Chapter 3: The Velvet Room

The bass hit me like a heartbeat the second I stepped inside the Velvet Room. Lights flashed across the crowded dance floor, bodies grinding to the heavy music. This was one of our clubs, and everyone knew it. The guards at the entrance bowed low as I walked past, their eyes respectful but wide. “Miss Vance,” one muttered, stepping aside like I was royalty. The power of my last name felt good tonight. No one would dare touch me without permission. But I wasn’t here to play safe.

Sofia grabbed my hand, laughing as we pushed through the crowd. "Benefits of being a Mafia Princessa".

Heads turned. Men stared openly at the tight leather dress hugging my body, the way it rode up my thighs with every step. Women whispered. I felt sexy. Alive. Finally twenty one and done hiding.

We headed straight for the VIP section upstairs. Our private area overlooked the main floor, dark and exclusive. I ordered drinks at the private bar, my heart racing. Even before I turned around, I could feel him.

Killian.

He stood in the far shadows of the VIP lounge, half hidden behind a curtain talking to one of the guards. Then the guard left. Those cold grey eyes locked on me like a predator. Watching. Always watching. Those eyes tracked every move I made, sliding down my leather covered curves and back up to my face.

Heat pooled between my legs instantly. I remembered the dream again and I was getting turned on just by the thought.

Sofia nudged me. “He’s staring hard. Go on, girl. Make him crazy.”

I smirked and picked up a shot of tequila from the bar. The glass felt cool in my fingers. I lifted it slowly, deliberately, and locked eyes with Killian across the dim VIP space. No smile. Just pure challenge. His grey eyes darkened, narrowing on me like he wanted to do something to me.

I tilted my head back and swallowed the shot in one smooth gulp. The burn slid down my throat, warming my chest and making my skin flush hotter. Tequila dripped a little at the corner of my mouth. I licked it slowly with my tongue, still staring right at him. His hands clenched at his sides. Good. Let him feel it.

The music pulsed louder. Sofia pulled me toward the edge of the VIP balcony. “You’re playing with fire, Alessia. That man looks like he wants to ruin you.”

That was exactly what I wanted.

I leaned on the railing, the leather dress moving higher on my thighs, giving anyone below a view of my long legs. But my eyes kept drifting back to Killian. He hadn’t moved from the shadows. His gaze burned hotter now, tracking the way my hips swayed slightly to the beat. I could almost feel his rough hands on me.

Another shot. Another locked stare. This time I held it longer, letting him see the hunger in my eyes. My nipples were hard against the leather. My pussy ached, just from his stare. The tattoos on his body begging me to trace it with my tongue. And he was watching me like I belonged to him.

Sofia danced beside me, laughing and ordering more drinks. The night felt electric. For the first time, I wasn’t the sheltered little sister. I was a Vance woman in control. And Killian’s control looked ready to snap.

I turned my back to him for a moment, arching slightly as I moved to the music, knowing the leather stretched tight over my ass. When I glanced over my shoulder, his eyes were glued there. His jaw flexed hard. One hand gripped the edge of the curtain like he was holding himself back.

Perfect.

The club was alive around us, bodies grinding, lights flashing, money and power everywhere. But all I cared about was the man in the shadows. My brother’s best friend. The one I’d wanted for years.

I grabbed one more shot, raised it toward him like a toast, and swallowed it down. The burn matched the fire between my legs.

This was just the beginning.

Killian’s eyes promised trouble. And I wanted every bit of it.

The tequila burned nicely in my veins as I grabbed Sofia’s hand and left the VIP section behind. I wasn’t staying up here like a good little princess. Tonight I wanted the real energy of the club. I wanted to feel free.

We pushed through the crowd and hit the main dance floor. The bass vibrated through my body, shaking the leather dress against my skin. Lights flashed red and blue across sweaty bodies grinding together. I closed my eyes for a second and let the music take over.

My hips started moving. Slow at first, then bolder. The tight leather rode up my thighs as I danced, my dark hair swinging across my back. Sofia laughed and danced with me, both of us moving together like we owned the floor. Men around us noticed. Their eyes lingered on my curves, on the way the dress clung to my breasts and ass. I felt powerful. Sexy. Wanted.

I ignored the VIP section completely. Let Killian watch from up there in the shadows. I arched my back and rolled my hips to the beat, enjoying the stares. A few guys tried to dance closer, smiling like they thought they had a chance with a Vance girl. I didn’t stop them. Not yet.