Chapter 44 Luka
Luka
This is the first time I’ve left the house since the incident, as I refer to it in my head. Before Chiara, I was never at home, not needing an excuse to party.
Drinking to excess, smoking questionable substances, and fucking any willing body was the best way I knew how to numb my emotions. But as a good therapist would say, seeking validation in others is a shitty way of managing one’s self-esteem.
It also led to a lot of awful hangovers and questionable decisions.
When Chiara arrived, I stopped partying for fun. The only time I went out was for work events, at the behest of my former manager.
And since the incident, I’ve turned down every opportunity that’s come my way.
It’s not like I need the money. I have more than enough saved to keep me comfortable for a few years.
But I’m here tonight for the woman I love.
Sure, she doesn’t need me to protect her.
She has my brother and Kane for that. But I’ll offer emotional support because I know that while she’s good at using humor and sarcasm to deflect, she’s also terrified we might not find Fina.
“Have you been here before?” Kane keeps his voice low as we navigate a path around the small dance floor. The place is heaving with men and women, all of whom wear the trappings of wealth along with bejeweled masks.
This is no ordinary club. The heavily muscled and armed bouncers at every exit tell me that much. I have no clue how we’re supposed to get past them to search for Fina.
“Once,” I admit. A woman I saw twice, an actress many years older than me, brought me here as her arm candy. He doesn’t ask for details. We both know what goes on beyond this generic part of the club.
Masked women dance and grind around me. Many gaze at me, their eyes crawling over my body. There was a time when I would have lapped up their attention, but not now. Now, it makes my skin itch.
A hand gropes my ass as I pass two older women. One pouts and thrusts her chest out, but I ignore her. Kane’s attracting a lot of attention, too, but he seems oblivious.
There’s a smaller bar on the far side of the room, on a mezzanine floor.
Kane heads that way, and I follow. He stops dead a few feet from the pink neon-lit bar as a pretty brunette with long, dark hair looks our way.
She’s wearing a sequin-covered cat-eye mask - I don’t recognize her, but he seems to.
“Cal? I didn’t know you had a membership here?” Who the fuck’s Cal?
“Sienna, hey.” Kane shifts awkwardly, which is weird.
Unlike my brother, he’s usually a chill guy.
Is this one of his exes? Color me intrigued.
“I’m here as a guest with someone from work.
” Since he’s not made it clear we’re together, I sidle past and order a drink at the bar while listening to their conversation.
“Um, I’m surprised cops come here. It’s pretty pricey.” Sienna sounds suspicious. Her eyes narrow. “You’re here with a woman? Is this the woman you ditched me for that night?” My eyebrows shoot up. Sienna must be an ex.
Kane huffs in annoyance. “Who I’m with, Sienna, is none of your business. Now if you’ll excuse me…”
I grab my drink and join him. “He’s with me, aren’t you, baby?” Kane’s eyebrows disappear into his hairline like I’ve had a mental breakdown. His lips mouth something that reads a lot like, what the actual fuck are you doing?
Sierra’s mouth gapes open in surprise as I squeeze one of Kane’s biceps to sell the story we’re in a guy relationship. Fuck, he’s packing some muscle. Does the dude bench press trucks for fun or what?
“You’re bi? What the fuck? Why did you never tell me?”
From the way Kane’s grinding his teeth, he’s about to blow my cover story, so I smile.
“My honeypie’s not out of the closet yet, sweetie. Baby steps.” I push my lower lip out in a cute pout. She stares at me and then at him, shaking her head.
“Wow. I did not see that coming,” she mutters. “But whatever. I hope the two of you are very happy together.” With one final disgruntled scowl, she stomps away and melts into the crowd by the DJ’s box.
Kane snatches his arm away from me. “What the fuck? I’m not into dudes!”
I grin. “Just helping you out, bruh. She seemed like the possessive stalker type.” He scoffs.
“We hooked up a few times. I’m not sure where she got the idea it was anything serious.” He shakes his head and then heads to the bar to order a drink while I scan the room.
It’s getting busy in here, although I notice there’s a steady stream of people leaving via a door near the back. From memory, that door leads into the more private areas, where the fun stuff happens.
While I have no desire to join the action back there, it’s worth our while to check those rooms out. In case we spot anyone important. Hopefully not my father.
God, the thought of Lorenzo taking part in an orgy makes me want to hurl. I’d rather lick the carpet under my feet than watch my father bang women young enough to be his daughter.
It’s bad enough that he parades Francesca around as his girlfriend when the woman’s the same age as me. Gross.
“Oh, fuck,” Kane curses under his breath. I follow his gaze, only to lock eyes with my father as he stands halfway down the glass staircase surveying the crowd. He’s instantly recognizable as, unlike everyone else here, he isn’t wearing a mask.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear.