Chapter 2

The air in the club was thick, heavy with the scent of aged whiskey, expensive perfume, and the low, rhythmic thrum of a double bass that seemed to vibrate directly in my ribs. The lighting had shifted from the warm, amber glow of the main floor to something deeper, more shadowed, as we navigated through the crowd. I was wearing the slip dress he’d bought me, the silk cool against my skin, hugging every curve like a second layer. The heels he’d chosen clicked softly against the parquet floor, a delicate metronome keeping time with the sudden acceleration of my heart. He led me away from the noise of the piano player and the clinking of glasses, guiding me toward a semi-private alcove tucked behind a velvet curtain. It wasn’t a full room, but a quiet corner where the chatter of nearby tables died down to a murmur. He didn’t let go of my waist. His hand was a hot, possessive weight against the silk, his thumb rubbing slow, deliberate circles just above the hip bone, right where the fabric dipped. "More comfortable here, baby girl?" he asked, his voice a low rumble that seemed to bypass my ears and