An hour later, I found myself downing what had to be my fifteenth shot while nodding along to whatever the gorgeous bartender was saying. I didn’t know how to stop drinking, because it was light, yet heavy on the inside, which was exactly what I needed. But also, that meant I had to find another alternative since it was becoming glaring that I couldn’t drive myself home tonight. I couldn’t count on boarding a cab in case the driver got any ideas and decided to rape me. Trust me, I’d been in such a situation before.
The sexy music became louder and I pushed away from the bar, my shot in hand, joining the horde of sweaty, gyrating bodies on the dance floor. I staggered from side to side, not really getting the dance steps right but moving anyway. After a few minutes, the bartender tapped my shoulder and I turned, groaning when he extended a tray with yet another shot. “Care for some?” he laughed.
I belched shamelessly, placing the empty glass I was holding and wrenching the filled one. “You’re a bad influence. No more, please. I’m getting seriously knocked out here.”
He winked. “Glad you’re getting what you came here for.”
I giggled. “Thank you. I do have to admit that this is the first time I’m relaxed in a long while.”
He shrugged. “What can I say? Welcome to Dreams.”
I watched him disappear through the crowd to the bar once more, tempted to seduce and maybe get down with him tonight. I wasn’t even going to deny it, I knew I had sex last with Max last week, but it felt like ages already. Along with the warmth of alcohol burning in my blood, I also needed a hot body on me.
Perhaps I could arrange that.
When the Disc Jockey for the night turned up the music even louder, I circled a random stranger quietly, my vision blurry as I made advances with my body. He whipped the gold hair from his eyes and winked at me, and that was all I needed to step closer and brush my lips against his. Faltering a bit, thanks to my sudden impact, he steadied his hands on my sides, then wrapped them around my waist, tilting my head back to deepen the kiss. Before I knew what was going on he was already grinding his hard-on against my lap, biting my earlobe while my nails dug into his back, my eyelids too heavy with sleep to process what was happening.
Fuck.
I tried to push against his chest, but I was weak, and he was kissing his way down my belly button, mouthing my moist entrance delicately. My body shook with pleasure, fingers sinking into his hair…
A familiar shade of dark hair billowing in the strobe lights just ahead caught my attention, and I froze, my hands shaky.
Max.
He was standing close to the bar with his large troupe of friends – mostly men, a cigar inserted between his lip and a drink in hand, laughing loudly and having fun.
Shit.
Gold-haired guy glanced up, his brows furrowed in concern. “Is everything all right?” he asked, his voice hoarse and sounding so far away. My temples throbbed as the room spun around me, faster and faster.
I whirled around, taking a swift detour to the bathroom, near the bar. Thankfully, it was empty when I staggered in, alcohol and rage running through my veins as I grabbed the edge of the pedestal sink, glaring at my puffy eyes in the mirror. Fuck, I couldn’t believe I was crying over that idiot.
Who the hell does he think he is? I could remember his words vividly, warning me never to come to this club again. And yet, he was drinking and laughing with his friends, with a hook-up probably scheduled for three days after he broke up with me.
Here I was, trying to mend the pieces of the broken heart he left me with, and there he was outside with some random girl clinging to his arm suggestively. I’d never felt so stupid and furious in my entire life.
The worst part? It was all my fault.
Storming back outside, I bumped into gold-haired guy. His hands went up my sides quickly, then snaked around my waist and cupped my bum. “Babe…” he belched.
I wrinkled my nose at the stench oozing from his breath, slapping his hands off my arse. “Are you insane? Don’t you fucking touch me.”
He made to grab me once more. “What’s wrong, dear? Why are you suddenly pissed?”
“Don’t touch me,” I warned him fiercely again, trying to step around him since he was blocking my way and refused to move. “I’m sorry to have led you on but I’m not in the mood.”
He threw his head back and chuckled loudly, catching hold of my wrist. “Well, miss, you brought this upon yourself then,” he began dragging me toward the entrance. “You think you can just turn me on and leave me in the lurch like that? It doesn’t work that way here. Guess you’re a new face, so don’t worry. I’ll go easy on you.”
I clawed at his iron grip, howling. “Let me go, you freak!”
He swiveled around and struck me hard, sending me crashing back onto the floor. I kicked out, a well-targeted blow at his left ankle and he fell on his butt, cussing at me. I rose up with the speed of light and slapped him hard. “Go to hell!” I spat.
He spat back, the side of his lip bleeding from my slap. “You’d pay for this, you slimy bitch.”
Two bouncers arrived, along with a gorgeous bartender. They bundled gold-haired guy, and threw him outside, shutting the door against his curses. “Are you okay?” the bartender whispered, tracing his fingers lightly over my sensitive cheek where the scoundrel had slapped me. I nodded, took a step back, and drew in a deep breath.
“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
Heading back in, I caught Max just in time, taking a seat on a black sofa in a dark corner, his half-filled glass of Scotch in hand with his legs spread apart. He had his eyes on a tall, redhead staring lustfully at him with absolutely nothing on but hot pink pants.
How fucking dare he? Three days after he broke my heart to smithereens and this? Were his feelings even real the whole time or I failed to see that he was a spoiled fucking brat?
Either way, I decided. I’m going to show him who’s boss here.
Strutting over quickly, I shoved the redhead out of the way, sending her crashing into a large, fair man. She hissed at me, but the man held her back just as I threw my legs on either side of him and pooled my arms loosely around his neck.
Our gazes locked, and I’d never wanted to rip out someone’s throat so badly. His jaw clenched in anger and his blue eyes flared with arousal just as God is a woman by Ariana Grande came on. He licked his bottom lip and I promised myself to make him pay for the rough week he was putting me through.