Chapter 4 #2
Kai wraps his arm around her to shield her from prying eyes and pushes forward into the club, but not before some unknown woman in line grabs his arm and pulls, screaming for him to fuck her. I see the rage in his eyes, the embarrassment, but he just tips his lips down and pushes forward.
All in all, this is one of the least invasive entrances we’ve had. I could’ve gotten groped, Reis could’ve gotten flashed—that’s happened before. Fans are touchy-feely when we enter their orbit.
The club is dark and dim, with low lighting along the walls and a strobe light going off over the crowd of people in the pit.
It’s a big club, bigger than I was expecting.
We walk into a terrace overlooking the DJ stage and the horde of people jumping, dancing, or making out in the darkness.
Reis stands against the railing, watching like a dark overlord in charge of all his subjects.
“Hello, gentleman. My name is John; I’m the owner of this establishment.
Thank you so much for stopping to have a celebratory drink.
We appreciate doing business with you.” He’s dressed like Louis in a three-piece monkey suit and he’s holding the lapels like he’s from the 1920’s.
“Your manager is already in the VIP room, having inspected everything and assuring me it’s to your liking and our contract’s specifics. ”
“Thank you, John.” Reis shakes his hand and the rest of us nod. John looks to Melody, who is standing very close to Kai, with a confused look on his face.
Adam goes to her other side, resting his hand on her lower back to show support. I step closer to her so she knows I have her back.
John gets the idea. His eyes widen slightly and he nods, backing up. “Please, let me show you and your guest the VIP lounge.”
“I think that would be best,” Kai grumbles.
We follow along, used to the stares and the gawking, but Melody fidgets.
She’s confident and putting on a good show, but I know her.
I know her tells. Not that much has changed in seven years.
She’s tucked her hair behind her ear twice since we’ve walked in, and she’s gnawing on her lower lip right now.
At the end of the corridor, there’s a loft area with security detail on either side.
They’re big fuckers and I feel a tiny bit better having Melody with us with these guys right outside.
I don’t expect shit to hit the fan, but if it does, I want someone who can pick her up and run out of here if I can’t do it myself.
There’s only a velvet rope separating the VIP lounge from the rest of the club, but the VIP area is opulent. There’s champagne on ice everywhere, our own bar and bartender, and couches and tables spread out so if we want privacy, there’s room.
Fuck, those couches look like plush clouds and I’m reminded quickly how exhausted I am. Reis walks off to talk to Louis, Kai steps over to the bar quickly, and Adam excuses himself to go to the bathroom. Leaving me alone with Melody.
Finally.
“Wow,” Melody gasps, looking all around us with a dropped jaw.
“Nice, huh?”
“It’s nice, sure. But if you’re going to be dancing the whole time, what’s the point?”
I chuckle, stepping closer to her. “Still like dancing?”
“I love dancing.” She sighs, looking up to the ceiling with a bright smile.
“You always did. I didn’t get to dance with you nearly enough.” I step closer to her. She’s shorter than I am by at least half a foot, and I’ve always loved it. I love being able to crowd her space so completely and have her eyes meet mine so innocently.
Reaching down, I pull at her hair tie, watching as her long dark waves tumble down to rest over her shoulders.
“There,” I say gruffly.
“Like my hair?” she teases, throwing my words back at me.
Two can play that game.
“I love your hair.”
She smirks and quips, “You always did.”
Kai arrives with three drinks in his hand and hands the first one to Mel.
“Double whiskey and diet, right?” he asks, calling back to her obsession with the drink she had in high school.
We’d spent too many nights around the campfire, me strumming the guitar and Reis mumbling lyrics, while we all passed around a whiskey bottle and a two-liter of Diet Coke.
None of us really liked the chaser but Mel was obsessed with Diet Coke, so we all endured.
“You remembered… thanks.” She smiles brightly at Kai and the normally gruff, pissed-off man actually blushes. He doesn’t say anything as he hands me a drink, but shrugs like it’s no big deal.
Adam walks into the room, but this time with a girl in tow.
My eyes gravitate towards Mel, curious to see how she reacts. Maybe her reaction will tell me a little bit about where her heart is at… Where it was all those years ago. Her fingers grip the glass a little tighter and she takes a long drink.
“Careful, Songbird, that’s a double,” I whisper.
“Don’t worry about me, Markus. I’ve grown up. I can hold my liquor now. Probably better than you.”
I guffaw, chuckling as Kai smiles. It’s no secret between the four of us that I have a problem. I’m a drinker, but prefer drugs to alcohol. When I stop myself from smoking, I drink to numb the shit going through my head. And damn, does it take a lot of liquor to make it stop.
“I wouldn’t say that, baby girl.” Kai takes a sip of his drink, shaking his head. “He’ll take it as a challenge.”
“My world revolves around alcohol and weed, babe. I know how to drink now, too,” I say this like I’m proud, when really, I’m anything but.
“It sounds like we both have some demons we’re wrestling with, then.” Melody looks me in the eyes and a glint of respect is there. An understanding.
“I guess we do.”
Her gaze goes back to where Adam stands to the side, talking with the random girl.
The girl drags a finger down Adam’s chest, touching his skin, and our poor, sweet Adam doesn’t know how to tell her to get off.
Kai and I share a look over the top of Mel’s head.
He looks like the biggest badass and you’d think he’d be stellar with women, but really he’s just the same goofy kid who can’t hurt anyone’s feelings.
Reis comes back to our group and takes the glass out of Mel’s hand, just for us all to see it’s empty. Already.
This girl is going to be dangerous tonight. I can already feel it.
And I fucking love it.
Reis looks to Adam now, and we watch him nod along with whatever the girl is saying to him with panic and fear in his eyes. The girl starts to unbutton his shirt and that must be enough for Mel. She turns around quickly as Reis says, “Go Adam, get some. She’s hot, right?”
What a fucking prick. I slap him in the back of the head and Kai’s eyes tighten. Melody looks away, grumbling under her breath.
I turn to Reis and snap, “What’d you do that for? Fucking dumb-ass.”
He holds his head and whines like a bitch.
“I’m going to go dance. I’ll see you guys later,” Mel announces, and walks off. She won’t get far.
“Don’t be a dick,” I sneer under my breath.
“What?” Reis’ eyes widen like he honestly has no clue what I’m talking about.
“You know what, Reisyn. I’m going to go find her before she slips through our fingers again.” Stomping off, I run toward where Mel raced off to, hoping to find her again.
“Where’d she go?” I hear Adam say breathlessly, and through the bass of the music, I hear him run to catch up with me.
“We can’t let her get away again,” he insists, determination clear in his voice.
“We won’t.”