sie

k leading up to Midnight Mates, Cassie cou

tretching all the way past the e

wd, taking in everyone's attire b

ss code is off

Sydney hooked an arm around Maeve

have to wait in that l

kno

of her pocket and flipped

IP. Wouldn't that get us

lashing her a smi

until they hurried over and joined her befo

rs from the other guests in line who were clearly wondering what the hell

at meant something, and what better way

ng that would've made her run for the hills a few years ago, but now it just made her

ere do

uickly. "In the b

hotographed." Sh

tographed

eyes over the people waiting in line. Had

hand back toward the other side of the building, away from the

around Cassie's again

ank

riends, Cassie looked back

e hell w

ut damn, girl. Didn't know y

the card in her hand.

perk of being t

oor that looked almost out of place with how innocuous it looked co

le to grab onto and pull open. She felt around the edges

nk on us and send us to a d

ou need

and knocked her knuckle

r the top of the door, and a p

and flashed the card again

r was swung open, a red carpet t

You're Amy's

side. "Yes. We were ..." The do

r table set

ead. He nodded for them to follow him and turned to head down the short hallway. Music

again and squeezed it. "Oh my

d behind them

om earlier becoming tenfold. Cassie blinked at the lights, beaming from dozens of di

over a large set of sound equipmen

his hand, his voice st

ouncer was waiting next to the rope. He immediately lifted it for them to pass throu

into the rest of the club if you're feeling cooped up. Drinks a

looked at him, "W

tion paying fo

called about it b

into the private section and

ld she d

vague smile. "She takes

don't eve

have to ask her abou

eplace the rope once more. Leo clapped him on the should

Amy normally repaid people

gift horse in the mouth. At that, Cassie hurried to w

ou guys s

glass filled with a drink

ixed drinks. Told us

ittle at the alcohol content. "Wow, trying

friend,but she downed a little more of her drink, anyway. If they were all planning on getting drunk

aying on one of the cots in Rylee's office. Maybe Rylee would even fee

heir table, nodding for them to follow her to the small dance floor that was currently empty. Rylee

her hips along with Rylee, and before s

into a strong chest. Cassie looked up, feeling her body mold to

haven't seen yo

sipped from her gla

th a large, warm hand, "let m

stranger. Normally, she would've recoiled at this kind of hands-on attention, but between t

h her, his hand moving up from her hip and gripping the wrist that h

imming from the alcohol that w

some men who were finally moving onto the dance floor. All of whom

hind a desk pushing papers to people above her or on her knees begging

thing that had actually

edlessly poured herself into. But now that she was free, she

wn and whispered in her ear,

hold up her almost empty glass

ust get a

st her neck. "S

l group of men that had crowded around her and her friends

beautiful and h

ike this ... those with so much disposable money

ive bars they usually entertained. People like Brian, who waxed poetic

nd begging a man to be the person he dreamed of b

and slap down her glass o

and the should've that never happened. Why was she still hung up on th

me believing him. I wasted away trying to f

been a charact

it almost suffocatingly impossible to feel good about hersel

, sitting on one of th

now I'm in a

n surprise. Twinkling lights appeared on the ceiling, shimmering in a kind

bouncer who had been standing at the front of the r

linked.

ward the back of the lounge. Couples hooking arms and leaning into one anothe

her heart

this some ki

herd the last few straggling guests back toward the curtained hallway. She needed to get out o

small alcove off to the right. She glanced back at the bouncer ... who was currently trying to jostle awa

slip inside and closed it behind her before anyone else could

breath and st