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rhiannon-sweetheart · 2 years

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Untouchable

Summary: Selina's a good friend. She's just a little overprotective sometimes, that's all.

Pairing: Dark!Selina Kyle x fem!reader

Word count: 16k (it's a monster lol)

Warnings: Dub-con/non-con, scissoring, sex toys, squirting, stalking, violence, blood, implied drugging, possessive behavior, overstimulation, use of the d slur

Note: this is a part of me and @bamposworld's pride month collab! 🌈 i did not expect for it to get this out of hand so i hope the build up was worth it :)

You stared at yourself in the mirror and didn’t recognize the woman staring back at you.

Your face was caked in so many layers of foundation, it looked waxy. You’d put on so much mascara to the point where your lashes were clumping together. You’d painted your lips a fire truck red and bought a cheap wig, framing your face with stiff, plastic curls.

Normally, you wouldn’t go this overboard, but your new employer had told you the men who go to the Iceberg Lounge weren’t interested in natural women.

“If that was the case, they’d stay at home with their wives,” Penguin had roared, lighting the end of the cigar stuck in his mouth.

Tonight was your first shift, eight long hours from nine pm to five am without breaks. This job wasn’t your first choice (though you doubted it was any of the girls’ in the dressing room with you either), but it was the only one you had. Finding honest work in a crime ridden city like Gotham was like finding a needle in a haystack.

But you were in desperate need of money. Making enough just to have a roof over your head and food in your belly was a hard task already, but add saving up to leave Gotham and go to school into the equation, and that made for an even harder feat. You’d have to get off your high horse and debase yourself by working in one of Gotham’s seediest establishments if you wanted a chance of succeeding.

For the first time, you were glad your mother didn’t live to see you now. Lord knows she was probably rolling in her grave as it was.

The door to the dressing room slammed open, and a cloud of cheap perfume wafted in as a group of girls entered. The incessant thumping bass of the music in the club grew louder for a second until the door swung closed behind them, muffling the noise again to a dull murmur. Their tittering ceased when they spotted you, and they stopped in their tracks.

“New girl, if Penguin sees you hiding in the dressing room, he’ll throw you out before you can even put your heels on,” one of them snapped in a nasally voice.

“Yeah, your shift started ten minutes ago!” another piled on.

“Oh, sorry.” You stood up, flustered.

The first girl who spoke grimaced at you. “Is that what you’re wearing?”

You looked down at your frumpy dress and shrugged sheepishly. “It was all I had.” It wasn’t like you could just go out and buy a new dress for work.

She wrinkled her nose. “Nevermind, take as much time as you need.” Her friends snickered behind you.

You watched them strut past you in the mirror, nearly smacking you in the face as they flipped their hair over their shoulders. “Why did Penguin even hire her?” you heard one hiss. They congregated in the corner by the clothing racks, whispering behind their hands and glaring in your direction every now and then.

Your breathing started to quicken, the first sign of an oncoming panic attack. You reached for something, anything, you could use to distract yourself and grabbed the first thing your hand made contact with: a tube of lipstick. You uncapped it and pursed your lips, overlining them to make them look bigger, plumper, more appetizing—

“Overdoing it a little, are we?”

You looked up from your reflection to see someone standing behind you. You hadn’t even noticed her sneaking up on you, and judging by how slim and lean she was, you could see why. She must be light on her feet, silent even in her high heels.

Your eyes met her smoky, brown ones in the mirror. She had fine features like a cat, her cheekbones so pronounced they could probably cut diamonds. She had on a bright pink China doll wig, which you were sure would look ridiculous on anyone else, but she rocked it like a cutting edge fashion model, the blunt ends making her jaw look even that much sharper.

If this was the caliber of beauty Penguin expected from his girls, you might as well just quit while you were ahead.

You twisted around in your chair to face her. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

She quirked a brow at you. “Not if you plan on making money tonight.”

Your face heated up in embarrassment. “Is it really that bad?”

“You look like if Ronald McDonald was a sex doll,” she deadpanned.

You blanched, and she burst into laughter. “Don’t worry, I’m sure some guy out there is into that.” She grabbed a makeup wipe from nearby. “Here.”

Without warning, she started swiping at your face. You just sat there, too stunned by her brazenness to move or tell her to stop.

“You’re the new girl, right?” Her gaze was intensely trained on her hand as it worked. “I’m Selina, by the way.”

You nodded and told her your name. You did your best to not move under her hand, practically holding your breath to stay still.

“Well, new girl, don’t pay those washed up hags in the corner any mind.” She jutted her head in the direction of the girls who’d passed you earlier. “They’re just jealous.”

You stopped yourself from gawking at her. “Jealous? Of me?”

She hummed in confirmation. “Close.”

It took you a second to realize she meant your eyes. You did as she said, and she started rubbing at your mascara. “Why?”

“Because they start shaking in their four-inch heels any time fresh meat enters this dressing room,” she said. “They’ve been here for years. It’s only a matter of time before customers get bored of them and Penguin kicks them to the curb.”

The pressure on your eyes disappeared as she pulled her hand away. “Is this makeup yours?”

Your eyes fluttered open, and you looked at the makeup on the counter she was pointing to. You nodded, and she started rifling through it, finding what she needed before redoing what she had removed.

You glanced at the girls she was talking about out of the corner of your eye. You noticed crow’s feet by their eyes and smoker lines around their lips upon closer inspection. You tried not to wince. You hoped you weren’t looking at your future, pushing forty and working at a place where beauty and youth were commodities to make ends meet.

Selina pulled back and set the mascara down. “Okay. I worked my magic the best I could.” She leaned over you, hands resting on the arms of your chair. “You ready for the big reveal?”

You nodded. She whirled you around to face the mirror, and your brows shot up your forehead when you came face to face with your reflection. You didn’t recognize yourself for the second time that day, but this time it was because you were surprised you didn’t look like the hot mess you were expecting to see staring back at you.

She’d put just enough makeup to accentuate your features without making you look like a melting figurine. Your lashes were long and thick, but not clumpy. There was a slight shimmer to your skin, like you were glowing. Your lips were a softer shade of red, and she’d stayed within the lines when drawing them on.

You must’ve been silent while gawking at your reflection for too long, because Selina prompted you. “So?” She hovered over you in the mirror, raising a brow. “What do you think?”

“It’s… wow.” You were quite literally at a loss for words. “You did a great job.” You wondered why she was working here when she should be making a living as a makeup artist.

“Well, it was easy, considering I had a flawless base to work with,” she teased with a bright smile.

You ducked your head shyly. Of course, you still were nowhere near as jaw-droppingly gorgeous as she was, but you figured that was out of the realm of possibility.

“Thank you, Selina. For all of this, I mean.” You gestured vaguely to your face. “It was really nice of you.”

“Well, despite what those bitches from earlier made you think, it’s really not that bad around here. You just have to find the right ones to trust.” She smiled at you through the mirror.

You returned it. Your mother had instilled in you that the only kind of people who worked in a place like this were drug addicts and thieves. But you had a hard time envisioning Selina as either.

She tapped her finger against her chin. “But, I can think of a way you could return the favor.”

Your smile dropped, and she grabbed your shoulders, rattling you in your chair. “Oh, don’t look at me like that! It’s nothing bad, I promise.” She laughed. “I was just gonna ask if you wanted to stick with me tonight, and we could split the tips at the end.”

Your jaw nearly dropped to the floor. That didn’t sound like you were doing her a favor at all. If anything, it was the other way around. “I don’t know. That’s really generous of you.”

“Come on! It’s your first night on the job. You need someone to show you the ropes, and lord knows those has-beens aren’t gonna do it.” She rolled her eyes. She leaned down so you were cheek to cheek in the mirror, sticking her bottom lip out and batting her lashes. “Please? Don’t make me beg.”

You tried to bite back a smile, but the corners of your lips still lifted. “Okay,” you gave in.

She squealed and did a little happy dance in place that made you giggle. She stopped and clapped her hands together. “But if you’re going to be seen with me, we need to get you out of that dress. You can borrow one of mine.” She picked up one of the curls of your wig, and it hung limp between her fingers. She let go, and it fell back into place. She scrunched her nose. “We may have to get you a different wig too.”

She gripped the back of your chair, and your fingers dug into the fake leather cushion beneath you as she spun you to face her. She stood straight in front of you, settling her hands on her hips with a sharp exhale. “I have my work cut out for me, so let’s get started before Penguin comes in and finds out we’re not out there yet.”

At the end of the night, Selina handed you your cut of the tips, and you didn’t think you’d ever held more money in your hands in your entire life.

It was a wholly unfair and imbalanced split on Selina’s end, though. She strutted through the club like she owned the place, chatting up regulars like she’d known them for years. You mainly followed in her stead like her shadow, standing behind her as quiet as a dormouse while she carried the conversation.

You held the stacks of cash in your hand out to her. “I can’t accept this.”

She furrowed her brow. “What are you talking about? You earned it.”

You shook your head. “No, I didn’t. You did all the work.”

She huffed. “You’re new. You haven’t learned how to work them over yet.” She placed her hand over yours, curling your fingers around the wads of cash and pushing your fist into your chest. “So cut yourself some slack and take the damn money.”

She let go of your hand, and you looked down at your fist. You tucked the cash into your purse slung over your shoulder. At this rate, you could meet your goal in a matter of months, not the years you’d been expecting.

“Thanks, Selina, really. You don’t know how much this means to me,” you murmured, your voice small. You blinked the tears welling in your eyes away before they could smear your mascara.

“Just promise that when I ask to pair up with you again in the future, you won’t fight me so hard next time?” She looked at you expectantly.

You laughed, swiping at a stray tear before it could fall. “I promise. You’d just guilt me into it again anyway.”

She smirked at you. “You’re a fast learner. You'll be pulling your weight in no time.” She winked at you. “When’s your next shift?”

From then on, you became fast friends. She took you under her wing, teaching you the ins and outs of the Iceberg Lounge, from who the big spenders were to who were wastes of your time. She taught you how to flirt, how to lure patrons in just enough to get them to open their wallets without putting you in danger. She even taught you how to pickpocket.

“You have to go after them when they’re distracted. That’s where you come in.” She patted you on the arm.

You resisted the urge to worry your lip and mess up your lipstick. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” You eyed the man she had picked out as a target.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Please, I do this all the time. It’ll be even easier with a partner.”

You leaned closer to her, keeping your voice low so only she could hear you over the music blasting in the club. “But what if he notices money is missing?” you hissed.

She placed a hand on your shoulder and thumbed in the direction of the man slumped over in the booth. “That guy is so drunk off his ass, he won’t even remember how he made it home tomorrow.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Besides, all the guys who come here have more than their fill. They won’t notice if we skim a little off the top.”

Despite your initial uneasiness, all her attempts went off without a hitch, and you couldn’t complain about the growing number in your bank account. That was about as dangerous as the job got, besides the times Penguin had you deliver drops to patrons or there was an unruly customer or two.

You supposed your mother was half right. Selina did turn out to be a thief (but a petty one, at least).

You were just relieved to make a friend. That was the last thing you expected to happen in a place like the Iceberg Lounge. Where all the other girls had iced you out, Selina had welcomed you with open arms.

And sure, she could be a little overprotective sometimes, gripping you a little too tight and shooting looks at people who got too close to you. But after your prolonged solitary existence, maybe that’s just what friends were like.

She was your saving grace, your guardian angel, your mama bear. You were hardly in a position to complain about her behavior, bizarre or otherwise.

When you got to the dressing room to clock in for your shift, there was a girl you’d never seen before sitting in your usual spot.

You cautiously approached her. “Hey.” You stood behind her and timidly waved in the mirror. “Are you new here?”

She looked skittish, her eyes shifting from side to side. “Is it obvious?” She spoke with a thick Russian accent.

You shrugged sheepishly. “I just haven’t seen you before.” You introduced yourself.

“Annika,” she said back. “I just started today. I’m a little nervous.”

“Don’t be.” You flashed her a small smile. “I promise however bad you think it’s going to be, it’s nothing like that.”

She smiled back at you, relieved. Some of the tension eased from her muscles. Her eyes locked with her reflection, and she frowned, fidgeting with her lipstick. “Shit, this color’s all wrong,” she muttered under her breath.

You felt something akin to pride swell in your chest. You wondered if this was how Selina felt when she’d helped you that day. “Here,” you reached into your purse, “try mine.”

A hand suddenly landed on your elbow, stopping you. You looked up to see that Selina had snuck up on you. You wondered if you’d ever get used to her doing that or not.

“I wouldn’t do that,” she turned her close-lipped smile on Annika, “unless you have some Valtrex she can borrow in return.”

You blinked at her in shock. She tilted her head, her smile still fixed into place, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You’re in my friend’s spot, newbie.” Her tone had a bite to it, her eyes narrowing to slits. “Shoo.”

Annika started scooping up her belongings. You tried to shoot her an apologetic look, but she didn’t meet your eye. Once she’d gathered her things, she skittered away quickly and quietly like a mouse.

Selina’s eyes followed her until she was out of sight, watching her like a hawk. You were used to seeing that kind of behavior from the other girls, not your warm, friendly, bubbly Selina.

“That was harsh,” you murmured. You weren’t used to standing up to her, or anyone for that matter. Usually she was the one defending you.

Her gaze snapped to meet yours, and her face softened. “That was me having your back,” she said. “Trust me, you don’t wanna get involved with girls like her.”

You furrowed your brow. “Why not?”

She glanced side to side to make sure no one one could hear what she was about to say. When she felt assured, she leaned closer to you. “I heard Penguin talking to Falcone in his office,” she whispered. “She’s going to the 44 Below.”

You swayed closer like gravity was pulling you towards her. “What’s the 44 Below?” you whispered back.

“It’s the club within the club, where Gotham’s best and brightest go to live it up without being seen.” She glanced at where Annika had been moments ago. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she was some Russian prostitute Falcone shipped here. She’d probably suck anyone off to get a green card.”

You bristled at her spiteful tone. Annika hadn’t seemed like that to you at all, and you were the one who’d actually exchanged words with the poor girl. She appeared how you imagined you were when you first started here: lonely and scared to death.

But you pushed those thoughts aside and gave voice to the one left instead. “Wait, Falcone? As in Carmine Falcone, the crime boss?”

She nodded. “If you think Penguin’s the boss of this operation, think again.” She spoke in low, hushed tones. “Falcone is the one running the show. Penguin’s just his lackey.”

You could only stare at her, your brain failing to put together a coherent response. Just when you thought you had this place figured out, the rug was pulled out from under you.

“But you don’t have to worry your pretty little head about all that.” She swatted your elbow lightheartedly. “What you do have to worry about, though, is getting out there. Some of the guys are wondering where you are.”

You left the dressing room with Selina at your side. The second you stepped foot in the club, you put an extra sway in your hips and lifted your chin, looking down the bridge of your nose at the men ogling you as you passed. Selina was the one you had to thank for that. She taught you how to hold your head high (and walk in heels without tripping and falling flat on your face).

You both sauntered over to the bar, feeling eyes on you the whole way. Selina seemed to bask in the attention, her spine lengthening to stand a little taller despite her short stature. She moved graceful and elegant like a panther slinking through the jungle. You, on the other hand, found it hard not to wither under the pressure of all the stares.

When you got to the bar, you each grabbed a silver tray of drinks that were waiting for you. “Catch you on the flip side!” Selina shouted over the music, lighting bumping her hip into yours.

“See you at break!” you yelled back, and then you both went your separate ways.

Your shift went by in a blur of neon lights and booming music, blinding smiles and light touches and dollars slid to you under tables. It was a whirlwind of color and noise, the stench of smoke and cologne permeating the air from how many bodies were crammed wall to wall in the club.

By break time, you were sweating and dead on your feet. You limped through the club in your heels, panting. The door bearing the ‘Employees Only’ sign was like the light at the end of the tunnel, but just before you could seek shelter inside, you felt a sharp pinch on your ass that made you yelp.

You went stiff, muscles locking into place. You glanced over your shoulder to see a group of guys sitting at the bar, leering at you with glazed over eyes and wicked smirks. You’d never seen them before, but they looked like the usual club goers: rich, entitled pricks who lived off of daddy’s money and never worked hard a day in their lives.

“Where you rushing off to, sweetheart?” one of them hollered at you.

“Is it your break?” another one crowed. “‘Cause I know how to make the most of your time!” They all burst into cackles.

You suppressed an eye roll and turned away from them. It wasn’t the first time you’d been harassed by a customer, and you doubted it’d be the last. You continued on your way to the dressing room, mentally noting to let security know about the guys getting rowdy at the bar.

Over the din of the club, you heard the screech of stool legs against the floor and footsteps echoing the click of your heels. “Aw, don’t run away!” a chorus of voices shouted over each other, drawing closer to you. “Come back here!”

Alarm bells went off in your head. You sped up your pace, your heart beating a little faster in your chest. Hands reached out and grabbed at you, pulling you back.

The world spun before you collided into a hard chest, the smell of aftershave flooding your senses. You looked up and met the face of one of the guys at the bar. He had on a sharp suit and a buzzcut. “I don’t like being ignored, sweetie.”

You pushed him away from you, but when you turned, there was another one blocking your path. “Where do you think you’re going?”

You swiveled your head, but everywhere you looked, they seemed to appear out of nowhere. They slowly started to close in on you. “Get away from me.” You tried to sound intimidating, but your voice came out weak and pitiful even to your own ears. “Leave me alone.”

“Don’t be like that, sweetcheeks. We just want to have some fun.” You couldn’t tell who the sleazy, grimy voice came from; it seemed to surround you at this point. “Isn’t that what you’re here for?”

They looked like a pack of wild animals salivating over the prey they had trapped. Their pupils were large and blown out, whether from drinking or something else you wouldn’t put past them. Fear settled like a stone in your gut. You opened your mouth to scream, to hopefully alert someone to come to your rescue before something bad happened.

Before you could utter a squeak, there was a loud crash. You all turned to see a glass bottle splinter into shards upon impact with one of your assaulter’s heads. His eyes rolled back into his skull before he dropped to the floor unconscious, revealing Selina standing behind him, what was left of the bottle gripped in her hand.

She dropped the neck of the bottle to the floor. “Next one who lays a finger on her gets it worse,” she said, crouching into a defensive position that looked all too practiced and natural for her.

The men looked just as shocked as you were, outright gawking at her. Buzzcut recovered enough to chuckle. “I think it’d be an unfair fight, sweetie.”

She wasn’t fazed at all. “You’re right.” She smirked. “You assholes are no match for me.”

Her comment succeeded in agitating them to the point where you hardly registered on their radar anymore. They crowded around her, cracking their necks and knuckles with loud, threatening pops. “If that’s how you want to play it, then fine, we’ll play.”

She merely shrugged, unbothered. “Don’t say I didn’t tell you so.”

One of them lunged at her from the side. Your eyes went wide, your heat lurching in your chest. “Selina!” you cried out.

She turned, and the man’s face collided with her fist, bones crunching as her knuckles made contact with his nose. He stumbled back, clutching his mangled nose as blood gushed between his fingers. She leapt effortlessly into the air and landed a double kick to his chest before landing gracefully on her feet.

If you weren’t stunned before, you absolutely were now.

They all charged her at once, but she wove between them with ease. She was like a tornado, a flurry of hands and fists landing blows before anyone could even see them coming. The men were lumbering oafs in comparison, like they were moving in slow motion while she was on fast forward.

You watched the scene before you with wide eyes and an open mouth. You wanted to do something to help her, but your feet were like cinder blocks rooting you to the spot. Though, it wasn’t like there was much you could do. She seemed to have it under control. The men didn’t even graze her while she landed hit after hit, all in heels nonetheless.

Buzzcut threw a punch her way, but she easily ducked under his swing. She hissed and retaliated by scratching at his face. Her long, sharp nails caught on his cheek and sunk into his flesh. She dragged them down to his jaw, leaving skin dangling from five deep claw marks that immediately started oozing deep red blood like ink.

You winced at the damage. He was for sure going to need stitches and be left with a scar as a reminder of this night (though you supposed that was better than missing half a face).

She jumped up onto the bar, using it as leverage to soar through the air before wrapping her legs around his neck. She swung her torso low, flipping the man over her head. She took him down and landed on all fours, her head snapping up to lock eyes with the only man left standing.

He was at least a whole head taller than her and twice her size. He was panting through gritted teeth, his shoulders heaving with the movement. He cried out before launching himself at Selina like a bull seeing red.

She swiped her leg at his ankles, knocking his feet out from under him. He hit the ground with a hard, booming thud. She sprang to her feet, looming over him. She reached down and grabbed his wrist, wrenching his arm behind his back.

You didn’t recognize the menacing look on her face as she twisted. There was a loud pop, and then the man let out a blood curdling scream.

“What the hell?” You and Selina both turned to see a flustered Penguin flanked by security guards pushing through the people gathered around to witness the commotion. “What’s going on here?”

Selina let go of the man’s arm, and it dropped, hanging limp from his shoulder at an odd angle. “Well, look who finally decided to show up!” She stepped over the fallen bodies to get to him. “Party’s over, boys! You fellas sure know how to show a girl a good time.”

Penguin leveled his hard glare at her. “What happened here, Selina?”

She cocked a hip and thumbed at the men behind her. “These shitheads thought it’d be funny to harass my girl here.” She looped her arm through yours and tugged you to stand next to her. “So I showed them that when you mess with her, you mess with both of us.”

He didn’t look nearly as surprised by Selina’s confession as you thought he would. You wondered just how many times before he’d found Selina standing unharmed amongst a group of injured men that the sight lost its edge.

Penguin shouldered his way between you and Selina, forcing you to unlink. He walked over to the men who were grumbling and groaning as they collected themselves off the floor, slowly putting themselves back together as they wavered on their feet.

“Sorry, boys, but I’m gonna have to ask you to leave.” Penguin clapped his large hands together. “We have a zero tolerance policy on violence towards our staff.”

“That’s bullshit!” Buzzcut seethed. “We were just joking around!” He jabbed a finger at Selina. “She’s the one who decided to go all Kill Bill on us!”

Penguin shrugged. “Sorry, but we don’t lose out on any money if one of you gets busted.” He gestured towards you and Selina. “The merchandise, on the other hand, has to be in tip top shape.”

He scoffed. “Oh, yeah? We’ll see about that when you hear from my lawyer.”

Selina snorted. “Have fun telling your daddy’s law firm you got your ass handed to you by a girl.”

His head snapped to look at her. He took a step in her direction, and both of Penguin’s security guards perked up like dogs sensing an oncoming threat.

His friend clapped a hand on his shoulder, holding him back. “Forget about it, Sean. This place blows anyway.” He rolled his eyes.

Buzzcut stepped down. “You’re right. Let’s get out of here.” He turned back to you and Selina, a tick in his jaw. “You and your little girlfriend better watch your backs,” he sneered. “You’re gonna regret this, dyke.”

He spun on his heel and joined his friends hobbling towards the exit escorted by security. One of them clutched his dislocated shoulder. The other was shaking glass shards from his hair. You watched them go until they dissolved into the crowd.

Selina rolled her eyes next to you. “Could they be any sorer losers?”

You didn’t reply. You were worried if you opened your mouth, you’d never be able to close it again. You didn’t understand how she could be so casual about beating up five men without even breaking a sweat.

Penguin turned on you and Selina. “Tell them to come back when they want to get their asses kicked again,” Selina remarked.

“You tell them yourselves, ‘cause you’re joining them,” he said.

Selina gaped at him, while the blood drained from your face. “What?” she snapped.

“I can’t have you girls disturbing the mood of the club,” he reasoned. “You’re upsetting the customers.”

“Well, I wouldn’t have to if you did your job.” She poked him in the chest. You were pretty sure she was the only one who could do that to him and still keep her finger. “My girl was two seconds away from getting gang-raped in the middle of your club if I hadn’t stepped in.”

When she put it like that, your head felt woozy all over again.

“Look, you can come back tomorrow, but you’re taking the rest of the night off, alright?” He leaned closer to Selina. “And I’ll do you a favor by not mentioning your involvement in this little mishap to the man upstairs, huh?”

You side-eyed Selina, but her expression was stoney and unreadable. You wondered just how deep her ties in the club truly ran.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m guessing you’re not gonna pay us for our time off, now are you?”

Penguin didn’t respond, pressing his thin lips together.

“Didn’t think so.” She shot him a scalding look before spinning on her heel, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She looped her arm through yours again and led you away from him.

When you got to the dressing room, it was empty. You must’ve spent your whole break dealing with those guys at the bar. The second the door slammed closed, Selina was on you, grabbing you by the arms.

“Are you okay?” Her eyes scanned over every inch of your body. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

You blinked at her, baffled. You didn’t know how she could be so concerned for your well-being when she was the one in the middle of a brawl with five guys double her height. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

Her brow creased in confusion like she didn’t have a clue what you could be talking about. “What?”

“Selina, what were you thinking?” You didn’t mean to sound so scolding, but you couldn’t help it. “You could’ve gotten seriously hurt!”

She let go of her grip on your arms. “Well, it was either you or me, and I was willing to take my chances. Those guys have never fought a day in their lives. I could take them all with my eyes closed.”

You took your bottom lip between your teeth. “Where did you learn to fight like that?”

She raised a brow. “Hello? We live in Gotham, the city with the highest crime rate in the country.” She reached up and removed her wig, revealing her dark, pixie-like cropped hair underneath. “Any creep who pegs me as an easy target is in for a nasty surprise.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at that. She always had a way of making you feel better, even in the most dire of circumstances. “Is this a thing that happens a lot? Should I expect you to get in more bar fights in the future?”

She shrugged. “Only if the dude is asking for it.”

You both changed out of your clothes. You felt like a slob in your hoodie and jeans compared to her leather catsuit. You didn’t know what she was doing in the dressing room of a seedy club with you. Her face should be plastered on billboards all over the city advertising some overpriced perfume you’d never have the disposable income for by now.

“You are okay though, right?” She stared at you with genuine concern, like she could discern how you were feeling if she just looked long enough.

“I’m fine. Just a little shaken up.” You rubbed your arm. It was the truth, though you’d probably have a hard time sleeping tonight. The events at the club would play over and over in your mind like a tape on repeat.

“Where’s your car parked?” she asked, pulling the zipper on her suit all the way up. “I’ll walk you there.”

You shook your head. “Don’t have one. I’ll hail a cab.”

Her jaw dropped open. “What? I can't let you call a car, not after the night we’ve had.”

“I do it every night.” You shrugged. “What makes this one so different?”

“What’s different is now that I know, I don’t want to be called into the police station tomorrow if your body turns up in a ditch.” She grabbed her keys off of the counter, and they jingled in her hand. “I’m giving you a ride.”

There was no room for refutation in her tone, so you didn’t try to talk her out of it. You knew Selina could argue circles around you if she really wanted. It was easier just to tell her your address than waste your energy fighting with her (and you didn’t have much left after the eventful night you’d had anyway).

You followed her out the back. You couldn’t go through the front in your street clothes for fear of “breaking the illusion” for the customers. You walked down the narrow stairwell lit by dim green lights before a door spat you out into a back alley. You almost expected the guys from earlier to be there, waiting for you to finish what they started, but it was deserted, not a living soul in sight.

The click of heels against concrete echoed off the tall walls you were sandwiched between as you meandered past the stench of rotting fish emanating from dumpsters. When you stepped out onto the sidewalk, you took a breath of fresh air (or as fresh as air could get in polluted, smoggy Gotham City). You stood under the warm, yellow glow of a street lamp as you scanned the line of cars parked down the block, wondering which could be hers.

“Here she is.” Selina walked over to the only motorcycle in the lineup and patted the seat.

For the fourth time that night, you were taken aback. The leather catsuit suddenly made a lot more sense.

“Oh, no.” You backed away from her. “No, no, no. I’m not getting on that death trap.”

Selina huffed. “Come on. Don’t be so dramatic.” She swung her leg over the seat and jerked her head behind her. “Hop on.”

You worried your bottom lip with your teeth. “Shouldn’t I wear a helmet or something?”

As soon as the words left your lips, she produced a helmet with a large grin on her face. “You can wear mine.”

You lifted a brow. “So you can dash your brains out when we crash instead?”

She laughed. “You better not distract me then.” She held the helmet out to you.

You looked down at the helmet like it would bite you. “You have your license to drive this thing, right?”

“Yes, but I’m pretty sure you don’t have a license to drive me crazy.” She shook the helmet at you. “Hurry up. I don’t have all night.“

You glared at her before reluctantly snatching the helmet from her. You put it on, and the noise of the city became muffled like you were underwater. You looked out of the tinted visor, waiting for your eyes to adjust. How did she manage to see in this thing?

You awkwardly climbed onto the motorcycle behind her, making a passing comment about how you’d be safer in a taxi that Selina ignored. You looped your arms around her middle, scooting closer to her on the seat. She revved the engine, the motorcycle rumbling to life under you. You jolted, eliciting a squeak.

Selina laughed, glancing at you over her shoulder. “You alright back there?”

Heat rose to your face in embarrassment. “Now we both get to end up dead in a ditch,” you mumbled.

Somehow, she managed to hear you over the roar of the engine. “I’ll take that as a yes.” She hunkered down over the handlebar. “Hold on tight!”

Her foot slammed down on the pedal, and you weren’t prepared as the motorcycle peeled onto the road, speeding down the street.

Your grip on Selina’s waist reflexively tightened into a death lock. You pressed your chest flush against her back, holding her as close to you as you could, though for stability or comfort, you couldn't make heads or tails of. The wind whipped around you, and your harsh, ragged breaths filled your ears in the helmet.

The streets passed by so fast in a blur of neon lights, you didn’t realize how close you were to your apartment building until you were already there. The motorcycle slowed as Selina pulled up to the curb, her legs shooting out to stop it.

The second you were no longer moving, you unwinded your arms from Selina and slid off the seat, nearly tipping over in the process. You fumbled getting the helmet off before hunching over with your hands on your knees, your head still spinning. You didn’t know if you were going to faint or throw up.

A warm hand settled on your back, and Selina appeared in your field of vision. “You okay?”

You looked up at her, locking eyes. “I’m never riding home with you again.”

Her head tipped back in laughter. “You should know to never say never.” She stood up straight, her hands settling on her hips. “Now let me walk you to your door so I know you made it and didn’t pass out in a pool of your own vomit.”

You trudged over to your building and entered the code in the keypad, the front door unlocking with a click. Selina seemed to be watching you closely, though you figured she was just making sure you didn’t hit the ground before she caught you. Once inside, she scrutinized every inch of the building like she was looking for something. What though, you weren’t sure, and you didn’t know if she found it either.

The elevator was out of service as usual, so you climbed the five flights of stairs to your floor. You were embarrassed with how much you were panting while Selina remained chipper as ever. Though you supposed if she could take down a group of guys without so much as getting winded, some measly stairs were nothing in comparison.

You stopped in front of your door and rooted through your purse for your keys. They turned in the lock, and you pushed the door open a crack. You turned to face Selina, leaning against the doorframe.

“I’d invite you in, but it’s a mess in there,” you admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of your neck.

“That’s okay. I should be on my way anyway.” She pointed a stern finger at you, raising her brows. “Get some rest. I mean it.”

You mock saluted her. “Understood.”

She rolled her eyes at your antics. “Good night.” She started down the hall back the way you’d come.

Before she could disappear out of sight, you called out to her. “Selina?”

She stopped in her tracks and whirled around, looking at you expectantly.

Your hand lingered on the doorknob. “Thanks for saving me. Who knows what would��ve happened if you hadn’t gotten there?”

Her gaze softened. “Hey, don’t mention it.” Her lips curled into a smirk. “I’ll even teach you a few moves of your own so next time, it won’t matter if I’m there or not.”

You scoffed. “You say that like it’s easy.”

“Being able to defend yourself is important, especially in a city like Gotham.” There was a glint in her eye you couldn’t decipher. “You never know what’s around the corner.”

Selina dropped into the chair next to you with a huff. “We better make some good cash tonight.” She slumped in her chair. “I did not want to come into work today.”

You agreed wholeheartedly, though not for the same reasons. You were too lost in your thoughts to reply, staring blankly at your reflection while you dusted your face absently with a brush.

A crease formed between her brows, the way it usually did when she was worried. “Is everything okay?” She twisted in her seat to face you fully. “That’s the third time this week you’ve used blush instead of face powder.”

You looked down to see that you were, in fact, holding the brush you used to apply blush. You looked in the mirror, your complexion redder than normal. The brush slipped between your fingers, clattering on the counter.

Selina leaned closer to you. “What’s wrong, baby?” She whispered so the girls flitting in and out of the dressing room couldn’t eavesdrop. “And don’t tell me you’re fine, ‘cause neither of us are gonna buy that.”

You let out a long, heavy sigh, your gaze glued to the counter. “I feel like someone’s following me.”

She cocked her head to the side. “What makes you think that?”

“I come home to find windows open and lights on that weren’t before, and when I wake up, my door’s open when I know I closed it before going to sleep.” You bit at your lips, a bad habit when you were stressed. “And sometimes I see this figure out of the corner of my eye, but when I turn, it’s not there anymore.”

Saying it out loud made you realize how absurd it all sounded. You leaned forward with your elbows on the counter, your face in your hands. “Maybe I’m just going crazy.”

“Hey, don’t talk about my best friend like that.” She ducked her head, trying to catch your eye. “If you think it’s happening, then I have no doubt that it is.”

You glanced up at her and offered her the best watery smile you could muster. You wished you had as much unwavering faith in yourself as she had in you. “I just don’t know who’d wanna waste their time following me around.”

Her features drew into a pensive, thoughtful expression. “You don’t think it’s those guys from a couple weeks ago, do you?”

You perked up. You hadn’t thought about it before, but it made the most sense. The words that man — Sean — had spoken echoed in your ears: “You’re gonna regret this.”

Your face screwed up in confusion. “But if they wanted to hurt me, don’t you think they would’ve by now?”

She pursed her lips and shrugged. “Who knows why those guys do what they do?”

You nodded, taking a moment to let it all sink in. “What do I do?” You didn’t even know where to start. “Should I go to the police?”

She shook her head. “Cops are not your friends. Those guys are so loaded, they’d just pay them to look the other way.” Her face hardened. “Besides, it’s your word against theirs, and once they hear where you work, they’ll laugh in your face.”

You pressed your lips together in a taut line. You hated to hear the truth delivered to you so bluntly, but you knew she was right. Tears welled in your eyes, and your chin started to wobble.

Selina must’ve been able to tell you were close to bursting into tears, because she placed a gentle hand on your back. “Hey, why don’t you come stay with me for a while, baby? At least until things cool down.”

You shook your head, sending the locks of your wig flying. “I couldn’t ask that of you.”

“Don’t be silly.” She rubbed soothing circles on your back. “It’d make me feel better knowing you're safe.”

You hiccuped, trying to keep the sobs in. “I’ll keep it in mind, but I’m okay, seriously.” You sucked in a sharp breath, trying to pull yourself together. “I’m probably overreacting, honestly.”

She frowned, narrowing her eyes at you, but didn’t push any further. “If this keeps happening, you’ll let me know, right?”

You nodded. “Of course.” And you meant it.

“Good.” She picked up her mascara and started swiping at her lashes. “If they keep freaking you out, I swear I’ll start stalking you myself.”

You laughed, and your chest felt a little lighter. She always managed to find some way to cheer you up, even in the worst of situations. What would you do without her for a friend?

The door to the dressing room slammed open, and Penguin barged in. It wasn’t rare that he burst into the dressing room unannounced, but what was strange was how frazzled he seemed. He didn’t even spare the half-naked girls a glance (or at least not a second one).

He called your name, and you sat up straighter in your chair. His gaze landed on you. “Falcone wants to see you in his office.”

Your blood ran cold through your veins. You exchanged a disbelieving look with Selina. What could he possibly want with you?

Whatever it was, you didn’t think it was good.

“Today, preferably.” Penguin started snapping. “Show some hustle.”

You shot up from your chair. As you turned to push it in, you locked eyes with Selina. “I’ll wait here till you get back,” she whispered.

You wanted to tell her that wasn’t necessary, that you didn’t know how long you’d be (or if you’d even come back, for that matter) and the last thing you wanted was to make her late and give Penguin yet another reason to curse her out. But instead, all you did was give her a subtle nod of your chin before turning on your heel and following Penguin out of the room.

The tension as you both stood silent in the elevator was practically palpable in the air. Your whole body felt like a bundle of nerves, like a string pulled tight threatening to snap at any moment.

You thought it would go away when the elevator doors slid open, but instead you were only daunted by the sight before you.

You’d never been to Falcone’s office before. You’d been in Penguin’s plenty of times, mainly to deliver drops concealed under platters of drinks to paying customers. But you’d never had a reason to visit Falcone’s before.

Until now.

His office was huge and probably the cleanest space in the whole building. There was a pool table in the middle and a grand desk in front of a giant window overlooking a view of the Gotham City skyline that was probably worth millions on its own. Dim lights cast a warm yellow glow from overhead, and the incessant thumping bass of club music sounded distant, like it came from a whole other world entirely.

Penguin cleared his throat, and you snapped your head to look at him, on high alert. He jutted his chin in the direction of the office, motioning for you to get out of the elevator.

You blinked, regaining control over your body, and did as he said. You noticed the armed guards lurking in the shadows of the room, standing watch in case you tried anything (though you didn’t see how they could view you as much of a threat. Maybe they were just there to remind you who you were dealing with).

“There she is!” Your head whipped straight forward to see a man standing behind the desk, his back to you. “Just the girl I wanted to see.”

He turned around, and you got a good look at Falcone for the first time. You’d heard plenty about him, from newspaper articles to whispers around the club. But you’d never caught a glimpse of him until now.

He had salt and pepper hair and olive skin, sunglasses covering his eyes. He wasn’t physically intimidating the way Penguin was, but he gave off a sort of Godfather vibe that was threatening nonetheless.

“Please, have a seat.” He gestured to the chair across the desk from him.

You slowly crept forward, like you’d be shot on sight for even the tiniest movement. The handles of the guns tucked into the guards’ waistbands glinted in the low light. You sank into the chair, your body rigid.

He pressed his palms flat against the desk, leaning closer to you. “Do you know why you’re here?” Even with the shades hiding his eyes, you could feel the heat of his gaze bearing down on you.

You swallowed hard. You wondered if he’d finally caught wind of Selina’s tussle with those guys in the club a couple weeks ago. You doubt it mattered if you were innocent or not; to him, you were the cause of the disruption. “Am I in trouble?”

He raised a bushy brow. “Is there a reason you would be?”

You blinked at him. “None that I can recall, sir.”

He laughed, the sudden noise piercing the heavy silence that had settled over the room, and you flinched. “It’s too easy. All you girls act like I’m the devil himself, I swear.” He shook his head. “You’re here for quite the opposite, actually. You’re being promoted.”

Instead of the relief you were supposed to feel, you were left even more confused. “What?”

“You’re going to work in my exclusive underground club where all my highest paying clientele go,” he rounded the front of the desk, “the 44 Below.”

Your stomach dropped the second the name left his lips. Everything Selina had told you about the dreaded place swirled in your head.

“Of course, because it’s a little more pricey, my clients expect a little more bang for their buck.” He perched on the corner of the desk. “But I’m sure a generous pay raise will get rid of any hesitations you have, correct?”

You stared up at him, opening and closing your mouth like a fish. It was all happening so suddenly, it was hard to take in.

He raised a brow at you expectantly. “Is there a problem?“

You knew the raise wasn’t the only reason you had to take the job. There was no doubt in your mind that if you refused, he wouldn’t hesitate to fire you, or worse. You glanced around at the men with their hands resting on the handles of their guns.

They could dump your body in the Gotham Harbor, and nobody would even know to look for you.

You shook your head, trying to conceal the tremor running through you. “No, sir.”

His lips slanted into a hint of a smug smirk. “Good. I didn’t think so.” He pushed off the desk and turned his back to you. “You start this weekend.” He waved you away like you were nothing more than a fly buzzing around him. “You’re dismissed.”

You followed Penguin back downstairs, a knot in your gut the whole time. When you returned to the dressing room, it was empty save for Selina. A sense of relief washed over you when you saw her, and you were silently thankful that she’d chosen to stay and wait for you.

She shot up out of her chair when you walked in. “What did he want?”

You couldn’t look at her as you answered. “He’s sending me to the 44 Below.”

The news hit her like a ton of bricks. She even stumbled back a step, looking as distressed as you felt. “No. He can’t.”

“He can and he did.” Your shoulders slumped, defeated.

She rushed towards you. “You can’t accept it.”

“What choice do I have?” Your voice was thin, on the verge of cracking with emotion. “If I don’t, he’ll fire me, or worse,” you murmured the last part.

“Baby, the men who go to the 44 Below aren’t only the richest, but the most dangerous, too,” she hissed. “I’m talking mafia, hit men, drug pushers. The type of men you don’t want to get involved with.”

“And Falcone is worse then all of them put together,” you fired back. “You know that.”

She exhaled sharply through her nose. “I’ll talk to him.”

You huffed, exasperated. You didn’t mean to snap at her so harshly, but she was an easy target to direct your frustration toward. “What makes you think he would listen to you?”

“Because I’m his daughter!” she shouted. The words seemed to echo even in the small dressing room.

A long silence endured afterwards. You both stared at each other. She looked just as shocked as you did that those words had left her mouth.

“What?” you uttered, impossibly loud in the silence.

The fire in her eyes diminished to the flicker of a candle flame. “My mother used to work at the 44 Below. She told me Falcone was my father.” She sucked in a deep breath, like whatever she was about to say next was harder to admit than what she had already. “She was killed. Strangled, by some guy in the club most likely.” She scoffed. “He didn’t say a word. I ended up stuck in a group home.”

Your heart fractured in your chest at her confession. “Selina, I’m so sorry.”

She shrugged. “It is what it is.” The raging fire in her eyes returned. “But he owes me. I know firsthand how dangerous the men at the 44 Below can be.” She grabbed your hands, gripping them so tight they changed color. She stared up into your eyes, desperate. “Please just wait until I have a word with him. I’ll get him to reconsider, I promise.”

You let out a sigh. You wanted to give her what she wanted, after everything she’d done for you. “You have until the weekend.” That was the most you could afford.

You walked up the front steps of your apartment building, arms heavy with grocery bags. You were so preoccupied with your thoughts that you nearly didn’t notice the way the hairs on the back of your neck rose on end, like someone was watching you.

You stopped on the top step and glanced behind you. There was no one there, just empty space. You huffed and continued into the building. You didn’t know why you expected anything different.

You figured now was the worst time to live in a low security apartment building in a sketchy part of the city. You’d never given it much thought before, but now you felt reminded of how vulnerable you were going anywhere alone. When you were with Selina, you felt a little safer, but it wasn’t like she could follow you everywhere (though she’d probably drop everything for you to do so if you asked).

You reminded yourself in a couple more weeks, you’d have enough money to leave the city and start somewhere fresh, somewhere people didn’t know your name or your past. You’d finally be able to breathe easy, and life for you could truly begin.

As if you didn’t have enough to worry about already with a potential stalker on your trail, Selina had made arrangements to meet with Falcone today, and you hadn’t heard back from her yet. It made you jittery and your skin itch knowing that your future hung in the balance.

You came to an abrupt halt in front of your door. It was wide open, and the lock was broken, like someone had forced their way through. You blinked. You wondered how long it’d been like this. The hallway was barren, and you hadn’t noticed anyone shady outside.

You knew the smart thing to do would be to call the police and wait till they arrived, but Selina’s words echoed in your head: "Cops are not your friends."

Your feet carried you inside of their own volition, and the grocery bags slipped from your hands, no doubt cracking every egg in the carton, when you took in the sight before you.

All of your stuff was destroyed: your furniture was gutted and turned over; the TV screen was shattered in a million pieces like someone had taken a sledgehammer to it; your belongings were strewn about everywhere like garbage.

It was the same thing in your bedroom. The mattress was torn apart, the sheets in tatters, and down feathers from your pillows were scattered across the room. The drawers had been ripped out of your dresser, and your face grew hot when you saw your panties and bras littered across the floor.

There was no doubt in your mind who had done this. It was clear they were trying to send a message, or more likely a warning. Your throat burned with bile at the thought of what would’ve happened if you’d been here in the apartment when they decided to break in and not out shopping.

You made it back to the living room before your legs turned to Jell-O underneath you. You crumpled into a heap by the discarded groceries, the puddle of milk spilled from the carton spreading to where you were collapsed.

Before you even knew it, you were dialing Selina’s number with shaking fingers. You couldn’t even see the screen through your blurry gaze before you held it to your ear, the dial tone chipping away at your skull like an ice pick.

She picked up on the second ring. “Hello?”

You opened your mouth, but the only noise you managed to make was a pitiful squeak. All the words you wanted to say felt like they were lodged in the back of your throat.

“Baby, you there?” Judging by the concern in her tone, she could tell something was off. “What’s wrong?”

“They… they…” You tried to force the words out despite your unstable voice, but you wondered if she could even understand you with how many times you stopped and started. “Broke in… ruined… my stuff…”

“What?” she exclaimed, making you wince. “Are you okay?”

“Se… Selina…” It was taking everything in you not to burst into sobs. “I’m… scared…”

“I know, baby. Stay put.” You heard rushing wind on the other end of the call. “I’ll be there soon.”

There was a click as the line went dead.

It took her shorter than you thought it would for her to get there. You hated the idea that she’d put herself in danger driving recklessly through the jammed city streets just for you.

By the time she got there, she found you curled up in a ball on the floor, rocking back and forth and hugging your knees to your chest. Your chest was racked with sobs, and you struggled to gasp for breath to the point where you were hyperventilating.

“Baby!” she called out to you, rushing to you and kneeling by your side. She hardly even glanced at the wreckage that used to be your things, entirely focused on you. “Baby, what happened?”

“I… came home…” You sniffled, tear tracks staining your cheeks. “And it was… was like this when… I got here.”

She seemed to remember her surroundings and finally looked around. “Oh, shit.” Her gaze returned to you, scanning over you for injuries. “You’re okay though?”

You nodded, clutching your legs tighter.

She clenched her jaw. “Those fuckers,” she hissed. She grinded her teeth, a contemplative look on her face. Then, it shifted to something fierce, like determination. “That’s it. You’re coming with me.”

She shot up from the floor and grabbed you under your arms, helping you to stand. “But…” you stuttered trying to come up with an excuse, “but—”

“But nothing.” She draped your arm over her shoulders and practically carried you out of the apartment. “I’m not letting you stay in a ransacked apartment when those guys could come back any minute.”

You allowed her to carry you, your limp feet dragging against the uneven wood planks. You didn’t know why you were surprised by her strength. You already knew her looks were deceiving.

Your eyelids started to droop. Now that she was here, you felt like you could finally relax, and exhaustion was setting in. “You didn’t bring the motorcycle, did you?”

She wheezed a chuckle, and it made your chest feel a little lighter. “I told you to never say never.”

You’d quickly accepted a glass of wine when Selina had offered you one. You needed something to steady your nerves, and you didn’t think you’d be able to sleep without it. Selina returned from the kitchen with your third glass of wine and one for yourself. She handed it to you while she plopped down on the couch next to you.

Your hand shook as you lifted it to your lips, staring absently at Selina’s apartment. It was much like yours: a simple living room, bathroom, and bedroom. Nothing to brag about, but still a luxury compared to many places in Gotham. The only difference was the multitude of stray cats milling about like it was a back alley. Well, that, and your apartment was currently trashed right now.

“Did you talk to Falcone?” you asked her. Even that was better than thinking about what had just happened right now.

She swallowed her sip of wine and nodded, not making eye contact with you.

You had your wits about you enough now to pick up on her hesitation to break the news. “So?” you prodded her. “What did he say?”

She set her glass down on the coffee table and gnawed on her lip. “He said he’d think about it.”

You shot her a look. “Selina—”

“Just give it some time, baby,” she cut you off. “He’s a businessman first and foremost, even with his own daughter. It’s gonna take a second to sell him on the pitch.”

You opened your mouth to argue further, but stopped yourself, clamping your lips together. The last thing you wanted to do was fight with her right now. It could wait for another day.

“Are you sure it’s okay that I stay here?” You curled up into a ball in the corner of the couch. “What if those guys followed me here?”

“Then they’ll get their asses beat a second time.” She grinned at you, no falter in her confidence.

“Selina,” you chided, “I don’t want to put you in harm’s way.”

“And I already offered you a place to stay before, the only difference now is that you have no choice.” She gave you a look. “I knew what I signed up for taking you home, baby.”

You tugged on the skirt of the nightgown she’d loaned you. It was small on you, and although that was alright when you’d share dresses in the club, one wrong move, and you would accidentally flash her. “I’m sorry for doubting you.” You raked your fingers through your hair. “I’m just worried.”

“Hey, you’re with me now.” She scooted closer to you, placing her hands on your knees. “Tomorrow, I’ll go get your stuff, and you can stay with me until you find somewhere else to live.”

You pursed your lips. “I’m not sure there’ll be much to get,” you mumbled.

She laughed and leaned back against the couch. She stared at you, her eyes lingering on yours. “I’m happy you called me.”

“Oh, yeah, ‘cause I was so spoiled for choice.” You rolled your eyes.

“Hey, you know what I mean.” She playfully swatted your knee.

You returned her smile. “Thank you so much for doing all this for me. You really didn’t have to.”

“That’s what friends are for, right?” She flashed you a smile. “Besides, I’m just glad you’re all right. I don’t know what I’d do if you’d gotten hurt, if you ended up like…” she trailed off, choking up.

You reached out and threaded your fingers through hers. “Like your mom?” you hesitantly finished.

All she could do was nod. You’d never seen her this vulnerable before, her eyes glistening with tears and the slightest wobble in her chin.

“But I didn’t,” you assured her. “I’m here, with you.” You squeezed her hand in yours, like a physical reminder that you were present and unharmed.

“I know.” She rubbed circles over the back of your hand with her thumb. “And I’ll keep you safe.”

“I trust you.” Your voice was barely louder than a whisper.

She reached up with her free hand and tucked an errant strand of hair behind your ear. Her hand lingered there, resting on the side of your face. Your eyes locked, and hers lowered to your lips before she dove in.

It took a second for the feel of her lips touching yours to register. You froze against her, unsure of what to do. Should you push her away? Tell her to stop? You were just friends, weren’t you?

But you thought about all the things she did for you, all the possessive handholds and flirtatious glances. Hell, she called you ‘baby’ for crying out loud. Was Selina interested in you this entire time, and you just hadn’t noticed?

But the more important question: were you interested in her? You thought you’d have an easy answer, but as her lips moved against yours, and her fingers wove through your hair, you realized you didn’t. You’d never really given a thought to having a relationship with a woman, but then again, it wasn’t like you were jumping at the chance to get with a man either.

But what would happen if you refused? Would she kick you to the curb? You wouldn’t expect that from Selina, but at the same time, you were afraid of finding out.

It didn’t matter as she slipped her tongue into your mouth with a moan and tangled it with yours. She tasted like the wine you’d both been drinking, tangy with a bitter edge. She raked her nails against your scalp, sending shivers of pleasure all the way down your spine.

She pressed wet kisses along your jaw and down your neck. She stopped when she reached your sweet spot and sucked the skin of your throat into her mouth. She lightly grazed your skin with her teeth, panic rising within you before she bit down.

You cried out, arching up into her. She laved the bite mark with her tongue as if to soothe it. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this for,” she whispered against your skin as her hands ran up your thighs, “to have you all to myself.”

You weren’t sure if it was the alcohol or her affections, but your head started to spin. She pushed you back so you were laying against the armrest. Your limbs were heavy like they were made of lead. You felt as if you were sinking into the cushions beneath you like quicksand.

Selina pushed up the nightgown you were wearing to expose your lacy thong underneath. “Look at you, baby.” She was practically drooling over you now. “You were hoping this would happen, weren’t you?”

You wanted to tell you that you weren’t, that this was all you had after those guys had ransacked your apartment. But you couldn’t even muster the strength to shake your head.

She hooked her fingers under your thong and dragged the flimsy piece of fabric down your legs. Your mind screamed at you to tell her to stop. Certainly this was going too far, right? You’d both been drinking, and even though you’d been friends for months, you still weren’t even sure how to feel about kissing her.

But any resistance you had died on your tongue as she flung your underwear across the room. She reached under her dress and pulled off her own next, and it joined yours on the other side of the room.

“Let’s see what we’re working with.” She grabbed your legs and spread them wide, pushing them up by your shoulders and exposing all of you to her. Heat rose to your cheeks at the embarrassing position.

She stared down at you through hooded eyes heavy with desire. “Such a pretty pussy.” She let go of one of your legs and ran a finger up the length of your slit. You jerked under her. “So little and pink.”

You were ashamed at the whine that left you when she found your clit, rubbing agonizingly slow circles over the bundle of nerves, though it might have only added to the arousal pooling low in your gut.

Sure enough, she lifted her hand to show you the gossamer shining on the pad of her finger. “You’re so wet for me already.”

She maneuvered your limp, pliable body like a ragdoll under her. She hooked her leg around yours, hovering over you. She aligned herself with you so when she sat down, her clit pressed flush against yours.

She rocked against you, slow and deliberate. Pleasure sparked through you, setting your nerve endings on fire. You watched the thick cords of muscle in her thighs as she grinded against you over and over.

“Fuck,” she breathed, throwing her head back. Her skin glistened with a thin sheen of sweat in the low light. “You feel so good, baby,” she rasped, her voice low and husky.

She humped you faster, flicking your clit over and over until you felt that coil you hadn’t felt in a long time twist in your gut. The couch shook underneath you with a high-pitched creak. Your head lolled to the side, your body jolting with each glide of her hips.

She leaned over you, sandwiching your leg between her chest and yours. “Look at me, baby.” She looped her arm around your leg, digging her nails into your thigh. “I want you to know who’s making you feel this good.”

You blinked, trying to clear the bleariness from your gaze. Her figure came into focus, her eyes boring into yours. She looked hungry, like she wanted to chew you up and swallow you. You’d never seen such intensity in her eyes.

“That’s right, baby.” The hand that wasn’t gripping your thigh grabbed your chin, squishing your cheeks and lips. “I’m fucking close. I want you to come with me, okay?” When you didn’t answer right away, she tapped your cheek. “Okay?”

You nodded up at her. You could feel the coil tightening further and further, ready to snap at any moment. Your fingers curled as you tried to keep the sensation at bay, your nails clawing at the cushions.

“Fuck!” she cried out. “Come with me, baby! Come now!”

You let go, and it was like a dam broke. You made a noise you’d never heard leave your body before as pleasure washed over you from head to toe. Dots formed over your vision, and your thighs quivered around her.

Her hold on you slipped as she jerked on top of you, twitching. A breathy moan floated from her lips before she collapsed on top of you. Your nightgown was drenched through with sweat where your chests met, and she tucked her head under your chin.

You stared up at the ceiling, the afterglow spreading through your limbs tingling warm and fuzzy. She felt heavy and solid on your chest, weighing you down. Your combined juices were sticky on your thighs.

Your eyelids suddenly felt heavy, slowly sliding closed. You weren’t sure if it was the alcohol or the orgasm or the events of the day or some mixture of all of the above, but you were weary in your bones, and in that moment, you wanted nothing more than to fall asleep.

You felt a hand stroke the side of your face, and through your barely open eyes, you saw Selina with her chin propped up on your collarbone. “Rest,” she cooed, shushing you. “You’re with me now. I’ll take care of you.”

The last thing you saw was Selina smirking up at you before the blackness at the corners of your vision took over, plunging you into darkness.

You woke up to a shrill ring piercing your ears.

You clutched your pounding head with a groan. You cracked your eyes open, but even the slightest amount of light seemed to sear them. You didn’t remember drinking enough to feel this awful the next day.

You didn’t remember falling asleep in Selina’s bed either. You slowly sat up. She was nowhere to be found. She probably opted for the couch, being the generous host that she was. Then, blurry images of what she’d done to you on that couch last night came back to you, and your stomach curdled like it was full of expired milk.

The ringing stopped, and you looked over at your phone on the bedside table. You picked it up and clicked it on, the blue light emanating from the screen blinding you for a second. When your vision adjusted, you noticed two things: the first being that it was eleven o’clock at night, meaning you’d slept through a whole day (looking out the window to see that it was pitch black further confirmed this); and the second, you had multiple missed calls from your boss.

You went through them one by one, listening to Penguin’s voice on the other end grow more and more hectic with each call. “Where are you?” he practically hissed into his phone in the most recent voicemail he’d left. “Are you a fucking idiot, girl? I don’t know who you think you are or who you’re dealing with, but if you don’t show up here in the next thirty minutes, Falcone is gonna make an example out of you.”

Your blood felt solid like ice through your veins. It seemed like Falcone had thought it over and come to a decision. You glanced at the time again. If you hurried now, you could still make it before he ordered your head on a platter.

You threw the covers back and hopped out of bed. Your sore muscles cried out at you to slow down, but you ignored them and continued to rush around as fast as your achy limbs allowed you. You wrenched open the first door your eyes landed on and found that it led to Selina’s closet. You rifled through the dresses hanging on the rack inside. You and Selina shared dresses all the time, and you hoped she wouldn’t mind that you were borrowing one now without asking.

You found one that looked like it’d fit decently enough and stripped off your nightgown. You froze for a second when you realized you weren’t wearing any underwear because they were currently on the floor of Selina’s living room. You blinked, breaking yourself from your thoughts, and continued to dress. You were in the middle of putting on the garment when a voice from behind you stopped you in your tracks.

“Where are you going?”

You glanced over your shoulder to see Selina standing in the doorway to the closet. She was wearing her black catsuit. You figured she must’ve just gotten back from going somewhere.

You slowly turned to face her. “To work.”

The look on her face was oddly grave. “You’re not called tonight.”

You opened and closed your mouth like a fish out of water, at a loss for words. Any excuse you tried to come up with, she would easily be able to see through.

“You’re going to the 44 Below,” she stated, not even the slightest hint of doubt in her tone.

You knew there was no denying it. “I have to, Selina,” you pleaded. “Best case scenario, I’m out of a job. Worst case scenario, he’ll have me hunted down and put my head on a spike.”

“I promised to protect you, remember?” she snapped.

“These aren’t just a bunch of drunk guys at the Iceberg Lounge, Selina,” you fired back. “These are Falcone’s men. They’re trained, and more importantly, armed.”

“Don’t you think I know that?”

“Then you should know who you’re up against,” you pointed out.

She looked hurt, like you’d just slapped her across the face. “I thought you trusted me.”

“Selina, I’m trying to go the path of least resistance,” you huffed.

“And I don’t want anyone else I care about to get hurt. Not again.” Her lashes fluttered, and you noticed that her eyes were shiny. “He’s taken everything from me. I won’t let him take you too.”

She looked close to bursting into tears, the way she had last night when she’d talked about her mother. You opened your mouth, but nothing came out, unsure of what to say. You didn’t know if you wanted to comfort her or tell her that she couldn’t control your life, despite her good intentions.

She blinked the tears away and sucked in a shaky breath, regaining her composure. “Look, we’ll find you another job, okay? But I’m not letting you go back there.”

“That’s not your call to make, Selina!” You were at the end of your rope. “And good luck finding a job that pays half as well as this one. I’m a couple weeks away from being able to leave the city.”

She stopped, stunned. “What?”

“I want to go to school and make something of my life, get as far away as I can from this dumpster fire of a city,” you sneered. “I don’t want to be stuck here for the rest of my life.”

“Like me,” she murmured.

It was your turn to be confused. “What?”

“Like me is what you meant to say,” she repeated, this time loud enough to hear.

Your brows furrowed. “What? No. That’s not what I meant at all, Selina.”

“So, what?” She curled her upper lip into a snarl. “You were just gonna up and leave without telling me?”

“No.” You shook your head. “I was going to tell you eventually–”

“Once you had the means to fund your little getaway, right?” she cut you off. She looked betrayed. “Did you even think what it would do to me if you left? Do I really mean that little to you?”

You gaped at her. “Of course not! Selina, you’re being ridiculous.”

“I’m being ridiculous?” she hissed like a boiling pot about to overflow. “I spent all day getting your stuff from your apartment while the entire time you were planning on leaving me.”

You wanted to tell her she had it all wrong, but you hardly managed to even get a word in edgewise. “Selina, I think you’re overreacting–”

“Well, you may be desperate to get away from this ‘dumpster fire of a city,’” she parroted your words back to you, “but it’s all I have. All my hopes and dreams were stolen from me, ever since I was a little girl.” She looked pitiful, like her heart was breaking in her chest. “But then you came along, and for the briefest moment, I started to hope again.”

You shifted your weight from foot to foot, nervous. Your thoughts drifted back to last night and the words she’d whispered against your skin that were burned into your mind: "You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this for, to have you all to myself."

You shook the thoughts away and quickly changed the subject. You didn’t even want to breach that topic of discussion anytime soon. “Selina, it’s not safe for me here anymore. You know that,” you tried to reason with her. “If I got away, maybe those guys wouldn’t be able to find me–”

“Oh, my God!” She laughed. “They’re not after you!”

You stared at her, waiting to see if she was joking or not. “What?” Your brows drew together. “But you said–”

“I know what I said.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s me. I’m the one who’s been following you around.”

You stared at her in disbelief. It took a second for her words to sink in, but when they did, it was like all the pieces clicked into place. “Oh, my God,” you muttered to yourself. You looked up at her. “It was you the whole time?”

“Of course it was.” She smirked at you. “I had to find some way to get you back here so we could grow closer, and it worked like a charm.” She scoffed. “You really bought that those jerk offs had nothing better to do than terrorize some poor girl who wouldn’t sleep with them. They probably forgot about you the second they stepped out of the Iceberg Lounge.”

You wavered on your feet. You weren’t sure if you were going to be sick or faint or break down crying. “You broke into my apartment… You destroyed my stuff…”

“I did it because I love you,” she justified.

“That’s not love, Selina! That’s fucking insanity!” you shouted at her, bewildered.

She clenched her jaw. “See, this is why I didn’t want to tell you. But you forced my hand.”

The look in her eyes was intense, and you were reminded of what she was capable of, images of shredded skin and blood under her nails flashing in your mind unbidden. You’d always feared for her, even when she’d taken down those guys at the club like they were nothing. But for the first time since meeting her, you were afraid of her now.

“Selina,” you started slowly, like she was a wild animal that might pounce at any moment, “just let me go, okay? I’m leaving now.”

There was no making a quick escape. She was blocking the only exit. If you wanted to get out, you’d have to go by her first.

You took your chances and stepped forward.

Her hand immediately shot out for something on the wall near her. There was a loud crack like thunder, and before you could go any further, something wrapped around your wrists so tight it stung. The dress you’d been clutching to your form pooled at your feet, leaving you bare before her.

You looked down to see leather curled around your wrists. When you lifted your head, you saw Selina holding the handle of the whip, smirking at you. “Baby,” she purred, “you can’t go anywhere dressed like that.”

She tugged on the other end of the whip, and you were yanked towards her. She caught you as you collided with her, your face inches from hers. She uncoiled the whip from your wrists, holding you tight against her with her arm looped around your waist.

“You’re going to do what I ask,” she raised the whip high in the air, “and if you don’t, this is what you’re going to get.”

She brought it down lightning fast before you could even beg her not to. An inhuman shriek was ripped from your throat as the whip made contact with your back. You arched into her, and if it weren’t for her hold on you, you were sure the excruciating pain would be enough to knock you to your knees.

She grabbed your chin in a tight grip and twisted your head so you could see the mirror on the wall behind you. You gasped at the sight of a bright red mark running down the length of your spine, all the way to your ass cheek. The sting still hadn’t diminished, not even minutes after she’d delivered the lashing.

She turned your head back to face her. A broken whimper left your lips as you crumpled in her arms. Your knees buckled, and you clung to her shoulders for dear life.

She shushed you. “It’s okay, baby. That’ll be the only one you get as long as you’re good, alright?” She brushed away the tears that fell down your cheeks with her thumb. “I’ll even do all the hard work for you.”

In the blink of an eye, she scooped you up, lifting you with ease. You could only imagine how ridiculous you looked, like a greyhound getting carried by a chihuahua, but you couldn’t find it in you to care.

You were limp in her arms as she carried you bridal style to the bed. She laid you down in the body-shaped indent you’d left in the mattress. She climbed onto the bed beside you and swung her leg over your hips, straddling you.

“Just to make sure you don’t try to go anywhere…” She held your hands up to the headboard and looped the whip around your wrists. She leaned over you as she wedged the handle between the wrought iron bars. She tugged on your wrists to make sure it was secure, and when she was satisfied you couldn’t escape, she sat back on her heels.

“There you go, baby.” She sighed. She slid down your body before settling on top of you. Her skin was warm and smooth against yours, and she ran her hands up and down your body, feeling you up.

“Selina…” You sniffled. “Please don’t.”

“Come on, baby. Don’t be like that,” she cooed, fondling your breasts. “Aren’t we past this already?”

She leaned up enough to press her lips against yours. You didn’t bother reciprocating the kiss, though you doubt she really cared if you did or not. You stiffened against her when you felt her thigh slide in between yours, pressing against your exposed core.

She pulled away from your lips and rested her forehead against yours. “Besides, from what I remember, you weren’t complaining last night.” A smirk toyed at the corners of her lips. “And I’m pretty sure my memory is better than yours.”

You wanted to ask her what she meant by that, but the question died on your tongue as she grinded her thigh against you. A soft moan came out instead, the rough texture of her leather-clad thigh and the pressure on your clit stoking the smoldering embers in your core.

She stared down at you as her fingers curled around the wrought iron bars above you. The bed squeaked under you each time she rocked into you, the headboard slamming back against the wall in time with her rhythm. You hoped it’d wake up the neighbors and alert them to your distress. You wanted to scream, but any time you tried, it came out weak and breathy and wracked with lust.

Just as your orgasm started to build, she stopped and pulled away from you. You managed to catch the groan of frustration making its way up your throat before it could come out. You despised the way your body craved her touch.

You looked down to see a trail of slick shining on the leather of her catsuit. She noticed it too, because she smirked at you, pleased. “Now that you’re ready, we can have some real fun.”

She leaned over the side of the bed and rooted around for something out of your line of sight. “I found something interesting when I was going through your things.” She sat up straight, and you blanched when you saw what she was holding.

It was a vibrator. More specifically, your vibrator, made of hot pink silicone vaguely resembling the shape of a dick. She waved it in front of you like she was taunting you. “How many times have you used this, huh?”

Your face flushed with heat. She clicked it on, and it started to vibrate aggressively, the violent buzz filling the air. Her eyes widened before peering down at you in delight. “I wonder what you thought about when you made yourself come with this.”

You didn’t think you’d ever been more embarrassed in your life. You watched as she took the vibrator into her mouth, hollowing her cheeks as she pushed it as far as it would go. It must’ve hit the back of her throat, but she didn’t gag or retch at all. When she pulled it out, it glistened with saliva all the way down to the base.

She pressed the toy against your core, and you jerked like your entire being vibrated. You’d never tried it on this hardcore of a setting before, and now you knew why as she ran the tip of the vibrator between your folds. You writhed and squirmed on the mattress, walking the thin line between pain and pleasure. You jolted each time the tip ran over your clit, biting your lips to keep your noises in so hard you thought they’d bleed.

She circled your entrance with the tip of the vibrator, mesmerized. “I can’t wait to stretch you open with this.”

You went tense at her words. “Wait, Selina!” you croaked. “Don’t—”

You were cut off as she sank the vibrator into your tight heat with a wet squelch. You’d only tried to fit this toy inside you once, and even then, it was so big, you’d only managed to get the tip inside before you couldn’t go any further. But you were equal parts surprised and mortified as she pushed the vibrator in you to the hilt.

She held it there, and her head snapped up, her eyes flickering over your face and observing your reaction. You felt yourself clamp down around the toy snug between your walls, the harsh vibrations shocking you from the inside out.

She pulled the toy out before thrusting it back in, hard and slow. You cried out, arching on the mattress. The leather around your wrists chafed your skin. “Selina…” you choked out. “Too… much…”

“You can take it, baby.” Her pace was relentless, driving the toy into you over and over. “I know you can.”

You bent your knees and spread your legs wider to alleviate some of the pressure, but all that did was heighten the sensation. She fucked you with the vibrator faster, twisting her wrist a little more each time. She plunged deeper into you until the tip brushed against a spongy spot that made your vision go blurry.

Your toes curled, and a high-pitched squeal escaped you. “There it is.” She grinned up at you from ear to ear like the cat that got the cream. “I want you to squirt for me, baby. Do you think you can do that?“

You were too far gone to answer her coherently. Unintelligible strings of curses interspersed with moans fell from your lips in a jumbled mess. She leaned down and wrapped her lips around your clit, sucking it into her mouth. You were pretty sure your eyes literally rolled back into your head.

It was all too overwhelming: her wet mouth and skilled tongue licking and sucking your clit; the toy rubbing against your g-spot over and over; the vibrations pulverizing your sensitive walls. Your moans rose in pitch as the pressure built and built inside you until it was unbearable.

“Fuck! Se—” your voice broke each time you tried to say her name, though you weren’t sure why you were trying in the first place. Maybe to tell her to stop. Or maybe you were trying to warn her. “Se—” You couldn’t hold back anymore and let yourself fall over the precipice.

You threw your head back as you came all over the toy and her face. A loud wail left you as your vision went white, your walls squeezing down on the toy. She held it still inside you as deep as it could go while you rode out your high. You rocked your hips and fucked yourself on the vibrator, your eyes glazed over as you subconsciously chased the last remnants of your orgasm.

Your legs dropped flat against the mattress, your chest heaving as you panted. Your body twitched from the aftershocks of your orgasm. As the haze of pleasure slowly started to dredge away, you stared up at the ceiling as the reality of what had just happened hit you like a brick.

Selina pulled the vibrator out of you and stared entranced at the slick drenching the silicone. Her pink tongue darted out from between her lips to taste your juices, licking long, slow strokes up the length of the toy. She hummed and smacked her lips together, pleased.

She stared down at the mess between your legs. You swore this was the wettest you’d ever been in your life, and it was all at the hands of this twisted woman on top of you.

“That was so fucking hot.” She held up the toy, still vibrating strong. Then, her head snapped to look at you. “I want to watch you squirt again.”

Your eyes went wide with fear as she lowered the toy between your legs again.

You came so many times you lost count. Somewhere in the middle of it all, your head was so scrambled and pleasure-ridden, you couldn’t recall your own name. The only thing you could focus on as you mewled from oversensitivity was the voice in your ear, whispering, “You’re doing so well for me, baby. Who makes you come this hard, huh? Who fucks you this good? Only me.”

Eventually, it stopped feeling good and more like torture as she made you scream over and over.

She stopped when the sun started to rise and the vibrator died, the juice drained from the batteries. She tossed the toy aside and undid the restraints on your hands. They fell dejected on either side of your head. The blood had long drained from your hands, leaving them numb and prickly.

She leaned over you, peppering your face with kisses. “You were such a good girl for me, baby.” She pushed sweaty locks of hair out of your face. “You’re all mine now.”

You stared up at her through half-lidded eyes, exhaustion setting in after you’d been wrung dry. A tear leaked out of the corner of your eye and dampened the pillow under you. Your mother had warned you about the kinds of guys who visited the Iceberg Lounge, the ones with sharp-toothed smiles and silver-tongued words. But she couldn't have warned you about this.

You didn't have a clue who Selina was anymore, but whoever she was, she was far worse.

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