Chapter One

“I’m so done with men. I swear.” I poured another shot of old whiskey and took a painful gulp.

Leah hissed and grabbed it from my hand. “Ugh, please stop this, Rita. You’re only hurting yourself.”

Zara moved closer to me. “Yeah. And that dumb boyfriend of yours…”

“Ex… boyfriend,” I said with my eyes half closed. The drowsiness was already kicking in.

“Ex… he’s probably seeing that other girl again tonight. You should move on.”

Leah got up and tried pulling me to my feet. “Who cares if you checked his phone and saw that he’s cheating. At least you have us.”

“Right.” I muttered.

They both glanced at each other with a defeated look.

Dan and I had been together for over five years now. We graduated from the same college and had been through everything together. All these years I had no idea that he was fucking another girl, and I didn’t even know who she was. I hadn’t confronted him about it yet. I just couldn’t do it.

“We could go for the masked club party tonight. What do you say?” Leah suggested.

“I’m not in the mood to see more men. I hate them now.” I fell back onto my bed.

She tried to pull me up again but I didn’t move. “You don’t hate men, you only hate Dan. And you should not spend your whole life drinking away your pain in your bedroom. Let’s go to an actual club party.”

Zara didn’t seem as excited as Leah was. “I don’t think I’ll be able to go to the party… but I might come for a sleepover though.”

“Why?” Leah looked confused. Of all nights, this was the only one they had to cheer me up.

“Oh it’s just my mom… she needs my help tonight.”

“At midnight?” Leah cut in.

“I’m so sorry, I’ll make it up to you.” She smiled too quickly.

“It’s fine, Zara,” I groaned.

I didn’t think anything of it. I couldn’t even think properly because I was too drunk.

That night, Leah and I went, even though I was still unsure about going. She said it would help me forget my pain and that I might even find a better man. If I was looking for a better man, this was definitely the last place I’d expect to find him.

The noise was so overwhelming when Zara dropped us off that I could only pray the night would end quickly so I could go home. We didn’t even have passes but Leah knew the bouncers so they let us in easily.

“I told you I knew people,” she laughed as we danced our way in, my fingers locked in hers.

I had never really been to a club, especially not a masked one. I could barely recognize anyone with the dim disco lights and masks.

Leah and I sat at a table where we ordered some drinks. I got a text from Zara. “I hope you guys have fun. It’s so sad that I can’t be there. Make sure you don’t think about Dan.”

She was right. I shouldn’t keep thinking of someone who didn’t consider my feelings even once.

This wasn’t the kind of club I’d have imagined myself walking into. Most of the men here were ridiculously rich, spending money on women dancing on stage while their wives probably thought they were away on business trips. No wonder everyone wore masks. Some of the men were probably single, though. Either way, they were just here to waste money.

We were minding our business when a waiter brought some bottles of expensive wine to our table.

I put out my hand to stop him. “Oh… we didn’t order that. Wrong table.”

He placed the tray down anyway, then pointed to the man at the bar stand. “He paid for the drinks.”

 The waiter walked away without another word. When he reached the man at the bar, the man handed him a tip. The waiter nodded once.

Leah and I exchanged looks, and I wasn’t having it at all.

“Who does he think he is? He probably thinks we can’t pay for our own drinks.”

Leah laughed like I said something funny. “He’s just being generous, Rita.” She continued moving her body to the rhythm of the song with a glass in her hand.

I shot him a weird look, but he probably didn’t notice. He seemed more interested in observing every corner of the club.

He barely showed any expression on his face. He looked… different. Even the other men were dressed like they were here to have fun, but this man wore a black suit. It fit him perfectly, like it had been designed specifically for him. He had one hand in his pocket while the other hand hung loosely by his side.

Leah nudged me by the shoulder. “He’s been stealing glances at this table.”

“Oh, please.” I rolled my eyes and poured another glass. “Maybe he’s looking at you.”

“Me?”

I nodded and took a sip.

“Maybe we should go thank him for the drink.”

“No,” I said immediately. “That’s what he wants. He should come to us instead.” I glanced over at the bar and caught his eyes but only for a second.

Leah got up, still moving to the rhythm of the music. She took a quick shot, then set the glass down. “I’m gonna go dance a bit.”

“Huh? You’re leaving…”

“Try to loosen up a bit, Rita,” she danced her way off.

Sigh.

Every time Dan tried to cross my mind, I took another shot to distract myself. I remembered how he always ordered my favorite meal even when I didn’t ask for it. I also remembered him waiting outside my exam hall on the day of my final exam with some snacks because he knew I’d forget to eat when I was nervous. As I took another shot, I convinced myself that all those things were just bare minimum. I felt alone in that moment. If only Zara were here, at least she would’ve sat with me.

After a few minutes, I felt the alcohol begin to kick in. That was when someone began walking towards me. It was the same man who had bought us drinks.

I sighed so hard he must have heard.

The first thing that hit me when he reached my table was the scent of his cologne, a mix of dark cedar and warm amber with a hint of softened vanilla underneath. Then I noticed his towering height.