Page 36 of Toxic

"It means no one will know you're there and you can forget about all your problems. Now tell your hottie driver to swing by and pick me up."

Forget about my problems.

Something in me snaps. "Fine. What's your address?"

I roll the divider down and she tells me, then I give my driver instructions.

It takes ten minutes to get to her place, and I finish my drink before we arrive. When he pulls the SUV up to the curb, Cara comes flying out of her building. She slides next to me and hugs me.

I hug her back, wondering when the last time I had human contact was, now that my kids no longer want anything to do with me and I'm at odds with my father. It feels good. I'm suddenly craving anything that makes me feel human again.

She tilts her head. Her blue eyes pin mine. "Are you okay?"

I shrug then hand her a glass. "Normal day in paradise. Whiskey?"

"I'll take the vodka with some tonic."

"Is that what you drink now?"

She shrugs. "Sometimes."

I mix her drink. She tells the driver where to go. We engage in small talk until we pull up to the building. There's no line or other vehicles.

"Is this the wrong address?" I ask.

"No. We have five minutes to go in, or we won't be allowed inside. It's how they keep it hidden."

"Why do they need it hidden?" I ask.

Cara's lips twitch. "Let's just say things aren't totally kosher."

"What does that mean?"

"It's the elite doing what they want. You know how they roll."

Nervous tension builds in my stomach. "Meaning?"

She opens the door. "Come on. We have an invite into a VIP suite. It'll be fun, and nothing is off-limits."

"Off-limits?"

"Yeah. No one judging you or making you feel bad. Let's go." She reaches in for me.

No one will make me feel bad.

I finish the last sip of my drink then take her hand and get out.

"Tell your driver to go. We won't get in if he doesn't leave," she instructs.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. He can park a few blocks up."

I relay the message to my driver and he argues with me. I never go anywhere without my father's men, but since everything feels like it's spiraling out of control, what do I have left to lose? I demand he leaves and tell him if he doesn't, he's fired.

When the SUV is out of sight, Cara leads me into a building. Several beefy bouncers stand behind a petite woman who checks our names off a list. She opens a door, and one of the bouncers nods for us to go through.

The hallway is dark, with dim lights on the walls. The music gets louder as we take more steps. When we step out into the main area, I freeze.

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