Wednesday too, Tanya left the office at five. But she didn't feel like going back home to spend the evening all alone. Instead she did what she tried telling herself that she didn't care about doing. She opened the first two buttons of her white work shirt, hiked up her skirt so a good portion of the smooth skin of her thighs were exposed. Loosening her hair, she mussed it up. Rummaging inside her bag, she found her kajal stick and did a pretty impressive smoky eye in the office bathroom mirror. She finished off her look with bright pink lips. Then she took the Metro and forty minutes later was offering a friendly wave to the bouncers at the entrance of Club Paradiso Nero.

It was still early at six. She remembered that her time here with Ilario had been quite late. So by her calculations, she still had about three hours before this place turned into the orgy centre of Hades. Her menstruation had her hormones all messed up, so her earlier bravado was failing her just a little bit. At least, thanks to the three pain killers all throughout the day, the pain had eased a little. And with a little bit of alcohol, it was bound to become easier, both physically and mentally, wasn't it? Plus people watching was always one of her pastimes, that would keep her mind from wondering towards the pain as well. Even though it was the middle of the week, almost all the seats were occupied as far as she could see through the recessive lighting.

Once again, Tanya realised that she hadn't done anything like this before. Not the club part, that she had done plenty during her college days, but those clubs back home didn't hold a candle to this place. She might call this place shady all she liked, but the opulence was unmistakable.

Tanya went directly to the bar. The club this evening was set up much like the first time she had visited. So, finding Shalini was not going to be easy in near dark. The only place with sufficient lighting was the bar. She also remembered that the bartender was a fellow Indian. So that was the place to try her luck.

As she made her way to the bar and sat herself at one those swivelling chairs with no backrest, she saw there were two bartenders. And both of looked pretty desi. Darn it, which one was Tony?

Tanya decided to try her luck with the first one that came her way. The twenty something youth asked her in perfect Italian, "Cosa vorresti bere?"

She asked for a spritzer to which the bartender just made a face. He reached under the bar to extract the bottle she wanted and placed it in front of her. Tanya thought he would walk away but he leaned on the bar, smiling at her.

"First time here?" He asked in English, with no discernible accent.

"Ye- Si." She stammered. "Actually, no." Taking a sip from the bottle, she elaborated. "No, no, I've been here before."

The man looked at her sceptically. Maybe even with her cleavage showing and her smoky eyes her clothes didn't read sex club worthy.

"Well, I... I came with a friend...no, to meet a friend", she hastily corrected herself. "He works here." She shook her head. Maybe it was her nervousness which was throwing her act away.

The bartender smiled once again. "Yeah? What's the name of the friend?"

She clutched the bottle tighter and took another sip. "Umm, he is... his name is Tony?" Too late she understood her mistake. What if this guy was Tony? Why didn't she take Shalini's name?

The bartender straightened up. His smiling demeanour had changed. Now he was regarding her with narrowed eyes, bright with suspicion.

Tanya blanched. Oh crap, could she be any dumber?

"I..."

Suddenly, a broad smile appeared on his face. "Oh, you are Tony's friend?"

Tanya watched him with trepidation. So this guy was not Tony?

"Yes. I am." What if he is lying, and he was Tony? What if he was pretending just to flush her out.

The guy leaned towards her once again, this time too close for comfort. "You here for a little..."

"Hmm?" Tanya was alarmed by the look on the young man's face. Why was he looking at her that way? Like, in a weird way? As if... as if she had a dirty secret or something?

When she didn't answer, he looked around and leaned in even closer. "for... for a little kicker?"