SIX
CASEN
I can’t stop thinking about her. Dreaming about her. She consumes all thoughts that blow through my mind. Every single girl who crosses my path reminds me of Embyr. They all walk like her. Talk like her. Smile just as she does and even laugh the same. Something has happened since I left her condo that night and took the picture with me. It now sets on my fridge. I look at it every fucking day and all it does is bring back the memory of falling for her not once but twice. It’s like fate keeps pushing us together but I’m trying to resist as much as I can. I wonder how long I can be strong. After seeing her a few weeks ago we’ve exchanged some curt text messages. My fingers have been itching to dial her number and accept her request to meet up, giving her the chance to talk to me. Spell it all out because even though I still have this hatred over what she did, I can’t get her out of my mind. I’m hanging by a damn thread and I know Reece can tell. Which is why we’re in an Uber pulling up to what seems to be a club.
Red Ex isn’t exactly the place I want to spend my Friday night. Well any night, for that matter, but for some reason, Reece is dead set on coming here. We walk in, and it’s packed wall to wall. I’m afraid they have over exceeded capacity, making it a fire hazard. If this place went up in a blaze for any reason, it could mean a nightmare and end a few lives.
I shake my head at my morbid thoughts and squeeze between the gyrating bodies on the dance floor with Reece leading the way. But it’s in the opposite direction of the bar, and if I’m going to be stuck here with him I am going to need a few drinks to put up with this chaos.
The heat of the club is so high I feel a bead of sweat drip down my torso already. When we stop at a roped off staircase on the far side of the dance floor, Reece says something to the steroid fueled security guard holding a board. He scans the papers attached and unclips the rope, stepping aside to allow us by.
My head cranes back as I look up, observing a second level that overlooks the first. We climb a steel set of stairs and in spite of how loud the music is I can’t help but hear the high pitch scream of Reece’s name once we reach the top. Being behind him, the only thing I can see is two arms circling around his neck and legs wrapping around his waist.
He sets the eager woman down and turns. Trinity, the owner of the shriek, zeros in on me and smiles. “Casen!” she yells, throwing her arms up. “Thank you so much for coming to celebrate my birthday!”
She hugs me too, and I give Reece a “what the fuck look” over her shoulder.
“Of course,” I say hugging her while uncomfortably rubbing her back.
She lets me go and holds me at arm’s length taking me in. I’m not attracted to Trinity in the least but she looks amazing tonight. Her hair is wild and wavy and makeup done just enough to amplify her natural beauty. She’s wearing a slinky dark blue dress and heels that have gained her quite a few inches in height.
Turning to Reece, she goes in for a second hug, giving me a moment to search the room for Embyr. I’m at war with what I’d want the outcome to be. I want to see her but I’m hoping she hasn’t arrived yet so I can make a beeline for the door. After two scans of the room and coming up empty, I’m confident I can make it out of here before she arrives.
I catch up to Reece as he leans his elbows on the private bar. I shove his shoulder and turn him around. “Why didn’t you tell me we were coming for Trinity’s birthday? I’m leaving.”
He grabs my shirt before I am out of reach. “Relax, man. Embyr isn’t coming. She had some sort of work trip.”
I let go of all the tension I didn’t realize I had been holding in the last sixty seconds. Even the thought of her being in the same building as me had me spun up. Now that I know she isn’t coming, I find I’m disappointed. At some point, I’m going to unearth what the fuck is wrong with me and figure out what the hell I want.
I relent, letting Reece order me a beer and look around, this time a little less anxious. The VIP section Trinity reserved has an awesome setup. Reece tells me she knows the owner so he let her rent it out for free as long as she hits a bar minimum. From the looks of the other party goers, I’d say they are pretty close to the mark. It seems to have a capacity of about forty people and furnished with bright red couches and chairs, black round tables overflowing with drinks, a small private dance floor, and a pool table.
I drink my eight dollar bottle of beer while observing everyone and everything around me. Most seem to be having a good time, except Reece and Trinity, who are now arguing by the railing overlooking the dance floor. It appears pretty heated and I wonder if I should go over and interject. As I scoot forward to do just that, a pretty blond sits down next to me.
“Hi,” she says. Her voice is bubbly, in a juvenile tone. Nothing like Embyr’s sultry one. She sticks her right hand in my face. “I’m Casey.”
“Hi, Casey.” I greet taking her hand in mine. “I’m Casen.”
Her green eyes go wide and she launches into a fit of giggles. “Casey?” She points to herself and then to me. “And Casen?”
I raise my eyebrows, downing the last few drops of my beer. “Yup.”
She crosses her legs and shifts her body toward me before taking my empty bottle out of my hand and setting it down on the table. “Well, Casen, would you like to play pool or maybe dance?”
Glancing behind me, I find the pool table vacant and decide it’s the lesser of two evils. “I wouldn’t mind playing a few games.”
Accepting of my answer she stands up, leaving her short black dress that has ridden up, in place. If you squint you can see her ass hanging out. She looks to see if I notice and smiles when she catches me. It pisses me off because I wasn’t really checking her out. Who wouldn’t notice?
I check on Reece and Trinity shocked that now his tongue is halfway down her throat. They must have made up. Those two give me whiplash.
“Want a drink?” I ask Casey as we walk past the bartender. She gives me her order, and I decide to upgrade my beer to a crown and Coke. If I’m going to be here I better make it worth my time, even if I do go broke in the process.
An hour and two more drinks later, I am leaning over the pool table trying to make this shot. Casey and I are tied up one game to one. If I sink this shot she buys the next round. If I lose, I buy. I didn’t even let her win the first game. She’s just fucking good.
Just after I draw my pool stick back and slide it forward I am startled by Trinity’s scream once again. My head drops to the green felt as I miss the shot and I feel Casey slap my ass. “Looks like you’re buying, Fire Man.”
I shake my head and then pick it back up, looking for Trinity to give her the death stare. I just lost to a fucking woman, who I didn’t even let win. I’m stunned at what I do find. So much so I stand straight up, my dick following suit.
Embyr.
