Claimed by my Lycan Boss

Chapter 7 : Dancing in the Dark

The rest of the day had been uneventful at work and I managed to get the hang of it pretty quickly. I barely saw Hale or Declan again since they had meetings outside the entire day, but it gave me time to go over everything calmly and without pressure.

As I got home, Sophie's name flashed on my phone screen. We had exchanged numbers at some point during my shift last night. I was surprised to see her calling, but I was thankful that she did.

"Please, come to the Clip tonight," Sophie pleaded through the phone.

"The Clip?" I inquired.

"The Eclipse Club is too long of a name. Tasha and I just like to call it the Clip. It's catchier. Tasha tried for months to get Declan and Hale to change it, but they said it sounded too violent, something to do with guns. Whatever," Sophie explained.

I laughed at the irony. Then the image of Hale placing a kiss on Tasha's head flashed in my mind. I had thought that Tasha was just another employee like me, however, it seemed that she was quite close to Declan and Hale. I wondered what was the relationship between the three of them. She didn’t seem to be their sister, but they sure treated her as such.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to go? I don't want to stir up any drama," I admitted.

"Yes. It's totally ok. I was also given the night off because Mr. Declan borrowed a couple of male bartenders from another one of their businesses until they fill your position again. They are also hiring more bouncers to watch the place after what happened. I was shocked when Tasha told me," she said, lowering her voice in the end. "Anyway, she always has to work, so she wants to take this opportunity and have some fun together, the three of us," Sophie pleaded.

"Tasha wants to celebrate her night off by going to the club where she works?" I asked incredulously.

"It's a good spot. Dress cute and meet us there at eight. I'm no longer giving you the option," Sophie ordered, though I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Fine," I conceded. "I'll be there."

"Thank goodness. See you soon," she cheered.

I hung up and put my phone in my purse, hurrying up the stairs to my apartment.

Once inside, I searched through my closet to find something to wear. I hadn't gone out in months probably. It had been too long since I felt like going out and having a good time. Life has felt so bleak lately. It was nice to have an excuse to be young again.

I pulled out a snug leather skirt and a little black crop top. That would be perfect. I brushed through my long brown hair, touched up my makeup just a bit, and debated whether it was too early to change into the clothes I picked out.

I decided to wait to put on my going out clothes, instead putting on sweats and having a couple slices of leftover pizza. It seemed like a good idea to get some food on my stomach if I was going to have a few drinks tonight.

Once I determined that it was close enough the time to leave, I put on my clothes and surveyed myself in the mirror.

I looked hot.

I was pretty proud of it. Up until a month ago, I worked out a couple of times a week to try and keep myself in shape, but then my life was turned upside down.

I hadn't been sure how I would feel in the outfit—it felt forever that I was in any mood to care about what I wore until yesterday’s interview. But now that I looked at myself, I felt good. Luckily, sadness, stress and hatred hadn’t changed my physique yet.

I went down to my car and headed for the club.

I suddenly felt nervous as I headed up. I had survived today going to the office, but now I was going back to the club itself. I took a few steadying breaths and stepped into the elevator, punching the button for the floor the Eclipse was on.

The place was already buzzing with activity, and as I stepped out, I studied the crowd, looking for my friends.

"Well, hey stranger, Sophie told me you were coming," Tasha greeted. I didn't see where she came from, but I was thankful to see her standing in front of me now.

"Thank you for inviting me out," I told her.

"You've got this charm about you. I wanted to get to know you better. Come on, me and Sophie were about to do a round of shots," she said, tugging at my arm.

I followed her through the club to join Sophie at the bar.

The music pounded, we had to almost shout to hear each other over the music. It was good music though, and it was easy to see why people liked this place. It had a great atmosphere. I had been too focused on working last night to really take it all in, but it was a beautifully designed club that made it easy to have a good time.

"Pick your poison," Sophie instructed, gesturing to three shot glasses sitting on the bar.

I grabbed one from the left and waited for the other two. The girls knocked their glasses on the table and then threw their shots back. I did my best to keep up, doing the same.

The liquor burned on the way down, but I relished the feeling. It was nice to be out with friends after months of solitude.

"So, you got moved to the office. Is it any fun?" Sophie prodded.

"Not as fun as working with you, although no one pointed a gun at me today," I joked.

"I could ask if any of the bouncers are carrying one tonight. Maybe one of them would be willing to aim at you for a second," Tasha teased darkly.

Joking about the incident felt right somehow. It took the power from Dimitri; it took the fear away from it all. I was safe. Everyone was okay. That was what mattered.

I laughed and shook my head.

"I try not to make a habit out of being target practice," I retorted.

"Your loss," Tasha laughed.

"Another round, on me," I offered, gesturing for the bartender to send us another round.

He lined up three more glasses and topped them off with vodka. We picked up the shot glasses, tapping them on the bar and then throwing them back. The simple tradition made me feel like a part of the group already.

The liquor warmed my insides and made my head feel a little dizzy. I thought it would be wise to stop drinking now, and just maintain this buzz.

"I want to dance," Tasha pleaded, tugging on both Sophie's and my arm.

"Let's do it then," Sophie said, following Tasha out to the dance floor.

I went with them, eager to continue the good time. My buzz helped me feel more comfortable dancing. We moved and writhed to the music, getting lost in the pounding bass.

"Care if I step in?" a handsome young man asked.

At first, I thought he was talking to Tasha, but I realized she was busy grinding against a different, though equally handsome, man.

"Please do," I said, making room for the man to join me. I didn't really give it much thought since he was cute and I was starting to feel that coming out tonight was actually a good idea.

As we resumed moving in the rhythm of the music, he pressed his body against mine, and I was impressed by the firmness of the muscles of his chest. He surprised me with his ability to dance and I enjoyed the attention he lavished on me. It was so good to feel young and pretty again. To feel normal after all that grief.

I lost myself in the buzz and the bass and my handsome dance partner. He moved and held me and I let any thoughts leave my brain, replaced only by the music.

At some point, I considered kissing the man, just to see if there was any spark there. I considered my empty apartment. Maybe it would be nice to take someone home for the night. It wasn't something I normally did, but I thought, why not?

However, I refrained, at least for a while longer, because another man’s face flashed in my mind without my permission.

What the!

I scolded myself inwardly—why did I think of Hale just now, and why would I change my mind because of him?

I shook my head. Then, the man grabbed my hips, pulling me towards him and holding it against his own hips. The alcohol and our sweat finally pushed Hale’s face out of my head. I could feel how turned on my partner was by all the dancing, and the thought of taking a stranger home felt even more appealing. Maybe it was foolish, but I didn't care.

I still had perfect control of my senses, but I had also found a little liquid courage somewhere in my gut.

The crowd began to part on the dance floor, though it took me a moment to notice. Then my dance partner stopped dancing, leaning toward me and talking directly near my ear.

“Want to try something more stimulated?” He asked.

“No,” I shook my head, “I still want to dance.”

The young guy didn’t give up. He grabbed my arms and tried to pull me to the corner which was silent and far away from crowd, ”Hey, come on. I’ll show you something interesting.”

I struggled hard and wanted to pull out my arms. However, I was unable to fight with his force and free my arms. I turned around to find Tasha, but she’s too far away from me and it’s difficult to make her hear me in such a noisy environment. When I didn’t know what I should do, this guy suddenly withdrew his hands from me and stood still.

I had no idea what had happened. Maybe I should have eaten a little more. I was tipping just past the point of buzz and into the light drunkenness stage.

All I knew was that guy just froze in place with an expression just like he saw a ghost.

Oh maybe even more terrible.

I turned to look, finally narrowing my eyes at the man who was walking toward us.

Hale Rowe, Declan, and Taylor prowled through the dance floor, looking like hawks of the night.

"Ugh, that's just my boss," I groaned, rolling my eyes dramatically.

Hale suddenly stopped a few feet from me, his brow creased, Declan and Taylor at his flank.

"It seems like bad business to be such a buzzkill," I reprimanded Hale without thinking or even waiting for him to say something. Liquid courage indeed.

"I didn't know you would be out here tonight, Amara," Declan greeted, clearly trying to break the ice a bit.

Hale stayed pointedly silent, but his eyes didn’t leave the man beside me. If I could bet, I’d say he was about to tear the poor guy in half.

"Tasha and Sophie invited me. They wanted me to enjoy a night off," I explained.

Hale turned his head to where Tasha and Sophie stood, shooting them a withering glare. Tasha smiled nervously and gave him a half hearted wave, while Sophie shifted her eyes to the floor as if she did something wrong.

Declan, on the other hand, waved cheerfully at the women. "I'm surprised to see you back here so soon," he smiled, turning his face back to me.

"Well, everyone assured me everything was safe, what with the increased security and all–" I started. Hale's questioning glance stopped me from finishing my sentence though.

***

*Hale*

I was aware of the eyes on us as we stood in the middle of the dance floor. I had made enough of a scene, but I couldn't help myself. Only god knew how I felt when I saw Amara was pulled by a totally strange man, and his hand wrapping her arm was so offending to the eye that I just wanted to cut it down.

However, there was no way I was going to lose my mind over a woman I had known for two days. Especially not in front of a crowd.

"I think we should have this conversation somewhere else," I growled. I nodded to the edge of the dance floor.

Maybe I lost my mind. I didn't really have any right to tell this woman how she could spend her free time, but watching that man grind on her made me lose any of my common sense.

I prowled to the corner of the hall, assuming she would follow me.

I was wrong. Declan and Taylor came along, but Amara didn’t.

She stomped her foot and crossed her arms across her chest. The sight was almost as endearing as it was immature.

"You're not the boss of me after five p.m. every day," she snapped.

"But this is my club," I growled back, “Do not make me repeat.”

She finally stomped after me, grumbling complaints the whole way.

"You know, I didn't do anything wrong. I'm an adult at a nightclub. That's a perfectly normal thing to do. If anyone should be on trial here, it's you, Hale," she whined. Was it because of the alcohol that she was more feisty than she was during the day?

I stopped and turned to face her.

Her cheeks were slightly and adorably peachy and her lips were glinting a luscious shine of pink.

I clenched my jaw as I swallowed, suppressing the desire to pin her to the wall and claim her right here.

“Amara, what the hell are you doing here?” I hissed.

Her eyes went wide. She wasn’t the only one who was surprised. Declan and Taylor obviously didn’t expect my question, and honestly, I didn’t either.

"Declan, Taylor, find somewhere else to be. I have business to attend to with Amara," I commanded.

The two exchanged a look and eagerly slipped back into the center of the club.

I stepped closer to Amara, who took a step backward.

"Oh, I suspect now you're going to say something predictably villainous," she complained. "Miss Evans, come with me to my office." She lowered her voice, I assumed in a mockery of my own.

I pressed my lips together.

"Good idea," I retorted, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her toward the elevator.