Chapter 127 127. Dressed To Kill
The black dress was a bad idea.
Perfect for Damon's party. Terrible for getting there on time.
I knew it the moment I slipped it on. It stopped just a few inches below my bum, and still had small slits on both sides. Short enough to be dangerous, tight enough to leave nothing to imagination. The neckline plunged precisely where the silk began to shimmer against my skin.
Damon had said 'dress to kill' after all. I hadn't even left, and I was killing people already-Mr. Hayes to be precise.
He had been watching me from the bed all the while I got ready. I stole a glance at him. His eyes were dark, pupils swallowing the gold.
"Don't look at me like that," I warned.
"Like what?" He stood, prowling toward me.
"Like you're thinking about ripping this off me."
"I am thinking about ripping it off you." His hands found my hips, pulling me against him. "We could stay in. I could keep you here. In this dress. Or better yet, out of it."
He nuzzled my neck, breathing me in, and my resolve weakened.
"We can't skip Damon's birthday."
"We absolutely can." His hand slid up my side, thumb grazing the underside of my breast. "He'll understand."
"No he won't. And I promised-" My words cut off as he bit down on my pulse point.
He spun me around, backing me against the dresser. The edge dug into my hips as he kissed me, swallowing whatever protest I'd been forming.
The lipstick I'd just applied was definitely ruined. His possessive hands roamed, mapping curves he knew by heart. I pulled him closer, fingers tangling in his hair, giving as good as I got.
"We really have to go," I panted against his red-stained lips.
"I know." He didn't move.
"Damon will kill us if we're late."
"Probably." His thumb traced my bottom lip.
"Five more minutes."
"Just five." He captured my mouth again.
Thirty minutes later, we finally made it to the car. My lipstick was back on. My dress was rumpled a little. And Lucien looked entirely too pleased with himself.
"What the hell is this?" Lucien was instantly irritated by the atmosphere inside the club Damon picked for his birthday party. He tightened me against his side.
As for me... i was fascinated. From the dim lighting in red and purple shades, to the music that pulsed slow through the air.
Everything was sensual, except for some people intertwined in a way that blurred the line between dancing and foreplay.
I hadn't expected it when the GPS stopped us at this building. I had walked past it countless times without noticing it was a club.
Still taking in my new environment, I spotted a familiar grin not too far from us.
"Damon!" I dragged Lucien to go meet him.
"You made it!" He hugged me, then flashed Lucien a wide grin. "Not happy the boyfriend is here but whatever." He turned me again. "Welcome to Pleasure Cave, Camila."
"Pleasure what?" Lucien and I repeated simultaneously.
Damon's grin materialized into something a little wicked.
"Come on, let me show you around."
He led us deeper, talking about how tonight was strategically planned with the event handlers.
"I made sure they paid attention to every detail, and it came out just how it was in my imagination."
In shadowed corners, couples did more than dance. My jaw dropped when I saw a woman sitting directly on a man's face. Lucien made me look away from them.
Through a doorway, we glimpsed acrobats that were basically naked except for some stones-or jewelry-glued to cover up their pussies and cock lengths. They moved in such erotic and artistic fervor.
"It's tonight special. Aphrodisiac blends," the mixologist offered us cocktails at the bar. Damon took one for himself.
"Take that away from my girl's face," Lucien glared at the man. "We'll have normal blends."
"Damon," I looked at him. "This is intense. Nothing close to what I expected. Is this like, a part of you or something?
"It's liberation." His eyes sparkled. "My girlfriend introduced me to this scene."
"Your girlfriend did?" Lucien scoffed. "I bet she's just as weird as you." I stepped on his toe as a warning, and he faked pain.
"Hey beautiful," a guy joined us at the bar. "I couldn't help but stare and admire your beauty since you walked past those curtains." He flashed me a perfect set of teeth.
"Oh..." was all I could say.
"That dress is incredible," his eyes wandered slowly down then back up. "Really showcases your figure."
Was this guy blind, or was he just acting oblivious to the fact that I was pressed to the side of a man? Did we look like casual friends?
"Thanks." I tried to sound polite. One thing was surprising though, or rather, suspicious.
Lucien's silence. Why was he letting him flirt with me?
"Camila, this is Josh. We've been friends since middle school," Damon introduced.
"Hi Josh. Great name."
Josh stretched his hand, and I took it politely, but then he raised it to his lips.
"Such creamy skin deserving of a fine lady like you. Have you modeled? You've got the bone structure for it. And those eyes-"
"Get away from her or I'll turn your bones to ash and use them to mark the boundaries of where you're no longer allowed to exist," Lucien's voice could have frozen water.
'Now that's my baby.'
Josh held up his hands and stepped back, but the celebrant didn't seem too pleased with Lucien's threats.
"Don't you threaten my friends like that. No one's going to touch Camila."
"Your friends are eye-fucking her. That's touching."
"She's a grown woman. She can handle some attention," Damon's voice rose, simmering with anger.
"Watch how you talk about my girlfriend." Lucien's voice dropped to something dangerous.
"Sure, I will, since you're so insecure at your big age."
"What?" Lucien stepped past me and suddenly, both men were locked in a heated battle of glares.
I pushed between them, hands on Lucien's chest. "Stop. Both of you. Now."
"Your brother sucks!"
"Your boyfriend is an asshole!"
"And you're a piece of shit!"
"God knows I didn't want you at my party."
Most eyes were on us now, and irritation burned hot in my chest.
"You know what? You two settle this amongst yourselves. I need air." I turned away from both of them.
"Camila-" Lucien called after me, but I warned him to not follow.
He didn't listen though. Would've been surprised if he did. From where I sat, I felt his gaze from somewhere behind me.
I wasn't mad at the two of them, just needed some air.
"Mind if I join you?" A man stood there. He was tall, with wire-rimmed glasses. He was dressed simply in shirt and pants, and his watch wasn't as flashy as Lucien's or Damon, or the model-like guests.
"Free country." I gestured to the empty stool.
He sat, ordering whiskey neat. "I'm Rhys. Friend of Damon's. Well, more of an acquaintance really."
"Camila, his sister."
"I know." His smile was warm. "You're a writer, and a business analyst."
"What?" The fuck?
He chuckled lowly. "I've followed your story. The viral video that started it all, the fake relationship with Lucien Hayes, the media and legal troubles. I've read every article about you."
Fake? That made me pause. Even though we started out as a fake couple, we were very much real to the media.
"That's... thorough."
"Since then, I've found myself thinking about you." He leaned in slightly. "The way you handle adversity, your strength, your creativity, It's fascinating.
Things like your fiery hair keeps me awake at night. The way you speak. The intelligence in your eyes. The grace in how you carry yourself."
Okay, it was getting weird. Warning bells started ringing.
"I should get back to my boyfriend." I stood.
But he grabbed my wrist. "I haven't told you yet."
"You haven't told me what? Let me go," I struggled to free from his grip. His fingers only tightened.
"I'm in love with you, Camila Sterling." The words rushed out. "I have been since I first saw you. You need to leave Lucien Hayes. He doesn't deserve you. He has dragged you through hell, but I would cherish you and protect you. I'm the one who deserves you, Camila..."