ROSA: We’re going out.
ROSA: Wear something sexy.
My best friend’s texts came just at the right moment. I desperately needed the biggest distraction I could find after the bomb my sister dropped. So without any questions asked, I said yes and went into my closet to pick my most daring dress.
I want to forget that I have a big decision to make ahead of me. A decision that will change my entire world. Something I’m far from prepared for.
I want to forget I have responsibilities. A future that’s uncertain and murky.
Tonight will be all about bad decisions and regrets. Letting loose and enjoying my freedom before it’s captured.
Standing at my vanity, I stare at myself in the mirror as I tie my long wavy hair into a messy bun atop my head. I free a few curls so they frame my face, giving it a sexy yet girly look. My purple lace dress leaves little to the imagination as it molds to my curves with a sweetheart neckline and ends right below my ass.
My breasts sit high and perky and I love how the dress complements them. I paint my lips in pink with matching blush on my cheekbones. Bending down, I put on my favorite pair of Versace pink high heels.
Iris—the third of our trio—always says that sometimes all a girl needs is a hot little dress to make them feel at the top of the world. She may have been right, even though I won’t ever admit it to her.
My outfit fills me with confidence and power, making me feel there’s nothing I can’t handle.
I text Rosa on my way out after grabbing my car keys, purse, and phone and take the elevator. Another perk of having a penthouse is my private elevator which saves me time. One of my biggest pet peeves is being late, and I hate it even more when I’m on the receiving end of it.
The only exception is Iris, who for the life of her can never be punctual. God knows I’ve tried. But apparently, all of the mundane shit happens to her.
Once the elevator stops at the parking lot of my building, I walk toward my BMW parked in my spot and press on the key fob until I hear the familiar beep. My heels clap on the cement with each step, which echoes loudly in the empty space.
Unlocking the door, I slide behind the wheel, connect my phone to Bluetooth, and drive into the starry night.
The low music playing in the background distracts me from drowning in my unwanted thoughts. I breathe easy once I finally reach my destination. It happens to be a tall building in one of the most expensive areas in the city.
The valet opens my door and I slide out while he waits.
“Good evening, miss.”
“Hello,” I softly greet while handing him my keys so he can park my precious car. It was the first thing I bought with my own money.
My job as an interior designer pays me well and when I got hired by one of the top firms in the country, it was the happiest day of my life. It had always been my goal ever since I could remember. I love turning a place beautiful and filling it with life. One day, I’m going to start my own company and live my dream.
“Bee.”
The sound of my nickname being called pulls me out of my reverie. My head jerks to my right and my gaze collides with Rosa’s. Her flaming red hair sparkles under the lights, making her stand out among the crowd. It matches her red lips while the rest of her is as dark as a beautiful night. Most girls are obsessed with pink but Rosa isn’t.
She’s quiet and moody and has no filter.
And has a weird obsession with everything black.
We’ve been best friends since kindergarten with our families being in the same circle, and I’ve never seen her wear any other color. It fits her dark personality perfectly. She may come off as cold and a bit scary, but she has a heart of gold and is the most loyal friend anyone can have.
“You finally wore the dress,” murmurs Rosa while running her gaze over me appreciatively. A knowing look crosses her eyes before they narrow and she demands, “Something happened. Spill.”
Sometimes I hate how she can read me so easily. Still, I act nonchalant and retort, “It’s just a dress, Ro.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
“Shut up.”
Her lips tilt into a smirk and she warns, “I’ll let it go for now, but you’re not off the hook.”
Wow! That was too easy. Instead of relaxing, it rattles me because she’s a hound until she gets to the bottom of the truth. It’s my turn to narrow my eyes and observe her closely.
She’s dressed similarly to me in a short corset dress, except hers is, you guessed it, black. It accentuates the shape of her waist and hips in an enticing way. Rosa is lean and has curves in all the right places, which she doesn’t even have to work for despite being a foodie.
I’m one of those girls who will drink water and somehow gain weight. It’s so unfair.
My attention goes to the drink in Rosa’s hand, and I ask, “Were you here already when you texted me?”
“Yep.”
I dart my gaze around and notice we are the only two women here. I’m taken aback when I realize it’s an elegant gentlemen’s club. The way every man watches us as they pass by, makes me feel like an expensive hooker.
While I begin to feel shy, Rosa is all confidence and indifferent to the leering.
Then again, she’s used to being the center of attention with her family being the richest in the country. My father is wealthy and a well-established jeweler, but nothing compared to Rosa’s. Hers is can-buy-my-own-state kinda rich.
“Care to share why we’re at a gentlemen’s club?” I ask while she casually takes a sip from her drink.
“I have someone’s night to ruin.”
Fuck. Looks like I’m not the only one looking for trouble tonight.
I don’t need to ask to know who she’s talking about. Only one person exists who’s capable of causing a crack in Rosa’s calm façade. Her sworn enemy and bully, Nova D’Cruz.
Oh, and her soon-to-be husband.
If my future is gloomy, hers is pitch black. Much like her favorite color. I swear, irony can be cruel.
“What the hell did he do now?” I sigh.
I don’t want to spend my night keeping her from tearing his limbs off. Nova is more than capable of handling himself but like an unhinged psychopath, he enjoys toying with her. Sometimes I feel like he does it because he actually likes her but there’s no telling when it comes to him. He keeps his cards close to his chest.
Rosa and Nova were betrothed to each other when they were kids by their parents. Their engagement is more of a business arrangement to tie the knot between the two powerful rival families. No wonder their relationship was doomed from the start.
Rosa links our arms together and pulls me in the direction of the bar, while answering in a pissed voice, “He crashed my date tonight.”
“And?” Knowing Nova, that wouldn’t be all.
“Brought two girls with him until he and my guy left with one on each of their arms.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope.” She ends the word with a pop before smiling darkly. “Well, if I’m not getting laid tonight, neither is he.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“Cutting his dick off.”
“Rosa!” I gasp at the seriousness in her tone and the excitement in her gaze.
“My dress is too pretty to ruin with his blood, though,” she murmurs. Like it’s the only thing insane about the plan.
I steal the glass from her hand and put it out of her reach while signaling the bartender not to serve her any more alcohol. Ignoring her glare, I suggest, “How about an option where we don’t end up in jail?”
“Way to kill my buzz, Bee.”
I roll my eyes at the disappointing pout on her face. “How did he even know you were out tonight? It’s not like you two have the same set of friends.”
“He has people keeping eyes on me,” comes her reply through gritted teeth. “He’ll do anything to remind me that I’m his property.”
“Please tell me he hasn’t actually called you that.”
“Like I would let him.” She huffs.
“How do you know he’s here?” I question curiously.
“He’s not the only one with people loyal to him.”
“I don’t think women are allowed inside, Ro. How are you going to find him?”
“Find him?” Rosa says this like I’m being silly. “His goons must have already tattled that I’m here. He’ll be by my side soon enough. As for us going further inside, who will be stupid enough to stop his fiancée?”
I can’t help but smile because she’s right. Nobody will dare stop her since everyone is too scared of her family. Despite having grown up beside her my whole life, I’m still not used to the power behind her last name.
“I still don’t understand why I had to dress up for this…”
“You’ll know soon enough,” says Rosa before smiling. “Come on.”
She guides me past the subtly elegant lobby, down a well-lit hallway toward a black door. Our heels clap on the tiled floor and we pause as Rosa opens the door like she’s done it many times before. I expect to see a private elevator or stairs leading upstairs, but instead another lobby greets my sight.
It’s completely opposite to the one we just walked through and is painted a deep shade of red while the floor is covered with a plush brown carpet. I feel like I’ve stepped into another era as chandeliers hang from the ceilings while a wooden door waits for us at the end.
“What is this place, Rosa?”
“Rich and bored men’s playroom, apparently.” Her voice comes out flat, unimpressed.
Meanwhile, I can’t help but admire the way it resembles the eighteenth century’s era with a touch of modern. The decoration and architecture is subtly inspired by it and the interior designer in me can’t help but appreciate its beauty.
“Stop drooling, Bee. I can’t have you losing it when we go farther.”
“Hey! I can’t control it.”
She tugs me forward when my feet stay rooted to the spot. Even the door has intricate designs woven into it as we prowl closer and I shove it slightly. I’m surprised yet again when I notice steps leading underground.
“Don’t tell me the playroom is a dungeon,” I deadpan. “I feel like I’m walking into a lion’s den.”
“Jeez. Relax. It’s just an underground club to make men feel like kings,” says Rosa from behind me. “Don’t worry. We won’t be staying for long.”
Our quiet breathing fills the space as we carefully take the stairs and as we go lower, I hear soft music playing. Soon, we reach the landing in front of a double door. It’s like a freaking maze with too many unnecessary doors. Though this one is locked and heavy.
Rosa knocks twice and a second later, it pulls open and a heavy bodyguard takes us in before hardening his gaze.
“Who allowed you two in here?” he demands in a cold voice.
I shift to the side as Rosa steps forward and commands in a steel voice, “Move.”
He stills at being spoken back to but before he can say anything, a beautifully dressed tall woman rounds from behind him. I’m guessing she’s the hostess.
“Good evening, Miss Kapoor,” she politely greets my friend before meeting my gaze, “Miss Chopra. I’m Tasha. Come this way, please.”
The guard blinks in recognition at hearing our last names and swallows thickly. I bite my lip to hide my smile. He backs away as we walk past him and follow the hostess.
“I’m sorry about the guard, Miss Kapoor,” says Tasha.
Rosa nods once before speaking smoothly, “We can find our way, Tasha.”
The woman hesitates like she’s conflicted and offers, “I can arrange a private—”
“That won’t be necessary,” Rosa cuts her off and the poor woman becomes nervous. “You can let Mr. D’Cruz know I wanted to be left alone.”
Tasha appears shocked at first, then it twists into fear and guilt at having been caught. Her position at being stuck between their war has me feeling pity for her. Knowing Rosa won’t budge, she finally relents and leaves us alone.
“I think it’s safe to say you’ve ruined Nova’s night just by being here.”
The dark victory shining in her eyes is unmistakable as she shrugs and says, “Not yet. My date was a pussy but the men here aren’t. He can’t scare or manipulate them so easily.”
“You’re playing with fire, Ro.”
“Just because I’m forced into a marriage with him doesn’t mean I’ll make it easy for him. Either he lets me go or I make his life a living hell.”
“I wish I could help,” I softly murmur, and her anger ebbs away.
“I’m afraid there’s no solution to my predicament,” she replies before quirking her eyebrow at me. “So how about we fix yours? Tell me what happened.”
My mood deflates at the reminder. I almost forgot about my dilemma. Knowing Rosa won’t let me off the hook again, I decide to confess. Although, I’m afraid I only have one option.
“I’m going to need a drink first,” I finally say.
“Pretty sure there’s plenty here.” She winks and it makes me smile.
