Page 3 of Nikolai (Kansas City Reapers)

I let myself feel the loss of the man I hadthoughtloved me for a few minutes longer. I needed to get back to my friends soon. Plus, I wasn’t about to let Bryce think that he’d bested me. Knowing my luck, he was sharing quite the laugh with Blonde Bimbo about how he’d run me out of the club.

Not on my watch.

Fuck him.

Pulling on the door handle beside me, I made my way back inside. I’d go find my friends again — after I went to the bathroom. I needed to freshen up before I faced anyone. There was no way I’d let Bryce or his bimbo see me with mascara running down my face.

I quickly made my way down a staircase, eyes glued to my phone as I texted Jess that I would be back up in just afew minutes, making some excuse about long lines to avoid having to admit to my brief panic attack back there. At least I could hear my own thoughts now. The club must be swapping out DJs.

Pushing through a door at the end of the stairwell, I entered a long hallway with doors on either side a little way down.

Now, which one was the lady’s room?

The lighting down here was much brighter than anywhere else in the club, but I could not see any signs for the bathrooms. Weird.

Pocketing my phone once more, I moved further down the hallway. I could hear the faint sound of voices behind the door to my left. If that wasn’t the bathroom, then at least I could ask where the fuck it was.

Just as my hand turned the knob, a voice rang out loudly.

“No! Wait, I—”

I opened the door, but before I could process what I was seeing, there was a bang and a flash, and the feel of wetness splattered across my face and chest.

I closed my eyes tightly as a scream froze on my lips.

Red.

All I could see was wet, sticky, red as I realized what it was that had just splattered all over me.

Blood.

Turning on my heel, I sprinted towards the stairwell.

My heart thundered. My breath completely stopped.

I stumbled, my heel slipping against the slick flooring. My arms jolted painfully as I caught myselfagainst the stairwell, instantly hoisting myself up as I kicked off my heels.

No time for that now.

Clamoring up the stairs, I saw the exit sign.

It was only then I noticed the beige walls.

The club walls were all black.

This wasn’t the club.

And I was not safe.

I hit the bar on the door at full speed, bursting my way out into the alleyway once more, but this time I did not stop when tears began to flood my vision.

Unable to remember which door led back into the relative safety of the club, I ran for the street, screaming at the top of my lungs.

“HELP ME!!!”

My phone buzzed in my back pocket. With shaky hands, I grabbed it, expecting to see a text from Jess, or Kerri, or anyone really.

But all I saw was the notification I thought I had ignored earlier tonight.

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