Page 18 of Maison De Fous

But first, I need something to wet my throat.

I make my way to the bar, weaving through the crowd of cirkies and customers. They’re all lost in their own worlds—lips locked, bodies tangled, and hands everywhere. The atmosphere reeks of lust, sweat, and blood. It’s thick and oppressive but barely registers because my mind is elsewhere.

At the bar, Dario, one of the cirkies, is leaning over the counter, pouring drinks for a group of customers. His attention shifts to me the moment I step up.

“What can I get you, Indie?” he asks, flashing a grin.

“Something cold and strong,” I rasp, leaning on the bar, my eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of Lux or Johnny.

Dario doesn’t hesitate, grabbing a bottle and pouring me a drink. I don’t even bother asking what it is—I trust him and I’m desperate. My body feels too hot, my skin too tight. I’m parched, but that’s not all. That gnawing, burning need is clawing its way back up and I need something cool to douse it down.

He slides the glass over to me, and without thinking twice I remove my mask and toss it back in one gulp. The liquid is cold, crisp, and it burns slightly as it slides down my throat, but it does the job. I slam the glass down on the bar, and wipe my mouth, ready to get back to searching for Lux.

But as I turn to leave, I catch a glimpse of Johnny out of the corner of my eye. His painted face tight, his eyes locked on Dario behind me. There’s something dark, and dangerous flashing across his expression, that has my pulse quickening.

“What?” I ask, turning back to the bar as the faintest hint of unease creeps its way into my chest.

Johnny’s already moving, shoving his way through the crowd of people toward me. His movements are so sharp and deliberate that he reaches me in seconds, grabbing my wrist firmly. His fingers dig into my skin just hard enough to get my attention.

“You drank it?” he asks, his voice low, almost a growl.

“Yeah,” I say, confused. “Why?”

His eyes shift to Dario, and suddenly, I understand. Dario looks panicked, frozen like a deer in headlights, and that’s when it hits me.

The fucker spiked my goddamn drink.

“Shit…” I mutter, the reality sinking in. “What the hell did you put in it?”

Dario stammers, stepping back with his palms raised, but it’s too late. I can already feel it. A warmth spreads through me, starting in my chest and flowing outwards. My head feels lighter, and the big top—suddenly everything is so much sharper, the colors more vivid, the sounds louder. My skin feels electric. Like every brush of air or every touch is heightened to the point of almost painful awareness.

And then there’s the heat still building in my core—the arousal that was already simmering—flares to life, nearly bringing me to my knees with how intense it is.

Fuck.

Johnny’s hand tightens on my wrist, pulling me closer toward him, and I can feel the warmth of his body radiating against mine. His breath is hot against my ear, and even though I know this is the drugs coursing through my system, I can’t help the way my body responds.

“You okay?” Johnny says, his voice steady, but there’s a darkness in his tone that tells me he’s more pissed off than he’s letting on.

But I don’t care about Dario right now. All I can think about is how every inch of me is thrumming with desire, how Johnny’s grip on my wrist is the only thing keeping me grounded.

“I’m fine,” I breathe, though I’m not sure if that’s true. The room is spinning, my legs are weak, but it’s not from fear or even the drugs—it’s from the need coursing through me.

Johnny’s gaze narrows, his eyes darting over my face, as if assessing whether I’m actually okay or not. But before he can say anything else, I tug my wrist free, taking a shaky step back. My heart is pounding, my breath coming in shallow gasps, and all I can think about is Lux. I need him—now more than ever.

“I need to find Lux,” I mutter, the ground tilting beneath me as I turn to walk away from the bar.

Before I can take another step, Johnny’s there, catching me before I fall. His arms lock around me, pulling me flush against his chest, and the contact sends a ripple of tingles through me. I bite back a moan that I barely manage to suppress.

“You sure?” His voice is sharp, his grip firm, but there’s something protective in his tone. “You don’t look so good.”

“I said I’m fine Johnny,” I mumble, trying to pull away, but my legs won’t cooperate. My body feels like it’s floating, every sensation magnified, and deep down, I know something’s off. “What the hell was in that drink?”

Johnny scoffs, his grip tightening as he shoots a deadly glare toward the bar. “MDMA. Apparently this piece of shit thought it would be funny to drug the bosses girl.” His voice is a low growl, and when I follow his gaze, I see the bartender ducking out of sight, like he knows his time left on this earth is limited.

He'll wish he was dead once Lux finds out what he’s done.

“MDMA… Oh, okay. Yeah, I’ll be fine then, right?” I blink, trying to clear my head, but the heat inside me overwhelms me. I’m hyper-aware of Johnny’s hands on my waist, of how close his body is to mine.Fuck, my skin is on fire.

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