My phone rings before I can respond, and when I glance at the screen, it’s Jenni. She’s our other best friend, as we’re a trio sometimes.
“It’s Jenni. She’s probably on her way there.” I take the call and put it on speaker. Jenni’s voice rings out amidst a chaotic background. I can hear the boom of speakers and clinking of glass.
“Girl—where are you? The club is popping!” A loud peal of laughter accompanies her voice. “Everyone is here already.”
“Give us a minute. We’ll be there soon.”
“Hurry!” She hangs up.
“Zoe, quick. Put your dress on. It’s about to be a lit night.”
We finish getting dressed, and as I slip into my heels, I can feel the tightness in my chest, a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Maria’s voice is light and carefree as she talks about what to expect tonight, but I’m not listening. My thoughts keep drifting back to the man from the last time we were at the club.
We head out to Maria’s car, and troop into the backseat as her driver steers the car out of the driveway. I watch the city lights blur past, my thoughts spiraling. The memory of the first night at the club comes rushing back—the music, the crowd, the flashing lights, but most of all, him. I don’t even know his name. I don’t know anything about him, but I can’t seem to shake the way his eyes had locked on to mine, like he knew something I didn’t. Something that made my heart race and my skin tingle.
I tell myself I shouldn’t be thinking about him. That it was just a fleeting moment, a passing attraction. But I can’t help it. For days after that night, I couldn’t put him out of my head.
His cold, calculating gaze, the way he seemed untouchable, like a force of nature, waiting to consume anyone who dared to get too close.
And yet, here I am, about to step back into that world, into the club where I first saw him, and even though Maria keeps talking about the fun we’re going to have, the truth is—I’m not here for her. I’m not here for Jenni or anyone else. I’m here because, somehow, I’m hoping to see him again. And that thought, that gnawing, irrational hope, is the only thing driving me forward.
We pull up to the club, and my heart skips a beat. The flashing lights are just as bright as before, the music just as loud. The bouncers at the door are as intimidating as ever, but this time, I don’t hesitate. Maria leads the way, her confidenceradiating off her, but I hang back for a moment. I take a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down.
We walk inside, and the pulse of the club hits me immediately—the music thumping in my chest, the chatter of the crowd, the smell of expensive cologne and alcohol hanging in the air. The place is packed, people everywhere, laughing, drinking, dancing. The atmosphere is buzzing with energy.
Maria is already scanning the room, her eyes lighting up when she spots Jenni’s table in the far corner. Without missing a beat, she grabs my hand and leads me through the crowd. Jenni waves at us from the table, her smile wide, clearly enjoying the night, and as we reach the table, the party kicks into full gear.
The drinks start flowing almost immediately, trays of champagne, vodka shots, and cocktails are passed around, and I’m handed a glass before I even realize what’s happening. The food is just as abundant—platters of sushi, delicate canapés, and massive bowls of fruit. It’s all so lavish, so over the top. The kind of night I don’t quite belong in, but I’m here now, and there’s no turning back.
Maria’s already chatting with Jenni, who’s laughing at something she’s saying, but I can’t focus on them. I take a sip from my glass, the burn of alcohol spreading through me, but my mind isn’t on the food, or the drink, or the people. My gaze keeps drifting through the crowd, searching, as though I’m hoping to see him again. I don’t know why I keep looking. I know it’s foolish, irrational even, but my eyes keep scanning the room, my heart picking up speed every time someone new crosses my line of sight.
Soon, Maria slips away from the table with Volkov, her face lit up in that way she gets when she’s excited. I watch them head toward the stairs, Volkov’s hand on her back as he leads herup. She glances over her shoulder at me with a quick smile, and then she’s gone.
I can’t stop myself. My eyes shift back to the room, searching, searching for him. I tell myself to stop. To relax. To enjoy the night. The table soon gets overwhelming, and I decide to go out for some fresh air. I need to give myself a pep talk in private, because my obsession with a man I don’t even know is not normal.
“Zoe, where are you off to?” Jenni takes my arm as I rise.
“Fresh air,” I answer, leaning forward to shout in her ear. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Okay?”
“Okay.” She nods and lets me through.
I’m almost at the door when a sudden prickling sensation rises on the back of my neck. I freeze. Only one man’s gaze makes my body react like this. Only one man.
I turn, and there he is.
He’s sitting in a booth, all the way across the room, but it feels like he’s right there next to me. His dark eyes lock on to mine from across the space, cold and intense, and I feel a jolt in my chest, a rush of panic that floods through me like ice water. I should look away. I should ignore it, pretend I didn’t see him, pretend that his gaze isn’t drilling into me, making my pulse spike.
But I can’t.
I don’t move, frozen under the weight of his stare, feeling like I’m pinned to the spot. My heart slams in my chest, so loud in my ears that I think I might suffocate from the noise of it.
Panic seizes me, and I can’t stay here, not under the intensity of his gaze. I force myself to take a step back, then another, and soon I’m moving through the door and into thealley behind the club, away from the crowds and the noise. Alone.
I lean against the cool brick wall, my breath shaky, trying to calm myself, but it’s no use. I berate myself in the silence.
What the hell was I doing? Why did I rush out like that?
He’s the one I’ve been waiting for all night. The one I couldn’t stop thinking about, couldn’t shake from my mind. And now that I’ve finally seen him again, I run? Like some terrified schoolgirl?
