Everything To Lose

Chapter Eleven

"Woah this place is really busy tonight." I yell over the thumping bass to Kat as I grab her hand and with my other itch down the dress she forced me into. The sequins on the midnight blue halter neck itches my thighs and butt but after being attacked by the evil witch next to me for scratching my butt in public I am hesitant to do it again.

"Stop it." She yells back glaring at the hand tugging at my dress. She looks hot - and comfy - in her black cocktail dress that flares out a little at the waist and squeezes her boobs together. Even her skyscraper gold heels look comfier than the silver things she forced me to wear. To say I am out of my comfort zone would be a huge understatement. I really don't see what was wrong with my skinny jeans and black sparkly top paired with my black wedges. It's practical and comfy, I wouldn't feel like I have insects crawling all over my ass and my nose is about to bleed from the air pressure this high up. However Gok Wan's evil minion decided I don't make enough effort that's why I am single, she forgets she is too.

"Wit God damn woo!" Adam shouts as he approaches us and the people close to us turn to see what the commotion is.

"Shut it you!" I grimace as he takes in my completely new look. He fingers one of my curls with a grin. His grin seems to grow when I slap his hand away and scowl at him for good measure. Damn Kat. Someone taps me on the shoulder making me spin and nearly topple on these bloody needle healed death traps.

"Ruby!" I hug her hard grateful that someone sane is finally here.

"Wow you look incredible." She gushes taking in my bloody new look.

"Not you too." I groan. "Wow look at you." I say when the strobe light hits her and I notice she has on a red shift dress that really emphasizes her curves in the best way. She looks stunning with her red curly hair pinned back on one side. A hand rests on her shoulder and her face pales, her whole body goes tense until a dark head of hair bends to whisper into her ear. I feel Adam at my side glaring at Ruby and give him a not so subtle nudge to 'knock it off'. Ruby smiles at the stranger then turns back to me with Adam still pushed against my side like some sort of lap dog. At first glance my stomach drops as the man whispering to Ruby looks suspiciously like Dominic, but on closer inspection I notice subtle difference and my body sags with relief, or maybe it's disappointment.

"I hope you don't mind I brought Dante." She yells over the new track that is pulsing through the club as the strobe lights dance rapidly over everything in their path. It's almost hypnotic as I smile at them both. I know I have heard that name before but I can't for the life of me remember where. A drink is pushed into my hand and I turn to face Kat as she holds up hers in salute. Tonight could really be a good night. I hope.

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"Hello Natalia."

"Dante." I greet politely when I finally return to our table, I love to dance but I think my little toes are about to drop off if the unhealthy shade of blue is anything to go by. Damn shoes.

"You don't remember me do you?" He looks amused and I take a minute before answering to search my brain. Still nothing.

"Have we met before?" I ask confused and he chuckles. God he sounds so much like Dominic it makes my chest ache. They are freakishly similar so I assume they are brothers, that and he is with Ruby.

"Only in your fantasies babe." I burst out laughing and something about this exchange feels familiar but still nothing will come to me.

"Does that ever actually work for you?" I say between laughing, the amusement in his eyes reminds me of Dominic when he's being flirty and fun. His hair is longer, it curls around his ear unlike Dominic's that has a shorter, shaggier look but the colour is an exact match. His nose is a little more square than the man in front of me but the eyes, the eyes are a dead match.

"I've lost you haven't I?" He laughs and I blush, embarrassed at where my thoughts were going.

"Sorry..." I mumble and brush my hair out of my face. God I miss my pony tail.

"I was saying how I can understand my Brothers obsession with you. Your Sister however makes no sense whatsoever, I mean she is the exact opposite of everything he normally goes for. She's bitchy, fake, pretentious and not to mention the screeching. If he marries her he will need ear muffs just to keep his hearing intact. Fuck that woman voice is annoying." I raise one eyebrow at his total character shredding of my sister but neither agree or disagree with his ranting, well at least not out loud anyway.

"Sorry I forgot she was your sister for a moment. Even if it's true I probably shouldn't of said that." He at least has the good grace to look a little guilty but not much and I want to laugh because he is right. It is true. My mind wants to interrogate him for answer as to why he thinks his brother is obsessed with me but my heart just can't bare to hear about it so I stay mute.

"What I don't understand is why he looks like someone has spat in his cornflakes all week? I mean he always has been a bit on the miserable, boring side..."

"He is not miserable or boring." I jump to his defense before I can even stop myself and he smirks like he won the lottery, which just pisses me off.

"What is your game?" I question staring him dead in the eye. He doesn't look intimidated by my death stare though if anything he looks pleased.

"Nothing... Just hoping to get some answers as to why my brother is acting like the world is ending. When we picked you and Ruby up from the bar he looked happier than I have seen him since this whole thing started then the morning after rather than looking like the cat that got the cream he looked like a cat that had been savaged by a big dog." His face has lost all amusement and I swallow nervously not knowing what to say. I want to front this out with my usual bitchy remark but nothing come to me, all I can think is I caused that. I hurt him.

My silence must speak volumes as he shakes his head and turns to look at the sea of people dancing and laughing without a care in the world. I was one of them not twenty minutes ago and now the hell I found myself stuck in was sucking me in again and I am powerless to stop it. Out of nowhere I feel him pull me over the bench we are sat on so I am practically sat on his knee. I try to fight him off but he is too strong, his lips smash against my so hard it's almost brutal, his hand is tangled into my hair restricting my movements. Then almost as quickly as it starts, it's over only I am flying through the air. Before I can panic my body meets something warm yet firm and I release the breath I was holding about to thank whoever caught me when I am plonked on my ungracefully on my feet and hear Ruby shouting for someone to stop. I whirl round to see what she is screaming at only to see someone is on top of Dante delivering blow after blow. I can't understand why he isn't fighting back until I catch a glimpse of his attacker.

"Dominic." I breath in disbelief.

"Do something! Stop him!" A hysterical Ruby shouts pushing me toward the two men fighting on top of the table and it's like someone lit me on fire as I try to grab his arm as he is about to land another punch.

"Stop it! You're going to hurt him." I scream as close as I can get to them and it works. He pauses and looks at me, his whole body is glowing with unrestrained rage and for once I am scared of him. As if he see's into my mind he climbs off his brother and makes a grab for me, when I step back hesitantly his jaw tightens and he bend over. Not sure what he is doing I stand still until his shoulder meets my stomach and I am dangling upside down. My hand reaches to cover my barely covered behind in the small hope of hiding it from the people who have stopped dancing and are fully fixated on the scene in front of them. Yet not one of them help me when my screams of outrage and threats of bodily harm seem to go unnoticed or just plain ignored by the brute carrying me out of the night club and away from safety.

Shit! God Damn SHIT!