Sunday | 9:53 p.m.
Rey stared at this particular place which had become the exclusive hotspot for elite party-goers and been labeled as one of the "top five clubs in New York City".
The Cherry Bomb had been a bomb since its grand opening two years ago. From the outside, it was just a mundane looking dilapidated block of bricks, its glass windows either tinted black or replaced with metal sheets. But looks can be deceiving, just like everything else.
Kaden jogged around his car and opened the passenger side door with a crooked smile. He looked amazing, the black t-shirt he was wearing clinging to his perfectly toned chest. His all-black attire and windswept raven hair brought out his piercing gray eyes and he couldn't look any more dangerous. Rey knew Kaden was easily going to be the most gorgeous man here tonight.
She placed her hand on his outstretched palm and let him help her out of his Bugatti. The cool night breeze greeted her once the heels of her stilettos touched the concrete, and softly ruffled her hair, baring her smooth porcelain skin. Rey didn't need a mirror to know she was going to be turning heads tonight, even though she was supposed to be doing the exact opposite.
The black Gucci dress she was wearing hugged her curves graciously and showcased her long shapely legs. It was short but wasn't skimpy enough to seem suggestive and provocative. Her flaming red hair was let down, the soft wavy curls cascading elegantly down her bare shoulders. She knew she was beautiful.
Kaden let her down a dark alley behind the building, and rapped on the metal door. This was the private backdoor of the club, only exclusive to VIP members of Cherry Bomb. The small window on the door screeched open, neon red lights pouring out into the dark. A stern face of a man appeared as his narrowed small eyes took in the two of them before recognition set in.
Not long, the metal door slid open with a loud grating sound. The burly bouncer showed them down a corridor where a single lone elevator was waiting. Above it, glowing in bright red neon, was the words "CHERRY BOMB".
The elevator went deep underground until its doors opened with a soft ding. In an instant, Rey felt the earthshaking music reverberating as she stepped out into the wide room. The place was a crazy chaos with dazzling strobes of multicolored lights flashing everywhere, complete with its trademark red neon lights aligned on all four walls. Tangled bodies of people filled the dance floor, and the booths were all full despite being a Sunday night.
Looping her hand around Kaden's arm, they walked into the crowd which parted away for them. Rey felt the burning stares of sober and drunk men alike roaming her body and as if sensing it, Kaden pulled her closer to his side though she didn't mind the stares at all. After all, she was here to prove a point.
The pair stopped by the classic mahogany bar being ran by an attractive young man in a crisp white shirt complete with a red silk vest. "Charlie," Kaden greeted the man, slipping onto the stool. Apparently, he's a regular here, and one of his favorite spots for scavenging his one night stands.
Charlie came over after serving a group of women who were already eyeing Kaden with lust in their heavily mascaraed eyes, but he didn't even spare them a glance, his focus solely on his friend. "Great to see you tonight, Kaden." The two men bumped their fists before Charlie's friendly gaze landed on her with a warm smile. "I see you finally brought your girl."
Kaden's eyes darted to the side of her face while Rey chuckled lightly. "You are funny, Charlie."
"Thanks for the compliment, but am I really? Because the two of you walked in like a famous celebrity couple strutting down the red carpet. I'm not lying when I say you two look amazing together."
"Oh please, it's still going to take Kaden to settle down with a girl. To be honest, I think he will still be hopping around from one woman to the next until he either die of STD or old age."
The bartender laughed heartily, his eyes crinkling with amusement. "I wouldn't be surprised, but let's give him some slack, Rey. He hasn't been -"
"Charlie," Kaden's low growl didn't go unheard despite the loud blaring music filling the room. "Why don't you ask Rey what she would like to drink?" The bartender stopped short in his words and nodded.
Rey narrowed her eyes at her best friend, not missing the warning tone in his voice as he spoke to Charlie. Before she could ask what was wrong with him, Charlie turned to her once again with a smooth smile. "What would you like to have, Rey?"
"Just a cola would be fine." She shrugged, assessing the situation from before. Was Kaden hiding something from her?
"No. She's not having a cola," Kaden butted in. "Get her a tequila or something."
"Are you nuts?" Rey leaned in towards Kaden and hissed into his ears. "I'm not getting drunk tonight. I'm going to need to find my own way home once you find your hookup or hookups of the night and leave me."
Kaden tilted his head sideways, his lips slowly brushing her ear. "I don't see any women other than you in here, Rey. I'm all yours tonight." His low, husky voice sent a trail of goosebumps along her skin. The way he said it brought a rush of elation and a tingle of unidentifiable emotions, and she couldn't help but admit that he sounded sexy.
He moved away from her and only then she realized she was holding in her breath. "And don't worry about getting drunk. I'm the designated driver sending you home."
She sighed defeatedly, shrugging off the new foreign feelings with indifference. "I'll be getting a blue Margarita then. You know, just to give myself a bit of a buzz."
Charlie nodded and cocked his head towards Kaden. "Just a glass of water would be fine."
"Blue Margarita and water coming right up," the bartender winked and walked off towards the huge impressive display of liqueur lining the wall behind the bar for her order.
"It's ironic you criticized my cola while you ordered a glass of water."
"I told you I am not drinking tonight."
Rey reached out her hand and pinched Kaden's cheeks. "Are you even the Kaden I know?" She cooed teasingly. "There's no way you are denying the alcohol and the women here."
Kaden swatted her hand away and scowled, looking slightly offended. "I'm not an alcoholic or a sex addict, Remy."
"I'm just kidding. You know I didn't mean that—"
"Or do you want to add drugs to the list too?" He sounded bitter, his mouth curling up into a sneer. "How addicted I was to—"
"Kaden. Stop it." Rey cut him off with an angry hiss. "I told you I was kidding so calm the fuck down. I didn't come all the way here to fight with you so fucking calm down."
Kaden breathed out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through his raven hair in frustration. "I'm sorry, Rey, it's just—" Kaden's attention went from her face to his phone, alerted by an incoming message. A glance at the screen and his gray eyes hardened into metallic steel. "Work," he gritted out in annoyance, "I'll be right back."
He stood up to leave just as Charlie came over with their drinks. "Where's your date going off to?" He asked, both of them staring after Kaden's broad back until being swallowed up by the crowd.
"First of all, he's not my date." She ran her finger along the ice beads on the cocktail glass and let out a tired sigh. Kaden knew exactly how to work her up. "And I don't know where's he off to. Said something about work."
Charlie chuckled. "Typical Kaden." The man leaned against the mahogany counter separating the two of them. "Soo," He drawled, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "How's Kaden?"
Rey raised her brows in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I was going to tell you earlier, but the look your scary date sent me had me planning an escape to Hawaii. He's probably going to kill me, but who gives a damn shit, because I don't get what the fuss is all about if you know."
"Charlie, stop rambling and just tell me. I promise I won't let him skewer you alive."
The man raised his brow warily, probably doubting the promise of safety she had offered him, before shaking his head with a chuckle. "It's just he hasn't been here for quite some time - probably about a month already. Surprising, isn't it? Thought he finally got himself a girl. Or a new spot."
Rey took a sip of her drink, the cool and bitter taste refreshing her frazzled mind. Kaden not being in Cherry Bomb was surprising news. This was his usual spot to hang — he loved the alcohol and the vibe here — and Rey couldn't help but wonder where he had been spending his time. He couldn't have found a new spot, because if he had, he would have taken her there. Then if he wasn't here, she concluded, he must be spending more time at his job, and that wasn't a good thing. And that was probably why he didn't want her to know, he didn't want her getting worried.
A pang of guilt shot straight into her heart. Ever since she started dating T.J, she had spent less time together with Kaden and this realization hit her like a truck. Kaden only had a handful of friends since he was young, his cold demeanor a barrier to all advances, and he wasn't one to exude courtesy just because of people's status. And with her occupied with T.J, he must had been lonely and immersed himself deeper into his job.
"He must be busy with his work. You know how he's a workaholic. Definitely not a girl." Rey commented lightly, but her tone came out defensive. If he had a girl, she would know. He would tell her first.
Charlie's eyes crinkled with amusement, but didn't say a word. Rey frowned, not liking the look he was giving. She felt like she was in the dark, without any idea of what was happening. And she didn't like it one bit. "What?"
The bartender just shook his head with a small smile and straightened his posture. "Nothing. The heart never lies. So give it a thought, okay?"
"Give what a thought?" Rey asked back, bewildered. But Charlie was already making his way towards a group of new customers at the other side of the bar, not bothering to give her an explanation of whatever perplexed sentence he had said.
Blowing out an exasperated breath, she picked up her drink and downed its contents in one large gulp, the cold liquid burning down her throat. Was it a bad idea agreeing to come here? She propped up her elbows on the polished mahogany counter, and leaned her chin on her hands. Kaden had left her, Charlie was busy serving orders, and she was here alone by the bar, all sad and pathetic.
Then, her ears perked up at the sound of her name within the blaring music.
Is that Remy Ruby? Why is she here? Thought she would be mourning for her sister.
Did you heard about T.J Sanders? I heard the police is looking for him as a possible suspect of her sister's murder.
Rey closed off whatever gossips they were continuing about her. It was her choice to come here and that choice came with these gossips. She turned around in her seat, glancing around the vast but jam-packed open space. The domed high arc ceiling flashing with red neon streaks barely reassured the choked up feeling of being swallowed up by the crowd.
She felt a number of interested glances shooting her way until her eyes landed on a handsome guy on the dance floor. The strobes of red neon highlighted his bleached platinum blonde hair, the glaring color taking over his features like a veil.
An alluring smile stretched across her lips, which he replied with a charming grin. He looked decent enough and she was bored. The guy whispered something to a group of his friends beside him before weaving his way past the sea of bodies towards her.
"I couldn't help but think such a beautiful girl like you look lonely all by yourself." He slipped onto the seat Kaden had previously been on, leaning his side against the counter. Up close, under the better lighting, he actually looked much finer than she had previously thought. She had made a good choice for the night.
"Was it that obvious?" Propping up an elbow, she placed her chin on her hand and tucked her hair behind her ear, showing off the bare, exposed skin of her collarbone. The guy's eyes followed the movement and Rey bit down an amused chuckle as she saw his Adam's apple bobbed with an inaudible gulp.
He cleared his throat, trying to gain back his composure, though he couldn't hide the fluster. "Do you wanna have a drink? It's on me." He eyed the empty glass of margarita in front of her. "Or go straight to dancing?"
"I don't know. What do you want to do?" Her question sounded innocent, but the tantalizing grin spreading across her lips said otherwise. Rey felt Charlie's disapproving frown boring holes into the side of her head as he watched them while mixing the drinks.
"Maybe we should go straight to dancing..." He trailed off, his eyes wandering down her body, along her curves, her exposed legs. When his gaze returned back to her face, burning desire was apparent in his eyes.
"She's not dancing."
Rey's head shot up to see Kaden glaring down at the guy, his cold gaze fixed onto him. Danger dripped off him menacingly, and she could tell he was repressing his rage, apparent from the tension in his cords of muscles.
The guy, whose name she didn't even know, visibly paled, his eyes darting back and forth between her and Kaden. He was trying hard not to fidget under Kaden's overwhelming presence, and it was surprising how small he looked with Kaden's huge frame towering over him. "And you're sitting in my place."
"I didn't know she was taken, man. I swear," he stood up hastily, letting out a shaky laugh, and raised his hands in surrender. Without giving her a parting glance, the guy hurried away into the crowd.
Rey rolled her eyes, frustrated. "Thank you for scaring away my entertainment for tonight. I didn't even get to ask his name." She stood up and straightened her dress, all the while ignoring the heat of Kaden's blazing gaze on her. "I guess I'll just have to find another guy then."
Kaden grabbed her wrist before she could walk off, pulling her back towards him. "You are not finding any other guy," he growled lowly into her ear. "I told you I'm all yours tonight."
The steely glint in his eyes told her he was going to chase all other guys away from her tonight and those mocking gray orbs challenged her to do otherwise. With the dead grip on her hand, and the fact that Kaden was surely going to cause a scene, she couldn't do anything but to comply. He led her towards the dance floor and worked their way past the crowd, a few turning around to stare.
"Just because you are all mine doesn't mean I'm all yours too." Rey remarked, interlacing her arms around his neck.
Kaden tugged her closer, his hands running down her body appreciatively before settling on the exposed skin from the cut outs at the side of her dress. "I don't like sharing my woman."
"You meant women?"
The corner of his lips tilted up with a slight smile. "No. I'm pretty sure there's only one woman in my whole life. And she's in my arms right now."
Rey laughed out loud in dismissal, but she didn't miss the fluttering of her heart against the blaring music even though she was perfectly aware of the fact that Kaden was a huge flirt. She decided to go along with him. "You said you are all mine tonight? Then you're doing everything I want you to do?"
He dipped his head into the crook of her neck, his lips softly pressing against her skin, and murmured, "Anything."
"Then make me forget." She tilted her face so that her lips hovered by his ear. "Make me forget everything."
She was here to release all her stress, to forget, and with Kaden volunteering, it was so much easier. She needed this. She needed the erasure.
And he did. He made her forget everything — who she was, Chevelle, her family, T.J. Nothing else mattered. All she knew now was the thumping of the heavy bass music and the feeling of Kaden's hands on her; the way they left scorching trails on her exposed skin as they roamed around, the way he grabbed her hips and pulled her back close whenever he thought she had moved far from him.
She now knew why Kaden got girls falling for him so easily. He was nothing but sexy in every way possible. From his touch to his gaze, he left her reeling for more. T.J had never danced like this with her or made her feel this way, and neither did the others. None of them did.
It would be a lie if Rey said she wasn't attracted to Kaden. In fact, he was her first crush back when she was twelve. The boy who stood by her, the boy who connected with her, the boy who brought solace. He was everything when she had nothing.
A body barreled into Rey's back, and the impact caused her foot to slip under her. She thought she had fallen ungracefully onto the floor, her ankle twisting, except Kaden was quick to hold her upright before she fell. He helped her straighten up, the strong grip on her waist firm.
"You alright?" He asked, concern lacing his voice, but his metallic eyes were scanning around the bustling crowd sharply to find whoever bumped into her.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She muttered, swaying closer to his body. Kaden's eyes landed back on her face, the steel softening for a slight moment before darkening again as they darted down to her lips. And this wasn't the first time. His piercing gray eyes had been dropping down to her mouth several times since they started dancing as though he had wanted to kiss her.
The tipsy, impulsive part of her wanted him to do it, but the other rational part hoped he didn't. That was a line they shouldn't cross and both of them knew things would never be the same anymore once they crossed it. And she didn't want things to change.
"I need to rest," Rey said abruptly. "My legs are hurting now." She wasn't exactly lying; her feet were weak and felt like buckling down. The five inch stilettos strapped around her feet were not helping either, her heels burning from the strain of standing upright for quite a long time.
The two headed back to the bar, Charlie greeting them with a wide smile. "I saw the two of you having fun back there." He slid two glasses of water their way, which Rey immediately chugged it down.
Kaden, finishing his glass too, grinned widely at her, eyes twinkling. His raven hair was matted with sweat, but he couldn't look anymore sexier. "Feeling better?"
"A lot better." She bent down to gently rub her heels to ease the slight throbbing. That was when her phone rang, the familiar ringtone muffling out of her designer clutch. Rey scrunched her face at the bright glare of her phone screen and through her narrowed slits, she was surprised to see the caller ID.
"What does he want?" Kaden commented with a hard edge in his voice. River Winters wasn't one to call her, especially not at this time of the night.
"I don't know," she muttered and clicked answer. However, it wasn't the movie star's smooth voice greeting her. The static crackled into her ear, his voice a hissing jumble.
"Re-y...?...it's..." More static buzzed into her ear. "He-l-lo..." Annoyed, she ended the call, but much to her frustration, her phone started ringing again, to be followed by the same previous statics.
"You do know that there's service barely down here, right?" Kaden chuckled, watching her growl in annoyance. Then, his face turned serious again as he jutted his chin towards her phone. "As much as I don't want to admit it, I don't think he won't be calling you if it isn't important."
Rey nodded. River had no reason to call her unless it was something important. Did something happen? Was it about her mother? "Guess I'll have to go out to answer Mr. Movie Star's call then." Leaving Kaden by the bar, she pushed her way into the crowd towards the exit.
Are Remy Ruby and Kaden King dating?
Didn't you see the way the two of them were dancing? They probably are.
I mean, isn't it a given? Who would continue dating a runaway suspect, especially one who killed her own sister?
Rey had to stop the urge to turn back around immediately and shove the words down whoever said those about T.J. Taking in a deep breath, she drowned out more gossips barreling towards her as she find the exit.
The metal door screeched open and Rey gulped in a deep breath as she stepped out into the empty alley. The crisp night air was refreshing, a contrast to the stuffy, sweat-filled stench back inside the club.
Holding her phone by her ear, she walked down towards the open space occupied by lines of cars, all of its occupants down at Cherry Bomb. She spotted Kaden's cherished Bugatti squeezed between two large SUVs as she placed a hand on her hip, waiting impatiently for her mother's movie star boyfriend to pick up.
"Hi. This is River, and—"
"Hello," Rey cut in impatiently.
"—if you are hearing this, I'm either in the middle of work or on a plane off to a movie set. Please leave a voice message or give me a ring later. Have a nice day!"
"Seriously," Rey muttered in anger, redialing again, only to hear the same automated voice of River. "Great. The oh-so-mighty movie star isn't picking up. Perfect. Just perfect."
Continuing to voice her irritation out loud, she paced up and down the vacant parking lot and waited for a call back, the clicking of her stilettos echoing in the silence. Finally fed up of whatever act River Winters was trying to pull, she decided to make her way back underground. She didn't feel safe up here, all alone in the deserted parking lot. She also couldn't shake off the creepy feeling that someone was watching her. Shivers ran down her spine like an electrifying current and she rubbed her bare arms profusely to ward off the cold biting her.
Sets of heavy footfalls interrupted the click-clacks of her own foot on the concrete as she reached the mouth of the alleyway. Rey halted in her tracks.
"Well, well, well," an unfamiliar male voice sliced through the silence from her back. "Nice to meet you here, Remy Ruby."