I laughed, and for the first time, I followed her without looking back.
Chapter 27: Chloe
I sat across from Elara in Dooky Chase’s, my eyes wandering over the framed photos and the legendary murals. Part of me was still that ten-year-old girl, so this was exactly where I wanted to be.
"Can you pretend with me tonight?" I asked, swirling the dark purple wine in my glass. The liquid caught the light, making it look deep and blood-rich. "Can we pretend we're just normal friends?"
Elara reached across the table, taking my hands in hers. Her skin was warm, her grip light. "We aren't pretending, Chloe. We are friends."
She ordered enough food to feed a small army—gumbo that smelled like heaven, fried chicken, and greens. One bottle of wine turned into two. I'd been terrified they'd ask for an ID I didn't have, but nobody did. So I was being drowned in Cabernet and laughter. For a while, I forgot that this was just my third day of freedom.
By the time we stepped out and hit the crowded streets, the world was spinning in the most beautiful way. We walked down Bourbon Street with our arms linked, the humid air vibrating with jazz and filled with the scent of sugar and sweat. I felt alive. I felt powerful.
"Hold up, now."
A voice came from nowhere. A man stepped into our path. His skin was so dark it looked purple under the neon lights, and when he smiled, the flash of gold across his teeth caught the strobe of a nearby bar. He was devastatingly handsome—wide shoulders, heavy-lidded eyes, tatted up, and a presence that felt warm. He didn't look at Elara; he looked at me. My breath hitched. This was the first time I'd interacted with a man I hadn't met back in Florida.
"Where y'all ladies headed in such a rush?" he asked, his voice deep with a thick, melodic New Orleans drawl. "Mind if I join the party?"
I glanced at Elara, my heart hammering. She leaned in, whispering so only I could hear, "Go with it. You need the experience, darling." She looked back at him with a grin. "Sure. I know you know where the fun is."
"I know a little hole-in-the-wall y'all would like. Where y'all from?"
"Florida," we answered in unison.
"That's what's up," he said, and led the way.
As we walked, I couldn't stop listening to him. Every time he spoke, I felt myself ready to giggle.
"Say 'baby' again," I prompted, clutching Elara's arm to hard, almost toppling her..
"Bébé," he chuckled, leaning closer.
"And 'together'?"
"T'getha," he said, shaking his head at my fascination. I made him repeat words for blocks, intoxicated by the rhythm of his accent and the heat of his proximity.
We drank more in the bar he took us to. He was funny and sexy. He was respectful, though—never touching me or Elara, but standing close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating off him.
The bubble burst a little after 3:00 AM when a familiar dark SUV pulled slowly to the curb just as we were leaving the club. Killian stepped out, and the air around him was practically vibrating with irritation.
"I've been calling you. I had to locate your phone," he said.
"Oh!" I let out a loud laugh, patting my two-thousand-dollar purse. "I forgot I had a phone!"
Killian's eyes skipped over my laughing face and landed on the man standing beside me. His jaw tightened so hard I thought it might snap. Jealousy radiated off him in waves. He moved between us. "Good night," Killian told the man.
I realized then we hadn't even exchanged names—and I wouldn't get a chance to. Killian ushered us toward the car, his hand firm on my waist.
"Yo, hold up, beautiful," the guy said, reaching toward me. "Can I get your number? Snapchat? Instagram? Something? Let me holla at you tomorrow."
Killian didn't even let me turn around. "No, thank you," he snapped, his voice final, as he helped a giggling Elara into the back seat. I fell into the leather seat next to her, and we both burst into a fit of hysterics.
"No, thank you!" I mimicked, leaning my head back as Killian pulled away into traffic. "Killian, you were so mean to the pretty man with the golds!"
"He was just being a local guide!" Elara added.
Killian made a sound that resembled a growl. We laughed harder.
