The ground shifted subtly underfoot—gravel giving way to smoother pavement.
Then polished stone. Then something even more refined.
I adjusted instinctively, reading the changes through pressure and sound.
Voices grew closer.
Laughter layered over music.
Ramiro paused briefly ahead of me.
I heard his tone change—controlled, carrying authority I hadn’t heard him use earlier.
“She’s with me,” he said, his voice directed toward the guards at the entrance.
A brief pause followed.
Then—
A sound like a heavy door being opened.
The moment we stepped inside, the atmosphere hit me like a physical force.
Thick scent.
Noise multiplied in layers rather than volume alone.
I stepped carefully, my hand still lightly on Ramiro’s arm.
The floor beneath me changed again.
I swallowed, adjusting my posture slightly as I walked.
I could feel eyes even if I couldn’t see them.
Or maybe I was imagining it.
That was always the danger in places like this.
“Can you take me to a seat near the bar?” I asked, raising my voice just enough to carry over the music.
“What did you say?” Ramiro leaned closer, speaking louder so I could hear him clearly through the noise.
“Take me to a seat by the bar,” I repeated, steadier this time, each word deliberate and clear.
A beat.
Then—
“Got it.”
He guided me forward again.
As we moved, the sound shifted once more.
The bass became slightly clearer, the crowd noise more concentrated.
I could tell we were approaching the central area now—the heart of the lounge.
