Yours Book 1: Losing My Innocence (10 page)

I
return home feeling better
than I have in a really long time. I made a friend, my hair is the perfect color for me and I have a dress that I’m proud to say I bought and accessorized all by myself.

I enter the apartment to the sound of
Royals
by Lorde blasting through the speakers. When the song changes over to Jonnyswim’s,
Heartbeat
, Kim must hear me moving around.

“Sophi, is that you?” She calls over the music.

“Yup.”

“Mark will be back in about an hour. I texted Ettie and we are going to meet her at Smoke and Sheets. It’s a hot club downtown. Andrew and some friends are getting together. Ettie didn’t want to miss her baby sis’s first time clubbing so she had Andrew add us to the list. Hope you don’t mind.”

“No, that’s great. I just need to get dressed,” I call back excitedly.

“‘Kay!”

I rush to my room with my bags and hung my dress before rushing to freshen up. Once I have my dress on I stand in the mirror debating on whether or not to wear my hair up. Finally, I decide that I have not grown that bold yet and leave my security blanket loose, falling down my back and over my shoulders in loose wavy curls.

I use some mascara and black eyeliner with a bright red lip gloss causing my eyes to pop and my lips to look really plush. I give myself a wicked grin in the mirror. My makeup is what Kimmie would call simple, but flawless. Slipping on a fist full of silver bracelets I step into the grey ankle peep toe booties with a chrome four-inch heel and zip the backs up.

Another look in the mirror and I give myself a hug. I did it. This is Sephora’s choice and I like it. I grabbed my chrome clutch and head for the living room to get Kimmie’s reaction.

I have to admit I am a little nervous about what she will think. What if this doesn’t look as good as I think and I have made very poor choices. It’s not like I have been a fashion diva at any point in my life.
Until now… grow a backbone, you did great.

While mentally chiding myself, I walk into the living room to find Mark dressed in all black looking really handsome as his head is bent over his phone. Kimmie is dressed in a long sleeve lavender dress that bares her back and stops mid-thigh showing off her long legs. Her six-inch platform heels are silver with sparkles all over them.

Kimmie turns and gasps at the sight of me, causing Mark’s head to snap up. He stands gaping at me with wide eyes and an open mouth as he reaches to rub the back of his neck. I shift nervously waiting for one of them to say something. Kimmie is the first to speak because Mark’s jaw is flapping like a fish out of water.

She squeals and rushes toward me, grabbing my arm and turning me only to squeal again. “Oh. My. God. We did not pick this out when we went shopping. Luke would have killed me and Ettie. You look so hot, Soph,” she gushes, pulling me in for a hug. “You look happy and I love the hair. I’m proud of you.” She whispers as she squeezes me.

“You look amazing,” Mark finally pushes out.

Kimmie pulls away with a mischievous look in her eyes. She pulls her phone from her purse and passes it to Mark. “Quick, take a picture of us,” she orders. “Now, Soph give the camera your best sexy pout.” I laugh, but I do as she says once she gives me her stern look.

Kimmie throws her arm around my waist and gives her own sexy pout. Mark shifts uncomfortably, clearing his throat as he aims the phone and takes the picture. Once the picture is taken Mark looks at us and shakes his head, going to hand Kimmie back her phone.

“Wait, one more. Turn around Sophi,” Kimmie demands while reaching to pull all my hair over one shoulder mirroring her long light brown and red hair that she has weaved, braided and pulled over one shoulder. “Ok look over your shoulder at the camera and on three we blow a kiss, okay.”

I giggle and nod at her instructions. Mark pinches his eyes shut for a brief moment, taking a deep breath before aiming the phone at us again. “Okay, one, two, three,” he counts huskily then snaps the picture.

“Yay,” Kimmie squeals running to snatch the phone from Mark. “Oh, these are perfect.” Kimmie bites down on her tongue as she sticks it out the corner of her mouth and starts tapping away on her phone.

I am distracted from asking her what she was doing, by Mark’s hand on the small of my bare back. Not that it causes the type of effect Nick’s touch causes. I am just surprised by it. I look up into his warm eyes. He smiles down at me then frowns a little at something that crosses his mind.

“This is your first time going to a club tonight. I think it’s best if we stick together and if we get separated we can text each other,” Mark says as he leads both me and Kimmie out of our apartment.

“I’m a big girl you know. Besides, Ettie and Andrew will be there. It will be fine.”

“It sure will,” Kimmie says smugly. “We are going to have a blast and I am going to get you so drunk.” We all burst into laughter as we exit our building heading to have the concierge call us a cab.

I
don’t know
what I was expecting, but I did not expect this place to be so packed. Mark keeps an arm wrapped around me as we follow an over excited Kim to the VIP section, where she said Ettie and Andrew would be waiting with his friends.

My eyes scan as much as they can in the dim lighting. The dance floor is split into sections with a large bar running through the center of the main section. The main floor is packed with bodies as people sway and grind to the pulsing beat of the music.

There is a raised stage where there are large cages with aerial contortionists inside. The flashing white lights in the club make their gold and purple silks look magical as they are dressed in all white. Other party goers are dancing on the stage around the cages, mostly drunk looking girls.

We are headed for the double spiral staircase that leads to the second floor balcony that spans the club. The entrances to the steps flank the sides of the bar that runs through the center of the club. The stairs we are heading toward has a huge guy with a bald head and a blonde goatee. He is dressed in black slacks and a black tee that hugs his budging muscles, standing in front of the red velvet rope that blocks access to the stairs.

I look across the club to see that it looks like there is a guy guarding the other stair access to the top floor. My gaze comes back to the man in front of us as Kimmie leans up on her tiptoes and says something into his ear. He looks down and scans her body before turning to unhook the rope and letting the three of us through.

My body is humming with excitement as we climb the stairs. Mark is doing just as he said sticking to my side with his arm around my waist. We make our way through a little crowd then walk pass sections that are divided by heavily draped silks of purple and white. Beneath the drapes of fabric in each section sits low white tables with bottoms eliminated by purple and white lights. U shaped square plush seating makes the areas look comfortable and inviting.

It seems the areas get larger as we make our way to the center. I see Ettie bounce out of a booth and head for us squealing before we make our way to the section. She is beaming as she grabs Kimmie and pulls her back towards me.

Still squealing they wrap me in a group hug pushing Mark to the side. I laugh and throw my arms around my sister. “Lilla du, you look hotter in person. Oh my goodness, Luke would have wrung my neck if I picked something like this for you. You go baby sis,” Ettie giggles. “He’s pissed, but who cares. We are going to have fun tonight.”

“Oh no, Kimmie you texted her those pictures didn’t you,” I groan. “Wait, Luke is here?”

“Yeah, all Andrew’s buddies are here tonight and now I have my girls and you of course Mark,” Ettie teases.

I am a bit annoyed that my brother is here, but I am not letting him ruin my first night out. I plan to have the time of my life tonight and there is no one that is going to stop me.

I brush my hands down my dress and straighten my shoulders ready to take Luke on. Whatever happened between him and Kimmie last night had kept him from getting on my case, but I am sure that is not going to last for long. I’m ready to stand up for myself.

Kimmie shimmies forward toward the booth Ettie popped out of. Ettie loops her arm through one of mine and Mark wraps his arm back around my waist. I am just thinking to myself that Ettie and Kimmie completely ignored my question about Kim texting out those pictures when we step up to the booth.

I hear a low whistle as Andrew stands and wraps me in a hug. My soon to be brother-in-law is such a sweet guy. “You look amazing Sophi,” he croons as he holds me at arm’s length.

“Thanks Andrew.”

“You remember everyone don’t you?” Andrew asks as he kisses Ettie’s forehead.

I look pass him to see George and Craig who were pretty hard to forget from my graduation party. The girls hanging from them are a different case. Sitting next to Craig is a redhead in a next to nothing dress. She is too busy running her hand up and down Craig’s leg to bother with introductions.

Next to George is an Asian looking girl with a short bob cut and deep light brown skin, as if she is mixed. She seems to be more reserved like George himself. However, I notice she isn’t really looking at anyone or talking much.

“Sephora,” Craig calls from across the group, “You look great. You did something new with the hair, am I right?” His cocky grin is almost too much for his handsome face, but I can see why it works for him. His date doesn’t seem too happy with him taking notice in me.

“Yes,” I nod shyly. “How are you Craig?”

“Great Sweetheart, I’ll be better when you dance with me tonight,” he says, widening that smile of his. I notice he doesn’t bother to introduce the girl with him.

I blush and duck my head a little. Before I can answer him, Andrew speaks up from beside Ettie. “Luke will kill you and I will help,” Andrew growls at him.

“Not if I do it first,” comes from the one person I had not expected to see here tonight and had yet to notice. In that instant, I have no idea how I could have missed him sitting right there. Suddenly, I am super aware of his presence in the space that is becoming smaller by the minute.

Nick is sitting there looking like a god over shadowing anyone else in his presence. His bright green gaze is locked on me and despite being gorgeous no matter what, he looks pissed. His eyes scan me from head to toe, taking me in inch by inch like a slow tortuous caress.

I am stuck in place not able to look away from him and not able to move. Mark gives my waist a light squeeze and I notice Nick’s eyes lock on his arm around me. I ignore his glare. I don’t understand it and it hurts that I have given up the right to ask about it.

I am mesmerized by this gorgeous man with his black suit and jade green dress shirt that has the top three buttons open to reveal his sculpted chest. The shirt seems to make his eyes glow in the dim lighting of the club. I can feel my mouth go dry and my breath hitch from the shock of his presence.

Craig throws up his hands in surrender and laughs. “I just can’t resist a beautiful girl and Sephora is more beautiful each time I see her,” Craig chuckles and throws me a wink. The girl next to him is in full pout and is giving me a nasty glare.

I shake my head and laugh at Craig. I can tell he likes to get his friends riled up. This is not the first time I watched him do it. I am just taken aback by Nick’s reaction to him. Then it dawns on me that I am still Luke’s little sister to him and he will protect me out of love for Lucian.

Luke is too busy glaring at my outfit to even make the smallest of comments. I think I can see steam coming out of his ears. His eyes flicker between Kimmie and me looking like he doesn’t know who he is going to explode on first.

“It is good to see you again, Sephora,” George says politely. “This is Kathy.” He gestures to the quiet girl beside him. “Kathy, this is Sephora, Luke’s baby sister, and her friends Mark and Kimmie.”

Her eyes meet mine this time and light with recognition. She gives me a warm smile and a nod. She looks up at George through her lashes and he nods and kisses her forehead.

“It is nice to meet you,” Kathy says with a husky voice and French accent I am not expecting. She then goes back to her almost indifferent demeanor. I found it a bit odd, but I ignore it as Ettie claims my attention.

“Come on you guys, sit,” Ettie exclaims with excitement.

Mark bends to speak into my ear. “Do you want to dance?” he asks.

“No, not yet. I think I need a drink first,” I say with a small smile.

“Okay.”

He gives me a light nudge toward the seat right next to Ettie. I step up to sit next to her and notice Kimmie hasn’t taken a seat. My eyes land on my brother and I can see why. He is giving her an almost identical look to the one Nick had been giving me. Luke tears his eyes away from Kimmie to shoot a frown in my direction as he gets up out of his seat, but instead of coming after me, he grabs Kimmie by her elbow, pulling her in the opposite direction from which we just came.

I have got to get to the bottom of what is going on between the two of them soon. My curiosity is beginning to get the best of me. The arrival of the waitress breaks my thoughts.

“Hi, I see we have new comers to your party. I’m Bailey, welcome to Smoke and Sheets. Can I get you guys started with some drinks?” The curvy brown skinned girl asks. She is giving Mark an open smile, which causes me to look closer at her. She is really pretty with a cocoa complexion, pixie cut, and lip ring in a set of plush lips.

My mother would call her too ethnic. Something she has called me to my face. Truthfully, I think she is really pretty and she is rocking the heck out of that haircut.

I turn to look at Mark, who is looking at me expectantly. I shake off my thoughts of him and the waitress since I am in no way a matchmaker, though I would love to see him with a nice girl. I turn toward Ettie for help. I have never ordered a drink before and have no clue what to order.

“What should I get?” I ask my sister with pleading eyes.

“They have a signature drink here called,
Screaming Passion
, it’s great. Coconut rum, grapefruit juice, pineapple juice and something else I still haven’t figured out,” Ettie coos. “We’ll have two Screaming Passions.”

“And you, Sir?” The waitress asks Mark with a flirtatious smile.

“A rum and coke please,” Mark smiles back.

Oh yay, maybe she is his type.
She is killing the club uniform of a white corset and white short shorts. That thought makes me think of her taking Nick’s order before we arrived and I wonder did he look at her the way the other guys are checking her out as she asks the rest of our group if they need refills.

I can feel that his gaze is still hot on me, but I am fighting as hard as I can not to look at him. Instead, I keep my attention on Bailey still standing next to Mark while talking to the rest of our group.

A high pitched laugh pulls my attention away from Bailey and my thoughts, leading my eyes to the one place I am trying to avoid. How had I missed the curvy blonde glued to his side.
Because he puts you in a trance every time you look at him.

Being totally honest, I am bummed by the thought of Nick being here with another girl and he is back to seeing me as a little sister. I pull my eyes away from the sight of him and his clingy date to look directly across from me. The corner Nick is sitting in is now off limits to my eyes and my heart, at least that is what I try to tell myself.

My eyes flicker from Craig and his friend back to Nick and the bimbo. Nick glances at her for a moment to murmur something to her while she presses her boobs against his arm. She throws her head back for another annoying laugh and I swear I start to see red. I know I have no right to be upset. I told him to leave. I gave him up last night, but that was just last night. If I meant so much to him how is he here with her.

I feel the tears prick the backs of my eyes, but I refused to cry, not here and not tonight. Bailey is back with our drinks and I down the fruity pink drink in one gulp. I ask for another before she finishes handing everyone their drinks.

“
Whoa
killer, I think you better slow down, Soph,” Mark whispers in my ear. “You’ve never drank before. Did you eat something at least?”

“I ate something before I came back home,” I shrug.

“So, how was it,” Ettie asks as she sips the drink Bailey brought her. I smelled the alcohol on her when she hugged me earlier, so I know this isn’t her first for the night.

“It’s really good. It tastes like candy,” I answer. I hear Nick snort and look over at him to see he is staring again. He licks his lips as his eyes dropped to mine and something in my stomach pulls.

The fire that had slowly started is doused when the blonde bimbo beside him places her hand on his chest and whispers in his ear. He turns to murmur something to her once again and this time she gives him a fake pout then looks over at me.

Her eyes sweep across me before she starts glaring draggers. She gives me a fake smile and turns to whisper to him again. I turn away quickly, not wanting to witness anymore of their exchange. I feel like I am going to be sick if I don’t get away from them fast.

“Are you ready for that dance?” I ask Mark as I shoot out of my seat.

He looks up at me with a broad smile and stands. He wraps my fingers in his and pulls me in front of him before leading us toward the dance floor downstairs. Bailey appears with my second drink before we get too far and I down it and place the glass back on her tray before tugging Mark forward again. I stumble a little with my first few steps, but Mark steadied me with his hands on my waist.

I would be so embarrassed if I fell tonight, especially in front of Nick. I take a few deep breathes to reclaim my footing. With Mark guiding me by my waist, I make it down to the dance floor and into the crowd of bodies. I look up to see Mark has guided us right under the view of our VIP booth upstairs. I squeeze my eyes shut against the view of the blonde still pushing herself up against Nick and start to sway my hips to the music.

Mark pulls me into his embrace and starts to sway with me. I am definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol and decide to go with it and the feel of the music. I throw my arms in the air and get into the pulsing beat.

“You smell great,” Mark bends to say against my ear. He brushes my hair out of the way and nuzzles my neck a little. I am a little stunned at first, but my brain is not moving fast enough for me to really process. “You’re so beautiful.”

I can smell the alcohol on his breath as he speaks and think maybe he is not good at holding his liquor either. His lips brushed my neck and it tickles so I giggle and wiggle in his arms leaning my head against his shoulder to look at him.

“What are you doing,” I giggle with a friendly smile.

Mark doesn’t respond. He just stares at my lips and lets his hand roam, before I know what is going on his hands are gliding up my bare sides. I blink at him in surprise and confusion. This is Mark. He is handsome and all. I can’t ignore or deny that, but his touch doesn’t do things to me that makes my insides turn to liquid fire.