Donnie

“Thank goodness,” The mystery man gave me a slow smile that brought out his dimples. Normally, a beautiful smile from a hot man was enough to make me swoon, but for an indecipherable reason, I was mostly unaffected.
“I've been looking for you, too.” The man held out his hand for a handshake, “My name is Leonardo.”
I shook his hand, “Hi, Leonardo. I'm Donatella, but you can call me Donnie.”
“Donnie,” He rolled my name on his tongue, “That's an unusual name.”
“Is it, though?” I rolled my eyes, “It's Italian.”
At the mention of my ancestory, Leonardo's eyes lit up. I idly wondered if he had a fetish for Italian women. That would be . . . weird.
I hoped he wouldn't suggest we go have sex. If he did, I would stomp on his expensive kicks and leave this club.
“How about I get you a drink, and we get to know each other?” Leonardo suggested politely.
I smiled. Leonardo was such a gentleman, and the complete opposite of Jack. I needed a man like Leonardo, who knew how to treat a woman.
“Yes, let's go.” I agreed.
Leonardo put his hand on the small of my waist, and navigated me to the bar. His touch made me feel a little uncomfortable, but I didn't draw away because I knew he was looking out for me.
When we got to the bar, Leonardo ordered some cocktails for us.
As the bartender prepared our drinks, Leonardo spoke, “So, where are your friends?”
I wrinkled my nose, “My friends?”
The bartender set two glasses of cocktails before us, and Leonardo hastily claimed a glass for himself before he added, “You know, the black girl and that weirdo?”
“Jack's not a weirdo!” I retorted before I could stop myself.
Leonardo smirked at me, “I'm sorry for calling him a weirdo, but he rudely dragged you away while I was trying to have a conversation with you, and you're supporting him. Do you like him?”
I felt my face turn crimson, and to hide my blush I took the other glass of cocktail and gulped down its contents.
The drink gave me the courage to meet Leonardo's eyes, “I'm sorry I overreacted, and I'm sorry you had to witness Jack acting like a brute. He's just so annoying sometimes!”
Leonardo patted my shoulder and tutted, “There, there. I think he's just looking out for you.”
I scoffed, “Not you, too. Jack is so overbearing, like a warder.”
Without warning, my eyes closed involuntarily, and my body began to feel heavy.
“Donnie,” I heard Leonardo ask in a concerned voice, “Are you okay?”
I struggled to open my eyes and give Leonardo a smile, “Yesshh.”
I could no longer speak, and with each second that passed, I found it more difficult to stay awake. Soon, the struggle to stay conscious became worse, and I gave into the sweet lure of sleep, wondering what in the world was wrong with me.

*

Jack

I silently prayed that Donnie was alright as I carelessly parked in the club's parking lot.
“Stay in here!” I sternly warned Lisa, who was in the passenger seat, “Lock the doors, and don't open them for anyone except me. If I don't come out in the next thirty minutes, drive to the nearest police station.”
“And do what?” Lisa shrieked, looking scared, “Aren't you just overreacting? For all we know, Donnie is having the time of her life there.”
“Then why isn't she answering our calls?” I huffed out, as I undid my seatbelt and opened the car door.
“You know Donnie, she probably put her phone on silent! She's okay.” Lisa sounded like she was trying to convince herself, not me.
“I'm not takin' any chances.” I got out and slammed the car door. Then, I ran as fast as I could into the club.
The bouncer was occupied with keeping some drunk clubbers in check, so she didn't notice me.
Immediately I stepped into the club, I was engulfed in the cacophony of the music and the smoke-filled atmosphere. I hurried to the dancefloor and began to search for Donnie.
I saw a redhead wrapped around a man, and my blood began to boil with rage.
Donnie was dancing with reckless abandon, not giving a fuck about her safety. I angrily grabbed her arm, pulling her away from her dance partner.
“Donnie!” I ground out.
“Hey!” She cried indignantly as she faced me, and I quickly released her. It wasn't Donnie, but some random woman with red hair. Her teeth barred, “Who are you?”
“Is there a problem here?” Her dance partner came forward.
“No,” I hastily answered, “I'm sorry I disturbed your dancing. I thought she was somebody else.”
“Whatever, dude.” The man frowned, “Get lost!”
He didn't have to tell me twice. I continued my search for Donnie on the dancefloor, and came up empty.
Frustrated, I stalked to the bar. Maybe, I thought, the bartender would know where Donnie was.
Once the young bartender made eye contact with me, his eyes widened with alarm and he scampered from the bar.
“Hey!” I shouted hoarsely as I ran after him through a narrow hallway. He shoved people in his path towards me, and I deftly avoided colliding into them.
“Stop!” I yelled as the bartender climbed up a stairwell. He didn't pause, so I followed him up the stairs.
He opened a door that led to the roof of the building. Before he could walk through the door, I leapt on him.
He shrieked as he landed on the concrete floor facedown. I immediately got up, and turned his body around so his face could face me.
Turning on my most menacing expression, I glared at him and raised my fist toward him.
The bartender began to bumble, “Pl-please! Don't hit me!”
“I won't,” I assured him, “Unless you lie to me. Where is she? Who took her?”
“Who?” The young man cried out.
“Donnie,” I snapped, “The redhead woman whom I was with earlier.”
“I don't know,” The bartender replied, his voice thick with tears.
I snorted disbelievingly, “Do you know how much a dislocated jaw hurts?”
“N-no!” He stammered as I fisted his shirt.
“Do you want to find out?” I questioned him.
“N-no, please, I don't.”
“Then tell me what you know, or I'll smash your jaw,” I threatened, “And don't try to lie again, I know you're not innocent. If you had nothing to hide, you wouldn't have run from me.”
The bartender swallowed audibly and sighed, “Fine. I'll talk. I saw the woman, when she returned without you. She met up with some man, and the man paid me to spike her drink.”
At that moment, I felt the irrepressible urge to give the bartender a beating within an inch of his life, but I forced myself to stay calm. It looked like he had a lot more to say.
“S-stop! You're choking me!” The bartender spat out, and I noticed I had subconsciously moved my hand from his shirt, and was presently tightening my grip around his neck.
I eased my hold a little, “Keep talking. What happened next?”
“He took her with him.” He quickly answered.
“Where?”
“I don't know!”
I brought my fist closer to his face.
“I swear on my life, I don't know where he took her. I'm so sorry,” he babbled, snot coming out of his nostrils, “I'm not involved in anything that guy's doing. I just spiked her drink because he paid me to.”
“I see. Now listen to me properly. Once I leave you here, you're going to turn your pathetic self into the cops, and confess your crimes to them. If you don't, I'll find you and pummel you so much, your bruises will have bruises. Do you understand?” I asked him.
“Yes,” The bartender nodded fearfully.
I gave him a punch to the face strong enough to give him a headache, but too weak to knock him out.
His scream of pain filtered into my ears as I made my way into the building, and out of the club.
I would have loved to teach the bartender a lesson, but I couldn't waste a second when Donnie was in danger.
“Hang on, Donnie!” I promised, “I'm coming to get you.”