Sick Like Me (Sick Like #1)

Chapter 40

FORTY

Feeling fresh faced and clean after my nap and shower, I stood in front of the full length body mirror in Stefan’s room. I had a set of draws in my room, whereas he had an almost full-wall-length wardrobe in his.

I looked at my reflection, my hands running over my dress. I wore a black body con dress with long sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. The dress reached just mid of my calves, with a subtle slit on the right to allow ease of movement.

The dress was comfortable, and it was one of Stefan’s picks from our shopping expedition from about a fortnight ago. It wasn’t something I would usually wear, the tight material against my skin making me feel self conscious. But the dark colour looked great against my skin and pale hair.

I paired the dress with a pair of strappy high heeled sandals, metallic silver in colour. I wore dangling silver earrings with tiny hearts at the end, and a matching silver bracelet and necklace.

I had decided to keep my hair in loose faint waves, the way my hair always went when I left it to air dry.

For makeup, which was something I didn’t want to wear but Stefan convinced me it would make me ‘ look all the more hotter ’, I wore my basic base routine with the faintest touches of blush on my cheeks. My eyes were much more in your face, a smokey mix of charcoal and deep plum. Somehow, it made my blue eyes all the more brighter.

I kept my lipstick a simple glossy lip oil, not wanting to draw too much attention to myself. My eye look was out of my usual style, and that was as far as I was willing to step over the line for the night.

I thought I looked good, which made me feel great as I wanted to get bonus points up against Gwen. I had full intentions of taking photos of my fit to show off to Kota.

I turned from the mirror and watched as Stefan exit his en-suit. He looked sharp and stylish, but he was always as fashionista in his free time.

Stefan wore a black loose silk shirt, the arms coming to his mid bicep. He wore white trousers, and then black casual shoes that were easy to slip on and off in a drunken state. I noticed his shirt was left open at the top few buttons, giving him a laid back look.

“You know,” I noted as my eyes wandered him up and down. “We almost look like a couple trying to match one another.”

Stefan made a loud gag noise, placing his hand over his mouth for dramatic effect. “God, I love you Ash, but fuck no. I would rather cut my dick off and feed it to a piranha than ever date you.”

I let out a noise that was a mix between a gasp and a laugh, shocked by how fast he shut down the idea of me. But then again, if the roles were reversed and he had said the same to me, I would have done the exact same. We were best friends, and there was no sexual tension or romance between us. No spark, nothing. Just pure humour, banter, and ever lasting support.

Stefan walked over to his bedside table and picked up a silver chain, unclipping it and placing it around his neck before securing it. He moved to stand beside me, checking himself out in the full body mirror.

“I think this bleached buzz cut suits me,” He stated as he raised his hand and rubbed it over his stubbled excuse of hair.

I nodded my head. He was right. While it was never a style I would have liked on a man I was dating, it looked good on him. But then again, with how effortlessly good looking Stefan was, I had no doubt that he could pull anything off.

Stefan went back to his bed again, and picked up his perfume from the bedside table. He sprayed what felt like a dozen sprays all over himself and his hair. I began to cough, the woody cologne suffocating me.

“Fucking hell, are you trying to gas me?” I asked, waving my hand in front of my face as if that would add fresh air to my lungs.

Stefan rolled his eyes and placed the perfume down. “Not sure cedar and bergamot is the usual gas of choice to kill someone.”

I walked to the door of his bedroom, the air much less suffocating. I turned back to him and crossed my arms over my chest. “Are we having lunch first?” I asked.

Stefan was too busy admiring himself in the mirror to even register that I had spoken at first, but after I began to tap my feet on the floor in irritation at his lack of response, he finally registered that he hadn’t spoken and finally shot me a look in the mirror. “I’m not feeling too hungry. We can just grab food later if we get hungry,” He replied, then went back to checking over his outfit for one final time.

He gave himself a final nod and then he turned back to me. He grabbed his phone from the edge of his bed, then he walked over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders lazily. “You got your room card?” He asked, to which I waved my silver clutch bag in the air. He grinned and turned his phone to me, showing the back of his case kept his own key card secure. “Let’s get going then, shall we?”

I nodded in response and then pulled away from him to walk through the door. We left the suite and made our way to the elevator. Once inside, the pressed for the first floor and waited. Once the doors flew open, the scene before me surprised me.

While the lobby had been lively earlier that day, it was nothing compared to the night time. The line of Club Temptation went through the door and I couldn’t see the end in sight. I looked at Stefan, silently asking him if he really wanted to go to the club. But he waved a hand in a relaxed manner as his arm came to rest on my shoulders once again.

“Chillax, Ashy-poo,” He then cringed at his own words. “Ew, no way I am ever calling you that again. Anyway, with our hotel key cards we get priority access. So don’t you worry that pretty little head of yours, got it?”

I let out a laugh as he pulled me to the stairs of the night club. The ban on the right of the stairs looked us up and down. Stefan showed him the key card in his phone case, and the man then gave a singular nod as he used his hand to motion for us to enter.

The music was a muffle in the lobby, but as we descended the stairs, the thumping got louder. As we reached the doors at the bottom, a staff member held them open for us as Ultrabeat’s “Pretty Green Eyes” blasted through the space.

I noticed strobe effect lights in white and orange flashing all over the area, and I noticed Club Temptation Monaco was very, very different from the one back home.

I stepped further into the club, the bass thudding in my chest, each beat syncing with my pulse, reverberating through the crowded space. I felt my lips twitch up in a smile. While I liked the comfort of home, the atmosphere around me was addicting and the music made me want to dance.

As Stefan led me through groups of people, the vibrant orange lights washed over everything, making the sleek, modern decor glow with an almost surreal intensity. Bodies moved in rhythm, a sea of silhouettes swaying and grinding under the hypnotic spell of the music. Laughter and shouts mingled with the thumping beats, buzzing in my ears.

I wished Peyton could have been there with us. She loved a good dance.

Stefan dragged us over to a bar, one I had failed to see through the crowds of people. His height was a great thing in situations like that. He let me push against the back, then he trapped me in with his arms either side me of me. He stood behind me but gave me enough space so that out bodies were not pressed against one another.

“Can I have two Malibu and cokes, and four shots of lemon drop please?” Stefan called over the music, and the bartender gave a single nod before they rushed around the bar to get the requested drinks. They came back seconds later, and Stefan rushed to grab one shot and downed it without flinching.

I picked up the two shots he had gotten for me as he picked up his second shot. I brought one to my lips, tipped my head and downed one shot. I did the same with the second, then placed the glasses on the bar beside Stefan’s.

I then picked my main drink up as did Stefan. I turned in his arms to face him, giving him a smile before taking a sip of the refreshing drink to try to get rid of the taste of tart lemon from my tongue.

I looked around him, scanning the room. While doing so, my eyes found the VIP section of the club. It had to have been three times the size of the one back home, and clearly was very, very popular.

The scent of expensive perfume and sweat mingled in the air, a heady mix that added to the intoxicating atmosphere. I wanted to invite Kota and his friends over, just so I could see the man in a carefree and light hearted manner. He always kept an air of control about him at all times, even when he was busy fucking his fingers or cock inside of me.

I pushed the image away form my mind, then was not the time to be letting my horny thoughts take me over. I took a gulp of my drink, then I looked behind Stefan again. “Shall we go dance?”

Stefan raised his drink to his lips and downed it all without pausing to take a breath, then he let out a sound that was inaudible over the sound of the music. He then placed the glass down on the bar top.

I followed his action, the drink gone in seconds before I grabbed his hand and led him to the dance floor.

It was hard to find a space for us, but we managed to squeeze in. I hated how close strangers bodies were to mine, but I tried to focus on Stefan as the song changed to “Bad Memories” by MEDUZA.

Stefan raised his head to the sky and swayed his body to the music, closing his eyes. He looked peaceful, free of any thought or concern. I smiled to myself, happy I could help him out for a night.

He seemed to be going off the wagon. I doubted it had started with the breakup with Peyton, though. He had been hiding something from us for a long time before then. It wasn’t my place to dig into it.

Several drinks and shots later, and I fount myself not caring about strangers bumping into me. I had lost Stefan, but I felt somehow fine with that. I knew he would be smart enough not to do anything dangerous… Well, more so hoped he was smart enough.

The music thumped loudly and I felt the buzz on the dance floor, through my feet into the core of my body. It was electrifying, and terrifying all at once. Usually, I hated crowded spaces, but I suspected that all the alcohol buzzing through my veins helped me lose all sense of self consciousness .

I threw my arms up as I swayed my body to the music, my most recent drink tight in one of my hands. I had no clue what it was, some cocktail concoction the bartender promised I would love.

The music made me feel like I was getting away from everything, forgetting all my stress and worries. I was no one, just like everyone else at the club. I didn’t have a boyfriend who I wanted to ends thing with, only for him to keep clinging onto me. I didn’t have a best friend likely having a mental breakdown.

And I wasn’t in love with a man who would never be mine.

Stefan came into view as he danced around the room, not able to stay in once place. He had drank at least twice as much as I had, and he had certainly made out with at least a dozen women by that time. He even almost got into a fight as a man saw him talking to his girlfriend, but the enigmatic Stefan managed to calm the situation down like a super power.

I silently promised myself I would keep an eye out for him just in case he ended up going back to a strangers place at the end of the night.

As I danced, Stefan disappearing from view between crowds of people once again, I felt a body brush against my back, then I felt hands snake around my sides to land on the front of my body to pull me close to the stranger.

I gave them no attention, continuing to dance. They kept their hands in place and didn’t dare to let them wander, so a little dancing felt harmless to me. If Owen had seen it, he may have had a different opinion on the matter. But Owen wasn’t there, and I didn’t give two fucks about hurting him.

“You know, I could have been anyone,” An all too familiar deep voice spoke into my ear, causing my body to jump.

I turned in the stranger’s arms, only to find he wasn’t a stranger.

Dakota Vernon.

I watched as his green eyes snaked their way up and down my body, and I felt my mouth turn dry. His lips turned up at the corners in a slight smirk. “Who are you all dressed up for, pretty girl?”

I stuttered, finding it hard to decide what to say in my drunken state. However, at seeing him, I felt as if I had sobered up dramatically. “What are you doing here?” I finally managed to find the strength to speak.

Kota shrugged a shoulder and grinned, a sight that had been rare but made my heart flutter. “Just wanted to come out and check the place out. Heard this is one of the best nightclubs in the area.”

I nodded slowly, my eyes to daring to ghost over what he had chosen to wear in his down time. I had only ever seen him in ‘work out; clothes which were easy to remove just before we had sex, or his work suits which I had at one point believed them to be part of his skin.

I noticed he had chosen to wear navy shorts, white Vans, and a pale pinky orange cotton shirt with the top few buttons undone. He still held that businessman aura about him, however he looked a little more carefree which seemed evident by the smile that reached his eyes.

“You look great,” He offered me a compliment, to which my eyes shot up to stare into his own to debate if he was being serious, or trying to take the piss out of me. But the lack of cocky smirk revealed he may just have been serious.

I swallowed, then I remembered the existence of Gwen.

“What about that girl you were with on the plane? Is she here?” I asked, to which he scrunched his face up.

“Gwen?” He asked, and when I gave a single nod, he shook his head and laughed. “God no, she’s such a child. She’s probably already asleep.”

The way he talked about her felt pure and sweet, filled with love. He knew her, better than he knew me. And she knew him. Way better than I felt like I could ever know him .

Dakota Vernon was an enigma, and I sensed that was just how he wanted me to see him. It was like he had a face on—one he hid from the world behind. Why he felt the need to hide from me was a mystery. One I was torn between solving, or leaving alone to forget about within time.

“Who is she to you?” My tongue betrayed me as it spoke the words I wanted to know. I cursed my drunk self, the alcohol flowing my veins apparently making me feel invincible to say whatever was on my mind.

I didn’t expect an answer from him. He only replied to me when it served him a purpose—a benefit. But surprisingly he replied.

“I’ve known her for years. Our families are close friends,” Sure, his response was minimal, but it was more than I had been expecting.

“She’s pretty,” I replied, trying to see if he would take the bait or not.

He nodded slowly. “Sure, she is,” He replied, and I felt my stomach drop.

“Are you dating her?” I asked, to which he shrugged a shoulder lazily.

“Not really, but I’m not opposed to the idea,” His words continued to hit me where it hurt, feeling like daggers were being thrown into my back at every word he said.

I knew I should have quit the questioning, I was digging myself into an early grave. But I couldn’t stop. “Then why aren’t you with her right now?”

He rolled his eyes. “I wanted to go out and have some fun on my first night here, I didn’t want to stay in and sleep. Fuck that. I’m only here for a week, I want to live in the nightlife.”

I wanted to fucking hit him. He was annoying me. But then again, I was asking questions and all he was doing was answering them. I supposed I should have been happy he was even willing to speak with me .

“I should probably go and find Stefan,” I replied, looking around us to find many groups of people, my best friend nowhere to be found.

“Come on,” Kota yelled over the music, pulling my attention back to him. I felt my eyebrows furrow as I looked into his eyes that looked so dark in the lighting, they almost looked black. “Stay with me for the night.”

I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. I opened my mouth to reply.