Vik by Belle Aurora

5

Nastasia

The club was packed,and the sea of bodies on the dance floor seemed to move as one in waves along to the thick, sticky beat of the music. Anticipation bubbled up inside me. I knew I wasn’t the only one, because we all just stood there, smiling down at the throng of patrons. We needed to let loose. Needed it.

If we were going to let our hair down anywhere, this was the place.

The Alice in Wonderland-themed nightclub had a reputation for being elite, and you could see why. The big black-and-white tiles on the dance floor warped and swayed, twisting, becoming smaller and smaller as it reached the middle, opening up to the illusion of falling down a hole. A rabbit hole, to be precise. There was a colossal statue of the Cheshire cat to the right that people lined up to take selfies with. Servers in all shapes, sizes, and colors walked around in skimpy costumes, holding trays. They were either dressed as Alice, in long blonde wigs, tiny blue pinafore dresses with puffy sleeves, white fishnets, and white pumps, or they were dressed as sexy white rabbits, hair up in a high ponytail with a poofy white tail, long fluffy ears, white stockings, and a black-painted nose with whiskers.

Pride I had no business feeling swept through me.

So, sue me.

Leokovs knew how to run a club.

I took Anika’s hand, she clasped Cora’s, Cora entwined her fingers in Mina’s, and I led them to the left of the dance floor. I let him know we were coming, and as expected, he was waiting for us at the entrance of the VIP section.

Nikolai Leokov, my cousin and owner of The White Rabbit, smiled widely at the sight of me, and the second I spotted those trademark Leokov dimples, I picked up my pace, my walk turning into a jog. The moment I was close enough, he opened his arms, and I threw myself into them, laughing happily.

I didn’t care if I seemed eager. I did not get to see my cousins often. We all had businesses to run, and in the case of Nik, he played the role of doting father to a growing family during the day.

His gruff chuckle warmed my ear, and he rocked me side-to-side, then kissed my hair. I closed my eyes, breathing him in. His scent was uniquely Nik. Expensive leather and sandalwood.

There was something about him. Whether it was his height, or build, or honey-warm gaze, he had the ability to make me you feel safe, untouchable.

I wasn’t bullshitting my brother. I would never put my friends or family in harm’s way. And with Nik watching out for us, The White Rabbit was a safe place. We were protected within these walls. No one was going to mess with ex-members of the firm.

Music blaring, Nik pulled back to look me over, his eyes crinkled in the corners. “Damn. I still can’t believe you went from knobby-kneed to catwalk model.”

Firstly… aw, how sweet.

Secondly…

“Hey!” I punched his arm, feigning outrage, but I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. “I was never knobby-kneed, thank you very much.”

From behind Nik came, “Yeah, you were. I never met someone who had to grow into their knees before.” A grinning Max Leokov, Nik’s brother, came into view, and my heart was so full to bursting. With a happy squeak, I jumped, and he caught me, chuckling. He squeezed me tight, holding the back of my head with a gentle hand. “You look good, sweetheart.”

When Max set me down, I pressed a long, noisy kiss to his cheek, then used my thumb to wipe away the lipstick stain I left there. “I missed you guys.” Looking around, I asked, “Where are your women?”

It had been a while since I’d seen the girls. Tina, Nik’s wife, was the sweetest thing you’d ever meet. She reminded me of Anika. Helena, Max’s wife, was so darn cute and hilarious. Nat was the fiery redhead married to Asher, Nik and Max’s adopted brother. She and I were so alike it was scary. Then came Lola, the small brunette with a contagious smile. Her husband was Diego, better known as Trick, Nik and Max’s cousin from their mom’s side. And, finally, there was Mimi, all-around badass who just happened to prefer a taco over a hot dog.

Nik’s expression turned soft. “They’re not here tonight.” And when my face fell, he put up his hands in a placating gesture. “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. Blame ’em for becoming moms.”

“Someone’s gotta wrangle the little terrors,” agreed Max, who then added with a light chuckle, “and I sure as fuck ain’t qualified for the job.”

Yeah. I got it. It sucked, but they were mommas and had different priorities now. “Well,” I allowed with a smile, “at least I got to see you guys.”

“You know you don’t need an invitation, Nas,” Max chided.

Nik quickly agreed. “You’re welcome to come by whenever you want. Tina and the girls would love to see you.”

God, they were sweet. Genuinely thankful for the offer, I uttered, “I’d really like that.”

You could definitely tell Nik and Max were brothers. They had the same olive-toned skin courtesy of their mom, dark hair, and they both bore the Leokov whisky-gold eyes. But more than that, their smiles were identical. And while Nik had a single dimple tugging at his cheek, Max had two.

Undoubtedly, many a woman found themselves head over heels for these men, and don’t get me wrong, I got it. My cousins were kind of gorgeous, and their sisters? Whoa. Stunners.

Max spotted the girls behind me. “Oh, shit,” he said teasingly. “There’s more of ’em.”

Both men greeted the girls with hugs and kisses, leaving them breathless, and for some unknown reason, when Max kissed Mina’s cheek and called her “baby cuz,” her cheeks turned red, and she giggled. Loudly.

They escorted us upstairs to the exclusive, closed-off section of the club, and when a white rabbit approached wearing sheer white tights and heels, whiskers and all, Nik told her, “Carrie, these girls are family.”

Carrie seemed to understand what that meant, because she smiled, then inclined her head. “Yes, Mr. Leokov.”

“I’m sorry to have to leave you, but I got some shit to take care of. You ladies have a good night, and if you need me for anything—” Nik motioned to the tall, blonde bartender. “—tell Sheriff, and he’ll let me know. Okay?”

Nik and Max said their goodbyes, and the friendly waitress asked, “What can I get you to drink?”

We prattled off our order, and when the woman returned with our glass slipper shots, I took out my wallet. Placing a silken, gloved hand over mine, Carrie smiled with meaning. “Family doesn’t pay, ma’am.”

We don’t?

The girls stilled, and then Cora probed, “They don’t?”

“No.” The cute waitress held back a laugh.

Immediately, Cora leaned forward and stated, “Then I’m gonna need another two rounds of these things.”

I slapped her arm. “No, you don’t.” I turned to Carrie. “No, she doesn’t.”

But the waitress just winked at me, then replied to Cora, “Coming right up.”

We watched her walk away, and I spun to glare at Cora. Knowing she was being a shit, she turned out her hands, the very picture of innocence, and chuckled. “What?”

“You’re unbelievable,” I muttered, and she picked up a glass, shooting it down with a grin and wince. She was lucky I loved her. Taking a quick pic of her, I sent it to a man who didn’t deserve her, then placed a glass in front of Mina, then Anika. “Drink up, ladies, and don’t worry about a damn thing. I’m on duty tonight, and I promise to hold your hair out of your faces while you barf.”

Cora put a hand to her heart and tutted. “And they say chivalry is dead.”

Anika didn’t need further encouragement. With an eager smile, she downed the shot in one gulp, then made a face. “I feel better already.”

Not wanting to be left behind, Mina threw the glass back, winced, then coughed out, “Me too.”

My phone vibrated in my hand.

Alessio: Would you fucking stop already?

I sniggered to myself.

Me: No <3

Another round of shots was thrown back, and for once, I was quite happy to sit back and watch my girls have a great time. I wished we lived in a world where four women dressed the way we were, drinking, and having a good time could be guaranteed their safety, but too many times had women been blamed for things that happened to them while under the influence, using what they were wearing as an excuse.

Tonight, I would be their sentry.

“So, Anika,” Cora got right into it, peering across the booth with mischievous eyes. “You got your eye on anyone at the moment?”

The apples of her cheeks blushed prettily, and when she picked up another shot, I figured she wasn’t going to answer that question. But she took the shot like a boss, then slammed the glass down onto the table, and wheezed out, “There is one guy. Was one guy.”

My ears perked. That got my attention real quick.

“Who?” came out of my mouth immediately, and it came out loud.

Anika rolled her shoulder, seeming to regret her admission. “It’s not important.” She let out a light laugh, but there was no humor in it. “It doesn’t matter. I messed up there. Waited too long. He doesn’t want me anymore.”

Huh?

That was not plausible.

Anika was basically the ideal woman. She was loving and gentle. I’d literally seen men fall over themselves just to be awarded a second of her attention. But, of course, she remained modest. It was frustrating as shit that she had no idea of her appeal.

She was so oblivious at times it hurt.

Mina frowned in confusion. “You’re smart and pretty and loyal. How could he not want you?”

The moment Anika responded bitterly with “Lev didn’t want me,” a look of stunned surprise left her, and her mouth gaped. “Mina, I—”

My brain slapped a hand to its mouth to muffle the howling scream that came out.

Oh nooo.

She did not just say that.

But Mina, the saint, just waved her off. “We’re not talking about Lev. We’re talking about your elusive beau. You said he doesn’t want you anymore. That means he did at one point.” She prodded gently, “What changed?”

“Yeah.” Curiosity had always been my downfall. I turned my entire body to face Anika. “What changed?”

The alcohol had loosened her lips. Her brows bunched, and her lips pulled down, her expression full of regret. “I said some things to him. Things I thought I meant at the time, but I didn’t. I guess I said what I said because I was scared of his intensity, and now, there is no second chance.” She shrugged, and a watery smile wobbled at her lips. “We can’t go back.”

No. It couldn’t be over before it began. Anika was sunshine and joy, and she deserved happiness.

“I refuse to believe there’s nothing you can do,” I stated, leaning in.

Another shot gone and Anika licked her lips, blinking slowly as the liquor did its thing. “Trust me. It’s finished. He tried, he fought, and all I did was reject him over and over. And this guy”—she looked at each of us—“he isn’t the type to forgive and forget.”

“Who is he?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

Anika responded, “Someone who finally realized I’m not worthy of him.” She looked dismal, her fingers playing with an empty shot glass. “And he’s right. I’m a terrible person.”

“No,” Mina said, putting a consoling hand on hers. “If you want him, there has to be a way. I’ll bet you haven’t even tried.”

The waitress brought eight more shots and placed them on the table. I smiled at her in thanks and watched Cora push another in front of Anika before downing her own. “Mina’s right. There has to be something you can do. What have you tried?”

Anika’s words began to slur. Oh yeah. She was hammered. “I’ve tried,” she insisted with a finger to her chest. “I have. I’ve tried talking to him.” She wore a look of annoyance. “But he’s so aloof. So damn polite, you know? Like, I know you’re mad at me. Just yell at me already so we can kiss and make up. Because I want to kiss him.” She turned to look at me, her eyes lightly glazed. “I want to kiss him, Nas.”

“Then you’re gonna kiss him,” I vowed, reaching out to squeeze her fingers.

“You promise?” Ani looked so hopeful that a tender smile stretched at my lips.

“I promise, but we can’t help unless you tell us who it is.”

Anika was already shaking her head. “I can’t. It’s too much. It would change everything.”

I didn’t understand. Why would it change everything?

Unless….

My face void of expression, my mind worked a mile a minute.

No.

She couldn’t mean who I thought she meant.

She… She couldn’t.

Could she?

And while my brain shot formulas all over as I tried to figure out who this mysterious man was, Cora chimed in. “Well, talking isn’t gonna do the trick. But there is something you could do.” She toyed with another shot, her eyes losing focus as she slowly nodded. “I think the answer is clear, Ani.”

“It is?” Ani asked quietly, wide-eyed in anticipation.

“Of course.” Cora grinned then. “You’re just going to have to seduce him.”

Anika blinked. She blinked a long minute before she burst into laughter. Almost hysterically, she exclaimed, “I can’t do that!” As we all grinned at her hilarity, her laughter slowed, then stopped, and her expression turned serious as she asked conspiratorially, “Can I do that?”

I thought about it a second. “Fuck it,” I said, egging her on. “What do you have to lose?”

Anika scoffed. “Only my dignity and self-respect,” she muttered irritably.

“Sex changes things,” Mina added. “It could go either way. It might ruin things or rekindle what you lost. But—” Her lips pursed. “—it is the kind of extreme he won’t be expecting from you. I think the action speaks volumes.”

Anika tilted her head, nodding lightly while taking in every opinion.

Cora clapped, then laughed. “I knew you bitches would be Team Stealthy Sex.” She focused on Anika. “Look, it’s easy, babe. You need the element of surprise. Even better if you corner him.” She waggled her brows at Ani. “Maintain eye contact, take your panties off real slow, and throw ’em at him. The rest is up to him. Trust me, you’ll know real quick if he’s down or not.”

Well, I never.

I frowned to myself. Then realization hit. My eyes widened as a slow grin spread on my face. I swiveled to face Cora full-on. “You’ve done this before, haven’t you, you little skank?”

Sure, I acted holier than thou, but the truth was, I wasn’t at all surprised. Cora was very free-thinking when it came to sex, and she did not believe that sharing your body with somebody you didn’t know very well made the experience a cheap one. Having lost out on intimacy from her family, she found it where she could, and I did not judge her for that.

Intimacy was my lifeblood.

Cora smiled foxlike but went on. “The next step is to turn your sweet little ass around, bend over like a cat in heat, and wait.” Her eyes sparkled, and she licked her lips seductively. Cora’s confidence was a treat. “This move has yet to fail me—I swear to God.”

Anika’s brow rose, and she pinched her lip absently.

Ooh. This little fish was intrigued by the bait dangling in front of her nose. She was thinking about it, all right.

“I don’t know.” Her tone bled with uncertainty.

“Stop thinking so hard,” ordered Cora. “Just do it.” Her expression softened. “How badly do you want this guy?”

“You have no idea” was her breathy reply, and I could basically see all the cogs turning in her mind until, finally, a small smile tipped Anika’s lips. “Okay. I’ll give it a shot.”

“Yay!” I exclaimed happily, taking her arm and shaking it excitedly, laughing as she groaned, seemingly in regret. “You’re gonna have hot sex with a hot guy and reel him in with pussy power.”

“Wow.” Mina’s eyes widened comically. “You are braver than I am.”

“Oh hush.” Cora waved Mina’s skepticism off, then slipped out of the booth. “Now, we’re going downstairs to dance, and Anika is going to practice flirting.”

“No, I’m not,” Anika protested, a mild frown on her face, but Cora was already pulling her to her feet.

Cora just grinned. “Sure, you are, babe.”

Left alone at our table, Mina grinned, then held her hand out to mine. I took it with a smirk. We made our way downstairs, ignoring the blatant and hungry stares of the men we passed along the way. The minute we hit the dance floor, I swayed to the music, hypnotized by the steady beat.

It didn’t take long before I felt someone press up against my back. At first, I thought it was a mistake, but when I looked back, a frown pulled down my mouth. The tall man winked down at me, dancing close enough to feel my ass against his crotch.

Uh… excuse me, sir. Are you lost?

My glare was lethal as I turned around, and the single word I spoke sliced harshly, sharp enough to decapitate. “No.”

I had to give it to him. He didn’t even flinch. Just put his lips to my ear and said, “Oh, c’mon. You can’t dress like that and not want attention. It’s the middle of the week, and you’re at a club. I know what you’re looking for. I got it right here.” He looked down at my cleavage. “Just giving you what you want, baby.”

My brain flatlined, and white noise enveloped the space between my ears.

Fury rose up to engulf me as a whole. I was surprised no one could see the hellfire licking and whipping around me.

You dirty fucker.

The guy obviously had no idea what he put into motion when he grabbed my hips, spun me, and pulled me back into his growing erection. My body turned rigid. I bit the inside of my cheek hard enough to taste blood and silently prayed for patience.

Unfortunately, my prayers often went unanswered.

It’s okay. Take a breath. Calm down. You got this.

All at once, my shoulders fell, and my body turned lax. I pasted on a lusty smile and slowly turned to face him again, peering up at his mouth. Licking my bottom lip, I moved closer. The way his smile widened told me he thought he was getting lucky tonight.

Oh, you poor, silly man.

The distraction clearly worked, because when I rested my hand on the fly of his pants, his lips parted, and his eyes lowered again to the valley between my breasts. I guess he misunderstood where this was going, because when I seized his junk, a look of shock took over his face, then his squeal of agony sounded.

I squeezed, digging my nails in, clutching his dick harder.

“What’s the matter? You were rubbing up against me. You want this, right?” I blinked up into his face, narrowed my eyes, and uttered innocuously, “Just giving you what you’re asking for, baby.”

The minute the guy’s friends tried to intervene, the girls jumped in, arguing, pointing, and yelling.

And I merely looked him in the eye, my grip never wavering. “For future reference, when a lady says no, she means it. That is not up for negotiation.”

Cora put her hands up to block one of his friends, then smirked. “What’s the matter, gorgeous? Don’t like being touched? Maybe you should’ve worn something less revealing.”

Doubled over in pain, a string of spit dribbled down his chin as he bellowed, “Let go, you crazy bitch!”

Unblinking, I held him tightly. “Apologize,” I demanded, bored-like.

Mina slapped at one of the guys reaching for me. “Get your hands off of her!”

The asshole tried desperately to shake my hand off. “I’m sorry,” he panted out. Then louder, “I’m sorry! Fuck.”

Security arrived the moment I released him. Without taking my eyes off the dirtbag, I watched his friends become outraged at the fact that they were the ones getting escorted out.

“Are you serious?” The groper, his red eyes rimmed in wetness, pointed at me and thundered, “She’s the one who attacked me!”

An arm came around me, and Anika shocked me by adding a very drunk, very snarky, “Oh, honey. You’d be so much prettier if you smiled.”

Mina, still panting, gaped at her. Cora snuffled out a laugh, and when I swung my head to look at my bestie, I couldn’t stop myself from chuckling.

“What?” Anika blinked one eye at a time, wobbling on the spot. “He was an asshole.”

Turned out, a drunk Anika was a sassy Anika.

Our night resumed, and instead having ruined my evening, the incident with the jerk seemed to break the only string of poise I had holding me together. Adrenaline running through me, I laughed more openly than I had in years, and a playful attitude I don’t think I ever embodied took over. We danced for what felt like hours, the girls continued to drink, and when we moved to the center of the dance floor, my eyes unconsciously moved toward the entrance.

I stilled completely.

Uh, what in the freaking shit?

Goddammit. Annoyed, my lips thinned.

Okay. Who was it? Which one of these fuckers did it?

With pursed lips and a gut full of anger, I scanned my surroundings to find the culprit.

My eyes passed over Mina, the most likely perpetrator.

She winked at me, swaying to the music, dancing without a care.

Hmmm. No.

When I peered at Cora, she licked her lips invitingly, then blew me a kiss, bopping along to the song.

Okay. Not her.

Anika, dancing off-beat to a song only she could hear, didn’t even look like she could operate her phone at the moment.

Definitely not.

And then it hit me with the force of a knee to the gut. My eyes shot upward to the VIP section, and when I saw Nik and Max exchange a chin jerk with the three dark, looming men who just entered the club, my jaw tightened.

Bingo.

Putting my hands to my hips, my mouth gaped at their disloyal, traitorous selves, and as though my cousins could feel my gaze burning holes into them, they both looked down at me at the very same time. The second they saw my furious expression, they panicked.

While Max ducked out of sight, Nik scrambled, pointed toward a corner of the club, suddenly rambling as if he’d been in conversation the entire time. It took him a minute to realize his brother abandoned him, and when he finally noticed, he did a double-take at the empty spot next to him.

My brow rose in question.

Knowing he was had, he pinched the bridge of his nose before looking down at me apologetically and mouthing, “I’m sorry.”

Sure, you are, you big jerk.

Our girls’ night was officially over.