Chapter 001

Chapter 001

The EDM music from the club speakers rattle against my skull. It’s overwhelmingly chaotic in here, everywhere I look, there’s people grinding against each other, drinks spilling out of red cups and couples making out. The air smells like sweat and alcohol and cheap perfume. 

I’m here with my girlfriends, celebrating finishing our finals. Usually, this isn’t my scene at all. I prefer a much chiller gathering with friends but this has been a challenging semester and I’m in my third year studying civil engineering. I promised my best friend, Rosalia that we would go out clubbing if I survived my exams.

A promise is a promise, so here I am wearing a tight red dress that molds my curves and the highest pair of heels I’ve ever won. The dress is mine but the slutty herls belong to Rosalia. My best friend is the life of the party. Sometimes I wonderbhow weve stayed friends for the past three years. We met during an Introduction to Business lecture, wearing the same top. We hit if off from there and have been friends ever since despite our differences.

This is Rosalia’s scene but I have to admit, I’m not having a terrible time at all. I’m actually enjoying myself. Pregaming before leaving our room certainly helped.

The crowd parts suddenly—by chance and like something out of a movie, Rosalia sashays through, balancing two full cups precariously. She’s stunning, her honey brown skin gleaming with sweat. She’s wearing a more risque dress than I am; a black number with a plunging neckline. She’s been turning down offers to dance all night, intent on staying by my side.

She reaches me, beaming proudly as she hands me a cup. I take a careful sip, careful not to spill it. It’s watered down beer. You’d think for a club with such high entry f*e, the alcohol would be of better quality.

“You having a good time?” Rosalia asks me.

I return her smile, absentmindedly swaying to the music which has changed to an uptempo latin track. “Yeah!” I have to shout to be heard as the DJ turns up the song.

“God, I love this one. Let’s dance.” Without awaiting my reply, she wounds my free arm her waist and begins to dance, twisting her hips in a way that draws all male attention within the radius. 

I laugh, letting go of all inhibitions. It’s not just Rosalia they’re staring at, I feel a few eyes on me. We dance until we’re out of breath and giggling like schoolgirls. 

“I think i see Camilla and Freida at the bar.” Rosalia tells me, referring to our other friends. Together, we join the others at the bar. 

Camilla, a blonde haired beauty is trying to catch the busy bartender’s attention but she’s ignored. She huffs and turns to Rosalia. “Work your charm on her.” She commands.

It’s unspoken that Rosalia is the bombshell amongst us. She isn’t only beautiful but she’s charming and in a matter of minutes, the bartender is laughing at her jokes and pouring all of us drinks. Sometimes, I’ve wondered how it would be like to be her, able to cast a spell on a man with the crook of her finger. 

I see it now. There’s a table from across us made up of a trio of friends. The tallest of them, a burly man with tattoed arms is staring at her. His friends are egging him on to approach her. Rosalia notices, she smirks, a cocky thing. 

“You have to dance with him,” Freida urges. 

I can see that Rosalia is interested in this guy. He’s good looking, he looks like an action movie star. Rosalia is a sucker for those types. She shakes her head, surprising all of us.

“I can’t, I have to stick with Federica.” She says, linking her arm with mine. 

With a laugh, I push her away. “If you don’t dance with him, I’ll never speak to you again.”

She searches my gaze. “Are you sure?”

I nod. The man takes the cue, and approaches us. After a brief introduction: his name is Roberto and he buys the rest of us another round. Two minutes later, Rosalia is grinding against his crotch on the dance floor. 

Camilla and Freida are soon approached by the rest of Roberto’s friends. The both of them make a show of wanting to stay by my side but I can tell that they’re thrilled to be asked to dance. I wave them away and it’s just me. I’m content sitting by the bar and watching people.

I take more sips of my cocktail, its slightly sweet but it burns all the way down. I have another, then another and before I know it, I’m joining the dance floor, twisting my waist to the midtempo song and throwing my hands in the ai. There’s something more sensual about this track, the lyrics borderline procative. 

I feel eyes burning into my body, the hair at my nape prickling in awareness. I snap them open and still dancing, I try to find out who my admirer is. Then my gaze snaps up, where the VIP section is. There’s a man leaning against the banister, his face is half shrouded in the darkness but from what I can see, he’s incredibly handsome.

It’s difficult to tell the color of his eyes from where I am but his gaze is intense, heated. Strands of dark hair fall over his face and he runs an absentminded hand through it, pushing it back. He has a strong jaw, full lips that are curved into a half smile. 

Those lips. I imagine them in places I shouldn’t. I continue dancing, captured under his spell. I run my arms up my body, slowly. They brush the side of my breasts. My eyes watch him. I tease him with my movements but I’m the one panting. 

He steps back into the shadows and a sharp stab of disappointment pierces my chest until I see him again, leaving. He’s headed for me.

My heart slams in my chest. If I thought it was effortless how the crowd parted for Rosalia, it’s something else for this man. 

He’s taller than I thought, maybe 6’4 and broad shouldered. His suit looks as though it was tailored to fit him alone. Heads turn to him, alerted of his presence. The women push up their chests and the men stare in envy. 

When he reaches me, his smirk has been transformed into a devious grin. He fits right into me, taking my waist in one hand until I’m nearly flush against him. I have to tilt my head up to stare at him.

His grip is gentle but I feel it burn through my skin. 

“What is your name, darling?”

Up close, I can see that he’s older, there’s a streak of silver in his black hair. I should recoil from him but I don’t want to.

“Federica.” I hear myself say.

“Well, Federica,” he purrs my name against the shell of my ear. I shiver against him, we’re practically sharing the same air now. I think he realizes this too, he pulls away but the pad of his thumb traces my full bottom lip. They part further and male satisfaction flashes in his blue eyes.

“You have a lovely name.”

It’s the alcohol, I tell myself but I’m not so sure. The words I blurt out shock both I and my handsome stranger. “I’ve heard that one before. Will you kiss me or do I have to beg?”

He recovers quickly. He removes his thumb and bends to replace it with his mouth. The kiss is filthy, obscene. He kisses me like a man starved. One hand tilts my neck for better access while the other cups my ass. If he wasn’t holding me, I think I would have fallen.

We only stop to come up for air. I see it in his eyes, he won’t stop at a kiss. Worse, I don’t want him to stop.

“Federica, do you want to get out here?” The man asks me.

I’m tired of blaming the drinks. I want to go home with him. I’m twenty three years old and I’ve only been with one other person. I’ve been a good girl all year, I deserve one reckless night. I’ll text Rosalia that I’m leaving. 

I take a step back, panting. “Let’s go.”