Page 115 of Corrupted Heart

So I do.

Beside me, Naomi jolts, whirling as I throw my head back and shriek into the surging energy of the club. The music is loud enough that I doubt anyone else even hears it. But Naomi and Milena are close enough that both their heads snap to me.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Naomi yells into my ear.

“Peachy!” I scream back. “Just had to get out with my girls and daaance!”

My friends glance at each other, sharing a worried look.

“C’mon,” I grab them both. “We need more drinks!”

I drag them both back through the crowd. At the bar, we maneuver to an open space, and I flag down the bartender.

“Three more shots!” I yell with a totally fake grin on my face. “Tequila!”

“Bianca.” Milena puts her hand on my arm, a concerned look on her face. “What’s going on? Seriously, you’re?—”

“No one’s forcing you to hang out tonight.”

She gives me a probing look. “Let’s go somewhere where we can talk.”

“Fine,” I grumble. “But only if you do this shot with me.”

She turns to Naomi for support. But our other friend is turned away, grinning and chatting away with some hot blonde guy. Milena turns back to me. “Fine. But after that, I get five minutes with you someplace quiet.”

“Works for me,” I shrug casually.

We elbow Naomi for her attention, the three of us taking our shots with grimaces. Naomi instantly turns back to her new friend as Milena grabs my arm and yanks me through the crowd. We head to the second floor of the neon-lit club, the music still pounding through our bodies. Then she tugs me outside to a roof deck.

It’s warm out, but it’s a lot cooler out here than in the swirling heat of the club. I shiver from a light breeze on my sweaty skin as I turn to face her.

“Well?”

She rolls her eyes at me. “It’s me, B. You can drop the bullshit.”

I shrug. “There’s no bull?—”

“Will you stop talking to me as if I don’t know half a dozen girls who’ve had an arranged marriage? As if I don’t get it?”

My lips purse.

“What happened, Bianca.”

I shrug and glance away. “Nothing. It’s fine.”

“Did he hurt you?”

There’s an uncharacteristic iciness to her tone that pulls my gaze back to her. I shake my head. “No, nothing like that.”

“Because if he fucking did,” she hisses, “I’ll cut that fucking giant off at the knees.”

I smile wryly. “Thank you, psycho. But he didn’t…” My smile fades as I look away. The fury from earlier comes rushing back. “There was another girl,” I snap. “Some other woman.”

“Get the fuck out!” Milena breathes. “Seriously?”

I nod.

“How do you know?”

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