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"Tasha," she'd replied, extending a hand with nails painted black and filed to points. "Welcome to The Underground."

The handshake had lingered a beat longer than necessary, her fingers warm against mine, before she'd released me with another enigmatic smile. "Enjoy your night. Maybe I'll see you around later."

The interaction had left me feeling oddly energized, a buzz of anticipation that had nothing to do with the job prospect and everything to do with the way Tasha had looked at me—like she could see past the façade to the person underneath, and found that person interesting.

I'd pushed the thought aside as I'd made my way into the main area of the club, the bass already thrumming through my body, the air thick with the scent of perfume, sweat, and alcohol. The space was larger than it had appeared from outside, with a sprawling dance floor surrounded by elevated platforms where dancers in minimal clothing moved with practiced sensuality. The lighting was low and pulsing, casting everything in alternating shadows and flashes of colour.

Then I headed into the club to find Alex and his friends. They had secured one of the booths in the back. It was Alex, Arjun, and Nick. Nick said Louise and Kelly were coming. Grrr, Kelly was the last person I wanted to see. I hadn't spoken to her since she had the audacity to tell Matt about Alex.

I'd spotted them in a corner booth, Alex's arm raised in a wave as he caught sight of me. I'd made my way over, conscious of the eyes that followed me—men and women alike, their gazes drawn to the confident sway of my hips, the flash of thigh with each step, the bold red of my lips.

Alex had stood as I approached, his eyes widening appreciatively as they'd travelled the length of my body. "Damn, Geri," he'd said, leaning in to kiss my cheek. "You look incredible."

"Thanks," I'd replied, sliding into the booth beside him, acutely aware of the way my dress rode up as I sat. "Felt like making an effort tonight."

Arjun and Nick had greeted me with similar appreciation, their eyes lingering a beat too long on my cleavage before meeting my gaze. I hadn't minded. In fact, I'd revelled in it—in the power of being desired, of knowing I could affect people with just my presence.

"Louise and Kelly should be here soon," Nick had said, and I'd felt my mood darken at the mention of Kelly's name.

"Great," I'd replied, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in my voice.

Alex had shot me a questioning look, but I'd ignored it, reaching for the bottle of vodka on the table and pouring myself a generous shot. "Let's get this party started, shall we?"

The shots had burned a path down my throat, the alcohol hitting my bloodstream with a familiar warmth that had loosened my limbs and quieted the nagging voice in the back of my mind—the one that sounded suspiciously like Con, telling me to get my shit together.

I'd pulled Alex onto the dance floor, losing myself in the pounding rhythm of the music, in the press of bodies around us, in the heat that built between us as we'd moved together. His hands had found my waist, then slid lower, cupping my ass through the thin fabric of my dress. I'd pressed closer, grinding against him, feeling him harden in response.

"You're driving me crazy," he'd murmured in my ear, his breath hot against my skin.

"That's the idea," I'd replied, turning in his arms so my back was to his chest, my ass pressed firmly against his groin as I'd continued to move to the music.

We'd danced like that for what felt like hours, the alcohol and the music and the sensation of Alex's body against minecreating a heady cocktail of arousal and abandon. When Louise and Kelly had finally arrived, I'd been too buzzed to care much about Kelly's presence—until she'd approached me directly, her expression a mixture of contrition and determination.

"Geri, can we talk?" she'd asked, having to shout to be heard over the music.

I'd stared at her, taking in her carefully applied makeup, her trendy outfit, her hopeful expression. And I'd felt... nothing. No anger, no hurt, just a vast emptiness where those emotions should have been.

"Fuck you," I'd said, my voice flat despite the volume. "We're not friends. Do me a favour and avoid me all night."

She'd flinched as if I'd slapped her, her eyes widening with hurt. For a brief moment, I'd felt a flicker of guilt—Kelly and I had been friends for years, after all. But then I'd remembered how she'd gone behind my back to Matt, how she'd interfered in my life under the guise of "helping," and the guilt had evaporated.

She'd nodded once, her lips pressed into a thin line, before turning and disappearing into the crowd. Louise had given me a reproachful look but hadn't said anything, instead following Kelly to wherever she'd gone.

I'd turned back to Alex, pushing the interaction from my mind. "Another drink?" I'd suggested, already leading him back to the bar.

Around 1 AM, a few more of Louise's mates had arrived, and along with them, the drugs had also. And this is where the rabbit hole started. I thought, fuck it, and took one pill and spent the night in a state of blissful harmony. It had been the happiest I had been in weeks, and I loved it.

The pill had been small and white, innocuous-looking in the palm of the guy offering it—one of Louise's friends whose name I couldn't remember or maybe had never known. He'd held it outto me with a knowing smile, as if he could see the battle playing out in my head.

"It's clean," he'd assured me. "Tested it myself."

I'd hesitated, memories of my past struggles with pills flashing through my mind. I'd been down this road before, knew exactly where it led—to a place of temporary bliss followed by crushing lows, to a cycle of dependency that had taken me years to break.

But then I'd thought of the emptiness that had become my constant companion, of the effort it took just to get through each day pretending to be okay, of the new job waiting for me on Monday that represented nothing more than another form of escape.

Fuck it.

I'd taken the pill from his palm and swallowed it dry, ignoring the voice in the back of my mind that whispered this was a mistake. I didn't want to be careful or responsible or mindful of consequences. I wanted to feel good, just for one night. Was that so wrong?