Free ASCENSION by S. W. Frank

material causing a tingling in his body. His mouth felt dry. He knew the danger of his actions and accepted the consequence. It was too late to turn back, he wanted her and the honest emotion revealed itself when her body contacted with his. Impulsively, he kissed her and she did not pull away. The crowd was their shield and in her lips he tasted a sweet life, an impossible dream but a sweet one nonetheless. She suddenly detached her mouth from him and guilt brought him back to the present.
    “Selange, I’m sorry. That was out of line . ”
    “Blame i t o n t he a lcohol, huh?”
    He smirked, “I admit I wanted to kiss you for a long time.”
    “Franky, I care about you. We’ve become good friends but I love my husband and what you did better not happen again . Are we clear ?”
    He danced holding her, their bodies swaying in an intimate connection. He wanted to say she was right, of course this was a fantasy on his part but the love he felt for her was real and words could not erase it from his heart. This one indiscretion may be his last but he took a chance and the delicious taste of her lips was worth it. “ We’re clear. Still friends ?”
    Her smile gave the answer, “ F riend s and only friends .”
    Franky tried to lighten the mood, “ Okay then friend let’s dance! ”
    The song changed to an upbeat temp o and they danced together as friends with a renewed understanding. Franky didn’t give up hope that maybe one day she’d come to her senses and realize Alfonzo wasn’t the legitimate businessman he claimed and she’d l eave with Sal before it was too late.
    Alfonzo arrived at the club and was directed to his wife’s booth. He noticed the partially depleted bottle of champagne and sneered. His wife wasn’t a drinker, the few times she consumed alcohol she became inebriated. He wondered if Franky knew this little information about his wife. He took a seat and ordered a bottle of Comandon Cognac XO then unbuttoned his suit jacket to make himself comfortable as he searched for her face in the crowd. He noticed Shanda, she was the chica in spicy red grinding and bumping with some dude with a huge dumb grin on his face. Then he swiveled his head as the crowd began shouting “Puertorriqueño!”
    She wore lavender. His eyes settled on his wife’s hips moving in Shakira fashion as she smiled into the eyes of none other than Franky. God, she looked so beautiful in the sleeveless short dress and the way her body swayed it was evident his private dance lessons paid off. His jaw grew tight as he witnessed her disloyal exhibition and decided to play the game.
    The Cognac arrived and he poured a glass, gulped it down then another and another as his wife continued to shimmy about with Franky on the dance floor. Finally , the laughing couple grew exhausted and made their way to the table. Selange froze in her tracks , taken aback by the sight of her husband s itting casually in the booth. He was a picture of Latin sophisticat ion in a blue custom tailored suit with a white designer shirt strategically unbuttoned to peek his muscular upper torso. His wedding hand sat flush on the table, a sign to her and Franky of their disloyalty.
    Selange recovered and continued toward the booth, dreading the confrontation certain to arise once they reached it. A bottle of Comandon Cognac XO sat half empty on the table she noticed as she sat . He r husband leisurely poured more c ognac into his glass and drank without saying a word.
    Selange averted his cool scrutinizing eyes out of guilt. He drank to keep the volcano suppressed, if he didn’t he might explode and hurt someone, notably Franky!
    Did she have any idea how he felt watching her having the time of her life with another man? He f ought the primal impulse to break Franky’s motherfucking neck, instead he cooled the furor , c ognizant of the v iolent temper lurking in the shadows. This was his dark side, one she had yet to see. H e hastily downed the liquor to