MY BUTTERFLY
1072 Words
CARLISLE’S POV
"Boss, I promise I didn’t take what I was charged for!"
Bino’s voice was shrill and her body trembling as she knelt on the dirty floor of the club’s back office. Her hands clutched the hem of her dress, shaking as she pleaded for her life.
I sighed, leaning back in the worn leather chair, the faint creak barely audible over the pounding bass from the club outside. Smoke curled from my cigarette as I inhaled deeply, letting the nicotine settle into my veins. The dim, flickering light above cast shone across the room.
For a moment, I was somewhere else. A memory slithered into my thoughts. The charming curve of her back, the way her eyes widened with defiance the night I first saw her dance. That little butterfly… Red. She was supposed to be here, annoying I haven't seen her yet.
I exhaled sharply, dismissing the thought.
"Boss, what do we do to her?" Perry, my right-hand man, murmured at my side. His voice was low, controlled. The room reeked of sweat and desperation.
My gaze shifted to Bino. Her pitiful sobs were irritating and they lacked sincerity. A real beggar knew how to grovel. She was stalling.
"Beat her up," I ordered coldly.
The moment Perry’s boot connected with her ribs, a scream tore from her throat, raw and desperate.
"Wait! Boss! I know something that might interest you!" Her voice cracked, laced with something vile.
I flicked my cigarette into the ashtray, bored. "Perry."
Perry didn’t hesitate, his foot drawing back for another blow.
"She’s pregnant!"
The words slammed into me like a bullet. My muscles stiffened, the air in the room turning suffocating. I raised a hand, signalling Perry to stop.
Pregnant? I turned my chair slowly, my pulse steady but my mind racing. There was something about that word. Something that burned.
"What are you trying to do?" Perry sneered, stepping forward, but I slammed my palm against the desk, rattling the glass bottles stacked in the corner.
The room fell silent.
Bino coughed, lifting her gaze to me, a sickening smile creeping onto her lips. She knows she has my attention now.
"She—Leah!" she said triumphantly, eyes glinting.
I went still, my blood frozen for a moment.
"Who's Leah?" I asked as I couldn't fathom who the f**k was Leah.
Before Perry could speak, Bino cut in. "The lady you took the last time you came here. Red."
A slow, burning sensation crawled up my spine. The image of her. I only knew her by Red. Her deadly stare, her soft, trembling breath, and the way her body tensed whenever I was near—flashed through my mind.
Perry cleared his throat, stepping forward. "Boss, she’s not a stripper. She was only sent to you after Nicole—"
"Where is she?" My voice was steady, but the air in the room shifted.
Bino hesitated, her confidence faltering. "She quit." A sharp silence fell over the room.
"What?" My tone was a razor’s edge over the still room.
"She said she was quitting this morning. I don't think she wants to keep the baby, Boss. She was furious after learning about your identity—"
My jaw locked, my mind going blank for a split second before a slow, dark rage seeped in. How dare she?
"Find her. Immediately," I said, voice deadly calm.
I pushed away from the desk, standing. The room suddenly felt too small, too confined.
"Anything happens to the baby…" I turned to Perry, my voice a low warning. "You all are dead."
My words settled into the room, but my breath caught in my throat. I had a child. Finally, my own. My child. My heir. And she wanted to erase it? No. I wouldn’t allow it.
There she was. Those sharp gazes glared into my eyes every time. This time, something accompanied it. Rage, but she wasn't the only one angry. I was, too, 'cause how dare she want to leave with my first child?
"I heard you have something that's mine, Red."
"No, you're not supposed to know! You're not supposed to be here!" Her breath came out shaky.
I hated how she looked at me. How she judged me with those beautiful eyes. However, I chuckled. "Your friend, darling... doesn't know how to keep a secret when money is involved, darling. I came looking for you, but you quit? You quit, and you're packing. Are you running from me? With my baby?"
DAYS LATER.
The private lounge of Nicholas's estate was dim and the air thick with smoke and the scent of aged whiskey.
Nicholas Moretti leaned back in his chair, swirling a glass of scotch in one hand, the other resting casually on the armrest. But he wasn't relaxed.
I exhaled slowly, fingers tapping against the wooden desk. "And what did we do about it?"
Nicholas smirked, taking a sip. "Handled the first two. The third?" He placed his glass down with a soft clink. "A little more complicated."
I leaned forward, my patience thinning. "Explain."
"Inside job." A muscle in my jaw ticked.
"Someone fed them the schedule." Nicholas shrugged. "We caught one of the runners, but he was already gutted by the time we got to him. Someone’s cleaning up their mess."
The door barged open, and Perry rushed in, surprised etched his features as he spotted Nicholas.
"I'm sorry, Mr Moretti..." he said and walked towards me, whispering.
"It's Red. She escaped last night." My gaze caught Nicholas, he seemed curious for a moment.
"Find her," I said, my gaze darkened, looking at him.
"The tracker is only connected to your phone, Boss," he said and lowered his gaze. I signalled for him to step away once I had her location.
"Nicholas, I'm sorry I can't stay, but can you do me a favour? My butterfly seems to have flown into your hotel. Do you mind?"
He smirked, gazing up at me. "A woman? Your woman? It's been forever."
"I'd like this to be discreet." I turned to Perry. "Get me a new cloth, this reeks."
Nicholas watched Perry storm out of the room before turning to me. "Why? You look‐"
"She's a bit— sensitive to smell. The smell of cigarettes would make her nauseous."
"First you refused to smoke or drink. Now, you need to get a new clothes. I'm curious, who is this lady?"
- Writer
