the background.

"That's a good idea. Come on, angel, dance for me." Axel added excitedly and stood up, pulling Crystal to start her performance.

They played slow music while Axel pulled Crystal in the center. She took a deep breath and looked at Axel's eyes before she finally started swaying her hips.

'Why would I be scared or shy? He didn't care for me, anyway. You should hate him, Crystal! Hate him, for leaving you, for breaking his promise and lying to you!' She furiously thought, taking a deep breath.

"I like your eyes," the man she is dancing with commented, holding her waist while Gabriel is watching them studying the lady's moves and body as it seems familiar to him, but whiffed his head.

'Impossible.' He thought and grabbed the shot glass on the table with whiskey. Rose pulled him for a cuddle, but the man refuses as he keeps his gaze on the woman that his friend is dancing sexily with.

Axel was so drowned by her hypnotic aura and kissed her forehead down to her nose and finally, her lips above the thin silk fabric that is now damp with their spit as Crystal kisses him back. Crystal wonders about the kiss as it feels numb now, unlike the first kisses she has before.

'And I will not let Gabriel bring back my weaknesses.' Crystal bravely thought as she finally let Axel pull the mask away from her face, revealing her temptress siren beauty.

Axel smirked as he felt fortunate to have the chance to see her face that everyone is craving for and pinch her chin with his fingers, pulling her face closer to him, but it shocked everyone when suddenly Gabriel pushed him hard aside, causing Axel to stumble on the ground.

"What the heck, bro!?" Axel groaned.

Gabriel just ignored his friend and turned around to face Crystal. He was heavily breathing while his chest was pounding so hard up and down, glaring down at her.

"Lotus, huh?" He grumbled, roaming his eyes to her body from head to toe.

"How could you do this?" His muscles on the jaw flicked with so much anger while fisting his hand. Crystal was only looking back at him with her stony expression.

"Hey, what's your problem, man!?" Axel got up from the floor, blocking Gabriel's sight to the lady as hid her behind him.

"Where's Margaux?" Gabriel turned to Rose.

"Uh, I don't know." She answered in a shaky voice.

"You two, get out." He firmly commands Axel and the other lady, but Axel holds Crystal's wrist and pulls her towards the door. Gabriel quickly grabs her other arm, not letting his friend take Crystal.

"Get off her." He ordered, gripping Crystal tightly.

"No, are you crazy? What is happening to you, Gab?" Axel refused to obey, and that's when Gabriel suddenly pulled out a gun behind him and raised it in front of his friend.

"Oh, wa-wait! Seriously?" Axel unbelievably complained, but Gabriel didn't change his expression.

"I said, get your hands off her." Again he demanded with his venomous glares. 

"You too, get out!" He yelled at Rose. The trembling lady took a glance at Crystal first before she stepped out of the room, following Axel, and Gabriel moved quickly, locking the door.

Crystal doesn't move an inch from her spot while Gabriel is pacing around the room while also pouring some whiskey into his shot glass each time, pressing his temple for its sudden pain. He waited for the lady to speak, but the latter just kept her mouth shut.

"Why aren't you speaking?" Gabriel suddenly asked, towering over her but still got no answer from the lady who was acting tough in front of him while biting the skin inside her mouth.

"Fine, you're coming with me, I'm taking you out from this awful place." He grabbed her wrist, but Crystal quickly pulled it away.

"Leave me," she shortly uttered, which made Gabriel shut his eyes as he savored her voice in his ear.

Crystal took her steps towards the door, but before she could reach for the doorknob, Gabriel quickly grabbed her and pinned her to the wall.

"I never thought you'd become as cheap as you are now." Gabriel hissed in a revolting manner, looking straight into her eyes until his sight darted her lips and stared at it.

"I wonder how many men have kissed these lips," he disgustingly added, as he wiped her lips with his thumb harshly putting a stinging feeling on the lady’s skin. But Crystal suddenly smirked, causing the man to get annoyed even more.

"Honestly, I have lost count." She mocks him.

"I see, so, no more innocent Crystal, huh?" Their eyes were fighting each other furiously as hate scattered both in their hearts, with the thought of they have betrayed by one another. But when Gabriel realized that he finally found Crystal, the longing in his heart is much overwhelming.