Page 141 of If Our Hearts Collide

PENNY

When Michael dismisses us, Daphne links arms with mine, and we enter the huge wooden doors that lead into what can only be described as a palace for the elite. My eyes take time to adjust to the lack of adequate lighting.

“Wow,” I whisper, taking in the shadowed light in the lobby. Black sconces are arranged on the walls, with light flickering from the geometric shapes cut out of the sides.

“I love this place,” Daphne says, glancing around. “It calms me down when I’m feeling stressed out and isolated. I hope you love it here as much as I do.”

I nod. “I hope so too. It’s been awhile since I was at a dance club.”

She gives me a quick look, shakes her head, and then narrows her eyes. “You really know nothing about our club?”

“Not a thing. Well, except that it is glow night.”

“Interesting… And someone gave you an invite?”

“Yeah. I was at another event, and I was handed a postcard. I forget who the person was who handed it to me.”

“I’m assuming you never caught their name?”

“That’s correct.”

Okay, this is weird. I’m about to start asking why she’s asking all the questions when she claps her hands together in excitement.

“Assuming you get approval from Yuri, you are free to explore the venue on your own, but I would love to walk you around.”

It’s easy to relax around Daphne. Her soft-spoken words calm down my pulse that keeps wanting to accelerate. “I would love that. Thank you.”

“Good, because I’ve been let off the leash tonight. I’m free,” Daphne chants joyfully, playing with the loop on her collar. “So let’s go be rebels.”

I turn to her. “That sounds very dangerous. I’m pretty sure your man isn’t the type that allows you to break too many rules.”

She giggles. “I’m teasing—well, kind of. Plus, rules can be fun to break. I just need to be strategic about it or suffer all the consequences. But really, I know better than to piss off Master Michael. That man knows how to dole out the worst punishments. Kinky fucker.”

My mouth seals shut as I don’t know how much to take seriously with Daphne. She’s hard to read, despite being verbally expressive.

She gives me a look from head to toe but her eyes lack judgment. “I have a feeling you’re going to cause quite the stir…on thedancefloor.”

I teeter on my heels. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

And where the hell is this dance floor? Why all the bureaucratic procedures just around me showing up here tonight?

Daphne shrugs. “All depends on what you came here to accomplish.”

“Honestly, I just wanted to take a risk and accept an invite to something I may normally have declined. I wanted to stepoutside my comfort zone. If you couldn’t tell already”—I let out a few puffs of laughter—“I’m shy when it comes to some social situations. Maybe even a bit awkward.”

“I think you’ll do great here. Master Michael would not have allowed you to pass through the doors if he didn’t give his seal of approval first. And that man is picky as fuck. Oh, and he is super good at reading emotions. It’s creepy.” She giggles. “In the sexy sense.”

“Gotcha.”

I follow her as she leads me to a room with lockers. “If you have anything you’d like to secure inside, feel free to do so. It is a strict rule that all cell phones are either left in vehicles”—she rattles the metal door to one of the lockers—“or placed inside one of these.”

Weird. “Alright.”

Is someone famous in attendance tonight and they are worried about leaked photos?

“Oh, but Master Yuri will want to hold on to your driver’s license.”

“I don’t have one.”

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