Chapter 136 - 0136
Lorelei POV
The bitter taste burned like fire all the way down my throat as I tried to copy Nala, throwing the entire shot back in one go.
Almost instantly, a violent fit of coughing tore through my chest. My eyes watered as the liquid fire settled heavily in my stomach, while Nala was already knocking back her third glass, swallowing it like it was nothing more than water.
What was even the point of this? It was just bitter and burned like hell. Still, not wanting to embarrass myself in front of her, I reached for a second glass, squeezed my eyes shut, and forced it down as the familiar heat spread through my chest.
"So... this is what your people call clubbing,"Nala mused as she rose gracefully to her feet, another glass resting casually between her manicured fingers.
Her golden eyes swept across the dance floor below, lazily scanning the sea of bodies moving beneath the flashing lights. Halfway through, her gaze settled on a tall man standing alone near the edge of the bar, his eyes fixed directly on our VIP booth.
"Do you see that?" Nala murmured, the corners of her lips curling into a predator’s smirk. "My eyes have found their prey."
With a slow, deliberate tilt of her head, she lifted a single finger and crooked it toward him, silently beckoning him over.
The man didn’t hesitate for even a second. He pushed through the crowd before making his way up the VIP stairs with long, confident strides.
He was broad shouldered with a sharp jawline, messy dark hair, and a half unbuttoned shirt that revealed a sculpted chest. He stepped into our booth wearing an easy, confident smile, parting his lips to speak.
"Hey..."
Before he could say another word, Nala grabbed him roughly by the collar and yanked him down.
"Enough speaking. Kiss me," she ordered against his lips.
Without giving him a chance to react, she swallowed a mouthful of the dark liquor in her glass before crashing her lips against his.
My jaw practically hit the floor as they kissed right in front of me. She tipped the liquor into his mouth before pulling it back into hers in a reckless exchange that smelled of whiskey, impulse, and pure heat.
It was less romantic than it was wild, leaving me frozen in stunned disbelief.
I watched as she practically devoured the man. Her fingers remained fisted in his collar, holding him exactly where she wanted him while her tongue invaded his mouth with unapologetic dominance. A low, possessive growl vibrated in her throat as a few drops of liquor escaped the seal of their lips and trickled down his chin.
His hands didn’t stay still for long either. They slid down the curve of her waist before settling on her hips, pulling her flush against his body as he kissed her back with equal intensity.
Now, I had witnessed some shameless things in my life, but this was on an entirely different level, and certainly not something I had ever expected from a royal like Nala, especially right in front of me.
Feeling incredibly awkward, and seeing absolutely no sign that they planned to move somewhere more private, I decided it was probably best to give them some space. I tossed back a third shot for courage before rising to my feet.
The moment I stepped out of the elevated VIP booth and onto the main walkway, Paul materialized beside me from seemingly nowhere.
"You shouldn’t leave the secure area, Miss," Paul warned, his eyes already sweeping over the surrounding crowd.
"Relax. You’re right beside me, aren’t you?" I replied with a small smile. "Besides, I’d rather be out here with the normal people than stay up there with..."
My voice trailed off as my eyes drifted back toward our booth.
Without ever breaking the kiss, Nala had pushed the man back onto the leather couch before swinging one long leg over his lap to straddle him as though she didn’t have a single care in the world.
The short hem of her dress rode higher along her thighs, exposing smooth, dark skin beneath the pulsing club lights.
Even Paul briefly made a horrified face at the sight before quickly schooling his expression the moment he realized I had caught him looking.
A genuine laugh escaped me at his reaction.
"About the bug in Hawke’s office," I said softly, my voice barely audible over the pounding bass as we weaved along the edge of the dance floor, with Paul following close behind like a silent shadow. "I never really got the chance to properly thank you and Isaac for taking such a huge risk. So... thank you."
"We were just doing our job, Miss," Paul replied with a faint smile, his eyes never once stopping their sweep of the room.
"Still. Thank you." I smiled before glancing at him. "Was it hard to plant it?"I asked, wanting to be absolutely certain Hawke hadn’t suspected a thing, especially since I still hadn’t had the chance to properly listen to the recordings.
Paul let out a quiet chuckle.
"Honestly? That was probably one of the easiest jobs we’ve ever done. No trouble at all. He didn’t suspect a thing."
At that, a relieved smile spread across my face, but before I could say anything else, a pair of strong arms suddenly wrapped around my waist from behind, pulling me straight into the middle of the crowded dance floor.
"Come on, gorgeous. Dance with me," a heavily slurred, unmistakably drunk voice laughed near my ear as his grip tightened around my waist.
Paul reacted instantly.
His entire body went rigid as he stepped forward, one hand already disappearing beneath his jacket, ready to intervene before the stranger could even realize what was happening.
My heart hammered against my ribs, but the warm buzz of alcohol humming through my veins brought an unexpected feeling with it.
Freedom.
I quickly lifted a hand toward Paul, silently telling him to stay back.
This was a once in a lifetime moment.
I was out.
I was free, if only for one night.
And I was alive.
Why should I spend it afraid?
Turning around within the stranger’s embrace, I rested both hands lightly against his chest. As the heavy bass vibrated through the floor beneath my feet, I let my body find the rhythm and began swaying my hips to the music.
I didn’t even know how to dance that well, but I guess you could say alcohol was magic. With enough of it in my system, somehow it didn’t seem to matter anymore, and my body just seemed to know exactly what to do.