Page 11 of Paved in Venom

She takes her card back and looks at her phone. “Perfect. I’ll invite a few friends to come along, and I’ll pick you up at your hotel at nine.”

I’m already thinking about how tired I’m going to be, but there’s still plenty of time for me to squeeze in a quick nap. I don’t bother telling her that nine is about the time I usually put my pajamas on. Most twenty-two-year-olds don’t have a bedtime of ten on a Friday night, so I keep that embarrassing little tidbit to myself.

Adriana insists on making sure I get back to my hotel safely, and when I wave goodbye to her, I can’t help but feel excited about tonight. Closing the curtains, I force myself to try and nap. Thanks to the wine I had at lunch, it doesn’t take long before I’m out. When my alarm wakes me, I have plenty of time to shower and get ready. I decide on the simple, black-but-sexy dress that I packed on a whim, but I’m stuck pairing it with ballet flats because I didn’t pack heels. I spend more time on my hair and makeup than I normally would, but I really want to look nice tonight. I’m ready to have some fun, and I want to look hot while I do it.

When I walk out of my hotel, I’m surprised to see a black limo parked out front. I’m about to ignore it and keep walking as I look for Adriana, but before I’ve reached the bumper, she’s opening the door with a laugh and waving me in.

“Come on, Simona. We’re arriving in style tonight.”

I scoot in next to her, noticing the red, low-cut dress she’s wearing with matching red heels that are laced up her slender ankles. She looks like a model, and I look like me. I’m used to this, though. The go-between friend. At least it’s a role I’m comfortable with. I can repay Adriana’s kindness by fielding men and helping her hook up with the hottest one I can find.

“You look amazing,” she tells me, and I smile to let her know I appreciate what she’s doing. “I’m being serious. The men are going to go crazy over you tonight.”

I laugh and watch the city outside my window. Bucharest at night is beautiful. The place is lit up and vibrant, the streets crowded with cars, and the sidewalks full of men and women who are coming and going from the various clubs and bars or enjoying a late supper at one of the outdoor cafes. The limo stops in front of a huge building with a long, winding line out front of it. Adriana gets out, and I follow her lead. She bypasses the line and marches right up to the bouncer in her four-inch heels, giving him a wink when he immediately steps aside to let her in. No surprise to anyone, he quickly steps in front of me to block my path.

“I’m with her,” I say, feeling like the world’s biggest dumbass.

He’s about to laugh, I can see it in his eyes, but Adriana yells something in Romanian, and the man quickly steps aside.

“Sorry,” she says, grabbing my arm so we won’t be separated again. “I thought you were right behind me.”

I don’t bother telling her that I was, and that there’s no way in hell that ever would’ve mattered, because my attention is immediately pulled to the massive club we’ve just stepped into. There are four levels to the place, each of them packed with bodies, and the music is so loud I can barely hear Adriana when she points to the bar and yells, “Let’s get drinks first.”

I let her order for me because I have no idea what to get, but when I try to pay, she just waves her hand at me.

“Don’t worry about it. I come here all the time. They’ll just put it on my tab.”

Taking the drink she hands me, I take a sip. The sweetness of it covers the alcohol, making it the kind of drink that you could easily chug, not realizing how drunk you’re getting until it’s way too late. I decide to take it slow, but Adriana just laughs and urges me to drink more. She finishes her own glass and sets it on the bar, motioning for the bartender to make us two more.

When they’re fixed, we each grab one and Adriana leans closer so I can hear her when she says, “Follow me. I have some friends I want you to meet.”

I follow her blonde head through the crowd and up a flight of stairs. When we hit a roped-off section, she leans closer and says something to the woman whose job it is to make sure no one enters the VIP area who isn’t allowed to be there. The woman looks over at me and then nods at Adriana before unhooking the rope and letting us through. I smile at her, but she looks away and puts the rope back in place.

We walk up another flight of stairs until we come to a large seating area. Several women linger around the space in very little clothing, and there are three men seated in leather chairs. They’re in suits with drinks in hand, each of them handsome and staring right at me, probably wondering who accidentally let me into the super-cool-people area.

Adriana starts talking to them in Romanian, and I try not to stand here looking awkward while they have an entire conversation that I’m completely ignorant of. When a waitress walks in with a tray of drinks, I happily take one.

One of the men motions me over, patting the empty seat next to him. “Adriana says you’re new to our country.” He gives me a big smile. “Welcome.”

I sit down, returning his smile before looking around at the others. One of the men pulls Adriana into his lap, and she laughs and smiles at him before kissing his cheek. The way she’s looking at him makes it clear that they’re a lot more than friends.

“How do you like Romania so far?” the man next to me asks.

“I like it a lot,” I tell him. “It’s so beautiful, and everyone’s so friendly.”

He smiles and waves the waitress over again. Motioning to her full tray, he says, “Please, help yourself. It’s on me tonight.”

I thank him and take another drink. While I sip at it, I turn to look down at the dance floor. The bodies are so close together it looks like a living, pulsing thing. The men and women dance, and it’s nonstop fluid motion that mixes seamlessly with the strobe lights that pulse with the music. I can’t look away, and when things start to grow fuzzy, I shake my head to clear it.

“Are you okay?” the man asks me.

“What’s your name?” I ask him, hearing a faint slur to my words. I turn my head to see him, feeling the room spin as I do so.

He smiles and leans closer, cupping my face in one of his hands. His dark eyes bore into mine. “My name isn’t important, little one.” He turns to Adriana and gives her a smile. “You did a good job with this one. She looks so fucking innocent. Are you sure no one will be looking for her?”

I hear Adriana laugh, but it sounds so far away. “No, her parents died last year, and trust me when I say her life is pathetic. She doesn’t even have a cat that will miss her.”

She lets out another laugh while my brain struggles to catch up. I may not understand exactly what’s going on, but I know enough to know I’m in deep shit. My drink falls from my fingers, and when I try to stand, the man brings his other hand around to clamp onto my hip, holding me in place. It doesn’t take much. I feel weak, like I don’t even have the strength to stand.

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