Chapter 60
OCTOBER 31 – FRIDAY 7:50 PM
R en
There was an electric buzz in the air as we walked downstairs. Wayward apparently put on a Halloween bash every year, and the music was pounding from inside the cafetorium while students and teachers alike milled around in costume. Dean Henry stood out from the crowd, standing near the office door, his face passive but his eyes watching everything. He nodded to us as we passed.
“Do you think he ever unwinds or goes home, for that matter,” I asked, curiosity getting the best of me.
“Who, Dean Henry?”
“Yeah. I mean, everyone else is having fun tonight, and he looks…sad.”
Nash looked back. “I honestly don’t know with him. Just when I think I have a read on him, I realize that I don’t. He could be married with ten kids or live under the floor like a troll, and I don’t think we’ll ever know.”
“Maybe, but I kinda feel bad leaving him here,” I said.
“Princess, the dean is not a lost dog. He’ll be fine. If he wanted to party, I’m sure he would. Besides, I don’t think my new club is the best place to take him out for a bonding sesh, you feel me?”
“I didn’t mean to invite him tonight. Never mind,” I said as Nash pulled open the door.
“Nash, wait up. I’m ready.”
We both froze and turned to see Vicky jogging across the foyer in her costume. She was dressed as a Roman goddess and looked stunning.
“What the hell are you talking about,” Nash asked.
I was caught between stepping through the door or staying put and watching the chaos. I chose to stay put. Nash had asked me to trust him.
“Your grand opening. It’s tonight, right? Everyone has been talking about it, and it would be the perfect time to let everyone know about us.” Vicky looked at me, her lips pressing together. “I’m your….”
“Stop…just stop. The answer is no, Vicky,” Nash said. Vicky’s face turned an alarming red, and like a pot near boiling, I could see her rage simmering. “I didn’t invite you for a reason.”
“But…I don’t understand. Why does she get to go,” Vicky asked, her finger pointing at me. “What the hell, Nash? Why the fuck are you acting like such an asshole?”
Nash’s face darkened as she yelled at him.
“If you don’t start treating me better, I’m going to call my father,” she roared.
Everyone nearby turned to stare at the unfolding drama, including Dean Henry. He shifted toward us, already on alert. Vicky was at least consistent in her love for public showdowns.
Nash made a vicious sound under his breath, and for just a second, I genuinely feared for Vicky’s life. She might not see it, but it was in his eyes. I grabbed Nash’s arm before he did something stupid.
“Then call your daddy like a cry baby, Vicky. I’m sure he’ll love to hear how you made yet another scene in front of Dean Henry this time,” I said, nodding toward the man.
Vicky didn’t take the hint.
“Shut up, and stay out of this,” she snarled at me while staring at my hand gripping Nash’s arm.
She was far too consumed with her jealousy and rage to use any of the sense God gave her.
“If you were smart, Vicky. You’d walk away.”
“You walk away, bitch,” she snapped. Nash tensed, and my hand tightened.
“Give me a minute first,” I said, and she crossed her arms.
“Why do you want to be with Nash so badly?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“No, I’m serious. If someone treated me the way that he treats you, I wouldn’t stand for it. But you keep coming back for more. That’s not love, Vicky. Allowing that behavior makes you look desperate and useable. Don’t let anyone treat you like you’re worthless. I may not like you. In fact I despise you as much as you do me, but even I can see that you deserve better than that.”
“Don’t you tell me what to do. You’re not the one engaged to him while he flaunts another woman in my face,” she said, and she had a point.
“That’s enough,” Nash said. “Call your father, or don’t call your father. I don’t really care at this point, Vicky. You’re not coming with me, and if you even think about showing up on your own, you will not be granted entry.”
“Fuck you, Nash,” she said and stormed off.
I looked up at Nash, and he sighed.
“This will be sorted by tomorrow, I promise,” Nash said, knowing that as much as I loathed her, I really hated being in this position more.
“Swear it to me,” I said.
“Do you want me to pinky swear?”
I glared at him, and he smirked.
“Fine. I swear on my life that this will all be sorted by tomorrow.”
Nodding, I stepped outside and sucked in a deep breath as I stared at the sexiest sight I’d ever seen. A stretch limo sat idling at the curb between the SUVs I’d seen multiple times now. But it was the four guys dressed in matching black suits with masks on that made me melt. How in the world had I gotten this lucky?
Nash held out his elbow. All we needed was a red carpet to complete the fantasy.
“Fuck, Snowflake, ya look beautiful,” Myles said, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around me.
“Hey, back off, McCoy. She’s my date for the night,” Nash said.
Myles rolled his eyes.
“I’m stealin’ a dance later. He can go feck himself,” Myles whispered.
“I can still hear you, asshole.”
“I don’t care. She’s my Snowflake, not yours,” he said, getting into the limo.
That was something else I couldn’t wait to do tomorrow. I was done hiding this thing between me and Nash. No matter the outcome of tonight, I’d find a way to say what needed to be said and keep the peace. Liam and the rest of the guys might be okay with omitting or lying, but it wasn’t me, at least not when it came to relationship stuff. We needed trust, and right now, I’d broken it.
“Come on, Ren, get in here. This limo is incredible,” Ivy yelled, and I smiled.
I couldn’t remember the last time I was so excited for my birthday.
OCTOBER 31 – FRIDAY 8:45 PM
Ren
Holy shit.
I’d only been here once, and the last time I was here, nothing had been done to the outside, and the inside was a construction site. Now, it looked like a completely different place.
Nash had taken the old architecture of the area and incorporated it into the design. A brand-new stone face had been erected with modern black accents to give it a chic look. He replaced the small crappy windows with eight-foot tall panes draped with black sheers.
Through a veil of mystery, you got a peek at what was going on inside, still privy to the debauchery while you stood in line. It definitely made you want to be part of the action.
The parking lot had been redone, and Nash must have bought the overgrown parcel next door because it was now part of the club. Over the massive windows, built right into the rock, was glowing red neon letters spelling Volatile which stood out like a beacon.
He’d gone all out for the opening. Spotlights, velvet ropes, and an actual red carpet running from the drop-off area to the front door. It was as if he’d taken a fancy club from the heart of New York and plunked it in the outskirts of Portland.
“Jesus, Nash. This is stunning,” Ivy said, her mouth hanging open like the rest of us.
“It really is gorgeous,” I said, smiling at him.
“I couldn’t have done it without my guys, they made it happen,” Nash said as the valet opened the door.
“Well, whoever did what…it’s incredible. I can’t believe it’s the same building.”
Nash got out and offered me his hand. Taking a leap of faith, I slid mine into his.
There was no fanfare or flashing lights from paparazzi, but the excitement in the air and the very long line to get in gave the club that vibe.
Security guards weaved through the crowd, standing out in their black suits among the party goers in costume. People were dressed in everything from the classics, like a vampire, werewolf, or zombie, all the way to Beetlejuice, a Minion, and Fortnite characters.
“Oh my god. I feel so special,” Ivy squealed from behind me as we walked up to the front doors.
It was easy to feel that way, surrounded by the Kings.
Morrison stood at the door, looking like he’d been recruited by the secret service, complete with the black suit and earpiece.
“Morrison. All good so far,” Nash asked as we stepped inside where it was loud with music and club chatter.
“So far, but the night is young. The guards are diligent and the built-in scanner around the door was genius,” Morrison answered. He pointed to the glowing red strip that looked like regular LEDs. “It went red when you walked through the door.”
“Perfect,” Nash said.
Ivy smiled at her dad, and as soon as we started to walk away, she greeted him. I couldn’t hear what she said with all the sounds around us.
We moved as a unit down the hallway to a door on the left and entered another world.
“Wow.”
“You like it,” Nash asked, practically yelling in my ear.
“This is incredible.”
The inside matched the outside perfectly. Reclaimed barn board on the walls complemented the black marble floors. The long bar with glowing red lights felt upscale yet still fun.
“Are all these people even allowed to have alcohol,” I asked, and Nash laughed.
“You would be the person to ask that right away. I’m running some all-ages and over-twenty-one nights once we are up and running. All the fancy bottles are just for show, and all the fruity drinks are alcohol-free. I don’t want to get shutdown my first night.”
“Let me show you to our section,” he said, holding my hand as we weaved through the crowd.
They’d kept the building’s original design with the wall divisions but only to create alcoves for specialized entertainment. In my head, it felt like fingers jutting off of the main room at the back of the club.
We walked from one fantasy into another. Each was slightly different but still offered comfortable seating, a small dance floor, and a show. In the first section, aerial dancers hung suspended from the ceiling by silks. The second one felt like a horror movie with performers on stilts dressed as monsters moving through the crowd. The third space we passed through had a darker, sexier vibe, with male dancers making girls scream. They were appropriately wearing the iconic Scream masks.
There were five unique areas in total before we reached an opening with velvet ropes and guards stationed outside.
“This is the VIP area,” Nash explained as the guard moved the rope. “Normally, it can be divided into three spaces with walls that pull out from the back to provide privacy. For tonight, I kept it reserved for us and no one else.”
“There’s Sabastian,” Ivy said, pointing as she smiled. “I’ll be back,” she said and darted off, dragging poor Chantry with her.
“Don’t trust him,” Nash breathed in my ear.
I watched Ivy as she danced her way through the crowd to the group I’d seen at the swimming competition.
“Why? What do you know?”
“Not enough to say for sure. But he lied to her about not having money,” Nash said, and I narrowed my eyes as I glared at the guy.
“Why?”
“No idea, but he has a three-hundred-thousand-dollar car. You don’t have that and claim to need a scholarship. So either his family came into a large sum of money recently, or he’s a liar.”
“I’m going to go order drinks. What do ya want, Snowflake,” Myles asked, and Nash laughed.
“You don’t need to go up to the bar when you’re in here.”
He walked over to one of the tables and picked up a tablet. Holding it out to Myles, he tapped the screen, and the Volatile logo flashed across the front before it brought up the drink list.
“Well, shit…look at that.”
“I’ll take something blue,” I said.
“On it.” Myles bit his lip as he started searching which made me smile.
“You’ve thought of everything,” I said as Nash led me toward the tall windows.
“I tried to. But I wouldn’t have been able to make this happen without Liam and Nora. They really came through, and if you need anything, Nora is wandering around here somewhere, keeping everything in order.”
“I’m good, but thanks.”
I looked over my shoulder at the guys. Liam pulled out a deck of cards as they sat down in the plush leather chairs.
“Do you ever feel left out? Like you’re part of the group but still an outsider.”
Nash followed my line of sight and smiled.
“It can be lonely at the top. But someone needs to be looking out,” he said.
“Like the sheep herder watching over his flock,” I teased, making him laugh.
“I guess you could look at it that way. The biggest difference is that I’m always planning the next move. My guys don’t do that. Not to the same extent anyway.”
We stood there silently our arms just barely touching as we watched the crowd outside and the cars driving past. For the first time, I felt the weight.
“Why don’t you walk away? Just leave the insanity behind and start over,” I asked, and Nash was quiet for a long time.
“Because I was born into this life. It’s all I know. In this world, we can either run or fight to survive.” Nash locked eyes with me. “I don’t run.”
I thought about what he’d said as we looked out the window. I wasn’t born into this life, and yet I understood him…I understood all of them. I felt the draw to protect as surely as if they were families that I was responsible for, when in reality…I didn’t know where or how I fit into the puzzle. Liam called me their queen. But the queen of what? I might be a Mikhailov, but that was nothing more than a name. What did it really mean?
Reaching out with my pinky, I linked it around Nash’s. He glanced at me but didn’t say anything as he tightened his finger to hold mine.