Girls Night Out

KAIA

“Okay. ~Wow~,” Stasya exhaled, stepping back to let me take in my reflection in her full-length mirror.

I was speechless. Sure, Freya and her team had transformed me into a vision of elegance for the charity gala, but tonight… tonight I was ~hot~. ~Sexy~.

I was wearing a gold sequin crop top with thin straps and a matching knee-length pencil skirt, adorned with the same gold sequins. The skirt had a daring slit on the left side, reaching almost to the top of my thigh. The material clung to my curves, accentuating my waist and giving me an hourglass figure.

Stasya had styled my hair into a high ponytail with loose curls framing my face. My makeup was a smoky eye and nude lips. It was the most daring outfit I’d ever worn, and I couldn’t help but think about my mother’s reaction if she saw me. I had to fight the urge to cover myself with my arms.

Stasya, unaware of my internal struggle, nudged my hips with hers, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“I did good,” she said, patting herself on the shoulder.

Her words made me smile, easing the tension in my chest.

Stasya was also looking stunning in a short white dress with a corset-like lace top and a sleek satin skirt. The skirt ended mid-thigh and had a short train attached at the back. With her golden hair cascading around her shoulders, we could have been mistaken for sisters.

A pang of longing hit me. I wished Irina could be here with us. She would have adored Stasya’s bubbly personality, so similar to her own.

“I can’t wait for Aleks to see you. He’s going to be ~so~ mad,” Stasya said with a mischievous grin.

Her words sent a chill down my spine and set my mind racing. My smile wavered. The last thing I wanted was to be on the receiving end of Aleksandr’s anger. I knew exactly where that would lead. Naked and chained to his bed.

The thought wasn’t entirely unpleasant. I quickly pushed that thought away. But would he really be mad? He deserved it if he was.

Stasya’s phone chimed, and she glanced at the screen.

“Okay, the rest of the girls are already at the club. Let’s go,” she said cheerfully.

“Wait,” I said, grabbing her hand.

She turned to look at me, her expression softening as she seemed to understand my apprehension.

“If at any time you want to leave, I’ll have Kir bring you back,” she reassured me.

Seeing my confusion, she explained, “Kir’s my bodyguard. He’s waiting for us downstairs in the SUV. He’s not allowed in the house.”

I took a deep breath and squeezed her hand before she led me out the door.

We could hear Feliks in the kitchen as we tiptoed down the stairs. Stasya put a finger to her lips, and we snuck out the front door before he could notice we were gone.

As we stepped outside, a tall man unfolded himself from the driver’s seat of a blacked-out Range Rover Defender and opened the back door for us.

“Kir, Kaia. Kaia, Kir,” Stasya introduced us before sliding into the back seat.

“You should know who he is in case you need him since you don’t have your own bodyguard yet.”

I nodded, trying not to stare at Kir. He was a dead ringer for that Massimo guy from the steamy Netflix movie that had gone viral a few years ago. I tore my gaze away from him to follow Stasya into the back seat. I didn’t miss his discreet once-over before he shut the door.

“I know. He took some getting used to when we first met,” Stasya said, smirking at my dazed expression.

“You should have seen Lia and Anya’s faces when they met him for the first time. Don Marco was not amused.”

I laughed, remembering Don Marco. Of all Aleksandr’s friends, he was the most laid-back.

I reached for my phone, a habit when I was nervous, only to realize I’d left it in my room.

“You won’t need it tonight,” Stasya assured me, as if she could read my thoughts.

“Plus, Aleks will know you’re with me five minutes after we step foot in the club. We’ll have maybe an hour before he storms in to rescue you. So, you better enjoy every minute.”

The journey to Azure took us nearly thirty minutes due to the heavy traffic. Stasya, however, kept my mind off Aleksandr by playing some music and singing along to Drake and Rihanna, albeit off-key. I caught Kir wincing in the rearview mirror more than once and had to suppress my laughter.

Kir drove us right up to the entrance where two bouncers escorted Stasya and me straight to a VIP area. It was just up the stairs, past a couple of bodyguards who formed a human wall around the VIP booth.

Lia and Anya sprang up from the half-moon-shaped booth, pushing past the burly men to greet us with warm hugs.

“Finally!” Lia yelled over the booming music. “Sloane couldn’t make it. Val wasn’t feeling well.”

She was dressed in a skin-tight black dress and strappy heels, looking every bit the bombshell.

Stasya raised an arm as Anya draped a Bride-to-be sash over her shoulder. After adjusting her tube top, paired with skinny jeans and heels, Anya straightened up. Her hair cascaded sleekly over her shoulders, accentuating her exotic features even more.

“I wouldn’t dare miss this!” Stasya declared. “Plus, look who I sprung from jail for tonight.”

Lia’s blue eyes widened at her words, as if the night had just become infinitely more exciting.

Anya, however, frowned and turned to me.

“Aleksandr doesn’t know you’re here?” she asked me, her voice barely above a whisper, as if she didn’t want to be overheard.

I shook my head slowly.

Anya glanced over her shoulder at a muscular bodyguard with massive biceps. He was standing nearby, his glare making anyone who came close to us scurry away.

“Well, he’ll find out,” Anya remarked. “Xavier has direct orders from Marco to keep him and Gio updated on us tonight.” She made a circle with her finger. “~All~ of us.”

Stasya’s grin widened.

“And guess who’s in the meeting with Marco and Gio tonight?”

~Aleksandr.~

A waitress approached us with a tray full of margaritas.

We each grabbed a glass, and I watched as the girls raised their glasses high.

“To Stasya and Gio!” Anya cheered.

“To Stasya and Gio!” we echoed.

“Let the countdown begin,” Lia announced.

We clinked our glasses together and took a sip, making whooshing sounds as the alcohol burned our chests.

I turned to my friends.

Letting the alcohol seep into my system, I started counting down my hour of freedom, determined to make the most of it.