Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
I roll my eyes. “I don’t need your fucking permission, thanks.”
“Lana,” he warns. “I mean it.”
“Felix, don’t be so hard on her,” Penelope says.
“Yeah, let her enjoy the dick for once,” Dylan muses at him, dodging an immediate sucker punch by jumping up from the couch. “Missed!”
“Come here, you fucker,” Felix growls, but Dylan’s already run off onto the dance floor before Felix can grab him.
“Jesus,” Alistair groans, and he takes a casual sip of his drink. “I really don’t want to get involved in whatever this is.”
“No, you don’t,” I reply. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I—”
Felix grabs my wrist before I can turn around. “Is Jason here?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care. Don’t get close with any guys here,” he grits.
“He’s worried about you,” Penelope adds.
I stare at him, both annoyed and glad that he cares about me so much he’d ruin my dating chances. But I trust Penelope. “I can take care of myself. You don’t have to worry about me.”
He swallows. “I’m your brother. I always worry about you. The same way you worry about me.”
He squeezes my arm, and I know what it means, what it’s always meant.
The gravity of his words … the powerful connection we have … it can’t ever be denied.
“I know,” I reply.
He finally releases me. “Go on, then. Have fun with your friends.”
“If you see Dylan, tell him he still owes me a drink,” Alistair says, clinking his empty glass on the table.
“And if you need me, you know where to find me,” Felix says. “If some guy touches you or there is any sign of trouble …”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” I say. “See ya.”
And I walk off before he can slap on any more rules I’m obliged to follow because Daddy dearest told me to listen to him while studying at Spine Ridge.
I growl under my breath as I put my mask back on.
When I finally spot Brooke and Crystal near the bar, I wave, and a bright smile forms on Brooke’s face. “Lana! I already ordered us drinks.” She points at the three glasses on the bar.
“Hey, Crystal,” I say as I make my way over, and we hug briefly.
“I’m so excited,” Crystal muses, and she looks around until she finds Penelope and waves wildly.
Brooke hands me my drink.
“Thanks,” I say, pulling my card out of my pristine white pants.
She waves it off. “Nah, this one’s on me.” Brooke raises her glass, and we toast the three of us. “Let’s go party!”
We all chug down a considerable amount of our drinks before we head out onto the dance floor. The music at the Rivera clubs is always so easy to get into; they always play the best tunes. The only thing I don’t like about them is that they have a dress code every once in a while that’s completely outrageous, and apparently, that’s tonight because masks are everywhere.
And I mean everywhere.
So much for a relaxing evening.
“God, I love this place,” Crystal says, boppin’ her head to the music. “They’ve got the sickest beats.”
“C’mon, dance with me!” Brooke yells at me through the loud music.
I start rolling my hips against both of them, attracting lustful eyes from the men in the club eagerly looking for their next willing girl to latch onto. But I’m not on the market. I never was, not even when I hooked up with Jason every once in a while. I’m a forever-single girl who dances just far enough from the sun so she doesn’t get burned. I don’t let them get close, even when they think they have. I don’t trust myself or my heart with anyone, so I keep it to myself. And tonight, I don’t plan on involving myself with anyone except my friends.
I check on Felix and his gang of friends, but they’re gone, and it makes me pause.
“Hey, did you see where Felix went?” I ask Crystal.
She shrugs. “There’s an exclusive backstage area, or so I’ve been told. No one’s allowed in there unless invited by a Rivera. They’re probably hanging out there, smoking weed or something.”
“Or having sex.” Brooke winks.
“Ew,” I mutter.
I do not want to imagine my brother having sex.
“Don’t you want to be with them?” Brooke asks Crystal.
She shakes her head. “I told you I’d accompany you tonight! Besides, Penelope asked me to keep an eye out for any Phantom boys. She doesn’t trust them. But I don’t think they’re that bad.”
I wince at the thought of Phantoms coming here, particularly three of them.
They probably wouldn’t dare, though, since this place is infested with Skull & Serpent Society members.
I shrug it off and focus on having a blast. We dance and drink away, hip to hip, vibing to the music while drinking our shots again and again and having an awesome time. But the more we dance and drink, the more my eyes become hazy, and the colorful lights in the room meld into one.