Velvet Lullabies

Lucian checked his phone for the third time.

Blue door cafe.

Nico, one of his oldest friends and the enforcer he secretly had tailing Adelina had never led him astray, but Jesus he wished this was a mix up.

He hated dive bars, little holes in the wall with their sticky floors and dirty bathrooms. Lucian would much rather be in the bar at the four seasons or back in New York at one of his own clubs.

In the front was a small stage with a keyboard currently home to a college aged kid strumming a guitar and singing a pop song. Another thing Lucian disliked: pop music. It all sounded like bubble gum and sunshine even when the words were saying something else.

Call him a stereotypical ganster, but he’d prefer to be listening to some Sinatra.

The bar was crowded for a Thursday, but Lucian found a spot at the end with a good view of the stage far enough back that he was nearly unnoticeable.

His other problem with this place? The bartenders didn’t know him. Maybe he was spoiled in New York, but everyone knew him and no one made him wait.

“Whiskey.” He snapped when the bartender finally got to him.

Bubblegum, the name he had kindly given the kid on stage, was just finishing up his song. Most of the bar gave a low rumble of applause except for the group with several black tables pushed together, who were screaming for him. Downright screaming for this average bubblegum pop singer. They were all young, college age probably. Among them Lucian spotted one familiar face: Adelina DeMarco.

“Thank you! Thank you!” Bubblegum cooed into the mic. “That’s it for me, but next up is my favorite friend,” he winked at the group, “and a special treat for you! Addy, you’re up!”

The group cheered again, whistling and chanting her name.

She was wearing a pair of ripped up jeans, a loose white tank top and white converse. Her hair was falling in loose waves and Lucian couldn’t tell if she had just rolled out of bed and naturally looked this pretty or if this was the result of effort.

He loved her in the mini skirt and heels he first met her in, but he didn’t hate the ripped jean look either.

She was blushing when she got on the stage, he could tell from the back of the bar. She sat at the keyboard and took a deep breath. “Uh,” she mumbled in to her microphone. “This is Superficial Love by Ruth B.” Her fingers began to dance over the piano keys playing a slow melody.

She had mentioned that she was a musician but Lucian assumed she dabbled and was just average, but Adelina was much more than average, she played beautifully. The song was slow and she moved her head as she played, and then she began to sing.

She had a throaty sound, a little raspy, but sexy as fuck. Definitely not what he expected. He had an odd suspicion that this song resonated with her more than she would admit.

“She’s good, huh?” Lucian was ripped out of his thoughts by the bartender who was leaning on the bar across from him.

“Yeah, she is. Is she a regular here?”

The guy smiled, “Yeah, every Thursday she’s here. Mostly plays that piano and sings.” He gestures to the other men sitting at the bar. “I think just about everybody here comes for her. Don’t know what old Joe will do when she graduates, that girl keeps us in business.” He laughed. “Take it you’re a fan then?”

“Something like that.” Lucian slapped a fifty-dollar bill down on the bar. “Thanks.” He wanted to move closer to the stage, and farther away from the other men. The thought of them watching her, his girl, made him want to punch someone.

“Wait till she comes out behind the piano,” the bartender whistled as Lucian stood from the stool. “When she’s not so shy, she’s brilliant.”

Lucian couldn’t imagine Adelina more brilliant than she was in that moment.

He moved closer to the stage as her song was coming to an end. The group in the front corner were swaying with their phones up, he assumed this was what kids used instead of lighters now.

He sensed the song was reaching its ending as Adelina looked out to the crowd for the first time. Her voice hitched as she made eye contact, she stared right at him as she finished.

The crowd was cheering

again, louder than they did for bubblegum. Her group of friends were whistling and chanting.

She held the eye contact. “I think that’s all for me.” She spoke lightly into the mic. There were sounds of protest coming from the crowd but she ignored them waking right to him.

She didn’t speak at first, just eyed him suspiciously as she stood nearly pressed against him, so close he wanted to reach out grab her.

“What are you doing here?” She asked in a near whisper.