Page 8 of Stone Heart
Rina nodded and followed her friend into the VIP section. Chelsey had informed Rina earlier in the car that this section was business owners who were invited by the liquor company to come try out the new item.
They began working the section, laughing and talking with the businessmen. Rina dodged a few of their straying hands. She let Chelsey take the lead while she stayed back. She’d been hit on by almost all of them, and a couple of them slipped her their number. Even the lonely businesswoman propositioned her. She smiled and kindly declined, not wanting to hurt any of their feelings.
By the end of the night, each business had agreed to stock the new product. Chelsey made an excuse of them needing to go to the restroom and pulled her to the quiet corridor away from the main part of the club.
“Oh my goodness! Thank you, Rina,” Chelsey exclaimed, embracing her in a tight hug.
“I didn’t do much.” She laughed, stepping back from her friend.
“Stop being so modest. Every business owner in there loved you,” Chelsey gushed.
Rina snorted at the announcement. That was an understatement. “I may complain, but I don’t mind helping you out,” she admitted.
Happiness radiated on her friend’s face. “Seriously, you don’t realize the size of the bonus I’m about to get with these accounts. All because of you.” Chelsey paused, a smile on her lips.
“Don’t worry about it.” Rina waved her hand at her friend. This wasn’t the time to become sentimental.
“Seriously, I’ll give you half,” Chelsey gushed again.
“You don’t have to—”
“That’s ten thousand dollars,” Chelsey cut her off.
Rina’s mouth dropped open and flapped. Ten thousand dollars was half her bonus?
“Don’t say anything. It’s yours. I want you to have it,” Chelsey said.
Rina nodded, leaning forward to crush her friend in a hug. “Okay. I—”
“Nope. You’re not going to change my mind,” Chelsey announced, pulling back.
“I was just going to say, I really do have to pee.”
They burst out laughing as Rina motioned to the bathroom door behind them.
“Shit, my bad. Go on now. I have to get back out there. The party is winding down.”
“Go ahead. I’ll meet you out there.” Rina waved her friend off and pushed open the door to the bathroom.
She entered the luxurious, private ladies’. She quickly did her business then stood in front of the sink to wash her hands. She gave a deep sigh, craving her bed. She dried her hands and immediately took notice—the music was no longer playing.
Her heart skipped a beat that it was finally time for them to leave. She opened the door to the bathroom and stepped out into the corridor.
Alarms instantly went off in her head.
She glanced one way and found an emergency exit. She turned her eyes in the direction she needed to go. A dark, shimmering mist blocked it. Disbelief filled her as the black cloud swirled around in the air.
A scream welled up in her chest, and she backed away from the entity.
What the hell was in the drinks I had?
“Oh God,” she whispered, still backing up.
The shimmering mist continued to writhe around and floated toward her. Too scared to release her scream, she took off running, heading for the emergency exit.
She rammed her shoulder against the door, praying it would let her leave. It gave way, and she stumbled out of it. She glanced back. A figure took shape from the dark mist. It rushed at her with a roar. She slammed the door shut before it could escape.
A force smacked into the door, and she then let loose the scream she’d been holding back. She knew she should run, but her feet seemed glued to the ground. Rina concentrated on the door. The force whacked into it again, and this time the door gave way.
