I looked at myself in the mirror for the thousandth time, not liking what I saw. I wasn’t used to this kind of outfit, which explained my awkwardness, even if I felt a bit sexy.

“You look gorgeous, now move over and let me finish getting ready, or we’ll only get there tomorrow.”

Alice bumped her hip against mine, pushing me away from the mirror.

Unlike me, she was wearing a red dress that barely reached mid-thigh, matching high heels, and her almost platinum blonde hair cascaded in wavy layers down her back.

I, on the other hand, was in dark denim shorts so short they showed the curve of my butt, a black tank top that revealed my strappy bra underneath. The bra was the only thing in this outfit that actually belonged to me; everything else had been plucked from Alice’s wardrobe.

“Are you sure I need to wear these heels? I’m positive I’ll twist my ankle before we even get to the club,” I grumbled, staring at the black sandals she had picked out for me. “Speaking of which, you didn’t tell me the name of the place.”

“You ask too many questions, Bri!” she huffed, stepping away from the mirror, her face now flawlessly made up. “Yes, you *have* to wear the heels! You want to catch the eye of a hot guy, don’t you? So you’re wearing the heels to look taller and not so… you.”

I could’ve been offended by the comment, but I had asked for exactly this when we started getting ready. I wanted to look like someone else—a confident, empowered woman, not the twenty-year-old who had just turned that age.

“I just hope I have fun before I faceplant in these heels!”

“You’ll see, this is going to be our night!”

We arrived at the LYNC club just before midnight. The line to get in was still long, but thanks to the colorful wristbands Alice had somehow gotten, we didn’t have to wait at all.

The tall, burly bouncer gave us a suspicious look when Alice extended her hand, showing the wristband to be scanned. He looked like a wardrobe dressed in a sleeveless vest that highlighted his muscles and a massive tattoo covering his tanned shoulder.

When his brown eyes locked onto mine, I could swear I felt a chill run up my spine, settling at the back of my neck. I took a deep breath, trying to seem as calm as possible, and extended my wrist. I thought he’d grab it like he did with Alice, but all he did was step aside, keeping his eyes glued to mine, letting me pass without even scanning the wristband.

“Come on, Bri!” Alice shouted, making me break eye contact with the man and letting her drag me inside.

The loud, sensual music flooded my ears as the red lights hit me. The warm, inviting air lifted my spirits, pushing away the weirdness from the bouncer at the entrance. Now, I was focused on the bodies intertwining around the place, dancing energetically.

The bar was packed, and I could tell it might be tough to get drinks tonight. Alice dragged me straight there, shoving people out of her way without bothering to apologize—that was my friend, a blonde hurricane.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Anything with alcohol.” I wanted to have fun, to do everything I’d always wanted, but this time without guilt.

I turned to watch the crowd while she tried to get the bartender’s attention. People were packed on the dance floor in front of the DJ’s stage, moving tightly together. I couldn’t help but notice the pole dance poles, where some women climbed and competed for space, dancing and swaying while glancing at the upper floor.

The VIP area was filled with men—not the polished, suit-wearing heartthrobs I’d heard about. These were men who were almost too gorgeous, with a wild beauty, strong like the bouncer, some with long, messy hair, wearing jeans and leather jackets. They reminded me of bikers, though I hadn’t seen any motorcycles outside.

“Here!” Alice shouted beside me, handing me a glass with glowing blue liquid. “To our night!”

“To our night!” We clinked glasses, laughing, and I brought the drink to my lips. The sweet taste flooded my mouth, and I took a bigger sip than intended. “What is this? I could drink this all night.”

“I don’t doubt you could, but fair warning—two of those, and you’ll be drunk.”

I didn’t think that was unlikely, but even so, I couldn’t sip it slowly. I danced with Alice, following her moves to the sensual beat, our bodies twirling against each other, my hands gliding over her the same way hers did over me.

We laughed like two lunatics on the dance floor, not caring about anything or anyone, raising our glasses and swaying to the loud beat that seemed to pulse in my chest.

“I need to use the bathroom!” I shouted, trying to be heard over the music.

“Let’s go!”

She grabbed my right hand and started pulling me through the crowd. Alice did the same thing as before, pushing people out of her way, but I was too focused on not tripping in those heels to care now.

“Hey!” a deep voice boomed in front of us, making me look up.

A tall, muscular Black man stood in our path, his arms crossed, making him even more intimidating. His brown hair reached his waist, and I noticed two braids swinging among the strands, which looked almost too silky.

“Hi, handsome!” Alice said in a flirty tone that didn’t sound like her at all.

Her free hand trailed up the stranger’s arm, and he flashed a sexy smile at her, almost making *me* feel butterflies, even though it wasn’t directed at me.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” I mumbled in her ear and slipped away before they started making out with me still holding her hand.

It wouldn’t have been the first time.

By some miracle, the bathroom wasn’t crowded. I stumbled in my heels as I entered the stall, gripping the walls and performing a balancing act to use the toilet without touching the seat.

When I came out, I faced the wide mirror above the sinks. My cheeks were flushed from the alcohol and all the dancing. My light lipstick was still intact, but I touched up my mascara and splashed some water on my cheeks and neck, trying to cool off a bit.

After all, my red hair was already enough red for me.

But before I could leave, the bathroom lights flickered, making me close my eyes. In that split second, I saw those flames. Fire consuming wood, reaching a woman who, instead of screaming, kept her green eyes locked on mine.

I opened my eyes, blinking rapidly to shake off the disturbing image. I leaned over the sink and splashed water on my face, not caring about my makeup, and soaked my neck until my hair was dripping.

It was my night! I wasn’t going to give in to those crazy visions and look like a lunatic—not tonight!

I dried off the excess water, checked my face one last time, and left the bathroom determined to make every second of this night count.

Alice and the Greek god beefcake were at the door. By now, I could bet she’d be all over him like her life depended on it, but they were engrossed in what seemed like a very interesting conversation.

“What happened?” she asked as soon as she saw me, both of them turning with concerned looks, but I just flashed my most enthusiastic smile.

“Nothing happened, and that’s exactly the problem!”

I didn’t wait for her. I ran through the crowd and ordered another blue drink from the bartender, who quickly handed me the colorful glass.

I turned to the dance floor and started moving, feeling the alcohol spread through every inch of my body, consuming my thoughts, pushing away bad memories, and banishing those visions.

It didn’t take long for Alice to touch me, pulling me close, our bodies pressed together again.

Before I knew it, I was on my fifth drink, leaning over the bar trying to get another, when I felt hands gripping my hips—but these weren’t small like Alice’s; they were much larger.

I turned and came face-to-face with a tall blonde guy, a wide smile directed at me. He swayed his hips, dancing closer, and I let him press our bodies together.

“Hey! Redhead!” the bartender shouted, banging on the counter, but I didn’t care.

I kept dancing with the stranger, his hands sliding up my hips, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, letting myself go. His head lowered, coming closer, and before I expected it, his lips were on mine.

His body pinned me against the bar as his tongue slid into my mouth, leaving me breathless. I clenched his shirt, pulling him closer.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, pulling back, making me open my eyes and catch my breath as he moved to my neck.

His lips touched my skin, and at that moment, my eyes met those of another man.

Staring at me with eyes like pools of gold, as bright as the sun, hypnotizing me. One of the wild guys from the VIP area, his hair falling past his shoulders, his black jacket tight against his muscles, giving me just a hint of what was underneath. And despite having a woman by his side, he seemed very interested in what was happening down here.

I don’t know what came over me, but I bit my lower lip, marking it as if I were truly aroused by the wet kisses on my neck, though I couldn’t have been more oblivious to the guy I was with. My attention was entirely on the man watching me, his eyes now half-closed.

I lifted my leg, pressing myself even closer to the blonde, and guided his hand to my bare thigh. His lips moved to my ear, and the sound of his tongue could’ve made me push him away, but the dark-haired man watching me kept me there.

I parted my lips, mimicking a moan, and watched him lean his arms on the VIP railing, looking even more intrigued. Then, consumed by an insane fire, I braced myself on the shoulders of the guy I was with and hoisted myself onto the bar counter. His eyes gleamed in response, and I let the other guy settle between my legs, his hands sliding over my thighs, caressing my exposed skin.

“Wow, you’re a real hurricane!”

Without breaking eye contact with those golden orbs, I leaned back on the counter. The man stood up from the railing, looking fascinated. But the blonde blocked my view, lowering his head toward my chest.

I sat up instantly, my eyes scanning the VIP area for my wild cat, but I couldn’t find him. I searched every inch of the VIP section, but he was nowhere to be found.

“What’s wrong, babe?” the sleaze asked, and I pushed his hands off my thighs. “Gone crazy? You’re not ditching me like that, you slut!”