Page 38 of Hostile Secret
I internally scoff at that thought. He already thinks of me as alittle girl. I shirk off the years spent being a good girl and all the rules I’d obeyed. It's my right to celebrate this new chapter in my life.
“You up for some fun tonight?” he asks.
“Always.” I shrug casually and return my attention to the bartender.
I’d rather not give Fabian any reason to think I’m into him. By the girls eyeing our interaction, this guy has plenty of women to pick from, so my disinterest shouldn’t bother him.
“Is Sebastian here?” Ana’s voice slips over my shoulder.
“Yeah. He’s in the VIP lounge. Want to join us?”
“We’re waiting on Val.” I take a sip of my cocktail and cough. “Shit, that’s strong.”
My eyes are watering when Fabian rubs my back. “You’ll get used to it.” He muses, the smirk on his face incredibly sexy.
Fabian motions to the bartender. “Can you send a bottle of Cristal over, buddy? We’re celebrating a special birthday tonight.” His lips move to the shell of my ear. “You can see the door from where we’re sitting. VIPs have more fun, new girl.”
“We’d love to join you.” Ana grins into her glass. “Wouldn’t we, India?”
I take another sip of my drink through the straw, fully aware of how close Fabian is to me now. “Sure.”
He eyes me quietly for a moment. “Did you know my family is donating funds to prom this year? I want it to be the best prom Thornhill has ever had. We wanted David Guetta to DJ, but he’s touring. If there’s anyone you have in mind, I’ll do my best to book them. Do you have a date?”
My heart skips. “Nah... I don’t think I’ll go. The only people I know in Santa Marta are Ana and Val.”
His beautiful lips quirk. “Well, we’ve got the rest of the night to get to know each other.”
12
INDIA
“André!” I grin at the doorman on my way past, stumbling out into the night air so I can hear him better. “I’m sorry I missed you earlier. Are you in Italy?”
“¡Feliz cumpleaños, Indy.” I hear my brother's best friend exhale as if he’s blowing out a lungful of smoke. “We’ve just arrived in Sicily. I’m sorry things are different this year… nothing's the same without Reno.”
Cool air licks the bare skin on my legs. For some reason, being outside, the liquor in my bloodstream energizes my legs at different speeds. I’m half staggering. Not a good look. Thankfully, Dré has no clue, or he’d lose his shit.
“I know…” I sigh, navigating the tarmac.
“When you join us out here, I’ll make it up to you for not being around today.” André assures me. “Whatever you want to do, we’ll do it. Okay?”
“Sure.” I glance over my shoulder to check I’m not being followed by the girls.
The few yards of distance I’ve put between me and the front doors give me privacy to speak openly.
“I couldn’t get a hold of Gio on the phone. Did you tell him it’s your birthday?” The familiar crackle of a paper rolled blunt can be heard as André takes a draw.
I teeter a few steps, wobbling in my high heels when the ground slopes underfoot. My cheeks feel hot and the pretty stars overhead blur when I look up.
Alcohol buzzes through my veins. When Valeria had finally shown up, she’d bought another round of Pacific Mule cocktails.
Feeling lightheaded and a bit odd, I decide I’ve hit my cocktail limit.
No more booze for this girl.
Wandering further away from Elysian, I reach a parking lot lit by a singular floodlight at the entrance and prop my hip against the hood of a shiny silver Dodge Charger Daytona that gleams under the high moon, giving it an alien-like luster.
“I didn’t say anything to him.” I shimmy the hem of my dress lower with one hand. “So much has happened lately, Dré. To be honest, I’d lost track of the weeks. I didn’t realize it was my birthday until I was at school.”
