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“Because you’re a taken woman?” she guesses.
“Nah, my little summer fling fizzed out.” I swallow the uncomfortable lump in my throat, willing myself not to cry.
“That’s too bad; you looked so happy,” she says gently.
I give a carefree shrug. “Easy come; easy go.”
“Except those hickeys must not be so easy go; why else are you wearing a choker?”
I stick my tongue out at her, and she laughs. “I’m gonna run to the ladies room,” I tell her. “Be right back.”
Walking to the bathroom, I lock the door and grab my phone. Pulling up Russell’s number, I hit send. It rings several times before switching to an automated voice mailbox. “Hey, Russell. This is Kat from the gym. I’m interested in dealing at more of your parties. If you have any openings, please call me.”
I hang up, wondering what the hell I’m supposed to do now. Sighing, I walk back to the bar and have a seat. Grabbing a pretzel bite, I pop it in my mouth, deciding I hate pretzel bites.
“Sure you’re okay?” Taylor asks me.
“Good as gold,” I lie.
Taylor’s girlfriend comes bounding over, and they greet each other with a kiss. “Hey, Kat.”
“Hey, Mia, how’s it going?” I ask.
“Good. I just clocked out, so let’s get the hell out of here,” she says. “Who wants to hang out where they work?”
“Right?” I smile sweetly at Taylor; it’s her turn to stick her tongue out at me.
“Where you wanna go?” Taylor asks.
“My friend scored extra tickets to a warehouse party. Let’s check it out,” Mia suggests.
“I’m in. Kat?” Taylor says.
The alternative is to go home, have a good cry, and tempt myself with the emergency stash of cigarettes I couldn’t bring myself to throw away. “Sure, I’m in.”
I follow Taylor and Mia in my car as we get on the Expressway, all the while I’m replaying yesterday’s events like a depressing song stuck on repeat. And dammit, a few tears slip from my eyes thinking about my time spent with Fabio at the beach house, and his abrupt turn of face.
My tears of heartbreak quickly morph into angry tears. How dare Fabio tell me we’re all in, only to fold like a cheap suit at the first sign of trouble! I don’t even get the benefit of the doubt; he assumes the worst and drugs me like a damn psycho.
Having gotten myself good and worked up, I follow Taylor and Mia as we take an exit and continue down a deserted highway. We eventually pull into a gravel parking lot behind a huge, abandoned-looking warehouse, and we drive through row after row of parked vehicles until we’re able to find spots.
Getting out of my car and locking it, I join Taylor and Mia. “Wow. This is the place to be,” I comment.
“Absolutely. It’s the hottest party in town,” Mia says excitedly. “The guy who supposedly runs these events is super eccentric. Calls himself Inferno, and he always wears a mask. Half the fun is catching a glimpse of him,” she gushes, and I catch Taylor gritting her teeth.
A bouncer intercepts us at the entrance, and Mia shows him the tickets on her phone. He checks a list before letting us proceed.
We step into a neon-flashing, bass-pumping wonderland. The DJ’s spinning a techno-laced track, while bodies bump and grind in the center of the huge room. “Let’s find my friend,” Mia shouts, grabbing Taylor’s hand and pulling her through the crowd, and I trail along like the third wheel.
We reach a hall and walk past a couple fucking against the wall in the corner. The lingering soreness between my legs is only a painful reminder of how Fabio ditched me like a bad fucking habit. I accidentally bump into another man smoking a cigarette. “Sorry.” Speaking of bad habits, my mouth salivates.
“No problem,” the man says, holding out his cigarette to me.
“Come on!” Taylor drags me along.
“I know. I know. Just say no.” I sigh.
We reach another room—this one having a more chill vibe than the main floor—with the music less in your face, and seating areas scattered around a bar.
