I took it gratefully and downed half in one swallow.
"Easy," she laughed. "We've got all night."
"I need to not be sober for this."
"Fair."
I was reaching for another sip when the crowd near the VIP bar shifted. And I saw them. Two men. Both tall, both built like they could break someone in half without trying. One had dark hair cropped close, sharp features, eyes that missed nothing. The other was leaner, covered in tattoos, with a smile that looked dangerous even from across the room. The Alphas and owners of the club. And they were both staring directly at me.
NAOMI
They just... stared. The one with the dark cropped hair and sharp features, military posture, had his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. The other one, the tattooed one with light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, was leaning against the bar with a casual ease that somehow made him more intimidating, not less.
"Don't look," Kira hissed.
"I'm not looking." I whispered, though I couldn’t keep my eyes off of them.
"You're absolutely looking."
I forced myself to turn away, taking another sip of my drink. My heart was racing for no good reason. They were just Alphas. Attractive Alphas, sure, but still just Alphas. Predators in expensive clothes. Men who were used to getting what they wanted.
"They're coming over here," Kira whispered, her eyes going wide.
"What? No!"
But she was right. I felt them before I saw them coming this way, the way the crowd unconsciously parted. The weight of their presence. Then they were there. Standing in front of us like they'd materialized out of nowhere.
Up close, they were even more overwhelming. The dark-haired one was massive, taller than I’d expected at least 6'4", shoulders broad enough to block out the world behind him. The tattooed one was slightly shorter but no less imposing, his hazel eyes sharp and assessing.
"Ladies," the tattooed one said, his voice smooth and dark like whiskey. "We don't usually do this."
"Do what?" I asked, keeping my tone flat.
"Approach women here in the club." He smiled, and it transformed his face from dangerous to devastating. "I'm Kellan. This is my brother, Rowan."
Rowan nodded once, his dark eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin prickle. There was something overwhelming about this one. Maybe the fact that he hadn’t spoken a single word yet, but I knew he was going to be trouble. I couldn’t determine if it was the good or the bad kind yet.
"We own Obsidian," Kellan continued. "And we'd like to invite you upstairs. Private room. Drinks. Conversation." He paused. "No expectations."
Beside me, Kira made a sound like she'd been punched.
I just stared at him. "Why?"
Kellan's smile widened. "Because you're the first woman in years who's walked into this club and hasn't tried to throw herself at us."
"Maybe I'm just not interested." I deflected.
"Maybe," Rowan said, speaking for the first time. His voice was rougher than his brother's, gravel and smokey. "Or maybe you're smart enough to know that desperation isn't attractive."
"I'm not desperate," I said coolly, trying not to display how affected I was by him. "I'm just here for a drink. With my friend. On my birthday."
Something flickered across Kellan's face. "It's your birthday?"
"Yes."
"Then let us buy you a drink," he said. "Consider it a birthday gift from the house."
It was a smooth recovery. Professional. But I could see the calculation behind it and the way they were both watching me, studying my reactions. All the attention that they were giving me had my body responding in a way that betrayed my goal here. I didn’t want one Alpha, let alone two. Besides, they were looking at me like I was dinner and they were ready to devour me entirely.
