The weekend was already here and Andrea sat quietly in the car, staring at the club's signboard with disgust written all over her face. She had never been a club type of girl. All those parties, loud music and sweaty people touching her….everything about it turned her off. She had never imagined herself stepping into a place like this.
But today, she gave in to Eva's request. Eva had begged her nonstop and Andrea finally said yes, hoping maybe… maybe it would help her forget the pain these last three days had dragged her through.
She got down from the car….The moment she reached the entrance, it was exactly what she pictured…messy, loud, sweaty bodies everywhere. She was seconds away from turning around, walking back to the car and driving straight home. A place like this wasn't for her.
With a long sigh, she walked inside.
The whole place was buzzing. People danced like they were possessed. Some were half-naked and others were fully dressed but somehow still indecent. She hadn't even reached the center before a tall man stepped right in front of her.
"Hey… hey beautiful," he said, looking her up and down before meeting her eyes again. "You don't look like someone who belongs here."
He glanced around at the other women, some with BBLs, some with breasts sitting so high they looked glued on.
"Obviously," Andrea muttered under her breath.
She sized him up the same way he sized her, then brushed past him and walked straight to the bar counter where she had spotted Eva…
Eva, who was already on her feet dancing to the beat and singing along, suddenly stopped when she spotted Andrea…"Ah! Paloma!" she screamed, doing a little spin before rushing toward her with a shot glass in hand. She hugged Andrea tightly while still moving to the music.
Andrea just stared at her and sighed. If Eva weren't her colleague, she would have turned around and left already. This did not look like anything Eva had described. And all that talk about "prominent people" being here? Maybe one of Eva's jokes she took too seriously.
She only sat down because she didn't want to be rude.
Andrea was about to ask her if this was really the place Eva came to "release stress," because honestly, it felt like Andrea's whole nervous system was about to wake up and run out of her body. But Eva didn't even notice the look on her face.
She signaled something to the bartender and he immediately started mixing drinks in a fast manner. Within seconds he slid a colorful cocktail toward them.
"This is one of our best," he said. " Ashwagandha Cocktail, This one takes you away from all the stress."
The moment Andrea heard stress, she knew this drink was definitely meant for her. She needed anything that could wipe away the mess of the past few days even if it was just for a moment.
She didn't think twice and she grabbed the glass and drank it all in one go.
Eva looked at her, shocked and impressed…"For a first-timer, you drink like an expert," she laughed, raising her own glass.
Within the blink of an eye, it was already clear..If you go to Rome, do what Romans do….And Andrea was doing exactly that….She laughed at her own thought..
After three full glasses down, she wasn't the same stiff Andrea who had entered the club. She was moving with the rhythm, nodding her head and letting the music carry her.
Eva danced, disappeared into the crowd, came back sweating, danced again, then finally rushed to the table with her phone in her hand.
"My cousin just showed up at my apartment without telling me," she said, grabbing her bag. "I need to go."
Andrea was supposed to leave with her, but at this point she was relaxed, light and the cocktail had wiped everything out of her chest. What a weak signal. She waved Eva off and smiled lazily.
"Go, I'm fine… I'll just sit here a bit."
Eva blew her a kiss and hurried out.
Barely two or three minutes after Eva left, the same tall man from the entrance returned. He pulled out the chair Eva had been sitting on and dragged it closer…too close to Andrea.
He looked at her slowly, his eyes dropping to her relaxed posture and smiled in a way she didn't like.
"I love good girls gone bad," he said.
Andrea's head was still lowered, heavy from the alcohol. She tried to ignore him, hoping he'd get bored and walk away. But instead, the man leaned in, his hand sliding up her thigh as he owned her… He had seen she was drunk and wanted to take full advantage...
His hand moved upward, slow and bold, and even though Andrea's body didn't react fast, her mind snapped awake. With all the strength she had, she grabbed him by the neck and spat in his face.
The man couldn't believe the disrespect. With disgust and anger he jumped up so fast his chair crashed to the floor, pulling attention from nearby tables. He grabbed the glass beside Andrea and smashed it on the ground.
"This filthy girl spat on me!" he yelled, pointing at her like she was the one causing the scene.
He grabbed Andrea's chin, forcing her face up, but her eyes were still completely shut. She was still weak, barely holding herself up as he shoved her head away carelessly.
The bartender stepped forward. "Sir, that's enough…."
But the man snatched a whiskey bottle from the counter and slammed it so hard on the table that the bartender flinched and he raised his hand to surrender. The man tossed the bottle aside, letting it roll on the floor, then turned back toward Andrea's limp body.
"I'm going to teach you a lesson right here," he growled, stepping closer.
Andrea couldn't move. Not a word came out of her mouth.
He reached for her again, trying to take more advantage since she couldn't defend herself.
Suddenly, a solid hit slammed into the man's back.
The force was so strong he choked on his own breath and dropped to his knees right in front of Andrea. Gasps echoed through the room as people stepped back.
The man held his back with pain shooting through him as he struggled to breathe. But even in pain, he smirked. In his mind, someone weak must have hit him....someone trying to play hero for the pretty girl. He thought he could handle whoever it was. After all, he saw himself as a gangster.
He pushed himself up and quickly turned around.
But instead of seeing some small, scared stranger…He faced a tall, broad figure towering above him….
He shoved the man's chest."Huh? Tell me…what do you got nigga?"
He pulled his arm back to throw a fist….
But the tall man caught his hand mid-air, twisted it sharply and the crack of bones echoed loud…The gangster screamed in pain..
Andrea, still weak, lifted her head through the noise everyone was making. Her blurry vision sharpened just enough… and the moment she recognized who it was, her eyes widened.
Mr Sebastian Pierce.
She whispered his name, but it came out soft and distant. The drowsiness on her face dropped for a second out of pure shock… and embarrassment.
This was the second time he had seen her in a mess.
Seeing her like this, in a place like this, and even drunk…
She knew she would earn no respect from him.
Her cheeks burned with shame.
Sebastian still held the man's twisted arm as the gangster cried out, bending forward from the pain. A few seconds later, several men rushed in…clearly the gangster's people. They grabbed him quickly. It looked like they wanted trouble with Sebastian, but when they saw his expression and someone whispered something to them, they backed off immediately and dragged their friend away.
Andrea pushed herself up, unsteady but trying her best and rushed forward, wanting to ask Sebastian what he was even doing here.
But he had already turned his back.
He walked away without a word.
Andrea stumbled forward.
"Mr. Sebas"
Either he didn't hear her or he simply didn't respond. He kept walking.
She tried to follow, but people blocked her path, asking questions, trying to check on her. She brushed past them, pushing her way through until she saw Sebastian disappear around a corner.
The sign on the wall was bold:
VVIP SECTION.
Sebastian entered freely, without looking back.
Andrea hurried after him, but before she could step in, a large macho blocked her way.
"Miss, you can't enter here," the man said in a deep voice..
Andrea looked past him, watching Sebastian's back disappear inside.
"I know him," she said breathlessly. "He's my boss."