Red Strings of Fate

Chapter 1- Strings Become Tangled

Alice

I let out a soft sigh as I made my way out the back door of the club, finally into a gated area with a fire burning in a metal pit. I could still hear the loud thump of the music from the DJ that followed my tall, dark, and handsome eye candy. Lord knows I could have stood there watching him all night as his muscles flexed slightly under the strobing lights. I shook my head, chuckling at myself as I took another sip from my cup I had set beside me on the table I had hopped up on to sit.

I glanced up from the fire I was staring at as I took a drag from my cigarette when I heard the door open and the music increase in volume for a moment. There he was in all his glory, the sexy DJ I had all but undressed with my eyes while he was playing his set. Fuck, he was sexier up close in the light of the fire. I felt my mouth go dry as I swallowed the last bit of my drink before I flicked my cigarette in the bucket of sand for the butts.

I slipped off of the table, deciding I had nowhere near the confidence needed to be able to be around this man by myself, let alone speak to him. That was when I noticed his head was facing me as he pulled his shades off his face, folding them up and hanging them on the front of his muscle tank. I could not help but watch his movements as I noticed now that there was a hint of a tattoo on his chest that seemed to be hidden mostly by the tank that clung to his muscular form.

"Hey, did you enjoy the show?" He asked, his eyes traveling over me, taking me in. For the first time that night, I was actually able to get a full view of his face.

His eyes were dark amber brown, and his hair was indeed black, just like the dark stubble that lined his upper lip and chin. I blinked for a moment as his words finally dawned on me. Had he really noticed I had been staring at him that hard inside? Shit. "Sorry, what?" I asked, hoping for clarification so I would not make a complete fool of myself in front of this tall, dark, and handsome, sexy stranger.

"My playset, did you like it? I noticed you in there while I was playing. That corset is hard to miss, and I love the oriental look it gives." He answers as he digs into his pocket, pulling out his own pack of cigarettes to light one.

I nod to him. "Yeah, it was awesome! I really enjoyed it. Were all of those beats original? And thank you. One of my friends gave it to me." I tried to ignore the heat I felt rushing up my chest to my face as I looked away from his face up to the night sky.

"Yes, they were. I am Darien, by the way." He offers his hand out for me to shake.

I shifted my gaze from the star-filled sky back to him, letting my eyes travel over his face down to his extended hand before I let my hand reach out, grasping his. I noticed his hand swallowed mine as he wrapped his fingers around mine. "Nice to meet you, Darien. My name is Alice." I smiled at him as his next question caught me by surprise.

"So you want to head back in and dance?" He let a small smile play on his lips as he glanced past me at a group of people who pulled up. "I promise I only bite when asked."

I laugh softly and shrug at him. "Sure, why not? And I will be holding you to that, sir." I knew I was blushing now as he took my hand back in his as he opened up the door for me, leading me inside. I noticed my friend Samantha staring at me as she tapped her fiancé's shoulder, getting him to watch as Darien led me out on the small dance floor.

Samantha made her way over with Jason in tow as they had a couple of glow sticks on cords in their hands. "Hey Darien! I did not know you were going to be here tonight! Or that you were even back. I see you met my friend Alice already." She says cheerfully as she places a glow stick around my neck before she offers one to Darien as the lights in the club become more dim and the music becomes louder.