Hotter Than Hell (18+)

TWO

CHAPTER TWO

I tossed and turned all night. From the horrors of the night before, whatever was calling my name in that dark alley. My head was reeling, and a headache started to form.

His face kept playing on repeat in my head. I hadn't yet formed a proper opinion of the man I worked for. I'd heard the rumors of the stranger. Dark, and mysterious, kept to himself, yet somehow so very desirable. 

I wanted to fall back into a deep sleep and shake the thoughts from my head. Instead, I tossed the soft sheets aside, heading straight to the bathroom and ignoring my roommate in the kitchen. 

The bright room was too much for my eyes to handle. I squinted as I splashed the icy water onto my face. Looking at the mirror I saw those dark, green eyes unwilling to leave me alone. It was almost as if they stared back at me through my own reflection. 

I took a deep breath and willed the vision of his face to dissipate from my mind. I striped, turning on the hot shower and watching as the steam engulfed the room, fogging up the mirror.

I stood under the hot stream of water, it somewhat soothing my muscles. My pale skin, thankful for the warmth. My long, dark hair clung to my back as the water slid down my skin. I could feel every inch of my body under the welcoming stream. 

I soon stepped out of the shower, water dripping from my body as I shuffled back towards my room.

My roommate, Isla, was standing in the kitchen with a coffee in her hand. 

The room was spacious and bright. The cool tones of blue from the walls, glimmering in the morning sun. She stood, leaning against the wooden island, slyly sipping on her coffee and scrolling through her phone. She didn't look up as she spoke.

"I didn't hear you come in last night," she said.

"I got in late," I answered. "Busy night."

It wasn't exactly a lie. If I told Isla what happened last night she would've completely freaked out and then tried to convince me that I needed a lay to release the tension.

"I thought you might've finally got laid."

I shook my head. "Unfortunately, my life isn't that exciting at this point in time."

She took a long sip of her coffee, her eyes staring into my soul. I broke the silence by moving into the kitchen to make myself one.

"I think you should see someone about your obsession with sex, Isla," I joked.

"Correction, my obsession with you having sex."

"Not all of us have men willing to do our bidding in the blink of an eye," I explained.

"Well, maybe if you did more than just work and study, you would too. You have a killer rack."

I took a sip of my hot coffee. "I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or not."

Isla placed both her phone and coffee down on the bench. "Just come out with me tonight. Dance and drink instead of serving drinks and watching people dance."

"Can't, I have work." 

I turned to walk towards my room, my hair still dripping down my back. I looked back as I yelled over my shoulder. "If you come to the club, drinks are on me."

☆☾☆

For a Sunday, the club was surprisingly busy. Although, in a college town, students partied all night, every night. People danced and swayed to the music that was blasting through the speakers. Most nights, I'd come home with a sore throat from having to shout over all the noise. 

The club was dark and spacious, and staff littered throughout the room. The flickering party lights and the smell of alcohol filled the air. The rest of the room was hidden by the shadows, along with the soiled floors.

I noticed him when I started my shift tonight.

He was sitting in the corner of the room, a glass in his hand. He looked so casual in his black tee and black jeans. I wanted to think he'd been at the club a handful of times, but if I had seen him before, I wouldn't have forgotten him.

He sat in the shadows, not paying much attention to the chaos around him.  Across from him, another man whose face I had never seen before. A meeting.

I found my eyes wandering frequently toward his direction. I also noticed mine weren't the only ones. Women from around the room seemed to be noticing his presence, and while some of my curiosity was the same as theirs, I couldn't quite put my foot on the other reason I was so drawn to him.

We locked eyes for a moment, his baring into my soul. I, once again, was the first to look away.

I quickly went back to pouring a vodka cranberry a girl had just ordered. I tried to catch a quick look at him, yet when I looked up he was no longer there. 

"Salem," a deep voice spoke from beside me.

I almost jumped. Where the hell had he come from?

"Yes?" I poured the shot into the glass. 

Although the music was blasting, a silence fell between us. The large room flickered with lights, the scent of alcohol strong in the air. 

A line began to form at the bar, the impatient partiers growing antsy.

"Salem! I need your help over here!" Pete called from the other side.

"Can I help with anything?" I urgently asked, needing to help Pete and escape from the interaction.

"When you have a moment," he started, "please bring some drinks to the table."

I nodded, unsure if he had seen as he feverishly stalked to the table and back into the shadows.

I slid the glass towards the girl before heading over to Pete to help with the impatient crowd. I started serving the drinks, with no time to look over to the corner of the room.

"I need two vodka shots stat, bitch."

I swirl around, ready to absolutely throw a fit at the demand, only to see Isla's gleaming smile. I rolled my eyes, visibly annoyed.

"I would have beat you," I said, grabbing two shot glasses.

"Free right?" She joked, grabbing her card. I pushed the glasses toward her before moving on to someone else before she could protest.

"What do two, dark, mysterious men drink?" I asked Pete, watching as Isla and her friend drew back to the dance floor.

"Probably something as dark and mysterious. Scotch on the rocks?"

I nodded, pouring the glasses and carefully making my way over to the table.

Silently, I put the glasses on the table. His eyes stared at me all the while.

Those eyes sent chills down my spine. 

They took me back to last night. It almost seemed as if he knew exactly what was lurking in the dark and I didn't like that. I knew nothing about this man, and I realized that I didn't even know his name. 

I was going to make it my mission to stay as far away from him as possible. I didn't need that kind of trouble in my life. I was almost finished with my studying, and I had a feeling if I got myself mixed up with this man, then everything would change.