I glance over my shoulder. It’s strange hearing her talk about me with the hierarchal reference. Especially because all my life, I’ve been considered the odd man out. The omega.
“Are you suggesting I should raise my standards?"
Cora smirks as she enters the room. "You know what you really need, Vessa? A girl's night out.”
Immediately, my ears perk up. The Beta shakes her head at the idea. “Seriously? She just got back.”
Cora adjusts her voluminous ponytail in the mirror. The medic is trouble personified in a cropped, long-sleeve black top and a leopard-print miniskirt. "It'll just be cocktails and dancing. Don’t give me that look, Nell, it’s been ages since I had a night away from the baby."
“If Qinnu catches you in that outfit, he’s going to give you another one.”
Dancing, a voice in my mind sighs with longing. How long has it been since I moved to music, since I last let myself go?
"Count me in." I smile.
Chapter 16
VESSA
Compared to what I've seen of wolf country so far, Dominik's nightclub is by far another dimension. A cyberpunk dream.
Cora sashays over to the first bar we lay eyes on, draped in what appears to be glittering radioactive foliage. It's already surrounded by drunken patrons, pushing their way to the counter. Thumping electronic music carries us through a sea of flushed faces in their early to mid-twenties, illuminated by green and blue strobe lights. I feel the heavy bass pulsing through the room, rumbling through my own body.
My chin lifts to take in the view of the ceiling, which dangles several industrial chandeliers. Above us is a terraced level with more partiers hanging over the iron balcony. A perfect 360-degree viewpoint of the massive dance floor, the focal point of the main level, with black and fuchsia illuminated circular panels that shoot out ripples of rings in sync with the synthesizers.
"There's another bar up there along with this really cool futuristic game room," Cora points out. "Oh, and Dominik's private office, too. But none of us have ever seen it."
"That's because we have enough self-respect to not fall for his ruse," Gemma barks over her shoulder, two other girls from Bleeding Sun at her heel.
My eyes bulge at the sight of her cropped skirt. “How old are you again?”
A tingle pricks at my neck, feeling a new gaze locked on my back. Growing closer.
Another cadet howls out, "Who's down for a shot?"
Cora applauds the idea. She gives the scrappy bartender our order and pulls out her credit card. Before she can hand it over, a firm hand comes down on the counter. Dominik. He instructs him to ring her up on the house tab.
Gemma’s leggy blonde friend beams with hungry eyes as she drinks in the younger, more polished Skornokovy in his dapper grey suit. She elbows the girl seated at the bar, who instantly drops her phone in her lap. Dominik doesn't notice their ogling. Instead, his eyes rake over the plunging neckline of my bold gunmetal dress. I realize how different I must look to him. My pin-straight hair has been curled, teased, and pulled half up to reveal heavy hoop earrings.
I raise my voice over the pounding music. "This is really impressive, Dominik.”
The handsome club owner nods. An undisclosed man at his side kindly takes our coats for us and slips behind the bar.
“I could say the same thing about that appetizing dress of yours,” he drawls. “You girls are asking for trouble tonight.”
Cora rolls her eyes, distributing the shot glasses. “Don’t mistake that for an invitation.”
A chuckle rolls off Dominik's lips just as he dips his head to whisper in my ear. "If you're not enjoying yourself as much as you'd like to be, you can come find me upstairs.” With that, he slips his hand over mine and raises it to his soft lips.
My brows flick to my hairline. I’m sure he isn't seriously trying to entice me, but Cora is displeased by the bold suggestion. She grabs my arm and tugs me back to her side, frowning. Others around the bar are gawking at the two of us, realizing who is in the grey suit, flirting with me.
A warning growl rips out of Cora's throat. "Are you out of your mind?”
Dominik brushes her off like a piece of lint. "Simmer down, sweetheart. Remember who's bankrolling you tonight."
“Don’t you already have enough ammunition to piss your brother off?” she spits back, unable to get the last word in as he turns and saunters away from our group.
My cheeks flare as we clink our shot glasses together. A round of tequila follows, this shot burning more furiously than the first. I loop my other arm through Cora’s and together, we rush over to the dance floor to join the lively throng.
