The club pulsed with energy as music blared and lights flashed across the packed room. Liam and Marcus were meeting with a few trusted associates, trying to secure the final pieces of their exit strategy. It was supposed to be a straightforward night-just business. But the moment Liam spotted Kayla in the crowd, he knew trouble had found them.
She moved through the room like a predator, her sharp eyes locking onto him as if daring him to run. Dressed in a sleek black dress that hugged her figure, Kayla exuded the confidence of someone who always got what she wanted. And tonight, what she wanted was Liam.
Marcus leaned closer to Liam, his voice low. "She's here. Stay sharp. Mi nah trust her."
"Mi neither," Liam muttered, his jaw tightening. He didn't want to give Kayla the satisfaction of knowing she rattled him, but her presence was enough to sour his mood.
As the meeting wrapped up, Marcus slipped away to handle another matter, leaving Liam at the bar. He planned to finish his drink quickly and leave, but Kayla was faster.
"Long time, Liam," Kayla purred as she slid onto the stool beside him. Her voice was smooth, but there was an edge to it-a calculated sharpness that sent a chill down his spine.
"Kayla," he said flatly, not bothering to mask his irritation. "What yuh want?"
"Mi can't say hello?" she asked, feigning innocence as she signaled the bartender. "Yuh looking good, as always."
Liam scoffed, turning his attention to his drink. "Mi nuh have time fi dis. Whatever yuh scheming, drop it."
Kayla leaned in, her lips curving into a smirk. "Yuh so tense, baby. Relax. Mi just want fi talk."
Before he could respond, the bartender placed a fresh drink in front of Liam. He frowned. "Mi never order dat."
"Is on me," Kayla said, raising her own glass. "To old times."
Liam hesitated, his instincts screaming at him not to trust her. But not wanting to cause a scene, he took a small sip before pushing the glass aside. "Yuh wasting yuh time, Kayla. Mi not interested in di past."
"Di past have a way of catching up wid yuh," she replied cryptically, her eyes glinting with something dangerous.
---
Minutes later, Liam began to feel off. His vision blurred slightly, and a strange dizziness washed over him. He gripped the edge of the bar, trying to steady himself.
"What di-?" he muttered, his voice slurring.
Kayla leaned closer, her hand brushing his arm. "Yuh okay, baby? Yuh look like yuh need some air."
Realization dawned on Liam as his body betrayed him. "Yuh drug mi..." he whispered, his voice barely audible over the music.
Kayla smirked, slipping her arm around his waist. "Mi only doing what yuh made mi do. Yuh shoulda stayed wid mi, Liam. Now, mi have to remind yuh who yuh really belong to."
---
Kayla led a stumbling Liam toward the exit, but she hadn't anticipated Marcus's sharp eyes following them through the crowd. Marcus had returned to the bar just in time to see Kayla's hand on Liam, her demeanor far too smug for his liking.
Suspicion turned to anger when he noticed Liam's unsteady steps. Marcus moved quickly, cutting them off before they reached the door.
"Kayla," Marcus said, his voice low and deadly. "Where yuh think yuh taking him?"
Kayla froze, her smile faltering for the briefest moment before she regained her composure. "Relax, Marcus. Liam nah feeling well. Mi just helping him."
