Rush (Breathless #1)(76)

Yes, she could see why Caroline would be worried. If one of her friends had entered a relationship where she spent all her free time with the guy to the point of excluding everyone else in her life, Mia would be concerned about the relationship. She’d question whether it was healthy for one of her friends.

And maybe her relationship with Gabe wasn’t healthy. She knew damn well her emotional dependence on him wasn’t. She was headed for a serious fall, and when that happened, she’d need her friends more than ever, and that was why she couldn’t shut them out now.

But whatever this was between her and Gabe was what she wanted. She craved it. She wasn’t in denial of her circumstances. She had a very good idea of what was going to eventually happen. But she was going to enjoy every moment—savor every minute—until the time he set her free.

She’d survive. Or maybe that was the part she was in denial over. She wasn’t entirely certain she would survive when Gabe walked away.

“Hey, we’re here,” Caroline said. “Earth to Mia.”

Mia blinked and looked up to see Caroline already out of the cab. Mia dug into her pocket for the cash to pay the cabbie and then she scrambled out after Caroline.

Chessy, Trish and Gina were waiting outside the club in the Meatpacking District, and a long line had already formed down the block. They all ganged up on Mia, hugging and exclaiming over her. Mia laughingly fielded their affection and some of her anxiety eased. This would be fun. And an evening away from Gabe was probably a good thing. It was too easy to get caught up in the alternate universe he’d created for them. But this…this was real. These were her friends and this was her life.

It was time to cut loose and have some fun for the night.

Caroline herded them toward the VIP entrance and it was then that Mia got her first look at Brandon. He was a tall, heavily muscled man. Bald, with a goatee, a diamond earring flashed in his left lobe. As soon as his gaze lighted on Caroline, he lost the menacing, badass look of a bouncer, and he looked as though someone had just put a puppy in front of him.

He visibly melted, and if Mia had any reservations that this guy was genuinely interested in Caroline, they were gone.

He positioned himself between the line of people and the door and motioned for Caroline.

Mia and the others followed Caroline and Brandon reached into his pocket to pull out five VIP passes.

She couldn’t hear what Brandon said to Caroline over the street noises. He leaned in close to say something in Caroline’s ear. Whatever it was had Caroline suffused with color and her eyes danced with delight. He smiled gently at her and then motioned her and her friends through the entrance.

“He’s hot, Caro!” Chessy exclaimed when they got inside.

Gina and Trish were quick to agree even as they gazed around at the crowded club. Music pulsed and vibrated off the walls. The dance floor was huge—and packed. There was an electric look and feel to the place. Mostly dark but with neon underglow at the tables and the bar. Laser beams danced across the floor, bouncing off the moving, gyrating bodies.

“I vote we get totally hammered,” Trish said. “Good music, dancing, drinks and hopefully some hot guys.”

“I’m in,” Chessy declared.

“Me too,” Gina said.

They turned to look at Mia. “Bring it on,” she said.

They all whooped and then waded in to find the table Brandon had reserved for them.

Caroline tugged Mia back a step and then leaned in by her ear so Mia could hear her.

“I’m going home with Brandon afterward. Is that okay? Will you be okay getting back to the apartment by yourself? He said he’ll get a cab for you.”

Mia’s eyebrows rose. “You sure, Caro?”

Caro nodded. “We’ve been talking for a while now. I’m not even saying we’re going to sleep together. Our work schedules are completely opposite, so we haven’t been able to hook up until now.”

“Then go. Just be careful, okay?”

Caroline smiled and nodded.

They found their table, ordered drinks and waited. The frenetic beat of the music invaded Mia’s body and she found herself wiggling in time as they stood by their table. Chessy joined in and soon the girls had their own section of the dance floor right at their table.

Before their waitress arrived with their drinks, two guys came over, their smiles charming, and began talking to Chessy and Trish. Mia purposely stayed to the back of the table where it abutted the rail overlooking the dance floor. In no way did she want to advertise she was looking, and she didn’t want to have to deal with any awkward brush-offs. Instead, she turned to face the floor and bopped along with the music.

A few minutes later, their drinks were delivered and the two guys had disappeared. They collected their glasses from the tray and then Caroline held hers up in a toast.

“Here’s to an awesome night!” she yelled.

They clinked glasses, and the drinking began.

Mia paced herself. She didn’t have the tolerance for alcohol that her friends had. They bounced back and forth between the dance floor and their table, and their waitress kept a steady supply of drinks delivered to them.

By midnight, Mia was feeling the effects of the alcohol, and she slowed her intake while the others continued to whoop it up. Chessy had hooked up with a guy who stuck to her like glue the entire night. Where she went, he went, and he made certain the girls had what they wanted.