Page 114 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

Our little group arrives around the back of the warehouse. My breath streams white as I rub my hands around my arms. “Where are we?”

“Hottest club on the West Coast,” Emi says, spinning around and walking backwards whilst tugging a grinning Aaden along. We round the corner and come to the end of a queue of at least two hundred people. I sigh and wish I’d had the forethought to snag a coat on my way out. Emi keeps walking, bypassing the line of pissed off looking people. I keep my head down as a few verbal insults drift my way. I get it. People strutting to the front of a massive line is annoying as hell. There aren’t any signs on the outside of the dull-looking building, no fancy declarations of being the best club around. However, there’s something about being understated that adds to the mysterious appeal.

We reach the front of the line to a wall of muscle. I eye the puffy jackets the shaved head bouncers are wearing with envy. The guy on the left nods to Emi in respect and unclips the velvet rope.

“Sluts!” someone screeches.

Emi spins on her heel, the bouncer grabs her arm and shakes his head. “Let me sort it, Emi, it will be less bloody.”

Jed stalks after him, I expect to lend an emotional hand.

She relaxes her shoulders as he storms past her and says something to a group of girls dressed in tiny scraps of fabric, midriffs, cleavage and legs on show. Wow, by all means, if you’ve got it, flaunt it. But don’t shame others because you aren’t getting your own way. The bouncer swings his arm out in a please leave motion. The brunette of the group stamps her foot and pouts. I recognize the wealthy, spoilt princess mannerisms too well. The blonde next to her grabs her friend’s arm and they exit the line and totter over to the parking lot. Emi grabs my hand and tugs me inside, through a narrow hallway and into a huge, low lit ballroom, the scent of citrus wood polish floating in the air. What the ever loving… My mouth drops open, because of all the things I expected in a rundown looking warehouse, this wasn’t it. We pass numerous patrons on sofas around the main floor. Emi squeals and yanks my surprised ass over to a sweeping bar. She lets go and throws her nimble ass over the bar, wrapping a laughing woman in a massive hug.

“Kalli!” Emi squeals, standing back and facing us.

“Hi, Emi, who are your friends?” The woman’s blue eyes trail over Duncan like he’s a dish to eat. She flips her chestnut, waist length hair over her left shoulder. She’s dressed in a tight knee-length leather skirt and a white blouse with ample cleavage on show.

“Kalli, this is Duncan.” She points to my best friend who gives her a tight smile. “Zee, watch out for him he’s a bit of a wild one.” She winks at Zee. “Aaden, he’s mine, so hands off, bitch. And this is Natia.”

Kalli’s eyes go wide as she examines me. She leans over the wooden bar. “TheNatia?” Kalli asks.

I arch an eyebrow. “I’m pretty sure there’s more than one Natia in the world. I’m not Madonna.”

She chuckles. “Sorry, I meant you are-” Emi smacks a hand over Kelli’s mouth.

“Yes, that Natia.” Jeez it’s as if saying my name three times is like a Beetlejuice situation, where I appear and wreak havoc.

“Jed!” Kalli shouts. She bows her head as we swivel to face him.

His cheeks tinge pink. He clears his throat. “Hi, Kalli, it’s lovely to see you again.”

“Again?” I ask. Kalli lifts her head and looks between us.

“We are old friends,” Jed says.

“Old as in…”

“As in Kalli here is in the Greek club.”

My head is already spinning from the gods we do know. “Which one?” I ask Kalli.

She tucks her hair behind her ear and smiles. “I’m one of the muses.”

Emi mixes drinks behind the bar, sliding a beer to the guys. She arches an eyebrow at my gawking face. Kalli is a muse, an actual muse. Wow.

Emi snaps her fingers. “Natia, what do you want to drink?”

“Oh, coke please.”

She scrunches her nose. “With rum?”

I shake my head. “No, just coke.”

“You can’t come to my club and just drink coke,” Kalli says.

Emi chuckles. “Natia experienced her first hangover today courtesy of Lysa’s drugged smoke.”

Kalli’s face drops to one of concern. “Ugh, I hate that bitch.”

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