I receive a special gift today. A bouquet of gorgeous, red roses in a beautiful package.

My dear Arthur,
Let's meet tonight.

– A. Solazzo

Solazzo comes twice to the club this week, and he asks me to join me each time. He is getting more and more intimate with me. This rendezvous is my chance to deepen our relationship!

For the occasion, I put on a nice suit, velvety the way Solazzo likes it, or so I hope.

"And where do you think you're going, dressed like that?" Madam Lana asks me severely. I show her my invitation? "...Dear heavens! Mr. Solazzo invited you on a date? You only have thirty minutes left! Go to the hall! Don't make him wait!"

Madam Lana almost pushes me out of the room. She checks my make up and dusts my shoulders quickly, adjusting the fabric. The hall is empty during the day. The chairs are upside down, which looks like a serene and quiet little forest.

The only source of light, when the power is out like that, comes from the rays of light piercing through the partly closed windows. Solazzo hasn't arrived yet. I grab a chair, I sit down near the stage and sort out my thoughts.

How to behave to peek Solazzo's interest even more? I remember what Mr. Iero told me. He said that I was attractive... Did he mean Gerard Way's charm? When I pretended to be Arthur, the countryside boy, I didn't get much success. Maybe I should change my strategy? I don't want to upset Solazzo, however I must do anything to convince him.

A tall and well-built man walks through the door. He faces me with the light behind his back. "Mr. Dawn."

I stand up and dust my pants quickly. "Mr. Solazzo."

He quickly gets closer to me. "Have you been waiting for a long time?"

He stares down at me with a teasing smile and a half-smile. I take a deep breath and smile slightly to express a lack of enthusiasm.

"I am still waiting for you."

He pinches my cheek like I was a child. "What's wrong? You didn't want to wait for me?"

He wraps an arm around my waist and leads me to the door, unphased by coldness. We go to his car and he sits at the back. I join him.

"What do you want for dinner? Whatever you want."

I hum. "I'll let you decide. Anything is fine by me."

Solazzo ends up being embarrassed by my reserve and throws an annoyed gaze at me. But he doesn't say a word. He lights up a cigar after giving his instruction to the driver.

Our destination is a fancy restaurant. The waiter salutes us as soon as we enter.

"As usual, Mr. Solazzo?" he says with an accent.

"Of course." Solazzo smirks. "In fact, no whiskey for today. Bring me some Barolo of the 90s."

"Yes Sir." After leading us to an elegant room, the waiter respectfully salutes us and leave us. The room is private. Just Solazzo and I.

I am looking for an empty seat, but Solazzo grabs my arm. Then he drags me to him. I loose balance and fall in his arms.

"What are you doing?" I breathe out. Solazzo holds my waist firmly, and I have no other choice but to sit on his lap. His face is too close to mine. I can only look down to avid his eyes and his breath.

That might have angered him because he grabs my chin and forced my head up. He narrows his eyes and his face gets closer to mine. The smell of cigar is getting stronger... Is he trying to kiss me?

I snap and without thinking about the consequences, I push him away. Taken aback, Solazzo lays back on the backrest of his armchair. I take a couple of steps away from him.

"I am sorry, I didn't do it on purpose. I was just..." I start babbling. His face reminds me of a storm about to burst. I feel like he is going to punch me...

A faint noise breaks the tension. It's the waiter brining the steak and the wine that Solazzo ordered. Though I am in the middle of the room, standing in the middle of the room, dumbfounded, the waiter doesn't let show any sign of curiosity and does what he is paid for like a true professional.

Solazzo keeps glaring at me, then it seems like he gets a light bulb. "I have specific instructions. Waiter, come here."

The waiter does as told and Solazzo whispers something in his ear. Solazzo relaxes after the waiter leaves. The deep furrows carving his forehead disappear. He grabs a fork and starts cutting is steak.

"What are you waiting for, Arthur? Take a seat and eat." He gives me a smile. Something is off... He seemed ready to kill me a minute ago. Why...

I am puzzled by his sudden change of attitude, but I obey and sit down. Before I can take my fork and knife, a middle aged man enters the room.

He bows down and address to Solazzo respectfully. "What... What can I do for you, boss?"

Solazzo stops cutting his steak for a moment. Without bothering to look up, he gives his order. "Pour the wine."

The man peers at him and steps closer to the table. He grabs the bottle of red wine. His hand is shaking lightly while he pours the wine. The room is silent; only the faint screeching of Solazzo's knife on the porcelain plate can be heard.

The man is so nervous that he can't stop pouring the wine. The dark red liquid overflows.

Solazzo stops cutting his steak and stares at the man, a vein apparent on his forehead. This cruel and ferocious gaze suits him perfectly. It's his natural state.

"I- I am sorry, boss! Forgive me, please!" The man cries. It's only a bit of wine. Why is he so terrified?

Solazzo stands up and takes out his gun. He holds the barrel against the man's temple. My blood turns cold in my veins. The man collapses on the ground, scared to death. He is holding onto the table.

"Please, don't kill me! I made a mistake!"

"Do you know what your mistake was?" Solazzo asks gravely. Droplets of sweat appear on the man's forehead. He is trembling uncontrollably. The table and everything on it is shaking as well.

Solazzo presses the gun against his temple. "You don't know?"

The man is sobbing and shaking. He is as pale as a ghost. "Because I spilt your wine?"

Solazzo smiles. "That is a good answer." The man untenses at those words. "And yet..."

The man stiffens again when he hears the guns getting cocked. "Boss, I can repay you for  the wine! No matter what the price! I can pay it!"

Solazzo tells something to the man but his words are lost in the noise that his gun makes when he shoots the man in the head. The man falls on the ground, lifeless. His head bursts and his blood spurts on the ground.

I let out a short scream. "No!" I gasp out, pressing a hand against my mouth. I didn't know this man, yet his death is a tragedy.

I had never seen a dead body before, not to mention witnessing a murder. I want to run away, but I am paralyzed.

Solazzo isn't just a tough man in his early forties with a flirty attitude and a predatory smile. He is isn't simply a client who wants to get the dancers' attention, nor is he simply a rich man who spends lots of money at a club.

He is the head of the mafia of New York City. A temperamental man who has a power to decide of other people's fate.

Solazzo cleans up the blood of his shoe on the man's trench coat. He looks up and turns to me. I am still in shock. He smiles at me.

"Are you scared, Mr. Dawn?"

I try not to shover, but my shaky voice betrays me. "How could I not be? Of course I am scared!"

His smile vanishes. "You got some courage, I'll give you that. No surprise that you dare display your discontent."

He steps closer and holds my chin. I am forced to look at him. "The other day, I was in competition with Iero, but I wasn't the one that you wanted to pick, was I?"

This question does not help my terror. Should I confirm this? Is he going to kill me? I can't manage to think. I don't know what to say.

"I... No, I didn't... I wasn't..." I stammer.

Solazzo clenches his jaw. "Do you know what happened to the last person who lied to me?"

He grips me firmly and I wince. "No, I didn't want to choose you," I admit.

"Hm?" Solazzo frowns. There is a smile on his face, but that's the cold smile of a venomous snake. Cold swear invests my body. I think that he will kill me if I tell something that he doesn't like. Fear and anxiety overwhelm me, I am hesitating.

"But I didn't want to choose Mr. Iero either," I state. Solazzo's hold slightly loosens at those words.

"Keep talking."

"I- I was forced to choose between the two of you! No one likes to be treated like an object... What I really want is to leave the Sparrow Hall!" I give him a saddened, broken gaze, not broken by hat they just witnessed, but by something so much deeper.

The coldness dims in his eyes. He lets go of my chin and stares at me. "That's what you want."

Solazzo throws his weapon on the table and loosens his tie. "Ha. That's interesting. This place no longer suits us, Arthur. Let's go somewhere else."

Solazzo leaves the room. I don't want to be alone with the corpse so I quickly follow him. We resume having dinner in another room. I can't stop thinking about that man Solazzo killed. Killed him why? Because he spilt some wine.

Solazzo doesn't seem mad at me anymore. We finish our dinner quite early, and he brings me back to the Sparrow Hall. This dreadful date is finally over.

I could have sworn that it was an awful nightmare, but the memories carved in my mind and the appalling images flashing before my eyes indicate me that it was all but any kind of dream.

______