The music changed once again and people roared in excitement.
Reyona automatically leaned back from the stench of stale breath and the alcohol wafting from the bald man in front of her.
The man took that as an invitation and dropped into the chair opposite her.
Reyona looked at the bar and saw that everyone had returned to their business.
It seemed she was no longer interesting since she didn't choke on her bile.
Though the effect of the drink was still singing through her blood, the zing was fast disappearing at the leery look the big man opposite her tossed her way.
He was looking at the front zipper on her outfit in a way that discomforted Reyona.
Refusing to let a fool who couldn't handle his drink add to her sour mood, Reyona looked away from him and tried to enjoy the music.
She self-consciously reached for the drink again but quickly withdrew her hands from it as she remembered the first time.
It wouldn't do to start dripping in front of the silly man, whose eyes were still glued on Reyona.
"What do you have there, a bloody Mary?"
Reyona snorted inwardly.
She was almost tempted to say yes and even offer him a sip.
Maybe that would send him straight to the toilets and away from her.
In the end, she decided to ignore him.
"Now look here. You are tasty, I am not going to lie, but when Big Joe talks to you, you answer, Okay? I just want to have some fun," he said with a watery chuckle that scraped on Reyona's nerves.
She said nothing.
"A tough one, eh? I like it. Now…" He moved forward in the chair as he said, "How much is it to peek down the valley?" He said this as he nodded towards Reyona's chest.
Reyona was appalled.
She turned fully to look at the man.
Since the latter was shouting to be heard over the music and Reyona had no intention of competing in a yelling contest with him, she merely stared at him through her dark shades and turned away again.
She deliberately reached for the drink this time around.
Bracing herself, she raised the drink to her mouth.
The man suddenly reached over and grabbed the hand holding the drink. "I say you don't ignore me when..."
All sense of calmness fled as Reyona automatically removed the drink with her free hand from the hand he held.
She tossed the drink into his eyes.
The man yelled and automatically let go of Reyona's hands.
Reyona was annoyed that some of the drink splashed on her knees.
She stood up as the man held his face and tried to find something to soothe his flaming eyes.
"Well, it is time to go," Reyona thought as she walked towards the dance floor while scanning the two-times-packed floor now for Toria.
"Bitch! Come back here!" She heard the man's voice faintly under the loud music as she continued walking.
"I say come back here!"
She heard the man's lumbering gait behind her and she quickly turned to defend herself if it came to it.
So much for a night of distraction.
The man's arm was raised in a bunched fist as he tried to catch up with her.
Two images mingled into one for a moment and Reyona's blood boiled as she saw Thomas raising his hand to hit her.
Nobody would hit me again! She thought vehemently as she stood at the ready to deal with the beefy man.
A few paces from Reyona, the man went flying as a fist collided with his face.
The first one only dazed and halted him; the second one made him double over in pain.
People gasped around him, while most just kept dancing.
"Who the fuck is that?" Big Joe said as he stood up to look for anyone who had dared to stop his mission.
Reyona was as surprised when she saw Maxwell Rohan cocked his finger behind the man while automatically saying, "You have had one too many drinks, dickhead. It would be the last you will be having here."
"Who are you to tell me anything?" Big Joe tried to hit Maxwell but the latter hit him in the groin and he fell to the ground in pain.
It was so fast that even Reyona didn't really catch the movement.
There was always a telling sign on people's faces or bodies when they wanted to make a hit but not him.
He was straight-faced and seemed relaxed right before his knee rammed into the foul man.
Two bouncers appeared immediately and lifted the groaning man off his feet.
"Do yourself a favour by staying away from here," Maxwell said in a cold tone. "Next time you come here, you will leave here without your balls. That is a promise."
He flicked his hand and the bouncers lifted the groaning man in between themselves like he weighed nothing.
The man who had served Reyona a drink got there just as the man was being lifted away. "I don't want to see that garbage here again," Maxwell said to him.
The man nodded respectfully as he said, "Yes, sir."
When Maxwell turned to Reyona, her throat went dry for a reason.
It must have been the look of cold fury in his eyes that whispered to her that this was a man she didn't want as her enemy.
"Thank you," she mouthed to him, refusing to shout the way they had.
"Come with me," he said tersely.
"No, I was actually on my way out," Reyona responded hesitantly.
"Come with me. I need to talk to you."
"I am here with my sister."
Maxwell turned to the man who was still close by and said, "Tell her sister she is with me."
"Yes, sir," the man said, turning immediately towards the dance floor.
"And now?"
Though annoyed with his high-handed manner, Reyona decided to hear him out.
What would she hurry back to anyway? Another night of tossing and turning?
"Okay," she mouthed.
He gestured towards the path that led away from the main part of the club.
"After you," he said.
Reyona turned towards the dance floor and she could see that the man had found Toria.
While dancing and bobbing her head, Toria raised her hand in a thumbs-up at Reyona with a grin before she turned right back to her friend and continued dancing.
Just like that?
Reyona had half-hoped Toria would come over immediately after she was given the message.
Apparently, that wasn't going to happen.
He glanced at her half expectantly and she started walking in the direction he had pointed in.
The more they walked down the corridor, the more the music receded.
As Reyona walked ahead of him, she could feel his gaze on her.
She wondered if she was making a silly mistake by going anywhere with him; she didn't even like the man.
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that." Her subconsciousness suddenly reared its head.
"Right there," his voice jolted Reyona and she automatically came to a stop in front of the door he pointed at.
She awkwardly moved out of the way so he could open the door.
Before Reyona could toss out an excuse and run anyway, he had opened the door.
"Come in, please."
She followed him into the muted lighting room.
Instead of putting on a brighter light as Reyona had expected, he shut the door, sealing away any noise or means of escape.
"Why do you put yourself in these situations?" he said suddenly in an angry tone.
"Excuse me?"