that’s not the way that Nika needs it to be. She deserves a hell of a lot more than a quick fuck on a dirty path behind the palace. She’s worth so much more than I can ever give her.
It’s time to lie my ass off.
“It would be better than the alternative,” I bluff. “We couldn’t keep it quiet forever. Eventually someone would find out. And I don’t want there to be any consequences over what is essentially just a very bad crush.”
I can see her open her mouth to argue. I hold me hand up to stop her. “Can you not just believe me when I tell that that’s what this is?”
Her lips twist again. “I’m just supposed to listen to you, huh?”
I slide her the tiniest of smiles. “I am your elder, after all.”
Amusement flickers across her expressive face. “So I hear.” She glances up at the sky and screws up her face. “I should turn around and head back. I’m supposed to meet my personal shopper at noon.”
I raise a brow. “You are going to be cutting it awfully close, princess.”
She flashes me a grin. “She’ll wait for me. Or didn’t you hear? I am royalty.”
With that she pulls the reins she’s holding, turning the horse around. Then Nika starts galloping away from me, riding fast for the stables.
I stop my horse and watch her go, acid beginning to wash around in the pit of my stomach.
16
Annika
I stop just outside the CRAVE nightclub, brushing back a strand of my immaculately. blown out, gleaming hair. Kalindi comes to a stop just behind me, eyeing my itty bitty shiny black dress.
“One wrong move and you’re going to show every single club patron your whole butt,” she says. She wrinkles her nose. “I’m not judging you, but I am very concerned about a wardrobe malfunction happening.”
I roll me eyes, looking critically at her outfit. “I would say something about that white romper, but honestly? You’re rocking it.”
She beams at me. “Thanks!”
Behind us, Erik approaches in his same dark suit that he wore all day today. I glance back at him, a frown tugging at my lips.
Things between us have been decidedly frosty for the last two days. He says that I should find someone else to focus my attentions on.
So that’s what I’m going to do tonight. Find someone else… anyone else will do.
“Come on,” I urge Kal, heading toward the door. “Let’s go.”
When we approach the door, the bouncer looks at me. I see him dismiss me and then look again. His eyes widen and he hurries to open the door.
“Welcome, princess,” he says.
We strut right into the big space. Loud dance music thrums through my blood. It takes my eyes a minute to adjust to the near darkness, punctuated by spotlights flashing high above the club. In those moments of light, I can make out the dance floor. It’s packed with nameless and faceless bodies that grind and gyrate to the low, insistent beat.
“Oh,” Kal says, her mouth open.
I wiggle my eyebrows at her. “Come on. Let’s start with a drink.”
Pulling her along by the hand, I head straight for the bar. I know Erik is right behind us, his usual scowl in full effect tonight. But I refuse to glance back at him.
Tonight is about me and what I want. And just now? I can’t wait to slam down a couple shots of tequila and hit the dance floor.
Kal leans across the bar and orders us drinks, flirting a little with the hot bartender. I turn and watch the dance floor again, shivering with anticipation.
I can’t wait to lose myself in between the rhythmic beats.
Erik ruins my view, stepping into my eye line. The scowl that I imagined is in place on his perfect lips. He narrows his green-brown eyes at me.
“Nika, what are we doing here?”
His voice is rough and gravelly. He looks around the nightclub, as if he’s searching for answers.
I shrug. “I’m trying to meet some eligible young men. I have no idea what you are here for.”
He narrows his eyes on my face. “Be careful, Annika. You’re coming very close to pushing my buttons.”
Kal turns around from the bar, two shots in each hand. She arches a brow at Erik and hands me my shots. “Here you go. Bottoms up.”
I tap the shot glasses against hers and then throw my head back, swallowing one shot and then the next. It snakes its way down my esophagus, burning as it goes.
“Blech!” Kal says, making