THE CLUB

-CELINE-

“Asshole!” I shouted after him as he stomped up the stairs, leaving me behind like the dirt under his shoes. The words echoed in the silent kitchen, but I didn’t care. I was so angry that I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him.

My hands clenched into fists and I took a deep breath to calm down. How can someone be so ungrateful? First he showed up in the middle of the night covered in blood, then I tried to help and instead of being grateful, he snapped at me as if I were a troublemaker in his personal nightmare.

I shook my head in disbelief as I gathered up the remains of the bandages from the kitchen table. My pulse was racing, and I felt my anger building. The air in the room was getting stuffy, as if Damian’s cursed presence was poisoning the whole atmosphere. I had to get out of here. Immediately.

The thought of staying in this house, in this prison, which functioned according to his rules, for another minute was unbearable. I looked at the clock – just one o’clock at night. Fantastic. But maybe there was still a club somewhere where I could just dance away this damn frustration.

With a determined shake of my head, I went back upstairs, grabbed my phone and dialed a cab. While I waited, I texted a bartending friend who gave me the address of a nearby club that was still open for the night. Perfect. A place where I could feel like a free woman for a few hours, where I would forget Damian and his controlling ways.

I took a scrutinizing look at my wardrobe and finally pulled out the shortest, tightest green dress I could find. It hugged my curves perfectly and ended cheekily at my thigh. Yes, you’ll like that, Damian. I grinned self-deprecatingly as I grabbed the matching high heels. I casually put my hair up so that a few strands played around my face, and put on a generous amount of make-up. Lipstick in a deep red, black eyeliner and a little glitter on the eyelids – that would definitely draw attention.

With a last glance in the mirror, I grabbed my bag and slammed the door behind me as loudly as possible. Let him hear me go. As I walked down the stairs, I felt the energy seething inside me. But just as I was about to reach the front door, I heard a noise behind me. A door opened upstairs and Damian suddenly stood in the hallway, his eyes narrowed, his shoulders tense.

“Where do you think you’re going, Celine?” His voice was cold and cutting, a hint of anger vibrating in the air between us.

I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at him defiantly, a wry smile on my lips. “What do you care, Damian? Have you taken on the role of nanny lately?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Do you think this is a damn game?” His voice was so low, almost a growl, as he took a step toward me until there was only a breath of space between us. “You’re not going anywhere. Not in that outfit. Not on this night.”

I raised an eyebrow, deliberately letting my gaze drift slowly over him, then shrugged. “What’s the matter, Damian? Are you afraid I might meet someone who’s... nicer than you?” I emphasized the word “nicer” and saw his jaw tighten.

“Nicer?” A bitter, dark smile twitched his lips, but only glowing anger lay in his eyes. “Celine, you have no idea...”

I laughed hard, ironically, and folded my arms even tighter. ”Oh, that’s cute. Suddenly you’re playing the big protector? Don’t worry, I’m not a helpless girl who needs you, Damian.”

His look grew darker, and before I could react, he had grabbed my arm, hard and unyielding, his grip demanding and hot on my skin. “What the hell do you think this is?” He pulled me even closer until our bodies almost touched, his face just centimeters from mine. “You have no idea what you’re getting into. Jax and his people... They’re not just dangerous, they’re deeply depraved. “ His voice dropped to a whisper. ’If they get their hands on you... you don’t stand a chance, Celine.”

I yanked my arm out of his grip and glared at him, blood rushing to my ears. ’Oh, I don’t stand a chance? Who do you think you are, Damian? The great hero who has to protect me? Save the show, I can take care of myself very well.”

“Take care of yourself?” He laughed darkly and shook his head as if I were the stupidest creature he had ever met. ”This is not your damn game, Celine! When Jax finds out that you’re here...” His eyes traveled over me, along my dress, and I saw his hands clench into fists. ”He won’t even bat an eye before he... before he makes you his next target.”

“Oh, and that’s supposed to impress me? He’s such a tough guy? Or are you just mad that I’m not obeying you like a good little stepsister?” I made my voice sound cold and cynical, though his look, the darkness in his eyes, caused a tension in me that drove me crazy.

His eyes narrowed and suddenly he grabbed my shoulders, pushed me against the wall, his body close to mine, warm and unbearably close. “You will stop this at once, Celine, before I forget myself,” he hissed, his voice dangerously low, every muscle in his body tensed.

I smiled ironically, although my heart was pounding wildly. “UUUUH!!! So I’m driving the great Damian crazy? ”

He leaned forward until his face was just a breath away from mine, his warm breath on my skin. ”You want to play? Fine, then play. But you won’t leave this house tonight. Not in this outfit, and not without my damn protection.”

I laughed bitterly, my eyes boring into his, defiant and cool. “Take your filthy hands off me, Damian. I’ll do as I please, and if I want to leave, I’ll leave.”

A strange expression crossed his face, a mixture of anger and... something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on. His fingers on my shoulders tightened briefly, and then he abruptly let go of me, taking a step back as if he had to hold back himself. “You’re hell-bent on running into your misfortune, aren’t you? All right... But if something happens in the end... don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

I looked at him for a moment, trying to understand the meaning of his words, but I didn’t let anything show on my face. “Thanks for the warning, but I don’t need it.” I raised my chin and held his gaze, although his proximity, the darkness in his eyes, triggered something in me that I couldn’t suppress.

He paused, his eyes gliding over my face, my dress, then back to my eyes. “You’re so damn stubborn,” he growled, and a cold, almost threatening smile crossed his lips. “And one day that will break your neck.”

I yanked my arm out of his grip, my eyes full of anger and defiance. Before he could say another word, I turned around and stomped to the front door. “Screw you, Damian,” I muttered before slamming the door so loudly that the sound echoed in the night. The taxi was already waiting outside the house, and I quickly got in before Damian had a chance to follow me.

“Drive, please,” I hastily said to the driver and leaned back as the car rolled into the darkness. My heart was still pounding like crazy, and I could literally feel the heat that Damian’s grip had left on my arm.

I shook my head and closed my eyes to calm the rising frustration inside me. Damian and his damn threats. It was ridiculous – and yet I had sensed how serious he was. His look had been so dark, so full of darkness. Jax and his people. Whoever they were, Damian really seemed to think they posed a danger to me. How ridiculous...

The taxi stopped in front of a dilapidated building that stood out darkly against the night sky. The old, crumbling walls seemed to tell of past life, as if this place had seen too many stories, none of which had a happy ending. Rusty metal doors, barely held in place by their hinges, hung crookedly in the door frames, and graffiti covered the walls, which may once have been bright and new. A few weak neon lights flickered above us, but the dim light was barely enough to dispel the shadows that gathered in the corners of the abandoned industrial area.

“We’re here, Miss... that’ll be $14,” the cab driver grumbled, breaking the silence.

I took out the money, paid him, and got out of the car without saying another word. A cold wind blew towards me, mixed with the sharp smell of exhaust fumes and something else, something that reminded me of damp, rotten corners. I wrapped my arms around myself and looked around.

A few guys were standing around in front of the building, cigarettes glowing in their hands like small red lights in the darkness. Their eyes immediately fixed on me, their grins broad and suggestive, like predators scenting prey.

Despite the warnings in my head, I walked in their direction, my heart beating faster, but I didn’t let it show. As soon as I took a few steps away from the door, I heard the whistling and shouting.

“Hey, hey... well, if that isn’t dessert,” one of the guys shouted with a grin that looked more like a snarl as he approached me. ”The best thing to show up here in a long time... you must really be tired of life to come here, little girl.”

Another guy stepped forward, pulled on his cigarette and let the smoke swirl through the air with relish. “Fancy a hot evening? Don’t worry... I’ll make sure you get your money’s worth.” He came closer, his eyes glittering under the neon light. “Come here, baby...”

I pushed him back, glared at him, my heart pounding wildly, but I forced myself to stay in control. “Piss off, brother, before I knock all your teeth out one by one and feed your remains to the rats.”

The men around me laughed, their voices rough and noisy, like wolves sure of their prey. One of them stood close in front of me, the stench of cheap alcohol rising to my nose, and I felt my fingers clench into fists. Seriously?