Page 5 of What the Doctor Ordered
And I knew just the place where I could go looking for a woman to play the role of my fake fiancée.
CHAPTER 3
Kiley
I started to wring my hands into the skirt of my dress, which probably placed a couple of extra wrinkles into the expensive material. I couldn’t help the nerves very much, though. I had found myself standing in front of an extravagant club. When Kramer messaged me and asked if I wanted to meet him at a nightclub, I was expecting a normal dark building with neon lights and bass beats spilling out.
This was far fancier than that.
This building was all glass with a dome-shaped roof. There were snake-like curves undulating across the smooth surface of the geometric obsidian walls, concealing the interior of the club from view. It looked more like a palace from another dimension than a simple nightclub.
I was suddenly thankful that Lily helped me find an outfit. I was wearing a deep maroon dress that had a long slit up one side that stopped at my upper thigh. Crystal earrings, a matchingnecklace, and strappy heels that I borrowed from Lily completed my look.
My friend knew this particular club well and assured me that I wouldn’t be overdressed. I was finally starting to believe her. I was also starting to feel like, while my dress might match this place, I certainly didn’t.
I backed up a few steps, nearly running into a well-dressed couple on their way in. The man furrowed his eyebrows down at me while the woman sneered in distaste. It was like they could sense that I didn’t belong there.
“Sorry,” I muttered, ducking my head and hurrying past them back down the tree-lined path that I had just come from.
My heart was pounding in my chest as I realized this was probably a mistake. I ducked off the path and between two trees, trying not to look like I was hiding and probably failing miserably.
Pulling my phone out of my glittering clutch, I went to open a rideshare app to call for a ride home when I spotted a text from Lily.
“Don’t even think about trying to back out,” it read. “You can do this. I know things might seem intimidating but all you have to do is walk in there and find your date. He’ll take care of the rest.”
I shook my head in disbelief. Was I really so predictable that Lily already knew I was going to try to head back home?
“You can’t possibly know that,” I texted back.
It only took seconds for her reply to come in. “I do,” she said. “Guys who go to Onyx have a protocol they follow. They take care of their dates. Trust me. Just go in.”
I stood there for several minutes, weighing the options in my mind. It took a while for the hammering in my chest to lighten up. When it did, I was able to think more clearly. Honestly, what did I have to lose? I spent the last few years focusing on my studies and to be honest, I was pretty burnt out. I needed a little fun, a little adventure.
With that resolve in mind, I straightened my spine and strode up to the club. A burly bouncer met me at the door, looking down at me with clear suspicion on his angular face.
I cleared my throat to recite the line that Kramer told me to say when I got to the door: “I am here to meet with Kramer Bennett. I have his VIP number if needed.”
The stern man’s face immediately brightened, and he gave me a friendly smile. “There’s no need for that, Miss Hart,” he said. “Mr. Bennett informed me of your arrival. Would you like me to have you escorted to him?”
I almost visibly reeled at the man’s complete change in tone and overall countenance. I blinked a couple of times to clear my head. “No, thank you,” I said politely, offering him a modest smile back. “I’m sure I’ll manage on my own.”
“Of course,” he said, dipping his head before stepping aside so that I could pass. “Have a lovely night, Miss Hart.”
I was still recovering from that unexpected interaction as I stepped into the nightclub. Onyx was a fitting name for the space. It was incredibly dark, with black furniture and what I suspected was black walls and ceilings as well. Silver lights gave everything an otherworldly glowing effect. My eyes had to adjust to the strangeness of it, but it was beautiful as well.
I had just started scanning the large space for my date when I spotted him coming toward me.
He was taller than I expected him to be. Those crystal-clear blue eyes that had immediately caught my interest on the app were trained directly on me, as was his bright white smile.
I’m sure my whole face was heating up.
“Good evening, Kiley,” he said, grinning widely at me. Those eyes studied me briefly. “You look lovely tonight. Your pictures really didn’t do you justice.”
I’m sure my cheeks darkened at his comment. I lowered my eyes shyly. “You look handsome as well,” I managed to stutter.
His smile widened and he offered me his arm, which I slipped my hand through as gracefully as I could so that he could lead me further into the club.
I still felt wildly out of place, but I was somehow able to relax as soon as I was with Kramer. He truly looked like some kind of prince out of a fairytale. I had to admit that he wasn’t really my type, with his honey blonde hair and princely looks, but I still felt myself blushing around him all the same.
