Chapter 143 Chapter 143
Violet
"You've been here before, haven't you?" Cassie whispered in my ear as we climbed out of the car, her voice full of barely suppressed amusement.
"Shut up," I hissed back.
"What was that?" Nicole turned, her eyes narrowing.
"Nothing," I said quickly. "Just excited to see the, um, entertainment."
Nicole's expression suggested she didn't believe me, but she was too focused on her big night to press the issue. "Come on, ladies! Let's get this party started!"
Inside, the club was exactly as I remembered—all dim lighting and plush velvet, with a bass beat that you could feel in your chest. The air smelled like expensive cologne and something sweeter, more cloying. The main stage was lit up with spotlights, currently empty but clearly waiting for the next performance.
We were led to a VIP booth, semicircular and positioned for an optimal view of the stage. Nicole immediately claimed the center seat, arranging herself like a queen on a throne, while Madison and Veronica settled in on either side of her.
Cassie slid in next to me, her eyes still dancing with mischief. "Memories?" she murmured.
"I'm going to kill you," I muttered back.
"You're going to thank me later."
Before I could ask what the hell that meant, the lights dimmed further and a deep, throbbing beat that seemed to sync with my heartbeat began to blast through the speakers. A spotlight hit the stage, and the first dancer emerged.
He was tall, muscular, and moving sensually, proving that he had done this a thousand times already. His shirt was already half-unbuttoned, showing off a chest that probably required several hours a day in the gym to maintain.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
This is going to be a long night.
"Violet, don't be such a prude!" Veronica laughed, and I felt something being pressed into my hand. I opened my eyes to see a martini glass filled with something pink and fruity, complete with a little umbrella. "Live a little!"
"I'm not being a prude," I protested, but my voice was drowned out by Madison's shriek as the dancer's shirt came off entirely.
"Oh my GOD, look at those abs!"
Nicole was eating this up, leaning forward in her seat with a predatory smile on her face. She pulled out a stack of bills and waved them in the air. "Over here, sweetheart!"
The dancer obliged, moving to our booth with a wide smile. Nicole tucked a bill into his waistband with a giggle that made me want to gag.
I took a sip of the drink. It was sweet, almost sickeningly so, but the alcohol underneath was strong enough to make my eyes water.
Good. I'm going to need it.
More dancers cycled through as the night wore on and the girls were getting progressively drunker and louder. Nicole was on her feet now, dancing in front of the booth, her tiara askew. Madison and Veronica were throwing bills at the stage like it was raining money.
I watched them carefully, searching for any sign that this was more than it appeared. Some hidden agenda for why Nicole had suddenly decided to include me in her inner circle. A trap I was walking into with my eyes closed.
But there was nothing. Just drunk girls at a strip club, exactly what it appeared to be.
Maybe I was being paranoid. Maybe Nicole really was just trying to be inclusive, or maybe she got some kind of sick pleasure out of dragging me to places like this. Either way, there didn't seem to be any immediate danger.
I felt myself relax slightly, my guard dropping. So I took another sip of my drink and tried to enjoy it, knowing Cassie was with me.
The room started to soften around the edges, the music not quite so jarring. The lights seemed to blur together in interesting ways. My shoulders, which had been tense all night, finally loosened.
"Having fun?" Cassie leaned over, shouting to be heard over the music.
"It's... something," I shouted back.
She grinned and held up her own drink in a toast. "To new experiences!"
I clinked my glass against hers, probably a bit too hard, and drank.
The next dancer took the stage, and I blinked to bring him into focus. He had dark hair, was tall and had broad shoulders that tapered to a narrow waist. The spotlight caught on his skin as he moved effortlessly.
Suddenly, my breath caught in my throat.
Elijah.
No, this was not Elijah. He was just someone who looked like him in the dim, strobing lights. But my alcohol-soaked brain was already running with it, conjuring up images I absolutely should not be thinking about in public.
I fumbled for my phone, my fingers suddenly clumsy, not quite hitting the buttons I meant to hit. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, I fired him a message.
Me: I'm thinking about you
The response came quickly, and just seeing his name on my screen made warmth pool in my belly.
Elijah: Are you now? What exactly are you thinking?
I bit my lip, watching the dancer move while trying to imagine different hands, and a different body.
Me: About your hands…where I want them.
There was a pause before his response came through, and I could practically hear the dark edge in his voice.
Elijah: Careful, little girl. Don't start something you can't finish.
Me: Who says I can't finish
My fingers were having trouble hitting the right keys, but I didn't care. The words were pouring out of me, filtered through alcohol and desire and the fantasy playing out on the stage in front of me.
Me: wish you were here touchng me
Elijah: Where are you?
I giggled much to Rain’s amusement and typed back.
Me: woudnt you like to knw
Me: want your mouht on me want to feel you
My writing was growing progressively sloppy but I hoped it was making sense to him.
My phone started ringing almost immediately and Elijah's name flashed across the screen. I answered, pressing it to my ear.
"Hello?" My voice sounded strange to my own ears, like it was coming from far away.
"Violet." His voice was low, controlled, with that dominant edge that always made my knees weak. "Where the hell are you?"
"Paradise," I said, and giggled again. God, when did I become a giggler? "But I wish you were here, showing me your moooovesss."
There was a pause, and I could hear him breathing on the other end of the line. "Have you been drinking?"
"Maybe." The word came out slurred, the 'e' sound elongated. "Maybe a lot."
"For fuck’s sake." The control was cracking now, something sharp and worried underneath. "Violet, what club are you at? Tell me right now."
I tried to focus on my surroundings, but everything was spinning pleasantly. "The one with the... with the pretty boys. You know…the dancing pretty boys."
"Fuck." I heard movement on his end, the jangle of keys. "Stay where you are. Don't move. Don't drink anything else. Do you understand me? I'm coming to get you."