Chapter Text
She saw him every Saturday at the nightclub she worked in. At night when the jazz band was wailing and balmy night air in Hotlands made everyone brazen and adventurous. Or maybe it was just the booze… He was never alone. Lily had encountered all sorts of monsters in the six months she had worked at The Basement. Seven-foot-tall cat monsters, monsters with fire for a head, larger than life robots. Nothing surprised her anymore. But this one…she had to train herself not to stare at this one. An enormous skeleton monster with a fixed grin full of pointed teeth. Gold flashed on his fingers and even in his ever-present smile. He was always dressed impeccably. Double breasted suits, satin embroidered vests, and smart fedoras. Always in black and red. He was a gangster. That much was obvious. However, he never brought business into The Basement. The Basement was for pleasure. He was always talking and laughing with one girl or another. There was something about him that drew women to him like moths to a flame. A girl could get burned buzzing too close to a flame like that, but none of that mattered anymore. She had nothing left to lose. The Great War had claimed her family and the only friend she had back in New York City was killed by gangsters. Probably a gangster just like him. She didn’t care anymore. She wanted to feel something or nothing at all ever again. He had no doubt been with countless women. Why not be one of them? Just this once.
She followed him after closing one night to one of those sleek penthouse apartments a short walk from the club. He didn’t go back empty handed or course. She made herself comfortable and invisible in the courtyard while her pulled a giggling leggy blonde into his lair. Now to play the waiting game. She had heard that no one ever spent the night so she felt confident that she could wait for them to finish their fun. Her uniform for seduction? A knee length overcoat in velvet, heels, and a simple sheath of black silk. There would be no question as to why she was there…
She wasn’t sure how long this sort of thing took. She had a few clumsy encounters with boys before the war. She wasn’t a virgin anymore technically and that encounter was over almost as soon as it had started. She didn’t have time to resent the guy if she wanted to. He was dead within a month.
The war changed everything. Her Papa was already a serviceman, and he brought the family with him to England while he was stationed there. “Ascoltare, do you remember the song about London bridge falling down, Bella?” he asked her as they sat warming themselves in front of the fire one night before the world fell apart. “We’ll all go together this time. We will go live in England and see if they fixed London bridge! How does that sound, Bella?” She was so happy that her Papa was not leaving them behind this time. This time it would be different. And so it was. They were all gone now. A taxicab drove up to the curb and issued a shrill honk that brought her back to the here and now. How long had she been lost in thought? She dug into her pocket to check Papa’s pocket watch. Only 30 minutes had gone by. It must be here to pick up another resident. But sure enough, the very same leggy blonde emerged from the building in a mood oceans away from the one she went in with. Her cloche hat sat snugly on her head and her coat was now buttoned up and belted tightly around her waist. Her expression was one of absolute furry and her lipstick was smeared across her pretty face. What in the world happened in there? Lily’s nerve wavered ever so slightly but she could see as the woman plopped herself into the back seat of the cab, her anger melted into a smirk that turned into a fit of laugher as she shook her head. She pulled a cigarette out of her purse and as the drive twisted around to light it for the pretty woman, she called out clear as day, “Lousy Son of a Bitch!” With that, the taxi cab set off into the night. A sharp cackle cut through the noise of the engine as it sped away. Lily stared wide eyed at where the taxi used to be and turned unblinking to the door the blonde had emerged from. Her friend, Anthony once told her that ever since she got back to New York she appeared to have a little bit of a death wish. Initially she thought that was absurd. However, as she found herself walking up to that very same door, and pushing the electric buzzer, she realized that he might have had a point. The door opened almost immediately of its own accord. She peered inside the dimly lit entryway. Just inside the door was an elevator with the word “Penthouse” written on it. She stepped inside, pushed the elevator button, and let the door to destiny close behind her.