To say I was nervous would be a gross understatement of my emotions. I knew the tension in my shoulders would leave knots for weeks to come. But on the surface, I had to remain unperturbed. I couldn"t let my nervousness show.Joe led the way past the queue in front of club Sky to the front where a bouncer guarded the entrance. Joe and the bouncer were similar in size and bulk, both cutting imposing figures. I kept my face forward and my neck rigid. I told myself I didn"t care about the glares from the people waiting in the queue. If I glanced at them for even a second, I knew I would lose my nerve.
This club, Sky, was owned by the Leonhart companies. Everyone who was anyone wanted to get inside, to mingle with those V.I.P.s who were allowed past this bouncer. Paparazzi waited near the entrance to catch a glimpse of who might be able to enter tonight. And here I was, walking straight to the front.
The bouncer himself was actually one of Julian"s men. I didn"t know if he was specifically a bouncer who sometimes guarded Julian or if it were the other way around, but I recognized him. The bouncer and Joe shared a few words and nodded to one another. The rope blocking our way was removed and Joe sheltered me as we walked inside. Flashbulbs went off on one side of my field of vision and I knew there would be an article tomorrow about "the mysterious n.o.body who was able to receive special treatment on her way into Sky."
Once inside, the door shut behind us. I felt like I was walking into the pits of Hades" underworld, though the inside of Sky didn"t reflect my inner feelings.
Sky, just like it"s name, was beautiful and vast. All the furniture was made from gla.s.s or mirrors, reflecting back the blue lighting from the ceiling. Rainbows danced across the floor, giving the s.p.a.ce a prism feel. The opulence, as always, caught me off guard.
Men and women filled the dance floor, their bodies moving in sync. Loud music blasted from speakers by the DJ booth. Joe led the way across the floor to the private staircase leading to the upper balconies and private rooms. I could feel eyes turning towards us as we pa.s.sed through the crowd of people, but no one barred our way. Joe probably look too intimidating to get in his way.
I took the first steps up the gla.s.s staircase, grateful I had chosen the floor-length dress rather than one of the shorts ones. If I had chosen a short dress, someone from below would have been able to look straight up my dress (which was sort of the point).
I might have been dressed more for a red carpet than a club, but Sky was meant for celebrities, not normal people. Sky was all about being displayed and displaying. The flashier and the more extravagant you were the better. Plus the silver of my dress fit the etherial vibe of the club perfectly. Or at least, that"s what I told myself.
I had chosen this dress because it met the image I wanted to create for myself. I was not dressed as the modest wife, but no one could tell me I did not look cla.s.sy. The slit on the side of the dress was a little high for my taste, but I was here with a mission after all.
I reached the top of the stairs and walked the familiar steps towards Julian"s private room. All the walls were made from one-way gla.s.s. Viewers could see out into the club, but those on the outside couldn"t see in. All about the display.
I was hyper-aware of the eyes I knew were behind those gla.s.s walls. Julian could even be watching me this very moment, but I remained on my course. This time would be different. I was arriving before Mia, who I knew around this time was probably queueing up outside. I wouldn"t be the jilted, forgotten wife.
I was going to s.n.a.t.c.h my husband from her claws before she ever got her chance.
I reached Julian"s door and waited as Joe opened it for me and stepped aside. In the room, a series of men dressed like they had just come from the office sat around with drinks. A few had women sitting near them, the men"s arms draped over their shoulders. On one wall there was a private bar with its own bartender. Towards one of the windows overlooking the club sat Julian"s dark figure.
He was wearing a dark suit with no tie, and his shirt was unb.u.t.ton to reveal the tops of his collarbones. His hair was slightly messed, like he might have run his fingers through it. As always, he was breathtakingly handsome. He was listening to one of the men sitting next to him tell some kind of story. He would occasionally let out a laugh or crack a smile. I was across the room from his group, but I could clearly see the heart eyes from the women around him.
My entrance into the room was barely noticed. I began leading the way straight towards my husband with Joe following close behind. A few heads turned towards me as my heels clicked on the shining tile floor. I knew I was a stranger to all these people, stepping into their territory. This should have made me more nervous, but all my nerves were entirely consumed by the man I was heading towards.
When I arrived at the circle of people surrounding Julian, one of the men looked up towards the sound of my steps. I met his eyes and recognized one of Julian"s friends, Charles. He was one of the few people around Julian who was genuinely kind to me. A smile broke across his face as he realized who I was.
"Alice!"
At the sound of my voice, Julian turned towards me. Those green eyes locked onto me, but I ignored him. I was here to tempt him, not to fling myself into his arms as soon as he paid me any attention.
"It"s nice to see you again, Charles."
Charles raised his hand and I took it, letting him help me down to sit on the couch.
"I know, I haven"t seen you since the wedding. I"ve been nagging Jules to invite you out with us." He leaned in close to my ear, letting a grin play at the corner of his mouth. "Everyone else isn"t as interesting as you."
I gave Charles a smile as though we were sharing a secret and finally turned my gaze towards Julian.
"I"ve been a little busy, but when Julian mentioned your get together tonight, I just had to come say hi."
I saw a muscle in Julian"s jaw twitch. He was probably frantically trying to figure out who had told me where he would be tonight. Let him wonder. He"d never guess the truth.
"Being a good wife, eh?" Charles raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Jules doesn"t deserve you. When you get bored, come to me, alright?"
"Alright," I laughed.
"Bored my a.s.s." Julian"s voice cut into our conversation before I could continue. Charles looked across at his friend and smirked.
"If you ask me, you"re spending too much time with us and not enough time with your wife. If you aren"t careful, someone might s.n.a.t.c.h her away."
Charles leaned back, laziness in his every movement. He threw his arm over the back of the couch behind me, his hand resting close enough to touch me if I moved back even a centimeter.
The muscle in Julian"s jaw continued to twitch. "I didn"t ask you."