Chapter 3

The music was LOUD! The strobe lights and sweaty bodies filled almost every nook and cranny of the club and made my head spin and ears feel like they were on the verge of rupturing. I could barely hear myself think at times. How the bartender heard my order, I have no idea. Maybe he could lip-read, or maybe it was a wild guess. I was still impressed as I watched him put it together.

The air felt heavy and heated as bodies moved and gyrated against one another on the dance floor. Nikki had vanished at some point with the guy she had been dancing with; she made me slightly embarrassed as she rubbed up against him seductively. She really must have liked him; she never really let go that much.

We promised each other we would meet up at the VIP lounge in about 20 minutes from now. I looked at my watch to confirm. I loved dancing, but clubs were not my scene, especially clubs that were packed to explode. All I felt were groping hands, sweat, and guys trying to grind up against my ass. Thank you, but no, thank you! I had my limits and dignity. I sat at one of the corner booths nursing my old-fashioned, feeling the smoky bourbon and cherry bitters burn down my throat, watching the different people interact, flirt, and talk. I had a measure of anonymity in my view.

Watching people was one of my hobbies. There were some old and young people, every body type imaginable, and every ethnicity you could think of; all were dressed to impress, and all were here to enjoy a night out partying and letting loose! The alcohol helped pull back the layers of insecurity and inhibition. Allowing people to act freely and unhindered by the social norms of right and wrong.

The club was bigger than I initially had thought, and the DJ was very talented. He had people going, moving to the rhythms, and dipping into the beats. The atmosphere was energized and felt electric.

A group of people appeared and decided to gatecrash my not-so-conspicuous hiding spot. The group entered like a tidal wave, pushing and scooting on from both sides, and I somehow found myself stuck in the middle, cornered in with no way out. I held my drink close to me, keeping it safe and secure.

No one really noticed me except the guy on the far end; 10 minutes into him joining me, his eyes zeroed in on me. He was handsome, I'd give him that; his dark hair sat just below chin level, and he looked like he had not shaved today. He wore a white button-down shirt and dark-wash denims that snugly curved to his ass, and I couldn't quite make out his eye color from here in the dim light. He looked familiar, but where I knew him from, your guess was as good as mine. He stared at me for a good 5 minutes while the rest of the table carried on about how shameless their friend Nate had been acting, attaching himself to a girl who, although hot, as the commentary from the rest of the guys was included, would cause trouble if it got to a Cathryn.

He held me captive with his eyes, seeing into me. I felt like he knew every secret feeling and thought I had; his stare unnerved me. He finally smirked and spoke over the other conversations. "Is there a reason you joined us, sweetheart?" I was in no way going to back down; irrespective of how hot he was, he came across as rather rude and entitled when he opened his mouth. It's not like I had joined them; it was the complete opposite, the other way around. They had joined me and stolen my table.

"I was just minding my own business when you all gatecrashed my table and cornered me in, 'sweetheart,' so technically you all joined me and made sure I had no way out." I stated in a matter-of-fact tone that brooked no room for comment. He continued staring at me making his mind up about something, and smirked, setting butterflies loose, causing my heart to race.

"Then how come it's just you at the table? This table is big enough for a party, and you're all on your lonesome here?" At this point, the rest of the table realized they had accidentally included me somehow in their group. Some looked slightly uncomfortable, others pretended I didn't exist. Everyone hung on to Mr. Too Hot for My Own Good's every word, like here he ruled court and the rest were his subjects, waiting to follow orders.

"Not that it's any of your business, I was about to head up." I nodded in the direction of the stairs leading to the VIP area. "So if y'all would not mind scooting over, I would be out of your hair, and you can have the table; I am done with it." I acted a little like an ass due to their upturned noses, letting them know they were getting my cast off while I moved on up. Pretentious entitled brats.

"You heard the lady let her out; she doesn't belong with us." The unmistakably nasal voice of 'Cruella' from my earlier spa trip piped in. I noticed she clung to the guy that had been staring me down, observing me like a vine digging its anchors into the guy's arm, almost dry humping his leg from my vantage point. The hot guy kept brushing her off and trying to extricate himself from her death grip but found resistance was futile. The Klingon was rooted deep.

Some of the table occupants began to shift out so I could leave, but not their side. Hottie  and barnacle lady sat welded to their seat, too self-important to move. It's clear who had the power in this group; she thought she owned them all, but it's only because of the guy she desperately clung to that they paid her any attention. Just as I passed in front of 'Mr. Tall, dark, and oh-so-handsome,' his arm whipped out and took hold of my wrist gently. "Join me?" "Me, not us," he said. Words were important, and the way he asked felt like a caress, his voice whiskey-smooth, setting me on fire. I know this was only an attraction at its core animalistic base; it was synapses firing and dopamine spiking. I felt dazed staring at him a second too long; his eyes were green, a vibrant emerald color sparkling as the light caught them.

The blond barnacle glared at where he held my hand, and I pulled my hand back, flinching. I didn't like people touching me in general, but this felt different, not threatening, not imposing, like he genuinely wanted to get to know me. His eyes were almost pleading for me to stay.

"Thank you for the offer." I declined politely, "But I'm already late; my friend will send out search and rescue if I don't meet up with her in the next 5 minutes. You also look like you have your hands full." I lifted my chin towards Blondie as an indication. The death stare she had been throwing my way spoke volumes; 'Hands off, he's mine' radiated from Cruella, and I felt I really had to warn this guy about what I had overheard earlier, the bleeding heart that I am.

I look at him again. "I would be careful tonight; the manager mentioned having a few problems with drinks getting spiked lately and unwanted nuptials following, so guard your drink, and if you didn't get it yourself, don't drink it. " I eyed the woman with my unimpressed bitch face clear for her to see. "I also heard a dumbass smart mouth declare this desperate plan rather loudly for all to hear in the spa as a way to ensnare her fiancé earlier. She had a very distinctive voice, like nails down a chalkboard, grating nasally, and if I had a hearing aid, I would turn the thing off just not to hear her. Sound familiar?" I now blatantly stared at her. Her shocked face spoke volumes. She had not expected this stupid plan to be blasted out in the open of her intended victim, and let's be honest, really, it was just that stupid! “You don't know what you're talking about, and just because you heard someone... it proves nothing; it could have been anyone at all.” She bites out at me. 

I look her dead in the eye again. "Funny how I never said it was you, but I take it your own voice must annoy you enough that you thought it was you, or it was you, and you just caught yourself out. Not the sharpest crayon in the box, are you?”

The guy lifted his brow at me, holding back a laugh; at that, he pushed the drink he had been holding since sitting down across the table. “I’m assuming then that you did not get that yourself.” I looked at him, and he shook his head slightly. Yeah, I feel a little smug right now; he doesn't even trust her. “Wise choice... maybe offer it to the person who got it for you. It’s a great way to see if it really was tampered with. They either drink up, afraid the truth will get out regarding what they did do, and feel obligated to drink to prevent suspicion…or decline the drink. And if you see anything odd in their behavior after or even before they drink up, you will know the truth.” I challenged staring the 'Klingon' down. “Oh, and accidentally, not so accidentally, knocking the glass over proves everything I said is true, and then you have completely outed yourself.” Blondie was pissed! If hell could freeze over, the look she gave me would have been the cause. The dim light could not hide how red her face had gone, from anger or embarrassment; I couldn't tell. She was ticked; she looked like a strobe light stuck up her ass in disco season.

"Have a good night; my good deed for the day is done. Your choice of how this all plays out." I said to Mr. Hottie.

I moved off the table. Without a glance back, I felt better, knowing I had done the right thing and warned the guy. I also noticed in my ultimate stare-down that Blondie was not wearing an engagement ring. Fiancé, my butt! Self-proclaimed, maybe because if there really had been a ring on it, you can bet she would have had that baby in full view, staking her claim and showing the world he was hers faster than a prospector in the Gold Rush.

I made my way to the VIP section and scanned for Nikki. I knew the guy understood and I could see that a fight between the two was imminent.