01 | Whipped

Another weekend night means another party for me and Aero was already filled with sweaty bodies and couples that couldn't keep their hands to themselves.

“I thought you wouldn't be able to make it,” my friend, Lizie, shouted through the upbeat music.

I grabbed her drink and gulped it all the way down, causing a burning sensation in my throat that made me feel alive.

“Daddy's never going to keep me caged,” I said.

Just when I was about to take another shot, Derone grabbed my wrist and set my drink down on the table. He gave me a stern look before sitting down beside me.

“The last time you got wasted, my cousin's club was already shut down. All thanks to your father, of course.”

I rolled my eyes at him and scooted further. “Now you sound like my father. Grow a life, Derone!”

Mine and Derone's relationship was a little complicated. We do stuff that 'friends' don't normally do, but when we wake up the next day, we don't feel bad about it. We continue with our lives like nothing happened the night before. We really don't have any labels.

“Speaking of cousin, where's Janus? He's more fun to be with,” I said, winking at Derone and making our friends at the table stiffle a laugh.

He glared at me and I shrugged it off. The last time Janus was with us, I started flirting with him just to be piss Derone and it did work. They both got into a heated argument which was immediately resolved, by the way.

“Stop it, Anne,” Derone warned, his eyes emitting some kind of authority towards me.

I raised a questioning eyebrow at him. “Don't act like you're my boyfriend, Derone. Last time I checked, you're still in the friendzone.”

“Burn!” our friends across the table shouted.

I was getting pissed at Derone for acting too clingy so I excused myself to go to the bathroom. Because of that, I have to go through the swarm of sweaty and probably filthy bodies on the dancefloor.

“Fuck!” I hissed when someone grabbed my arse, but the crowd continued on dancing.

After a couple of minutes, I finally managed to get to the other side of the bar. There were couples from wall to wall, making out, shoving there partners, and muttering words my mind couldn't censor.

I quickly went to the bathroom 'cause the sight just made my body shiver. The bathroom isn't really 5-star. There were grafittis on the wall and some of the lights weren't working. I wonder if someone really goes in here.

When I stepped inside, I was shocked to find a man smoking inside. I gulped in fear but when he paid me little attention, I stepped in. I'm really not going to pee, I'm just going to check myself if I'm still alive after what I went through.

As I looked at myself in the mirror, the man's reflection was also flashed. He was wearing a red polo that had it's first 4 buttons open, exposing his chest and neck tattoos. He also had tattoos on his arms. His hair was disheveled, looking like he's been combing it all day.

“Don't stare too much. I might bite,” he said in a thick British accent before puffing out the smoke from his cigarette.

My cheeks heated from embarrassment and I immediately looked at the sink, reprimanding myself for letting my guard down. It's usually the other way around so I'm not used to getting called out.

“Maybe all that smoke is making your vision blurry,” I said when I finally recovered. “This is the ladies' room, if you didn't notice.”

He remained unfazed and lit another cigarette. He was looking on the other side that made me have a good look at his perfectly sculpted jaw. Who is he? I really don't see him around here.

“You're the first one who went here since the club opened,” he said and threw the cigarette to the ground, crushing it with the heel of his shoe. “Also, who goes in a shitty bathroom like this?”

He began to head towards the door and I couldn't believe that I followed after him. We both held the handle at the same time, my hand on top of his.

“Well, someone's already getting clingy,” he remarked, causing a tremor down my spine.

I didn't realize that we're close in proximity. When I held my head high to clap back at him, my mouth began to falter at the sight of him towering over me, his eyes that I couldn't make the color of averted someplace else.

I let go of his hand and he took the opportunity to step out first, not bothering to give me a glance. I was left there standing in a state of shock. What just happened to me?

It was the first time my system got bothered by a guy. To call him good-looking will be an understatement. Why haven't I seen around? I'm always here during the weekends. Does Janus know him? Or Derone? For the first time in my life, I was the one after a man.

When I got out of the bathroom, I quickly went to the bar to grab myself a drink. Thankfully, Janus wasn't there. Like he's cousin, he can be a bit clingy.

“Vodka tonic,” I said to the bartender.

While he was making my drink, I glanced around and surely, I got my eyes on him again. He was situated at one of the tables on the second floor. He was talking to Janus and he seriously had his eyes focused on him. He was rubbing his jaw and while doing so, it made my mind twirl to different imaginations.

“Anne!”

I half-jumped when I heard Lizie's voice. I was quite annoyed when she made me lose my focus. When I glanced at him again, he was nowhere to be seen. I think I'm going to have to talk to Janus.

“Vodka tonic,” the bartender said, handing me my drinking.

“Derone's been looking everywhere for you,” she shouted closely to my ear. “He's worried that you already left.”

I quickly drank the contents of my glass, the burning sensation making me once more awake.

“This won't be a party if I'm not here,” I said and strolled back to our table with my arm anchored on Lizie's arm.

“Hey, babe,” Derone said when we finally got back.

I sat on his lap and I immediately felt his bulge. I bit my lower lip as I saw the twinkle of mischievousness in his eyes. He began stroking my exposed legs and surely, I forgot the man who made my mind fazed for a minute.

When Derone's lips finally met mine, all memories of him got lost. When we're in our moment, we surely don't care where we are or who we're with. When our pace got quicker, I adjusted my position, straddling him.

My hands quickly made their way to his hair, raking them as my tongue explored his mouth. His hands crawled their way to my arse, squeezing them, making me feel how much he wants me.

“Good evening, everyone.”

That voice. I recognize that voice.

“Let's have something different tonight. Shall we?”

That thick, husky British accent. I recognize that.

“I'm Zev.”

That's when my mouth stopped moving. Derone continued but my eyes were already wide open, my attention focused on someone else. Derone grunted in annoyance, but I paid him little attention. He began kissing my neck, but I got my eyes locked on someone else.

“Zev,” I absentmindedly whispered.

Derone moved his face away from me, his embrace loosening and I took it as an opprotunity to climb down from him.

“Anne, what's the the matter?” he whispered, leaving trails of kisses on my shoulder.

“Looks like someone's not in the mood,” Garret, Lizie's boyfriend, said.

The band behind Zev began to play a tune and he closed his eyes when his mouth opened.

Staying up for you

Day and night for you

We've been losing track of time

Reaching higher heights

His voice became even more huskier and deeper. I still felt Derone's lips against my skin so I slapped his lap to stop him.

“What the fuck?” he hissed in annoyance.

I glared at him. “Knock it off, Derone. I'm not in the mood.”

I felt him stand and walk away. I heard our friends tease me but none of it registered in my mind. The only thing on my mind right now was Zev singing.

Give you all of my attention

Dive into that ocean of your love

Let me show you just how much I want ya

He had his eyes closed all the time he was singing. I found myself gripping the edge of the couch and biting my lower. And as if on cue, his eyes opened and for the first time tonight, they landed on me.

Dripping down your body like gold

Slowly steaming up the windows

My skin on your skin, again and again

Sweat for me, sweat for me

And once again, he closed his eyes, but this time, instead of his usual deadpan facade, he was smirking as the lyrics dripped out from his beautiful mouth.

Love it when I tear off your clothes

Slowly steaming up the windows

My skin on your skin, again and again

Sweat for me, sweat for me

Zev was making my mind swirl with unimaginable fantasies. The lyrics of his song and the way he sung it made the burning passion inside me ablaze.

“Fuck,” I muttered to myself.

I always got everything I wanted. Every material thing this world has has always been granted to me. But if I say I want him, Zev, will the world give him to me? I don't take no for an answer.

When I felt the side of the couch dip, Derone already returned looking more drunk than usual.

“Where's Janus?” I asked.

He huffed and took another swig of his Corona.

“I thought you weren't in the mood?” he said, sarcasm and bitterness dripping from his voice.

“Where is he?” I said, putting more force on my words.

He smirked. “What are you gon' do?”

“What a fucking dick,” I hissed when annoyance got the better of me. “I'll look for him myself.”

I stood and grabbed my purse, making them realize I'm not returning, but Derone grab hold of my wrist, gently yanking me to sit down.

“Babe, why are you acting grumpy?”

I forcibly yanked my hand away from him and stormed off. He gets even more clingy when he gets drunk.

When I started walking to the bar where Janus was usually situated, Zev was already done singing and was already making on his way down the stage. My eyes widened in shock and instead of going for my initial plan, my feet made their way towards the other direction, towards Zev.

But to make it to him means squeezing my way through the swarm of bodies I definitely despised. Whatever Zev did to me, he truly got me whipped. I craned my neck upwards to not lose track of him. He stopped by the exit, talking to someone. Stay there, Zev! I'm sweating here just to get to you!

When I successfully made my way out, Zev was nowhere to be found. I was growing impatient as the seconds ticked by. Infuriated, I guess, as well. I surely do smell filthy! I grabbed hold of the man's arm whom Zev was talking to just a second ago. He snapped his head to my side, eyes half-widening in shock.

“Where's Zev? The man you were just talking to a while ago,” I hurriedly said, afraid to lose track of Zev.

Maybe he was shocked so he just used his thumb to point the exit door. I let go of his arm and immediately made my way towards the exit.

Lo and behold, Zev was leaning against a car, once again puffing smoke from his cigarette. Just when I was about to approach him, the usual buffed boydguards my dad always have around me manifested out of nowhere. Panic grew in me because I know I'll never get that moment alone with Zev ever again when they grab a hold of me.

“Ms. Anne, your father's been looking for you. You snuck out of your room again,” Mason, the head of security, said.

My eyes switched from Zev to him, confused on who to pick. Mason grab hold of my arm and slowly pulled me far from Zev.

“Mase, I just need to talk to someone,” I said, almost pleading.

But he flashed me his usual stone-face. “This is the 4th time this week, Anne. Your father's beyond pissed.”

Panic and desperation grew in me as I grew farther from Zev. He threw his cigarette on the ground and crushed it with his heel. When I got in our car, Zev glanced at my direction, definitely winking at me then afterwards walked away.

The drive towards our house began and the club I saw Zev at came shrinking as the distance grew further. I closed my eyes and tried to relax my racing heart.

For the first time in forever, someone got me whipped.