Claude.

I watch Aime close her eyes and hide the pain inside as she lets her body move to the music. For a moment she looks almost peaceful, but I know the hurt is simmering under the surface. It’s one I live with every day. A broken heart isn’t something that can always be healed. Sometimes the cracks never truly fill in.

Hers are new, and I wonder if that makes a difference. She has people that love her and a life full of support with her family. They can give her what she needs to help lessen the pain. As for my scars, I was born with them. They’re a part of me, and there’s no healing them. Not that anyone has ever really tried.

For me, it’s only a matter of hiding my past and for some reason, dancing is one of the only times the rest of the world melts away. When I’m listening to the music, I’m lost in a sea of bodies. It doesn’t matter who I am or where I’m from, we're all here to feel good.

The music changes and my mind goes somewhere I don’t want it to. Him. The man with the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. Something about them scares me, not that it stops me from coming here. He has the kind of eyes that can see straight to my soul and to everything else I try to hide from the world.

I’ve only ever caught glimpses of him when I’ve come here to let off some steam. I don’t think he’s here for the same reason as the rest of us. In fact I don’t think he really notices the people or the drinks being passed around. His eyes are always somewhere else as he moves through the club. I wonder if he does that on purpose so he can make sure he never connects with anyone.

It doesn’t matter, though. He could part a crowd like it’s the Red Sea and he’s God. He might be. At least here in this club, he's the ruler of us all, and it’s both annoying and alluring. The man is unmissable, but he misses everyone else. What would that be like? To be seen but not care about anything that surrounds you.

Aime moves closer, and then I see the sadness she’s trying to hide. Maybe this wasn't the best idea. It was selfish of me to bring her here because I needed this. In the short time I’ve gotten to know Aime, I know she can be shy, but I also think she’s a butterfly starting to come out of her cocoon. Too bad an asshole has tried to shove her right back into it. I wanted tonight to remind her that she can spread those beautiful wings all on her own.

Aime? I mouth, wanting to check in with her.

“I’m okay.” She tries to shout over the music.

She forces a smile that doesn’t meet her eyes. Others might buy it, but I don’t. She’s terrible at faking it, and it’s one of the things I love most about her. In a way, she might be shy, but it’s also brave to be willing to show everything you feel like she does.

“We can go if you want!” I shout back.

The point was for her to have a good time, not to make things worse. Aime starts to say something, but before she can, my whole body comes alive. My skin tingles as all the air leaves my lungs, and I know he’s here. This always happens when he’s close, but this time it’s more intense, almost paralyzing.

“What?” I ask as Aime’s eyes lock on something behind me.

Before I start to turn, I know who I’m going to see. What’s surprising, though, is seeing River standing there. He’s the guy who broke Aime’s heart and the reason we’re here to begin with.

We both stand there stunned as the two men come toward us and people rush to move out of their way. I’ve never seen River here before, so someone must have told him Aime was here. For some reason, I’m not completely shocked.

I’d been more shocked when about the bet he made and that the only reason he was spending time with her was so he could sleep with her and win a stupid bet. I don’t know River, but we’ve gone to school together for a few years now, and he never gave any girl the time of day until Aime showed up.

Before I get a chance to try and step between River and Aime, he’s all over her. To my utter surprise, Blue Eyes grabs me around my waist to keep me from going after my friend. Or from stopping River from carrying her out of here.

Not that I’m much of a match against River, but I could cause a scene, I suppose. It’s probably not the best idea with him being royalty and I’m barely hanging on to my visa as it is.

“You’re coming with me,” Blue Eyes says with his mouth pressed against my ear so that I can hear him clearly.

“I’m not going anywhere.” I try to wiggle my way out of his hold, but his hands tighten and he groans. The sound rumbles through him and into me as heat explodes through my entire body.

“That’s not helping your situation,” he growls, and I freeze when my ass presses into something very hard.

I turn my head, and my eyes lock with his for the first time.