I send my driver a message, telling him to pick me up. I need to get out of here. I feel the warmth of the liquor flow through my veins. Going into my closet, I grab the first dress I see. A pink low-cut dress, with thin straps, which I’ll pair with some bright-pink heels. The tiny dress accentuates my large breasts and ass. I get ready in record time and head downstairs. I already know where I’m going.
The great thing about being me? VIP access anywhere. Tonight, I picked my cousin's club, my favorite, but there's another reason I didn't tell them I’d be stopping by. Berenice hasn't called back, so I'm solo tonight—maybe. First thing, I head straight to the bar where Ruby's working. She sees me and waves me over. As I lean in for a hug, I flash the stranger behind me.
When Ruby started working here, I gravitated toward her. Not only does she make amazing drinks, very heavy on the liquor, but she’s a girl’s girl. It’s public knowledge that Caleb tried to fuck her, but I know it was only a test because I’m very observant, and I know he belongs to someoneelse. He’s just too afraid to admit it. I scan the club; there are no signs of him or his second in command, Felix.
“They aren’t here at the moment.” Ruby catches me looking around. “They’re at an off-site meeting.” She places one of her famous mojitos in front of me. I don’t take a sip; I down the entire drink. Chasing the buzz from earlier.
“Settle down there, Vee.”
“Another one, please. I just need it tonight. Please,” I admit.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.” I’m quick to answer.
“All right, one more for now. I don’t want to lose my job for enabling you.”
I hate how that sounds. As if I have some sort of problem. Do I enjoy letting loose? Yes. Is it a crime? No. What my family members do is. But I don’t tell her that.
“I’m just here to dance,” I tell her. It’s a half-truth. I came here to drink and dance, but also because I know for a fact that a waitress here has connections to some pills. People I’ve partied with have purchased from her, and I still follow them on social media. I know I should tell my cousins—they are against drugs—but one more time won’t hurt. I also know they will tell my brothers, and they’ll make a big deal out of it. It’s not like I do it all the time, just once in a while. And after what I received earlier, I need something, anything, to help keep those memories away. I’m desperate to forget.
I gravitate toward the center of the dance floor. Who needs a dancing partner when the music is this good? Closing my eyes, I let the beat guide me. The liquor works its way through my system. I can feel the weight of countless eyes on me from every direction. I finally open mine, scanning the crowd to find the waitress, Angel. I think that’s her name. I see Rubylaughing from behind the bar. To think I wanted to fuck her when I first met her, but I’m glad I didn’t. She’s becoming a fast friend.
My eyes continue to look around until I see Angel. We lock eyes, and she discreetly motions for me to follow. She must see the desperate look on my face. I make my way down the dimly lit hallway and slip into the restroom after her. The low lighting will ensure that no one notices me following her. She leads me to a quiet corner and pulls a small package from between her breasts. Angel opens the small bag and pulls out a few white pills. I open my mouth, and she puts one underneath my tongue just like I was trained to do. She gives me two pills, and I put them in a hidden compartment in my purse. I hand her a couple of hundred dollars, and she nods before leaving the restroom. A simple transaction. As I exit, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror; the feeling of self-loathing is trying to creep in, but the pills will start to kick in soon.
I move to the dance floor, giving myself over entirely to the feeling of ecstasy that’s starting to take over. A man approaches, his presence screaming "danger." I couldn't care less; the high is too good. He reaches me, and I take his hands, guiding them firmly to my waist, pulling him closer into my space. His hands dig into my skin. I lean my back onto his chest. He brings his mouth to my ear; the music is loud, but he’s so close to me.
“Hey, sweetheart.” His words cut through the loud music. “Fuck, by the way you move your body, I know you’re going to make me feel so good.”
My body stops moving. Those words. “Wh-what did you say?”
“You’re going to make me feel so good,” he repeats.
I look at Ruby, who must notice something is wrong; she picks up a phone. I don’t even realize I have my knife in my hand when I shove it into the man’s thigh and pull it out.
“Ahhhh! What the fuck? You goddamn whore.”
He pushes me away, and I stumble but don’t fall. My grip is still on the small weapon. He grabs me by my arm; I see his hand balled into a fist. He’s going to hit me. That’s when everything goes dark.
I'm startled awake by loud voices and force my eyes open, disoriented to find I'm not in my own apartment. The room seems familiar though. When I lift myself from the bed, the world spins. I bolt to the bathroom, just managing to make it to the toilet. It takes several minutes for the nausea to pass enough for me to stand.
I stumble to the sink to try and clean myself up. I see my reflection staring back at me. I’m a mess, makeup smeared, still in last night’s dress, which is now stained. A closer look confirms the stain isn't wine; it's blood. The realization hits me hard, and I miss the toilet, vomiting all over the floor this time. In a panic, I grab the nearest towel and frantically try to clean up the mess.
Looking at my surroundings, I recognize it as my old bedroom and ensuite at Caleb’s penthouse. How did I get here? This was my home away from home, so I keep essentials and clothes here. I slowly walk into the shower; I smell horrible. After what seems like an eternity, I manage to walk to the living room, where my brother Gabe, my cousin Caleb, and his second-in-command and my close friend Felix are standing. They all look at me, and I can tell they are furious.
“Look who decided to join us,” Felix says with a weak smile. He walks to me with a plate of toast and a glass of water. I sit on the couch, where he joins me.
“Don’t coddle her,” Gabe tells Felix.
I take a sip of water. Hoping it stays down. “What am I doing here?” I ask the men. That was a mistake because if looks could kill.
“Do you remember what happened last night?" Gabe looks like he’s about to explode.
“I went to the club and drank.” I look away, ashamed, because if that was just it, they wouldn’t be here.
“Are you fucking serious, Veronica? Do you know the consequences of what you did? No, let me rephrase it. Do you care?” Gabe yells.
My head is killing me, and I can’t keep up. I’m trying to remember everything that happened, but the night is blurry. I turn to Felix, who’s usually on my side, but even he looks disappointed in me. Fuck, what happened?
