"Just for the record…"
"This is a bad idea. I know, I know, you already said it before," Gemma said, cutting into her best friend's words.
"Relax," Gemma said to Elena as they pushed through the throng of people in the club.
"Your father will have our hides when he finds out that we left the house without his permission or any bodyguard at that," Elena said, this time slightly raising her voice so Gemma could hear her above the music that was blaring from the several speakers in the room.
Gemma ignored her statement, instead, she reached out and pulled Elena's hand as she walked over to the bar section of the club.
Elena had a point. Gemma's father would blow his top if he finds out that she had snuck out of the house to come to a club. She was not allowed to go to a club, she wasn't allowed to go anywhere. Her family treated her like she was a prisoner, and she was beginning to get fed up with it. At 24, she barely has a social life.
"Gemma, did you hear what I said?" Elena asked Gemma when they got to the bar. Her heart-shaped face frowning at Gemma.
Gemma And Elena are opposites in so many ways, one of which is, Gemma is a risk taker, and Elena likes to play it safe.
"Yeah you are right, Papa will have our hides, and maybe make a Birkin bag out of them," Gemma replied, no hint of fear in her voice.
Elena shrunk back in fear at thought of Gemma's father actually doing that to them.
Seeing the fear in her friend's eyes, Gemma threw her head back, laughing.
"You need to see your face right now," Gemma said in between laughs.
"Relax, my father isn't going to find out. Before he or my brothers notice that we are gone, we would already be back at the house. Besides, we did this last week and none of them noticed."
"The fact that they didn't notice the last time, doesn't mean that they would not find out this time," worry etched on Elena's face as she looked around the club as if any of Gemma's brothers or father were going to jump out from nowhere.
"I promise you that we aren't going to get caught. Have I ever put you in harm's way before?"
Elena arched a brow at her, "do you honestly want me to answer that?"
Gemma waved her off, "Whatever, forget I asked that. The point is, we are going to have fun, and then sneak back home before my brothers or Papa gets back."
Elena didn't seem too convinced by Gemma's words but she relaxed a little.
Gemma hoisted herself on one of the bar stools and Elena did the same.
"What can I get you, ladies?"
A young bartender who looked to be almost the same age as Gemma and Elena asked from behind the bar.
"Two shots of Vodka, please," Gemma said smiling at the bartender.
"Two shots of Vodka coming right up," the bartender winked at Gemma before going about getting their drinks.
Elena turned to look at Gemma who was busy shaking her head at the music that was playing.
"I thought we both agreed that we weren't going to be having any alcohol this time?"
"A little alcohol won't hurt."
"Gemma….."
"Drink," Gemma pushed one of the glasses of Vodka that the bartender had placed in front of her, toward Elena. "You need to relax and live a little, look around you, no one here knows us. It will be hard for anyone to recognize us with the amount of makeup on our faces."
Gemma placed the glass of Vodka on her lips and downed the content in one go.
"Whew..." Gemma winced as the alcohol burned down her throat. She placed the glass of Vodka on the bar countertop and pushed it in front of the bartender who was watching her intently.
"Another one," she said smiling.
"As the lady pleases," the bartender took her glass to pour another shot of Vodka.
After having her drink, Gemma dragged Elena to the dance floor where they both danced and had to constantly fight off guys who were vying for their attention and wanted to dance with them.
"I think we've had enough fun, for one night, let's go back home before your father and brothers find out that we are gone."
"One more drink, and we will be on our way."
"I need to use the restroom, when I get back, we are leaving," Elena said, heading in the direction of the restroom.
"I will be at the bar."
Gemma went to the bar and requested a dirty martini this time.
"I like a girl who knows her liquor," came a baritone voice.
Gemma turned her neck to find a young man now standing beside her.
"She also knows how to handle her liquor," Gemma bragged as she took in the young man's appearance.
His cheekbones were prominent, his eyes hooded like that of a predator seeking out his prey, his hazel eyes fixed on her in a hard gaze, that seemed to pierce into her soul.
Gemma allowed her eyes to wander to the rest part of his body, his bulging muscles strained the arms of the V-neck polo he was putting on. He looked ruthlessly male.
Gemma has seen a lot of men, a lot of them working for her father, but she has not seen anyone like him before. He seemed to suck the air in the bar with his presence. She slowly let out a breath as she managed to tear her gaze away from the hot stranger's body.
"Put that on my tab," the stranger said to the bartender as he placed a glass of dirty martini in front of Gemma.
"I can pay for my own drink," Gemma said to the stranger who was still staring at her.
"I never said you couldn't," the stranger said causing Gemma to look at him again. There was something about his voice that made her want to hear him speak again.
"Does it offend you that I offered to pay for your drink?" He arched a brow at her.
"Not at all," Gemma replied now sipping her drink. "You can even buy me another drink after this," she replied. If this hot stranger wanted to pay for her drink, then she saw no need in stopping him. She decided to bask in his attention until Elena returns from using the restroom.
"It would be my pleasure. Sebastian," the guy said, offering a smile that made Gemma weak in her knees.
"Maria," Gemma lied.
Even if she fancied this young man, she wasn't foolish enough to give him her real name.
"Beautiful name, for a beautiful girl," the young man said, still smiling. "Why is a beautiful girl like you drinking alone by herself?"
"Who says I'm alone? I came with my friend," Gemma looked in the direction of the restroom and saw Elena conversing with a guy at the far end of the bar.
The guy must have said something funny for Elena threw her head back laughing. She seemed to be enjoying herself.
"She seems to be having a good time," Sebastian said following Gemma's line of sight.
"She is." Gemma smiled as she brought her glass of drink to her lips, still looking at Elena from the rim of her glass, their eyes met and Elena waved at Gemma, smiling.
"So what is it that you do Sebastian?" Gemma asked.
"I'm into construction."
By the time Sebastian was done telling her about himself, Gemma was already on her second glass of dirty martini.
"You seem like a Daddy's girl," Sebastian said, his eyes on hers as he took a sip of the whiskey he was having.
"And what made you come to that conclusion?" Gemma asked, arching a brow, trying not to seem offended by his words.
Several times people have referred to her as a "Daddy's girl," and she hates that term.
"For one, you have been constantly checking your time as if your curfew is near. Would Daddy be pissed if you came back late?"
Gemma scoffed, trying to seem nonchalant. "I will have you know that I am an independent woman, I live alone and take no orders from anyone. And most importantly I set my own curfew."
Even Gemma didn't buy her own lie, but she tried to sound as convincing as possible.
"Hmm, I see." Sebastian leaned back on his stool, he seemed to be fascinated with her.
"So more drinks then?"
"Most certainly," Gemma raised her empty glass to him.
"Gemma go home now before your father or brother finds out!"
Gemma ignored her voice of reasoning as she switched from having a martini to scotch, the same as what Sebastian was having.
If her brothers could go out anytime they wanted, with whomever they wanted, and came back whenever they wanted. Why couldn't she do the same also?
Gemma turned off her voice of reasoning as she decided she was going to enjoy herself and think of the consequences later.
"What do you say, we ditch this place?" Sebastian asked in a whisper, his lips so close to her left ear. Gemma shivered as his breath fanned against her skin.
"I can't leave my fri...." Gemma paused what she was saying as she received a text from Elena.
"I'm going to the restaurant across the road with John. I'm taking your advice, live a little. I promise not to take long." The text read.
Gemma considered it strange that Elena would leave with a guy she just met, and then inform her about it through a text.
She raised her head from her phone and looked at the spot where Elena was earlier standing with her companion, it was now empty.
Gemma was going to give Elena an earful when they get home.
Gemma started typing on her phone as she shot Elena a text, "John huh? I see you took my advice. Let's meet back at the bar in an hour, so we can start heading home."
"So?" Sebastian asked, a lopsided grin on his lips as he watched her.
"Where do you have in mind?"