Nightmare at Club X

Chapter 3

     Dominique went to work and interviewed for a new bartender over the next week. The last interview she sat up was one she didn’t want to. It was her ex fiancée. They had been young and dumb but he had hurt her in ways she never would’ve thought possible. She hadn’t seen him in two years. Why had she set this up? She had a right not to interview him. But knowing him, he would try to pull some crap and say it was illegal and drag her through the mud. 

     She sighed and walked out to the bar. Her blood ran cold as she saw the son of a b***h who broke her two years ago. It had taken her forever to get her life back together. She was just starting her business when their relationship had ended. It took Post and Melissa helping with the club to keep it going while she fought to come back from the deadness she had inside. She was so depressed that she had tried to kill herself. If Melissa hadn’t been checking on her everyday, she would be dead. Her stomach was pumped to remove all the pills and alcohol she’d consumed.

     Dominique sat in front of Tim and looked at him. He hadn’t changed. Same blonde hair, green eyes, and stupid grin. She had tried to forgive him and move on but seeing him today let her know that she still hadn’t. She opened her notebook and pulled out his resume.

     “Mr. Lithe, I’ve reviewed your application. Frankly, your work record doesn’t speak well.”

     “Dominique, its been a while. How have you been?”

     “Mr. Lithe, this is an interview. I would appreciate it if you remained professional.”

     “Aw, come on. I’m just trying to make small talk. You know, playing catch up on the past two years. Just want to know how you’ve been.”

     “How I’ve been? You didn’t stick around or care to find out when you decided it was over. When you decided to go f**k that w***e of yours. How’s that going by the way?”

     Tim looked at his hands and then looked back up at her. “She wasn’t a permanent thing. Just a bit of fun.”

     “So she left you too, huh? Not surprising. Well, since this isn’t really an interview anymore, I’ll tell you how I’ve been. After you did what you did, I broke down. Started drinking a lot. Found out I was pregnant. Lost the baby from stress and all the drinking I had done before I found out. Three months pregnant,” Dominique spat at him.

     Tim looked shocked. “Was it mine?”

     Dominique almost jumped over the table and strangled him. All she could think of was murdering him right where he sat.

     “Yes, you jackass. I’m not a w***e like you!” Dominique spat.

     “I didn’t mean that, Dom. Just didn’t know. I’m sorry. I never meant for any of that to happen. I was stupid. But I actually am looking for a job. I didn’t just apply because I knew this was your bar. I figured it would mess with my chances of actually getting hired though.”

     Dominique decided not to tell him she had been so devastated over losing him and the baby that she had tried to kill herself. What was the sense of giving him that power? She sighed, wanting this interview or whatever it was to just be over. She closed her notebook and stood up.

     “Thank you for coming in, Mr. Lithe. I will consider every applicant as I make my decision.”

     “Why didn’t you tell me? About the baby I mean?”

     “What difference would that have made? At the time I found out, I didn’t ever want to see you again. If I was going to keep it, I never would have told you. I didn’t want to be anywhere around you, let alone raising a child with you.”

     “That’s messed up, Dom. No matter our issues, I would have helped raise my child.”

     “Don’t call me that ever again. You have no right to call me any pet names. Ever.”

     “Ok, Ms. Reed. Thank you for your time,” Tim said as he stood up. 

     He held out his hand and she begrudgingly shook it. She showed him to the door and locked it. It was hours before time to open. She went to her office and closed the door. Once she was in her chair, she burst in to tears. How could the asshole that turned her world in to ashes still upset her so much? Why was she letting him get to her? She pulled the necklace she always wore out from under her shirt. She looked at it and cried some more. Her baby had been so tiny but she had the tiny body cremated. The ashes of Lily Rose that were in the necklace was all she had left. 

     She thought of her daughter often. She would be almost two now. She wondered what she would look like. Would she have looked like her? Would her hair color be so black that it almost looked blue in the sunlight like hers? Would she have her bright green eyes? Or would she look like her father? Would she be strong willed like her mother? She imagined her toddling around the office. Dominique felt her heart breaking all over again. She opened her desk drawer and took one of her pills. She hated them but her depression had never went away. 

     She sighed and got up to splash water on her face. She didn’t want anyone to know she had been crying. It was none of their business what she was going through. She hadn’t even told Melissa about the medication. No need in her worrying about Dominique taking them all at once to end it. She had been managing her depression until today. Now she felt like she had been set way back in her progress. Maybe Melissa was right. Maybe she needed to get back out there and date. Maybe she could find some type of happiness.

     Did she really want to put herself through that again though? Was she willing to put herself back out there and have to wade through the bullshit to find someone? And what if she didn’t? What if there wasn’t someone out there for her? She shook her head. If she reached thirty and there was no one for her, she would simply have a baby by herself. There was always artificial insemination. She muttered yeah right to herself and got back to work.

     Over the next week, Dominique went back through the applications. She finally settled on one. She just hoped he worked out. She gave him a call and offered him the job. He accepted and agreed to come in and start training. 

     Dominique was pretty happy with the new bartender. Shane worked hard. He didn’t complain, showed up to work early, and had a great personality. Dominique continued testing her machines. Sometimes her dreams invaded her work. She wasn’t even having to sleep anymore to have them. It was like she was having visions. She was starting to wonder if she should see a therapist about them. 

     Dominique went down to the bar. She got on stage along with Post and Melissa. As she sang and played, she noticed a man making his way towards the stage. He was hot. She watched him as he finally got to the stage. He wasn’t just hot, he was gorgeous. His dark brown, almost black hair, was just touching his shoulders. His eyes looked dark but that could’ve just been the lighting. He had a goatee and a chiseled looking face. His body was well built. He obviously worked out. 

     Every time she looked at him, Dominique caught him looking at her. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Dominique felt her body heat up. She hadn’t felt attracted to anyone in a long time. But this felt different somehow. She kept looking at him and she found herself staring in to his eyes and it was like she was singing for him alone. He never looked away. 

     After the set was over, Dominique turned the music on so people could continue to dance. When she got off the stage, the man was still standing there. Melissa came over and grabbed her arm while walking towards the bar.

     “That guy keeps staring at you,” Melissa said in to Dominique’s ear.

     “I know. I don’t know whether to be flattered or freaked out. Do I know him from somewhere? I don’t think I do, but, maybe he thinks we know each other?”

     “He’s definitely hot. Why don’t you go talk to him? You deserve love and happiness. If nothing else it would get me off your back about going to a dating site,” Melissa smirked.

     “Ugh. You are impossible. I’m not walking up to a total stranger and flirting with him.”

     “Scaredy cat!” Melissa said as they sat at the bar.

     Dominique ordered a drink and had just gotten it as the man sat down beside her. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. He didn’t order anything. Instead, he turned towards her and put his hand on her shoulder. She felt her body tense, but at the same time, she felt a tingling sensation go through her. What did that mean?

     “Excuse me? Am I correct that you are the owner of this bar?” the mystery man asked.

     “Depends on whose asking,” Dominique replied.

     He smiled and she felt like someone had just blinded her. His smile was even gorgeous. His eyes still looked dark, almost black, but she knew that wasn’t possible. She felt her face get hot as his smile widened. Did he think she was checking him out? Aren’t you checking him out? she thought to herself.

     He held out his hand and said, “My name is Nathaniel.”

     Dominique was a little taken aback. The man she had been dreaming about was named Nathaniel. Was she dreaming about this man? But how could that be? She’d never seen him before tonight. And besides, she had never seen the man in her dreams. It was just a coincidence. 

     She placed her hand in his and it felt like electricity going up her arm. Her breathing quickened. Instead of shaking her hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. Oh, he was good. She was all flustered and had no idea why. She’d never had this reaction to anybody before. The man was gorgeous for sure, but she had seen a lot of gorgeous men. She’d even had a few men hit on her in the club. None of them had ever gotten a reaction out of her, let alone this electric shock running through her.

     “Well, I asked around and some of the locals said you owned the bar. Are you the owner or just in the house band?”

     “What is it you want, Mr. ?.....” Dominique trailed off.

     “I prefer if you call me Nathaniel, but the last name is Black. And your name is?”

     “Well, Mr. Black, if you asked around then you should already know my name. And you still didn’t answer my question.”

     He smiled that 1,000 mega watt smile of his and said, “I just stopped in to check out the local club. I just moved here. And all I asked was if the owner of the club was here. They pointed to you and said it was the girl on stage, singing. So, may I please have your name?”

     “It’s Dominique. Dominique Reed. Nice to meet you, Nathaniel.”

     “Now about my other question, Dominique. Is it okay if I call you Dominique?”

     “It's fine. What other question are you referring to?”

     “Are you the owner or just in the house band?”

     “I figured we had already established I’m the owner since my regulars told you I was. Obviously I’m in the house band since you saw me singing. This is my good friend Melissa, who plays the guitar. My brother, Post, is our drummer.”

     “I see. Are you looking for anyone else for your band?”

     Dominique looked at him. Was he a musician? A singer? An agent for someone? She had wanted to bring someone else in that could play a guitar. She just hadn’t put the time in to finding someone. Music had always been a passion of hers. She just played in the club to give life to that passion. She had never wanted to get famous from it. She wasn’t sure if anyone else would want that fame so she really hadn’t bothered. 

     “Do you play an instrument or are you asking for someone else?”

     “I play guitar. I do it in my spare time. I’m a businessman first. An investor really. So, to have something to relax me, I picked up the guitar.”

     “Have you ever played in a band before?”

     “No. But I would like to expand playing at home. I’d be willing to audition for you. And if you don’t like what you hear, you can always tell me no,” Nathaniel replied, turning on that smile again.

     She felt like she was on my fire. This man was sexy, charming, and he knew it. Bad combination to have around if she wanted to not turn in to a drool bucket. She figured he wasn’t hitting on her, but rather trying to get her to let him in the band. She could see how he would be a good salesman. Every woman would want to buy from him. Every man would want to show his woman he was better than the salesman. The way she felt around him, was it a good idea to keep him coming around?

     “Have you went anywhere else trying to get in to a band?”

     “No. I checked out a few bands but they didn’t really fit my style. I want to play to relax me. I want to play with people who aren’t so serious about their band. I’m not trying to go on tour or get a record deal. I have a business to run during the day. I only venture out at night.”

     Dominique found that strange, but okay. Who never went out during the day? She almost asked him was he a vampire or something. She turned her head away to hide the chuckle at the thought. She looked at Melissa, but she was too busy chatting up some guy.

     “Alright, Nathaniel. I’ll let you audition. I have to get Post and Melissa together so we can all hear you. Can you come back next week? We always practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

     “What time do you want me here on Tuesday?”

     “We practice at 7 pm for a couple of hours. That way we are already here to open the club.”

     “Alright. I’ll be here.”

     Dominique watched his face as she told him the time. He had an odd look on his face. The idea of him being a vampire came back to mind. She shook her head trying to clear it of that thought. How silly of her. She downed her drink and stood up.

     “Well, Nathaniel, now that you have the answer you came for, I will say goodbye to you. I have some things to check on.”

     “Will you be busy the rest of the night?”

     “Maybe. Why do you ask?”

     “Do you dance, Dominique?”

     “Sometimes. Every once in a while someone will ask me to dance. Occasionally I accept. It’s usually one of my regulars. Why do you ask?”

     “I did mention that I wanted to check out the local club. I didn’t come in here looking for a band to audition for. I’ve danced with a few women. But you’re the one who caught my attention. Would you be willing to save a dance for me tonight?”

     “Um, sure, I guess. If you’re still here, I’ll find you.”

     “I’ll be here for the rest of the night. I look forward to seeing you later,” Nathaniel said, taking her hand and kissing it again.

     Dominique walked away, heading to the stairs and her office. Melissa caught up to her. She was grinning from ear to ear. Dominique rolled her eyes at her and kept walking. 

     “Sooooo....I see you had a pretty lengthy conversation with Mr. Sexy back there. Going to see him again?” Melissa asked.

     “Yes, on Tuesday. He’s coming to audition for us,” Dominique replied.

     “Seriously? That’s it? I thought he was checking you out. You didn’t flirt with him even a little?”

     “No, Melissa. I did tell him I may dance with him later. That’s about as far as that went. He asked for a dance and I said if I wasn’t busy later I would find him.”

     “You’re going to find him later, right?”

     “Probably not. He just wants to convince me to let him in to the band. He wasn’t flirting, Melissa. Besides, I’ve told you that I don’t want to date.

     Why are you lying to her? You are lonely. You crave the affection and another’s touch. And things have gotten even worse since Tim was here. You’ve been dwelling on the past too much lately. You need to move on. You need to find someone to give you what you’re craving. Hell, even just s*x would be better than being lonely all the time. Maybe you could find someone that would help with the depression so you could get off the medication. You could be happy again. 

     “Dominique, I’m not going to let this go. You can either dance with that man or I can rag on you about not doing it for the rest of your life.”

     Dominique sighed and agreed to one dance with him. Suddenly, she felt the dizziness she always did before the dreams, visions, or whatever they were hit. She told Melissa she had to go and ran up the stairs to her office. She had no sooner closed and locked the door when it hit.

     Rose was cleaning Nathaniel’s room when a maid came to fetch her. She told her she had orders to take her to her room. Rose didn’t like that. She had been ordered around by Nathaniel for months now. She had tried to play the broken girl, but she never managed to actually do it. He would order her to do something and she would always say something sarcastic or be defiant. He had recently started ordering her to draw his bath and then would order her to bathe him. 

     He had embarrassed her, but her will remained unbroken. She cleaned his room, changed his bedding, washed his clothes and bedding, and bathed him. She cleaned out the horse stalls, and took care of his horse. She had found a way to escape for a time when she stated she was going to exercise his horse. She took the horse in to the woods and rode him.

     The maid took her not to her room but the bath. There was a gown laid out and scented soap. Her brush laid on the small table. The bath was full. Why did she bring her here? And why was there a night gown there along with scented soaps? Was she to bathe a woman for Nathaniel now? Was this her next punishment to break her?

     “You are to bathe and then I will help dress you,” the maid said.

     “What? Why would you need to help dress me? And what am I to dress in?”

     The maid nodded to the nightclothes and said, “Nathaniel requested this, Rose. I am only doing as requested. Now please undress and get in to the bath.”

     Rose did not like this one bit. She did as she was told. She bathed with the scented soaps. The maid washed her hair. When it was done, she dressed her in the night clothes. She brushed her long hair out and then braided it. Once that was done, she put a dress coat over her and walked her back to Nathaniel’s room. The maid had her lay down on the bed and left.

     Nathaniel ate and drank with his knights for a good portion of the night. He had done everything he could think of to break Rose. She had tried to make him believe she was broken but the gleam of fire in her eyes was something she could not hide. He wanted her but he had stopped himself many a time from taking her. Her father had told him she had never lain with a man before. He would be the only man to be with her. He had decided to keep her with him. He wanted her and tonight he would have her. 

     He finally excused himself from the rest of the men and staggered to his room. He had drunk too much mead. He opened the door and found his prize waiting on the bed as asked. He walked over to the bed and saw her eyes were closed. His eyes trailed down her body and he noticed her chest was heaving. She was awake and feigning sleep. 

     He sat on the bed and trailed his hand down her body. He felt her tense. He stopped on her breasts and untied the gown so he could shove his hand under. Her skin was soft and her breasts were plump. He leaned down and whispered in her ear for her to open her eyes and look at him.

     She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. There was no fear there, just defiance. He smiled. There was his spitfire. She tried to sit up but he pushed her back down. 

     “Do you think you will be defiant and I will let it continue? You are mine to do what I wish with.”

     “I told you before, M’Lord, that I would not lay down like a dog and let you do as you wish.”

     He chuckled as he said, “But you will.”

     He pulled her to her feet as he stood up. He yanked her against him and went to kiss her. She turned her head so he caught her cheek. His arm tightened around her to hold her against him as he grabbed her chin with the other hand and forced her to look at him. He kissed her harshly. She bit his lip. He grunted as he tasted blood. 

     He pulled back and said, “You’ll pay for that. Take my boots off.”

     At first she didn’t but when his hand started towards her face, she bent down to avoid the slap. She took his boots off and stood up. He then instructed her to undress him, slowly. She moved quickly instead as she pulled his shirt over his head and untied his breeches. Rose hesitated taking them off. 

     Nathaniel grabbed her hands and pushed them under his breeches and pushed them down along with her hands. Rose knew this would end badly. She could smell the mead on him. She knew he was drunk. If she fought him, she would be hurt worse. She pulled his breeches the rest of the way down. His manhood was in her face as she pulled the breeches off when he lifted his feet. Her face was hot. She had never been with a man or seen one naked. Nathaniel had not made her wash that part of him. 

     She was scared but intrigued. She had often wondered what it would be like to lay with him. Her body was having a reaction she had never had before. Her stomach felt like it was in knots but also felt like butterflies were beating their wings in it. Nathaniel jerked her up and against him. The nightgown she wore was very thin. She felt every inch of him pressed against her. His manhood was pressed in to her belly. 

     He kissed her again but this time he thrust his tongue in her mouth. She had never kissed a man, especially not like this. Nathaniel’s kisses were rough. Rose felt as though he was bruising her lips. His hands were trying to undo the buttons on the back of her gown. She felt a growl against her neck. Her body jerked as he ripped the gown and she heard the buttons hit the floor.

     Rose tried to push him away as he pulled the gown down to her waist. He grabbed her hands and moved her arms to her sides as he pulled back so he could see her. She felt his manhood jerk against her and she felt her face get extremely hot. He began kissing on her neck and she struggled against him as his mouth found her breast. She tried to fight him but she found what he was doing was pleasurable. She moaned as her body betrayed her. The more she fought the tighter his grip on her got. He was hurting her. His hands finally released her arms and grabbed the gown. He ripped it off her and she stumbled. 

     Nathaniel grabbed her and pushed her on the bed. He climbed on top of her and his hands moved roughly over her. When he thrust his fingers inside of her, she gasped, and slapped him. He slapped her back. She was in shock. No man had ever hit her, not even her own father. 

     “Do not do that again. I do not wish to hit a woman, but I will not tolerate you hitting me either.”

     Rose nodded and closed her eyes, trying to fight the tears. His hands gentled as he began moving them again. He played with her breasts as his fingers began working themselves in and out of her. She gasped as she felt a strange sensation in between her thighs as his fingers curled inside of her and his thumb began rubbing over a small space just inside her folds.

     “Open your eyes, Rose. Look at me,” Nathaniel commanded.

     Rose did as asked even though she found it difficult. Her body felt foreign to her as emotions and feelings she had never had crashed down on her. She had still tried to move her body away from his but it was betraying her wishes. He told her to touch him and she was not sure what to do. So, she simply ran her hands over his chest, his arms, and his back. 

     He took her hand and placed it over his manhood. She felt embarrassed but began to move her fingers over him. He groaned and she felt emboldened. She had no idea how to please a man. Stroking her fingers over him did not seem to satisfy him as he wrapped her fingers around him and began to move her hand up and down. She shyly began doing as he had instructed. His fingers were moving faster now as his mouth bit and sucked on her breasts. It was painful when he bit her but somehow it made her want more. 

     Rose let out a loud moan as she felt a shudder run through her and felt her womanhood clench around his fingers and relax. Nathaniel moved up her body and laid on top of her. He kissed her lips as he thrust himself inside of her. She screamed against his mouth and her nails raked down his back. He grunted as he felt her nails slice in to his flesh. He tried to hold himself back to give her time to become comfortable with him being inside of her. 

     He did not hold himself back long before he moved faster and faster, taking her as he had wanted to all along. She was his and his alone. No other man would touch her ever again. He let out what sounded like a growl to Rose as he spilled his seed inside of her. She felt no pleasure from his actions, only pain. She had not been prepared for what he had done and had felt pain immediately when he had pushed himself inside of her. 

     The pain had not fully subsided as he had begun to move and the faster he moved, the sharper the pain became. She held her tears back as best she could. When he had finished, he had laid on top of her. She felt as though she was suffocating. After a few minutes, he rolled off of her and pulled her on to her side and against him.

     Nathaniel put his cheek on hers and whispered in her ear, “You are mine. No other man will ever have you.”

     Rose felt her heart break. He intended to keep her here. He was not going to take her back to her father. She would never know love as she belonged to him now and he had told her father that he had no intention of marrying her. Her body was hurting but not as much as her heart. When she felt his arm grow heavy and heard his breathing change, she slipped off the bed carefully. She grabbed the night coat and wrapped it tightly around herself. She sat in front of the fire and felt pain throughout her body. The rug at least was soft. Curling in to a ball on it, she cried herself to sleep. 

     Nathaniel awoke to find the bed cold beside him. His head ached from the mead he had drunk. His back ached as well. He had gotten very drunk before coming to find Rose. He had not intended that. Had she left his room after he had fallen asleep? Looking around he saw the nightclothes he had ripped off of her. On the other side of the bed near the dying fire, he saw something laying on the rug. 

     He got out of the bed and stoked the fire by adding logs to it. Then he turned towards the small ball on the floor. It was Rose. Her face was bruised from where he had slapped her. He had not been as gentle with her as he had planned. He cursed himself as he saw her body where the overcoat laid open. Her skin was pale and the bruises stood prominent against it. He sighed and went to pick her up. Her body was cold. 

     Rose felt hands on her body. She was sore and hurting. She moaned in pain as she was picked up off the floor. What was happening? She was too tired to open her eyes. The warmth emanating from the body picking her up was what she snuggled in to. She was so cold. But as she felt herself being placed on the bed, the night before came rushing back to her. She was now fully awake and scrambling to get away from Nathaniel. 

     He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back towards him as he said,” Calm down, Rose. I have no intention of hurting you.”

     Rose turned and looked at him. The fear he saw in her eyes as he tried to touch her broke his heart. He had officially broken her. His spitfire was no longer there. 

     Dominique came to on the floor of her office. She groaned at the ache in her head and body. She’d passed out and hit the floor. The pain Rose had felt was still with her. Why was this happening to her? She began to cry as she thought she was going crazy.