Chapter 44: Totally A Date With Alina

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Totally A Date With Alina

Ricky didn't wait for a response as he slammed the door behind him, leaving a surprised and slightly embarrassed Alina behind.

As he moved into the dining room, he settled into a chair with a sigh of relief.

Marco, with a warm smile, placed a glass of water in front of him, and his grateful gaze spoke volumes.

"Thank you Slick, she really needs to get some fresh air." Marco looked grateful at Ricky who waved his hand.

"No problem Marco, I'll take good care of her." Ricky let out a sleazy smile as Marco walked towards his room, leaving him alone.

Ten minutes later, Alina reappeared, adorned in a dark blue snap garter that looked a little cheap, which only made Ricky smile wider.

"Slick-"

"Call me Ricky." Ricky showed a familiarity he reserved only for those he was close to or wanted to be close to, and Ricky very much wanted to be close to Alina, very much indeed.

"Alright Ricky, why am I all dolled up?" Alina flashed a small smile, Ricky standing up though didn't answer immediately.

"Ricky?" Alina asked in a questioning tone though Ricky started walking around her as his eyes scanned her entire body.

"Sorry about that, but I was a little baffled at how well you pulled off this ragged dress." Ricky's comment was a mix of positivity and negativity as he side-eyed her, assessing her reaction.

Ricky was fully aware that his words bordered on rudeness, and he had carefully crafted them to be just ambiguous enough to leave the listener wondering whether it was a sincere comment or a subtle, passive-aggressive dig.

Honestly, he wanted to see what kind of girl Alina was since the confident and boisterous types would only see the compliment, the arrogant and entitled would only see his words as an insult, while the self-conscious and quiet types would notice the insult and think of it as their own fault.

"I-Is there something wrong with the dress, I can change if it isn't appropriate?" Alina stammered with an embarrassed smile, gazing down at her dress nervously.

Fidgeting in place, Alina felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her, acutely aware that this was her most expensive dress all the while Ricky flashed a predatory smile, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

'Oh Alina.' Ricky's eyes slowly curved into crescent moons, but as soon as Alina looked up, his expression shifted into one of genuine warmth.

The only thing wrong with this dress is that it doesn't do someone as beautiful as you enough justice." Ricky walked closer, and Alina looked up to see him hovering above her.

Leaning down towards Alina, she froze, though she didn't back away and nervously, she remained still, as if waiting for his lips to come closer.

"You have some lint here." Ricky swerved his head right before he could get close, picking up a piece of lint off her shoulder, flicking it away.

He had reused the move from Dolly, but unlike Dolly, Alina's situation was different.

Whether it was out of respect for her deceased son's friend or the need to avoid offending the son of a mob boss, Ricky knew he had not one, but two metaphorical hurdles to clear.

Yet, he was resolute, determined to exploit the situation to its fullest advantage.

"O-Oh!" Alina flushed red at her assumption though before she could think about it too much, Ricky took her hand and started leading her out of the door.

"We won't rest until I find a dress worthy of your beauty, alright?" Ricky flattered Alina who shook her head while being led at the door.

Ricky didn't give her a moment to regain her composure, hauling her out the door as her mind swirled with embarrassment and a touch of shock.

'What are you thinking? He was Rocco's best friend!' Alina screamed inwardly, struggling to comprehend why she had ever imagined he would do something as depraved as kissing her.

Ricky guided Alina, who was still wrapped up in her own internal reprimands, to a car parked out front as he opened the door for her before sliding into the driver's seat himself.

He let her purposely stew in her own thoughts, knowing that a person's worst enemy is often their own subconscious.

Throughout the drive, Alina stewed in her awkwardness, grappling with whether her own reaction had caused the sudden silence.

Meanwhile, Ricky whistled a pleasant tune, seemingly unfazed until they eventually arrived at the intended destination.

"Here we are." Ricky parked in front of one the finest dress shops in Brooklyn, walking to the other side of the car and helping Alina out like a gentleman.

"Ricky you really don't have to do all this-"

"But I want to." Ricky flashed her a smile, leading the taken aback mother into the shop with a confident stride.

"Excuse me sir but we are closed-" A woman politely informed Ricky until the owner, an old man who was tidying up from the side, widened his eyes and covered her mouth.

"M-Mr. Luciano!" The owner was pale as Ricky showed a comfortable smile at being recognized.

"Please, Mr. Luciano is my father, you can call me Slick." Ricky beckoned to the owner who nodded graciously.

"How may I assist you and please rest at ease knowing that Vincent's dress shop will take care of all your needs!" Vincent, the owner, politely spoke as Ricky then gestured to Alina.

By this time, Ricky's notoriety was beginning to ripple through the currents of New York, though it hadn't reached the same heights as his own domain in Brooklyn.

In Brooklyn, where the Luciano family held absolute sway, Ricky was a well-known figure, whether people liked it or not, largely due to the infamous Irish massacre.

While other gangs and mobs made it a point to ensure their members recognized Ricky by face alone, they also spread his reputation among the broader public as a cautionary measure to ensure they wouldn't have the same fate as the Irish mob.

"I'd like you to make this beautiful bulb bloom but I need your help." Ricky spoke charming words as Vincet immediately understood.

"Right away, Becky, go get our finest dresses, NOW!" Vincent screamed at his clerk who flinched though rushed to the back.

"Alina, this is the part where you follow her." Ricky leaned down, getting right up to her ear while whispering as she bobbed her head and scurried after her.

Walking over, Ricky sat on a fine leather couch before Vincent ran up to him with a bottle of their finest champagne.

"You really know how to treat your customers, Vincent." Ricky grabbed the glass while Vincet started pouring.

"You're no ordinary customer, Slick." Vincent quickly began ingratiating himself as he watched Ricky down the glass.

With a subtle gesture, Ricky wiggled the empty glass to signal that he wanted more.

"You're right about that." Ricky sipped champagne as he waited, then soon afterwards, Alina nervously walked out from behind the curtains.

She seemed hesitant about her appearance in the dress, twirling it around anxiously though be immensely careful until she saw Ricky's smile and also felt affirmed in herself.

"Beautiful." Ricky's gaze softened as he took in Alina's appearance.

Her dress, a beautiful shade of blue with delicate white lacing hand-stitched across it, hugged her curves in such a way that was both elegant and alluring.

The dress seemed to accentuate her features, highlighting her figure in a flattering manner.

Ricky couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship and how it complemented Alina's natural beauty along with her naturally large bosom.

"How much?" Ricky looked at Vincet who showed a nervous expression.

"It usually would go for fifty but for you Slick I'll give-"

"Nonsense." Ricky laughed, pulling out a wad of money barely held together by his golden money clip before he started counting.

"Get me nine more dresses with the same quality and the extra hundred is for your troubles today." Ricky took Vincent's sweaty hand and smacked the money into it before nodding to him.

This was all dirty money that Lucky had handed over when they couldn't offload enough of it, essentially disposing of or storing it.

However, Ricky had a taste for lavish spending; he wasn't one to hoard his wealth but preferred to spread it around and indulge himself.

"R-RIGHT AWAY!" Vincent didn't even hesitate with the greed in his eyes, stumbling a bit but ran to the back to fulfill the order.

Thirty minutes later, Alina was nervously sitting in the passenger seat of his car with nine dresses in the back.

"R-Ricky you didn't have to-" Alina felt rigid, afraid to move too much and risk ruining the dress that clung to her body like a snug, knitted sweater.

"But I wanted to, Alina, I want to take care of you like I promised." Ricky interrupted with a sidelong glance and a smirk before pulling up to the Stork Club and parking the car.

*Gasp*

"Is this-" Alina had heard of the renowned club before her; the ladies from her book club frequently raved about the thrilling stories that unfolded there.

"My new club? Yes it is." Ricky chuckled, enjoying Alina's surprised reaction that was heightened to a new level.

The Stork Club was renowned in New York City for its prestige and exclusivity, making it a coveted destination for many.

Formerly owned by Owney Madden, the club had evolved into a haven for the middle and upper echelons of white society.

When Ricky lifted the ban on Black patrons to make washing money easier, he faced backlash from some of his white clientele.

To compensate for the discontent, the club saw a surge in customers, who flocked there like storks.

In response, Jake raised the prices to capitalize on the increased demand and maintain a sense of luxury.

"You're the new owner of the Stork club?!" Alina was slightly shocked; there had been rumors of a change in ownership, but no one seemed to know who the new owner was.

"My pops wanted to keep it a secret a little longer to the general public as the only ones who know are the people working in the restaurant, but I think I can trust you with it." Ricky's casual revelation underscored his familiarity with Alina, making her feel oddly validated by his trust in sharing such privileged information.

"Aye, If you steal anything or scrap the paint I'll break your legs." Ricky threw the keys at the chauffeur who gulped already knowing his boss was in front of him.

"No prob boss, you can count on me!" The chauffeur saluted and hurried to assist Alina, but she pushed him away, causing him to stumble back slightly.

"I got the girl, you get the car." Ricky gave the chauffeur a warning, causing him to gulp nervously before scurrying to the driver's side door as Ricky assisted Alina out of the car.

"My lady~" Ricky joked, making Alina chuckle while easing her anxiousness at the new environment around her as she took his hand.

"Why thank you good sir~" Alina put on a posh British accent, playing along with the joke while Ricky escorted her into the club.

They were promptly ushered to a private table in the back, where Alina marveled at her surroundings.

Her eyes sparkled with fascination at the luxury she had never thought she could attain before, and Ricky couldn't help but smile at her reaction.

He then scooted back across from her in the booth just as their meals were placed in front of them.

"Fresh king crab, picked apart for your enjoyment with a truffle butte." The waiter announced to them as Alina's eyes sparkled.

"With a side of Gruyère Scalloped Potatoes and Grilled Peach-and-Arugula Salad with Feta." The waiter then took out a wine bottle, the final touches to go with such a dish.

"This is a Barolo 1876, flown in only a week ago from Sicily and specially sought out by Mr. Luciano's stork club." The waiter then sat the bottle down next to the second bottle of champagne already half drained by these two.

"Bon appetit." The waiter bowed before making the other staff scarce, Ricky picking up a crab leg then dipped it in the butter.

Ricky believed in living life to the fullest, unlike others who downplayed their wealth or tried to argue about who had to worse, Ricky shamelessly flaunted his wealth around others without care.

Ricky didn't care if others were jealous since as long as their feelings didn't appear within his sights, then it didn't matter since Ricky was consciously uncaring.

"Holy moly!" Alina called out to Ricky excitedly as she dug into the king crab, the alcohol starting to take its toll on her, though the food would soon help her regain some sobriety.

Ricky, on the other hand, showed no intention of pacing himself, immediately pouring the rest of the champagne into his glass.

"Ricky, isn't this expensive-"

"Alina, I own the place." Ricky interrupted her worries as she suddenly realized.

"Oh yeah." Alina nodded in agreement, surrendering to the decadent meal before her and as they dined, the plates emptied, leaving only the bottle between them.

With the food gone, Ricky shifted to humor, cracking jokes to further lighten the mood.

Ricky had a vast collection of jokes from his time in various bars and gatherings, making this one of his strong suits.

*PFFFT*

"Hahahahaha!" Alina suddenly started laughing as the wine glass in her hand wobbled as it nearly spilled multiple times.

"Hahaha, alright one more, one more." Ricky also wasn't impervious to the blooming woman as he even let out a loud laugh.

They both were drunk as Ricky's excessive drinking had finally caught up to him along with Alina as they bordered on the lines of sh*t faced.

"A man walks into a bar and says to the bartender, 'I got five hundred dollars that says if you slide a shot glass down the bar top, I can run alongside it and piss into the glass without missing a drop. And I only get two tries'." Ricky began a joke that seemed intended for the ears of men, but Alina was no ordinary woman.

"The bartender eager to win thinks to himself and realizes just how hard this would be and accepts the bet." Ricky's voice gradually grew louder, drawing the attention of the other diners but made a conscious effort to ignore it, focusing instead on their own meals.

"The man drops his pants and when the bartender puts the shot glass down on the counter, he shouts 'Go!' prompting the bartender to slide it along the bar top. The man chases after it, holding his pecker at an angle to properly aim it. However, pissing while running at full speed isn't easy. So he fails." Ricky continues, Alina holding back her laughter until he gets to the end.

"Catching his breath, the man reminds the bartender that he has a second try. Once again the man chases widely after it, spraying piss everywhere. But not one drop of urine makes it into the shot glass." Ricky slurred out, Alina's face about to explode with laughter but continued to hold it in.

"He hands the bartender five hundred dollars and the bartender starts jumping up and down in joy and cheers in victory. All of a sudden, a man in the back of the bar slams his fist hard against his table and screams. 'F*CK!'." Ricky hits the table, yelling that last part while receiving multiple glares.

"The bartender mutters, 'I wonder what his problem is?'."

"The man who just pissed all over his counter nods and says 'Oh, I just bet that guy 10,000 dollars that I could piss all over your bar and you'd be happy about it."

*SNORT*

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Alina snorted loudly and burst into uncontrollable laughter, her amusement evident.

Ricky, unable to hold back his own laughter, joined her, and together they laughed uproariously, drawing curious glances from the other diners.

"How uncouth." A man from the side scowled at Ricky though the latter couldn't care less about making a scene

"Oh f*cking can it, loser!" Ricky pointed at the disguised gentleman as Alina started cackling at the side.

"Yeah, shut the f*ck up!" Alina drunkenly yelled at the man who showed an appalled expression as Ricky started dying of laughter.

*BAM*

*BAM*

*BAM*

Ricky started slamming the table as an outlet though his force was that of a body builder in their prime as loud thuds resounded in the club.

"Excuse me, I demand to speak to the manager." The man stood up and pulled the waiter aside who immediately went.

"S-Sir he-" The waiter tried his best to warn the disgruntled man but it was no use.

"He is acting very unmannered and I demand-" The man yelled, pointing a finger at Ricky but that only made him laugh harder.

"You can't demand sh*t dimwit, I OWN THE CLUB!" Ricky covered his face after he saw the realization on the man's face as Alina fell onto the floor in laughter.

"Whatever, this place is too stuffy anyways." Ricky hopped to his feet before helping the still laughing Alina up.

Swiping a full wine bottle from a nearby table, Ricky took a sip before walking out with Alina in his arms.

Walking down the alley, they couldn't even walk straight as they zigzagged down the sidewalk.

"Ricky, where are we?" Alina asked while trying not to break out in laughter as Ricky became confused and looked around.

"New york?"

"...."

"...."

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" They both laughed as they continued to walk though eventually Ricky was the one lagging.

While they walked down the sidewalk, Ricky had downed that entire bottle without sharing and had become effectively more intoxicated than Alina who had to deal with the aftermath.

"Oh golly Ricky, you're a mess." Alina slurred out before blinking as she gazed up at a hotel.

Looking at Ricky then back at the hotel, she hesitated but after seeing Ricky's slumped posture she shook her head and helped in.

"May I help you?" The receptionist hesitantly asked, gazing at the two clearly drunk individuals as Ricky gazed up and squinted.

"Here, pull my car around back." Ricky hobbled to his feet as he took out a crumpled up hundred bill and threw it at the receptionist's face.

"Ricky this isn't the chauffeur!" Alina loudly whispered as the receptionist eyebrow twitched while Ricky sloppy nodded his head.

"Then I'll have three cheeseburgers, a large fry, and I a large drink but I swear to god in you fill it up with too much ice-"

"Sir, this is a hotel." The receptionist informed Ricky who showed a weird look as he thought for a second and nodded.

"Then how much for a suit?"

"A 'suite' is two hundred and-"

"Keep the change." Ricky then promptly threw two hundred more dollars at her face before falling to the ground as Alina helped him back.

The receptionist took a deep breath but took the money and took out her book that kept track of all of the guests.

"Can I have a name?"

"Your mother~"

*PFFFT*

Both of them started laughing again right as Alina helped him to his feet as the receptionist held her forehead in distress.

"Sir-"

*DING*

"Thank's betty!" Ricky waved as the elevator doors opened as the receptionist reached out, shook her head, and wrote the name "Betty" in the log book.

"And my name is Susan." Susan looked back at the elevator that had already closed while sighing deeply.

"What am I doing with my life?"

*DING*

The door at the top floor swung open, and Alina assisted Ricky to his feet, leading him down the hall to their intended room.

She struggled momentarily with the door but eventually managed to open it, revealing a lavish room, though not without its issues.

"One bed?" Alina asked with a confused expression before her face blushed.

'Did she think we were a couple-' Alina blushed before showing a look of horror at her own thoughts all the while, Ricky stumbled out from her side.

"Ima shower-" Ricky drunkenly slurred out, wobbling forward while tripping on his own foot.

*SMACK*

Ricky stumbled and immediately smacked his face into the bathroom door as Alina rushed over to him before tripping herself.

"Ahhh-" Alina yelped only for Ricky to catch her fall, both of them stumbling around the room to regain their balance only to conveniently fall onto the bed.

"I'm sorry-...sorry." Alina glanced up in embarrassment, only to find Ricky staring intently into her eyes.

Without a moment's pause, Ricky leaned in, and Alina, almost instinctively, mirrored his movement, their lips meeting in a hesitant, yet eager, drunken kiss.

'Wet to the touch.'