Page 23 of Deadly Secrets

Upon exiting the Uber, my heart pounding, Maggie took charge and confidently approached the bouncers stationed at the main entrance. To the left, a line of approximately thirty people patiently waited their turn. Still, it seemed there was a privilege list within the guest list because the moment she said we were on Noah Nakamura’s birthday list and gave out our full names, one of the security guys removed the red velvet rope and invited us in.

“We’re in!” Maggie screamed with excitement as we walked toward the front desk.

Standing behind it were two beautiful women dressed in sleek black dresses that exuded an air of sophistication. Their dark chestnut hair was meticulously styled into a tight, high ponytail, and their plump lips were painted with a vibrant shade of red lipstick. They looked highly polished as if they could work for Christian Grey.

We gave them our names, and immediately, they handed us out two bracelets with a QR code, just like Maggie said. However, when I showed her my credit card and asked her to link Maggie’s bracelet to my card, the one to my left declined it with a smile.

“Mr. Nakamura has linked all his guests’ bracelets to his card. My colleague Blake will walk you to the VIP table. Please enjoy the evening, and welcome to The Cave.”

Was Noah paying for everything? VIP table? I didn’t know Noah came from a wealthy background, but the truth was that I knew very little about him. Given his aspirations to pursue a major in political science, I wondered if his family had ties to politics.

Blake, the second hostess, started walking us through the club and explaining the areas where we could find various music styles, such as house, R&B, Latin music, electronic, and commercial. There were five caves, as she called them, with a bar in each and several restrooms distributed throughout the premises. But it wasn’t what she was saying that caught my attention. All the walls and the high ceilings were made of stone, like the club was carved inside a rock, and we were actually underground—The Cave. As we entered the main dance floor, pink and blue lights illuminated the space, and house music filled the air.

“In addition to the caves that I’ve mentioned, there are several tunnels that lead to some empty alcoves for more private conversations,” she said with a suggestive smile. “There’s a reason electronic devices are not allowed. We have a very selective clientele, and we like to offer a level of discretion that other clubs don’t.”

When I turned my face toward Maggie, she grinned at me. She didn’t have to open her mouth for me to know what was going through her filthy mind.

Above the dance floor were three VIP tables with glass panels resembling balconies. Noah had booked the first one. There were two low tables in the middle with several ice buckets. In one glance, I could see that at least one of them had two bottles of champagne. A long, U-shaped white leather couch surrounded the space where at least fifteen people sat and the others stood.

“You’re finally here,” Noah shouted from behind. He wore navy trousers and a light blue striped shirt. He looked like a model straight out of GQ magazine, and I couldn’t contain the smile on my face or the butterflies in my stomach.

“Thank you for inviting us, Noah,” Maggie said. “This place is fucking amazing!” She was thrilled, and her excitement was contagious.

“I’m glad you like it,” he replied without averting his gaze from me.

“You didn’t have to link our bracelets to your card. I can pay for my own drinks, you know.”

“I know you can, but it’s my birthday, and I like to please my friends.” He winked at me, and my cheeks turned pink. “I need to say hi to some people, but please drink, dance, and enjoy the music. I’ll find you in a minute.”

As soon as he disappeared into the crowd, Maggie took my hand and dragged me to the closest bar.

“Let’s get a tequila shot first, then we can go and dance our asses off.”

Maggie and I had been dancing for about twenty minutes when someone grabbed my waist with both hands. I knew it was Noah because I could smell his scent. His front was pressed against my back, his breath next to my ear.

“You missed me?”

My skin tingled.

I lifted my right hand and placed it behind his neck. I closed my eyes and lost myself to the music. My entire body buzzed with raw desire, my blood thrumming faster. Noah turned me to face him, and I put my hands around his neck while I held his gaze. I could see the hunger in his eyes, and his grip on my hips tightened as he pulled me closer. I could feel the tension building until some idiot decided to burst our bubble.

“Sorry for interrupting, Noah, but Conrad got into a fight, and security wants to kick him out. He asked me to find you. They’re holding him in one of the control rooms.”

Noah held my face with both hands and said, “Stay here. I promise it won’t take me long.”

“That’s okay. I’ll stay with Maggie.”

MAGGIE. I had completely forgotten about her. We were dancing together when Noah arrived unannounced, and I got pulled into his arms. She couldn’t have gone far. I started looking for her around the dance floor but couldn’t see her, so I headed toward the bar. Maybe she went to get another drink, but when I reached the counter, she wasn’t there either. I felt like a horrible friend. She probably got sick of watching me dancing with Noah. I checked the VIP area without luck, and with our phones sitting in a locker, my only option was to head to the closest restroom.

Maybe she went to explore other caves or met a guy. I’m probably overreacting.

After approximately thirty minutes of walking through various tunnels and caves, I realized I was lost. Attempting to retrace my steps, I found myself disoriented, unable to recognize my way back to the main dance floor. Amid my confusion, just as I was about to turn left, someone yanked me forcefully to the right. Before I could react, I was swiftly pushed into an empty alcove, my heart pounding with fear.

What the hell?

“Looking for me?”

I collided with Noah’s body, his hands instinctively finding their place on my lower back as mine rested against his chest. We were in a tiny alcove, with a couple of designer armchairs at the end but nothing else.

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