Chapter 4 A Taste Of Fire
Maddie's POV
Mariko was the man that I met at the function on my nineteenth birthday, five years ago. I didn't know what to do with myself because Mariko walked away from me, leaving me to soak in my realization and he knew me. He chose not to say anything to me since I started at Sternpoint. That somehow made me angry. I looked at my Dirty Martini and I just gulped it down. I placed the empty glass on the bar counter. A lot has happened since that evening that I have forgotten about him. It was wrong for me to fall for someone I met briefly and I never saw again. I had to be realistic because I was dating Ash and I thought that we would last forever, but I was wrong. Mariko is married...married. I have to draw the line with my feelings. One day at a time, Maddie, you can get over this, my subconscious tells me. I had to because I wouldn't have him either way.
"Can I get you anything?" the bartender asked.
"Scotch neat," I replied. I had never had it before but I wanted to taste what Mariko was having. It seems wrong, but I don't care. I need to get over this and drink it away. When Ash and I broke up, I would go to clubs and drink myself into a stupor. That wrecked me.
The bartender placed the drink in front of me and walked away to tend to the other people. I took the glass of Scotch and brought it to my lips. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and let the glass touch my lips. I parted them, allowing the liquid to slip past my tongue. Immediately, an intense wave of heat washed over my palate, engulfing my taste buds with an inferno-like sensation. It was as if I had swallowed fire itself.
My eyes flew open, widening in surprise and shock. The scorching liquid burned its way down my throat, leaving a trail of warmth in its wake. The fire danced within me, coursing through my veins, awakening my senses in a way that I had never experienced before. It was raw, powerful, and undeniably captivating.
My initial instinct was to recoil, to push away the overwhelming heat. But a newfound curiosity kept me rooted to my spot. I welcomed the burn, embracing it as a rite of passage into a world of refined tastes and acquired pleasures. The scotch ignited a spark within me, daring me to explore its depths.
"Not a fan?" someone said beside me as I sipped more of it. I looked at Simon, an intern. He seemed like a bad person, playboy perhaps, he liked woman and I don't care about that right now.
"No, not a fan, but it's something that I need," I replied. Simon leaned against the bar, his hair was cut short and he had tattoos on his biceps, he was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt that shows off his muscles.
"I see Mr Donovan is watching over us as if we are school kids," he was now looking up behind me. I turned around and when I looked up, I saw Mariko, resting his elbows on the railing of the top floor, watching us. His eyes found me and he kept his gaze on me, he was alone until Reggie stood next to him, he said something to Mariko, and now he broke eye contact with me to give Reggie his attention.
I turned around and ordered tequila, Simon stood by my side and we drank together. I was getting tipsy as we continued to drink, " Want to dance?" he asked. I didn't care because the alcohol had made me loose.
"Sure, why not?" I shrugged. I turned around and walked towards the dancefloor, but stumbled. I was relieved when Simon caught me before I hit the ground. Thanks to the tequila shots, I'm already in a stupor. Simon kept his hand around my waist, we were now in the middle of the dancefloor, and I started to sway my hips to the rhythm of the music. Simon was behind me, his hands on my hips. I was getting hot and sweaty. I tilted my head to the back, resting it against Simon, but then my eyes found Mariko as he watched me, his expression giving nothing away.
Simon's breath was now getting closer to my ear, trailing soft kisses from my neck all the way to my shoulder. I closed my eyes as I continued to move my body to the beats. I felt the strap of my dress being removed and my eyes shot open, Mariko was no longer there. I pulled away from Simon and turned around to face him. "What the hell?" I asked, raising my voice so that he could hear me over the music. I adjusted my dress strap.
"We are having fun," he replied with a smile.
"We are just dancing, you were kissing me and that is inappropriate." It was inappropriate, but at that moment, I wanted Mariko to see me in that state with someone, but it was a bad idea, because clearly, Simon got the wrong idea of me.
"You should loosen up way more," he became angry.
"Let's get you home," that familiar voice said, and immediately my heart fluttered. I turned around, Mariko was not impressed with Simon as he held his gaze.
"Yeah, she is drunk and useless," Simon said with irritation.
"Watch it," Mariko said, moving closer to Simon as if he was ready to beat him up.
"Whatever man, she is all yours," Simon gave up and walked away. I was now trying to stand still, but because I was drunk, I would lose my balance. I grabbed Mariko's bicep to keep myself from actually losing my balance and stumble.
"Come on," Mariko said as he now put me over his shoulder as if I was a sack of potatoes. I'm now looking at his lower back upside down. I grabbed the back of his suit jacket to be safe, his arm wrapped around my legs as I was being carried out of the club. I started to feel sick, but yet I am just allowing Mariko to carry me and to enjoy this moment because it will not happen again.