by S. C. Ellen
I check to see if Lisa is watching, and seeing as she isn’t, I type a quick reply back.
Me: Which one? The one where I keep despising you? Because I’m still going strong on that one!
Carson: Nope. The one where I won’t hesitate to barge into your office if I don’t hear from you. Surely, you don’t want me to have to remind you?
Me: Wouldn’t dream of it. *rolling my eyes* I just got here.
Carson: I would be careful, wouldn’t want them to get stuck like that.
Me: Ha. Such a comedian. Sensing the sarcasm?
Carson: It’s so clear I can smell it. Have a good day at work. Remember to text, or else…
Me: I’m shaking in my boots. *double eye roll* P.S. are you gonna stay outside in the parking lot all day in your car, watching me, or are you going to get going anytime soon? Because it’s kind of creeping me out.
My phone vibrates again in a matter of seconds.
Carson: Has anyone ever told you how nosy you are? You know what they say… curiosity killed the pussy. I’d be careful if I were you.
My face heats up at his vulgarity, and I find myself biting down on my bottom lip because of it. I nearly smack myself once I realize what I’m doing and shake away the thought. Mind out of the gutter, Alayna!
I smirk as I type out another text.
Me: I think I’ll take my chances.
“Alayna, can you reschedule the two-o’clock appointment for me and make it at one?” Lisa shouts.
I am startled for a second but quickly recover.
“Sure thing!” I make a couple of calls and reschedule the appointment for her.
I glance down at my phone when I hear another ping of an incoming text.
Carson: Whatever helps you sleep at night. Text me if you need anything. I’ll be watching.
Having him live under my roof is going to get me into some serious trouble someday, I just know it.
Speaking of which, I should text Jase and apologize, seeing as though I got him into some serious trouble myself.
Me: Sorry about last night. Dad will come around soon. Why exactly didn’t you tell me Blizzard was actually Carson??
I wait what seems like hours for a reply. I check the time. 12:30 PM. Knowing him, he is probably still asleep.
Halfway through work I receive a text back from Jase.
Jase: Forget Dad, what about T? Is she okay? I’m such an ass. I wanted you to be as shocked as I was when I found out. Talk to Tess for me plz.
I decide not to answer him back…he got himself into his own predicament with Tessa, so I’ll let him figure out how to rectify that. I finish the rest of my day burying myself in work with the occasional text to Carson, so he doesn’t barge in here like a madman.
At the end of the day, I clock out and head on home, noticing Carson’s Mustang following shortly behind me.
Once I make it to the house, I book it for my room, and seeing that it is Saturday, I call up Tessa, and we decide to go clubbing tonight around ten.
It’s not too long after we hang up, that I start to get ready. I turn the volume high up on my radio and sway my hips to the sound of the pop music that’s blasting from my speakers.
Inside of my walk-in closet, I am debating between a short, tight red dress and a black miniskirt with a sparkly tank top, when a knock on my door interrupts me.
I open the door to find Carson leaning against the doorframe examining the clothes thrown all over the floor. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Clubbing. Need something?”
“Yeah. What time?”
I impatiently place a hand on my hip, checking the time on the wall. “What does it matter to you?”
“I need to know what time we’ll be leaving,” he states, running a hand through his tousled hair.
Watching him, I force myself not to brush my hand over the piece of hair that’s left dangling over the side of his face. I shake the thought away. Jeez, what has gotten into me?
“You know this whole following-me-around thing is getting really old, really quick,” I exclaim with a sigh.
“I’ll text Jase and Lance, and see if they want to join us, too.” He pulls out his phone and sends a quick text.
“I thought Jase was mad at you from what he said yesterday about you being second-in-command?”
I get why Jase would be mad about it, he honestly should be because he’s the next of kin. So, for him not to be in that role is all kinds of messed up.
“Jase knows that he’s not capable of taking on that kind of responsibility.”
“Oh, and you can?” I mock, crossing my hands over my chest.
“More than capable.” He then turns around, walks back into his bedroom, and shuts the door.
“We leave at ten!” I shout over my shoulder.
I decide to go with the red dress and get started on my beauty process. I straighten out my naturally wavy hair, wing my eyeliner to perfection, and choose a bold red lip to complete the look. By the time I’m finally all finished, it’s already time to leave.
I send a quick text to Tessa letting her know I’ll be on my way soon to pick her up. She replies with an overabundant amount of smiley faces.
Making my way over to Carson’s room, I’m about to shout at him through the closed door just before he opens it.
He is wearing a well-fitted button-up that reveals a great deal of his broad chest, and black jeans. His hair is gelled back with a few short curls fanning over the back of his thick neck, and a huge silver Rolex is attached to his wrist.
It’s shameful how sexy he is. He exudes power and confidence, and the ache between my legs is more than aware of it.
“What are you staring at?” he asks.
My eyes jump to his, “C-Come again?”
He looks intently at me for a moment, before a sly, devilish grin appears on his face. He knows exactly what or—who—I’m staring at.
My cheeks are on fire, and all I can do is stand there, eyes wide.
“What? Cat got your tongue, angel?” He moves in close to me, and I see his gaze roam across every inch of my body and stray a bit too long on my legs. He lets out a low whistle, and when they finally make their way back up to my face, they are blazing with something erotic.
“I’m supposed to pick up Tessa, so…” I trail off, not daring myself to speak another word.
He blinks at the sound of my voice, “Shit.” He curses, shaking his head and any display of interest that was just on his face is now forgotten, and anger takes its place. He walks stiffly past me and heads down the stairs. “I’m driving,” he declares a bit roughly.
I grab a jacket and put it over my shoulders, getting whiplash at his change of attitude. “I’m fully capable of driving, you know. Plus, I also don’t really feel like dying tonight.”
He looks almost offended at my words. “I can assure you that no one will be dying on my watch.”
We make our way into the car, and he floors it once we reach the main road as I hold on to my seat for dear life.
“Do you have to drive so fast?” I shout as I see the speedometer reaching ninety.
As we pass yet another red light, I turn on the radio to relieve the anxiety that his driving is causing me to have.
An old 80’s rock song from one of my all-time favorite band comes blaring out of the speakers, and I am shocked to see that the radio is on Bluetooth and that it’s connected to Carson’s phone.
I turn to him, stunned and slightly amused.
“What?” he asks skeptically, seeing the surprise clear on my face.
“You like this song?”
“Yes. Why? What do you think I listen to?”
“I don’t know. A big bad mafia guy like yourself listening to some good old 80’s rock? Definitely a shocker!”
He taps out the beat on the steering wheel. “What can I say? This song is a classic.”
“I thought some old school jazz might be more appropriate, or some death metal to get the blo
od pumping, ya know?”
He shakes his head. “You read too many books or watch too many mob movies.”
I actually laugh out loud because it’s true, I really do. He turns the volume on the radio up higher, probably to stop any further questioning, and I sing the words out loud, still bewildered by the fact that he has this song downloaded on his phone.
I sneak a glance at Carson and see a hint of amusement in his usual blank expression. He tries to hide it by running a hand over his stubbled jaw, but I saw it, leaving me slightly breathless. And for some unexplained reason, I want more of it.
I shake the thought away and focus back on the music. However, my lingering eyes still manage to find their way back to him during the short car ride, and I’m more than relieved once we finally reach Tessa’s apartment.
I text her telling her that we’re outside, and shortly after, I see her walking up to the car in a short black dress looking as stunning as ever.
“Well, so much for a girls’ night.” She shrugs, acknowledging Carson in the car once she settles in.
“Yeah…slight change of plans, unfortunately, but that’s not going to stop us from enjoying the night!” I clap my hands together as he pulls out on to the main road.
With a warning glance at Tessa through the rearview mirror, Carson clears his throat, “You might want to wear your seatbelt.”
She complies with no questions asked, and as soon as we hear the click of her seatbelt, he floors it.
“Whoa! This isn’t The Fast and the Furious, dude! Slow down!” Tessa shouts over the loud engine.
“Apparently this is slow!” I yell out, chuckling at her outburst.
“So, is it just us three tonight?” she asks.
I inwardly cringe because of the surprise guest who will be meeting us there.
Noticing my lack of a reply, Carson answers for me, “I invited Lance, and Jase is coming after he finishes up his last job for the night.”
A moment of tense silence passes, and I hold my breath for it.
“Alayna Marie, let me out of this car!”
“It’s not that big of a deal, Tessa.”
“Not that big of a deal?!” The glare she is sending me at the moment almost makes me retract my initial statement. “I wanted to have fun, Al! You know that won’t happen if he’s there!”
“Just ignore him. I don’t even know why you let his presence affect you so much.”
It’s public knowledge that Tessa always gets a bit on edge when Jase is around or if she knows he’s going to be somewhere she’s at. I mean, I know things are complicated between them, but he’s my brother and she’s my best friend, they’re going to have to accept the way things are and move on. Of course, I want them to be together, but they are both such complicated individuals that I don’t know if it would work between the two, even if they tried.
Before I overanalyze the situation too much, we arrive at the club.
Tessa and I get out of the car and start to walk toward the back of the line when my arm is suddenly pulled back.
“What are you doing?” I ask Carson.
“Follow me.”
We follow his lead as he takes us up to the front of the line. The bouncer takes one look at Carson and immediately lets us in with no hesitation.
“Connections?” I ask Carson as he leads us inside.
“You could say that.” He shrugs.
The club is full of dancing bodies as we make our way in. A path is cleared for us as we walk up the tall staircase and into one of the VIP booths that overlook the crowd. Jase and Lance are already there, and it’s obvious that they’ve been taking full advantage of the liquor that was set out.
Carson sits next to me on the end, pouring me and Tessa a glass of champagne before he pours himself a vodka soda.
“Well, well, well, fancy running into you here.” A girl I remember as one of the dancers from Caution says as she sashays her way right next to Carson. “I was beginning to think you’d abandoned the place.”
Waitressing here must be her second gig. She’s wearing what every other girl working here is wearing, a tight black tank top that stops mid waist with the club’s name, Victory, on it, and red, tiny leather shorts that show a great deal of her legs.
Carson’s gaze remains impassive as he looks at the girl. “Nice to see you again, Nina. All is well, I presume?”
A flirty smile makes its way across her face. “Now that you’re here it is.” She reaches for a writing pad that just so happens to be placed inside her bra. Lance’s eyes are glued to her movements, especially when she makes a show of biting the tip of her pen. “Now what can I get you all?”
Carson pays her no attention as he pulls out his phone, “I think we are good for right now, Nina.”
She steps closer to him, her cleavage almost pressing against the side of his body. “Are you sure you don’t need anything?”
I roll my eyes…is this girl serious right now?
Carson runs a hand through his hair and leans back against the couch with a smug smirk. “On second thought, maybe I do need something.”
Her brown oval eyes brighten as she runs a hand down the length of his thick arm. “Of course. Whatever you’d like, handsome. You know that.”
I clear my throat, and as if she were just noticing me for the first time, her gaze widens.
Her tone holds a certain amount of suspicion as she regards me, “Alayna, right?”
My eyebrows furrow together, “Yes, and yours was…” My voice trails off. Of course, I know her name, but I grew up with plenty of catty women and know exactly how to play her game.
I can see the clenching of her jaw as she responds, “It’s Nina, actually.” Her eyes are tightly slitted as she looks between me and Carson. “So how long have you known each other? Do you two typically hang out together?”
I snort. Could this girl get any more desperate? “Well, actually—” I begin, but am immediately cut off by Carson sending Nina a warning glance.
“That’s none of your business, Nina.” He looks pointedly at her before he turns to me. “Alayna, did you want anything else to drink?” he asks with a bit of impatience.
“No, thanks, I’m good for right now. Maybe later, though… Nina.” I wink and her nostrils flare as she forces out a smile before hastily dismissing herself.
Confusion works its way across my features. What the hell is her problem with me? Tessa must have noticed, as well, because she looks just as baffled as I am.
“Sir?” a man coming from the same place Nina just exited from asks Carson.
Carson’s glare sends the man shrinking back. “Yes?”
“You are needed in the back office.”
Jase and Lance have questionable looks on their faces, but Carson waves them off. “Must be something with the familia. I’ll be right back.”
He chances a quick look over to me before he heads down the stairs with the man, disappearing from sight.
Finishing my drink, I get up from the booth and make my way over to the balcony. Colorful lights spark around the dancefloor as couples dance carefree with one another, looking lost in the song, and lost in the moment.
“Hey, Alayna! Come back over here!” I turn around to find Jase waving his hands in the air like a madman. He isn’t quite drunk yet, but he’s working on it.
I chuckle at him as I make my way back to the booth. “What, Jase?”
The same man who disappeared with Carson earlier is now holding a tray of shots for us. “Carson wanted me to send these over for you all.”
Hm. Well, that was strangely nice of him.
He hands a shot to Lance first, and then to Jase and Tessa, leaving the last shot for me. He winks at me as I wrap my fingers around the glass. “Enjoy,” he says before vanishing into the sea of bodies.
“Well, cheers to Carson!” Lance shouts, as we clink our glasses together and wash down the fiery liquid.
It’s harsh and I have to force it to stay in my throat, but the imme
diate effects were calming—actually, a bit too calming.
From the corner of my eye I spot a snickering Nina hiding in the shadows. What the hell could she possibly be laughing about?
I ignore it and grab on to Tessa’s hand. “Come on, Tess, I think the dancefloor is calling our name!”
We head out onto the dancefloor and I’m soon taken by the music and energy around me. Whatever that shot was has me feeling all kinds of good, and I fully intend on asking Carson later what it was so I can always get this awesome buzz going every time I go out. I feel giddy as I twirl to the music that sounds like it’s speaking right to my soul. I’m so in the moment that I find myself grinding against a hard form who is swaying their hips to the rhythm of mine. That is, until I feel arms tighten around my waist.
I whip around, stumbling a bit over my heels.
The man I was apparently just dancing with helps me regain my balance.
The man is lean and tall. He’s hot…and he knows it, too. He’s dressed casually with a tight black T-shirt and dark jeans.
“I’m sorry, apparently gravity hates me,” I say with a flirty smile.
“Gravity must love me if it has beautiful girls like you falling into my arms.” He has a unique accent, but it’s way too loud in here, and I’m too drunk to place where he’s from.
Jeez, am I a lightweight or what tonight? A glass of champagne and one shot of whatever and I’m already drunk out of my mind.
I laugh at his joke and try to straighten myself. “My name is Alayna. What’s yours?”
“Dmitri,” he replies. “Would you like to sit for a minute?”
I look back at Tessa and she gives me a thumbs up in approval. “Yes, actually. I think I should.”
Something feels off, but my brain is too fuzzy to place it.
“Do you typically get drunk off of one drink?” he asks with a laugh.
My eyebrows pull up in surprise. “How did you know I only had one drink?”
Dmitri smirks. “I’m very perceptive, and my eyes may or may not have been glued to you since you walked in.”
I think that over for a moment, and a hiccupped giggle escapes me. “I don’t know if I should be flattered or slightly creeped out by that.”
“With a woman as beautiful as you are, kukla, there’s not a single man here who doesn’t have his eyes on you. They just know I called, how you say…dibs first.”
