Rhianna smirked.“I have to have some memories and you look amazing in white.”
“You do know whiteis virginal and I haven’t been that since prom night?”
“And it can simplymean it looks awesome on you and your skin tone. Stop being so negative or I’mgoing to have to hurt you.”
For the nextthirty minutes, Claire allowed her best friend to get her primped and ready.Her long hair fell around her in waves, and the dress had support on the insideso she didn’t need to worry about a bra. It left some of her back and chestexposed, just enough to tempt.
Of course, therewere killer heels. What would Rhianna be without the heels? She slipped them onbut they were comfortable.
She sat on theedge of her bed, trying to come up with a million different excuses.
Rhianna came outwearing a beautiful red dress that enhanced her figure. She really knew how todress women.
“Promise me we’renot going to one of your brother’s nightclubs.”
“I can’t do that.One, we get free drinks and two, his clubs are the best. He may not be at anyof them. I’ve rarely seen him these past couple of weeks. He’s been busy withwork and stuff. You shouldn’t worry.”
She nodded. “Okaythen.”
Rhianna took herhand. “I want you to have a good time tonight. If men want to dance with you,dance with them. Don’t overthink everything.”
“You’re not tryingto matchmake, are you?”
“No. This is onlyabout fun. I promise.” Her friend kissed her cheek. “Come on, the night’s notwaiting for us.”
There was a carwaiting for them downstairs. She sat beside her friend as she told the driverwhere to go.
“Have you, er,missed him?” Rhianna asked.
She rolled herhead across the seat to look at her friend. “You really want to talk about thisnow?”
“If you don’t havefeelings for him, it wouldn’t matter, would it? There would be no pain.”
“Rhianna, you knowme, okay? Let’s not go there.”
“You do havefeelings for him?”
She closed hereyes and nodded her head.
Rhianna took herhand. “He’s an asshole.”
“I know. I know.”She squeezed her friend’s hand and opened her eyes to stare out the window. Shetook several deep breaths, watching the world go by. The sun was already setbut shops were still open. People were still leaving work. Life kept on movingforward no matter what.
Even work had lostits edge for her. No one complained but she just felt a disconnect from all ofit.
The line to thenightclub was long but as Rhianna climbed out and Claire followed her, theydidn’t have to worry as they were let right in. She smiled at the guard at thedoor before being enveloped in noise. The lights were turned down low, themusic too loud to even hear.
Rhianna didn’tbother with words and took her hand, running with her to the dancefloor. Atfirst, she wasn’t feeling it. The hum and beat of the music didn’t consume her.She felt disconnected, alone. This wasn’t how she wanted it to be.
People weredancing. Moving together as one. Her mind kept going back to Gabriel, and shedidn’t want to be thinking about him. Not now, not ever.
Rhianna smiled ather, clearly cheering, and Claire followed. She danced along with her friend.The minutes passed and not long into the fourth or fifth song, she stoppedthinking about him. Rather than dwell on what happened, she allowed herself tobe taken over. The beat of the music. Closing her eyes, she gave herself overto the freedom of being alone, of not having anyone with her, of finally justbeing her.
This was what shewanted, but she missed Gabriel. His sexy face as he took control. The cheekinessas he said something that pissed her off. The way heknew he could have whatever he wanted.
Someone banded ahand around her waist and she knew without even opening her eyes it wasn’tGabriel. He was gone.
This was her time.She couldn’t allow herself to be hung up on a man who didn’t want her. Yes, sheloved him and she hated herself for even caring, but he wasn’t worth her timeor her energy.
She would move on,even though the very idea alone filled her with pain. It wasn’t supposed to belike this. She wasn’t meant to fall in love with him. She only hoped thisfeeling with him was fleeting.
Chapter Eleven
Gabriel stared ather from his office. He had one-way glass and could see the dance floor, butthey couldn’t see up. Rhianna rarely visited this establishment because of theparties that usually occurred above. Men and women could make their way up tomore private quarters.
Claire lookedstunning. His sister had dressed her, he had no doubt. When it came to hissister, she was a minx who enjoyed meddling.
The man behind herwas getting a little too personal.
His woman. Clairebelonged to him.
He clenched hishands into fists and just then, he spotted Rhianna. She knew all of hisbusinesses and what he did for a living. She’d been in this office a few timesto rant at him over something he’d done or not done.
She raised a brow,telling him in no uncertain terms that he’d lost her.
Another man camein at the front and he watched Claire. The sway of her hips, the frown on herface. The way her body moved. She wasn’t letting go. The men were a pain and ifshe could, she’d swat them away.
Don’t do it.
Just then, one ofthe men moved his hand a little too close to her tit and Gabriel lost it.
As he left hisoffice, his men knew to keep their distance from him. He made his waydownstairs, going through to the main dance floor. The moment people saw him,they kept a wide berth.
Good.
He was likely toshoot now and ask questions later. Anyone who dared to stand in his way, heshoved them hard, not even caring.
When he got toClaire, Rhianna was a few steps in front of her.
“Don’t,” she said,yelling to be heard over the noise.
He grabbed hissister’s arms and moved her out of the way, being careful not to hurt her. Thenhe grabbed the man behind her and slammed his fist into the guy’s face. Screamsand cries sounded, but he didn’t care as he knocked the other man unconscious. GrabbingClaire’s hand, he pulled, but she fought
