Page 56 of Raziel

I unclasped the chain around my neck; it suddenly felt like a collar.

Let it dangle from my fingers for a heartbeat.

Then dropped it into the toilet.

My phone buzzed.

Matteo: You up?

I stared at the name. Raziel’s fiancée’s cousin. The one who had been asking me out every other day. The one Raziel had warned me about.

I typed back:

Me: Come get me.

Matteo: Where you at?

I gave him an address.

Longer than I liked went by before he responded.

Matteo: Bet. Be there in an hour.

I wiped my face, fixed my lipstick, and walked back out.

Carla was waiting outside the bathroom with concern written all over her pretty face.

“I’m sorry I told you to go. You okay?” she asked.

I cut her off with a smile I didn’t feel. “I just wanna dance,” I yelled over the bass. Before she could say more, I snatched her hand and dragged her into the crowd.

I moved like I had something to prove. Carla laughed, keeping up, but I spun off quick, letting the beat carry me. One song bled into another.

I danced with three men.

The first one slid in before the song even switched, tall with a fat chain around his neck that bounced off his chest. He was too dark to make out most of his facial features, but he was huge and had nice lips. His hand stayed heavy at my hip, trying to guide me. I let him. Bent at the waist a little lower thanI needed to, felt his breath hit my neck when he laughed. He thought I was dancing for him. It wasn’t.

The second smelled like too much cologne; it hung in the back of my throat the entire time we danced.Suciaby Kehlani came on. I sang along.

When you touch me, we feel so

Amazing and extra particular

We cosplay our characters

Ecstasies, savages for you

I’m still comin’

My dance partner spun me sloppy, almost tripped, and I still threw it back on beat just to make him grin. I was snatched away from him by a third. He didn’t bother asking. He stepped right up, both hands finding my waist like I belonged there. He was rougher, bolder, grinding against me hard, making sure I knew exactly where his mind was while the bass shook the floor. I matched him, one hand sliding up his chest, the other tugging at Carla’s wrist to pull her closer so it looked like a whole damn party around me.

The beat pounded, sweat slicked my skin, and for a while, I drowned in it. I felt Raziel’s gaze like a brand between my shoulder blades the entire time.

Then my phone buzzed again.

Matteo: I’m outside.

I slipped my phone back into my clutch, leaned into Carla’s ear.