Page 4

talie

His hold in my hair finally relented enough for me to look at him. The second my eyes met his hazel ones, dread smothered me. No wonder he hadn’t looked me straight in the face before this. Even with his mask on, I would have realized who he was.

“Damian,” I choked out, trying to twist my wrists out of the belt.

His smirk was downright sinful as his eyes dropped to my chest. “Mm. You taste as good as I remember.”

The guy standing behind me kept a tight grasp on my hips as Damian lowered his head. My eyes tracked his moves as he swiped his tongue back over my chest, licking up the last drops of the alcohol. Unlike the last time he did it, I couldn’t enjoy it. Not when I knew how royally fucked I was.

“Let me go,” I gritted out, making sure I was loud enough to be heard over the music.

Damian straightened back up, his eyes dancing with dark amusement. “Let you go? I’m not holding you prisoner. You signed up for this when you stepped into the club.”

I searched his eyes, trying to figure out what he was playing at. There was so much going on the stage, I wasn’t sure if anyone was paying attention to us. From how squished I was between Damian and the other guy; I didn’t think anyone could see me.

“I mean, you could always use the safe word. Can’t she, Ash?” His eyes cut behind me as my heart seized. Of course, Ashton was here. Damian was never far from his two best friends.

“We take the safe word seriously here,” Ashton answered, his tone playful. He dropped his chin on my shoulder. “Good to see you, Talie.”

“Inferno,” I snarled, repeating the word Ana had told me instead of replying to Ashton. I had no intention of talking to any of them, but I doubted Damian was going to let me walk out of here.

Damian’s eyes bored into mine as Ashton quickly undid the belt from my wrists. The second I was free, I tried darting away, but Damian wasn’t having that. His fingers closed around my upper arm, tugging me back into his chest.

“Not a word to your sister or her friends about me,” he warned, his tone deadly serious. “Or I’ll make sure your father knows her money was spent at a lavish club instead of on rent like she told him. He wouldn’t take that very well, would he?”

I scowled at him, not saying a word. If my dad found out, the freedom Char had now would be gone. I wouldn’t do that to her.

“Enjoy the rest of the show, Natalia,” he murmured as he released me.

My blood boiled from him calling me by my full name, and I threw him a scathing glare before spinning around to climb off the stage.

Everyone’s attention was still on the show, and barely anyone looked at me as I raced toward the couch.

Char’s eyes were bright when she saw me, her smile fading slightly when she met my gaze.

“What’s wrong?” she yelled over the music. “Did they do something you didn’t like?”

I forced a small grin. “It was fucking amazing.”

It wasn’t a lie. Up until I found out it was Damian who was touching me, I was having a great time. Now I needed to get the hell out of here.

I leaned over Char to talk to Hayley. “Can I get the code for the locker? I need to go check my phone.”

Her head whipped toward me. “You can’t leave. If you exit, then you can’t come back in.”

“Then I’ll wait for you in the car,” I said in a rush. “Please. It’s important.”

She stared at me before shrugging. “Four, one, two, one.”

“Thanks.” I looked back at my sister. “I’m not feeling good. I’ll see you later.”

“Talie, wait.” She grabbed my arm when I moved to stand. “What happened?”

“Nothing. I’m fine. The drinks are getting to me.” I gave her a tight hug, feeling like shit for bailing on her. “I promise I just need some fresh air.”

She nodded, biting her lip, trusting I was telling the truth.

I hurried toward the exit, getting ready to push the door open until someone stepped in my way.

We were so far from the stage, there was practically no light except for small ones lining the walkways.

I could make out his shadowy outline, and he was wearing a mask like all the rest of them.

“I don’t feel well,” I said loudly. “I already know I won’t be allowed back in.”

“What’s wrong? The reunion with your forgotten husband too much for you?”

I went rigid, squinting in the dark to see him better. Damian and Ashton were still on the stage…which meant the man in front of me was the last of their trio. They were inseparable as kids, and it seemed that hadn’t changed.

“Get the hell out of my way, Rhyett,” I hissed, stepping closer to him.

He grinned lazily, crossing his arms. “Go sit back down, Talie.”

I eyed his bare chest, catching sight of a tattoo I couldn’t make out in the dark.

Seeing him here was a surprise. He liked to dance, but it was never his passion.

Maybe that was why he was in front of the door instead of on the stage.

He was also the most mellow, laid back of the three, but I wasn’t sure it would help me now.

“Come on, Rhyett,” I said, keeping my voice gentle. “You know I never wanted to stay here. I’m not meant for it. Let me leave, so all our lives can go back to normal.”

He stepped forward, invading my personal space, and I straightened my spine. “Now, if you hadn’t married Damian and then ran after stealing everything from him, I might feel bad for you.”

“Rhyett—”

“No,” he snapped. “You made your bed, now you get to lie in it. Although, I guess it’ll be Damian’s bed you’ll be in, won’t it? Since you’re home, the parents will expect you on his arm like you were supposed to be five years ago.”

I bristled. “You’re an asshole.”

“I’d be an even bigger asshole if I sided with the girl who fucked over my best friend.”

“I was your friend too,” I said hoarsely.

“You were. Then you left.” He tilted his head to the side. “If we were such good friends, why didn’t you ever call?”

I swallowed thickly, knowing he wasn’t going to let me out, no matter what I said. He was siding with Damian. He and Ashton always would.

“Go sit back down,” he repeated gruffly. “I’m watching you, so don’t think you can leave.”

With a frustrated scream, I spun around, walking back to the couch. Char glanced at me in confusion as I fell on the cushion next to her.

I leaned over to talk in her ear. “I’m feeling better, so I decided to stay.”

She grinned, but still had questions in her eyes. “Good. I think they’re about to start another dance.”

I managed to feign excitement until she looked back at the stage.

My gaze also went to the men dancing, but I frowned when I didn’t see Damian up there anymore.

I scanned the room, hoping to find another exit, but the odds of me getting out of here before Rhyett caught up was next to impossible. He knew this place, and I didn’t.

I slouched on the couch, not paying attention to anyone around me. The men were still dancing, but I didn’t even look at the stage as panic clung to me.

I couldn’t fucking stay here. I’d built a life I wanted, one I loved.

Here, I was nothing but a wife, meant to look good on my husband’s arm.

I was eighteen when I’d married Damian, and he had promised me he’d never make me live that kind of life.

Our marriage wasn’t based on love or feelings.

It was beneficial to both of us. On top of it being good for our families.

In our life, marriage was nothing but a contract to expand family fortune.

My father always made it clear I would marry someone he chose.

After my rebellious streak in my teens, he planned to marry me off as soon as he could.

God forbid a woman tried to make it in this life without a man.

My father’s prehistoric way of thinking would never let him even consider it, no matter how much I pleaded or argued.

Damian was supposed to be my escape. He didn’t want a proper wife.

I didn’t want an arranged marriage. We’d grown up together as friends, and even if there had always been something a bit more that lingered between us, I would have been fine acting like his wife while I had the freedom to live how I wanted.

Until I found out he lied. The promises he gave me were as empty as his fucking heart.

When I found a way to leave, I took it. It wasn’t a forever kind of plan, but it had worked great the last few years. I had no intention of ever coming back to play wife to Damian Valentin. I also knew he wasn’t going to be all too gracious since I stole from him.

I shifted on the couch, my mind racing to figure a way out of this.

Damian knew I was here, but if my father or his family didn’t know I was back, then there was still a chance I could slip away.

All I needed to do was grab my passport from Char’s apartment, then I’d be on the next plane out of this city.

I nearly jumped when someone moved beside me.

I glanced up, seeing a masked man standing near the couch.

It wasn’t Damian or Ashton, and I frowned, giving him a glare.

The night was ruined. As much as this club had me hypnotized at first, the magic was gone now.

The guy stared at me for a second before reaching past me, grabbing Char’s arm.

“My turn.” Char giggled as she stood up, letting the man lead her toward the stage.

I kept my eye on her as she sat in a chair in the middle of the platform.

It was still hot, but tame compared to what the men were doing with the belts earlier.

As the man gave her a lap dance, others were in the crowd, giving women attention.

If Damian hadn’t ruined this for me, I’d love this kind of club.

It was impossible to tell how much time passed, and I barely paid attention to the rest of the show. I was pretty sure one woman had an actual orgasm on the stage during one of the songs, but none of it was penetrating through the panic taking hold.