Page 3 of Trapped By the Blood Ruby

Eminence was a brand far above my financial status. This dress was unlike anything I usually wore. My entire closet consisted of one color. Black. Black yoga pants. Black knit tops. Black everything.

A flare of uncertainty rushed through me. Maybe this was a bad idea. No, no, it was the perfect idea. Squaring my shoulders, I looked up at Ania. “Let’s make me unforgettable.”

I turned and headed for the shower.

The bass thumped through the floorboards beneath our feet as Ania pulled into the circular drive. I stared up at the mansion looming ahead of us—all glass and steel and sharp angles that screamed money. Serious money.

“Holy shit,” I breathed.

“I know, right?” Ania grinned, parking and then checking her lipstick in the rearview mirror.

I tugged at the red dress. Even Ania’s car looked modest next to the sports cars lining the drive. The mansion’s windows glowed with warm light, and I could see bodies moving inside—beautiful people in expensive clothes.

“You okay?” Ania asked, noticing my hesitation.

“Yeah. Just... this is a lot.”

“Hey.” She turned to face me fully. “You belong here just as much as anyone else. You graduated summa cum laude from one of the best universities in the country. Don’t you dare shrink yourself.”

I nodded, squared my shoulders. We emerged and I followed her up the front steps.

The noise blasted us the moment the doors opened. Music, laughter, the clink of bottles. Bodies everywhere—on the stairs, spilling out of doorways, clustering around a bar that looked like it belonged in a five-star hotel. The air was thick with expensive perfume and easy confidence.

“Ania!” A tall guy with perfectly tousled brown hair and a toothpaste commercial smile appeared at her elbow. “You made it!”

“Kase, this place is incredible.” Ania air-kissed his cheeks like they were old friends. “This is my roommate, Lils. Lils, meet our host, Kase Yoshiki.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said, accepting his offered handshake.

“The pleasure’s all mine. Any friend of Ania’s...” His eyes swept over me, lingering just a beat too long. “That color looks amazing on you.”

Before I could respond, another voice cut in. “Well, well. Look who finally decided to grace us with her presence.”

I turned to find Daniel Burgos approaching with two drinks in hand and that crooked smile I’d been daydreaming about for months.

“Daniel,” Ania said warmly. “You remember my friend Lils, right?”

His eyes moved over me slowly. It was obvious he didn’t remember me. “Of course. You look incredible tonight. That dress...” He let out a low whistle. “Wow.”

Heat crept up my neck. This was what I’d wanted, right? To be seen, to be noticed.

“Thanks,” I managed, accepting the drink he offered. “You look…good, too.”

He laughed, stepping closer. “Maybe we can get to know each other a little better tonight, yeah?”

“I don’t—“ I started, then caught Ania’s encouraging nod. Have fun, she mouthed. “Sure. Sorry. I guess I’m just shy.”

“Well, we’ll have to fix that.” His hand found the small of my back, warm through the thin fabric. “Come on, let me introduce you to some people.”

The next hour passed in a blur of introductions and small talk. Daniel was attentive—every time my cup emptied, he had a fresh drink ready. Every joke I made, he laughed. Every person we met, he made sure to mention how stunning I looked.

“You’re being so sweet,” I said as he handed me another drink. The alcohol was making everything feel softer around the edges.

“Just appreciating a beautiful woman.” His fingers brushed mine as I took the glass. “Can’t believe I never noticed you before tonight.”

The comment stung a little, but this was Daniel Burgos. Half the girls on campus had crushes on him, and now he was finally seeing me.

“Want to sit for a bit?” he asked, gesturing toward the grand staircase. “Getting pretty crowded down here.”