Page 10 of Ava After Midnight

A slow throb builds deep, my pussy clenching around nothing. Every brush of his skin makes it worse, my thighs squeezing tight like that’ll somehow stop the need flooding me. I’m wet. Fucking drenched, every nerve firing off like I’ve already been touched.

Like I need his mouth. His fingers. His cock.

The ache between my legs becomes unbearable, the kind that demands relief, my body already shifting toward him like instinct. I barely stop myself from grinding against him.

And then, just like that—Domingo moves. His grip tightens, strong and possessive, and it’s second nature—I lock my legs around his waist as he carries me toward a darker corner of the club.

My back presses against the wall before I can think better of it, and my breath comes out shaky, uneven. My phone buzzes again as Domingo’s lips trace fire down my neck.

This time, I answer without thinking.

“Ava?” He sounds angry that I picked up. “Where are you? I’ve been calling?—”

His controlling voice hits me like ice water.

“I need some air,” I gasp, pushing away from Domingo. My hand lingers on his chest for a moment, but I hear my fiancé’s voice through the phone, and I turn away. His eyes flicker with understanding, even as his hands reluctantly release me. Iscramble towards the exit, grateful that I know how to walk in stilettos.

Outside, the night air bites at my overheated skin. My fingers shake as I lift the phone to my ear again. I can’t tell if it’s from my nerves or the chill of the gentle breeze.

“Matthew, I?—”

“Ava,where are you? I’ve been worried sick.” His voice is tight with controlled concern.

Guilt crashes over me.What am I doing?

“I’m with the girls. We’re... celebrating, remember?”

“Just be careful, sweetheart.” He sighs through the receiver, and I can picture him pinching the bridge of his nose as he stares at the floor. “You know how you get when you drink too much.”

Mia appears beside me, perfectly glossed lips curled in a smirk. “Tell Matthew hi for me,” she taunts, loud enough for him to hear. “Tell him how much fun we’re having.”

I give her a look and wave her away, but Matthew’s already heard.

“Is that Mia? At least she has some sense. Put her on?—”

“I have to go.” I end the call, nausea rolling through me that has nothing to do with tequila. I throw my arm toward the post of the streetlight, steadying myself as I try to regain my composure.I willnotvomit outside of a club during my bachelorette party,

“Trouble in paradise?” Mia’s voice drips honeyed venom as she approaches my side. “Maybe if you’d stayed at the nice club Matthew suggested instead of following some bartender?—”

“Back off, Mia.”

I look up, and Zoe appears like an avenging angel, Jade right behind her. “Go find someone else’s life to narrate.”

Domingo emerges from the club, black button-down is back on—the top few buttons undone like an afterthought, the sleevesrolled up to his forearms. He looks put together, but not too much—still effortless, still like trouble.

His sultry eyes meet mine. “Everything okay?”

“Just reality checking in,” I manage, forcing a smile.

He studies me, expression unreadable. “Look, my place is a few blocks away. We could grab some coffee, sober up, just... talk.”

Tempting.Sotempting. But Jade jumps in before I can respond.

“Or you could come back to our Airbnb,” she suggests with a wicked grin. “We’ve got a hot tub with a city view.”

“Jade!” I chide, but I’m laughing despite myself.

“What? It’syourparty.” She winks at me, assessing Domingo again. “Unless you’re scared of a little water.”

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