“Are you too chicken for another shot?” I dare him instead.

“Alcohol doesn’t help, Aaliya.”

“True that! But it does numb things for a little while. So, are you in or not?”

He dips his head and orders another round of shots, which I knock back. My mood soars and my confidence returns ten-fold. Fuck everything that has happened to me! Tonight, for just one night, I’m going to be a regular girl out with a friend and having a good time. I bob my head to the music and we hit the dance floor soon after. I raise my hands up in the air and move my hips to the pulsating music, feeling free.

We dance together for several minutes until Jonathan twirls me once, then twice and my head spins. The song changes and we return to our table.

“I need to use the ladies’ room. I’ll be back soon,” I tell him before heading in the direction of the washrooms.

A few minutes later, when I leave the ladies’ room, I spot a couple making out in the corner, their hands and mouths all over each other. Looking at them makes my heart burn. I shove my hair out of my face, breathing hard. I want to hit Damien right now for forgetting me, for not loving me enough to remember me. Without thinking, I take my phone out of my purse and call him. The phone rings and rings.

Damien

“YOU’RE A JERK AND I...I hate you,” Aaliya speaks even before I can say hello.

“Aaliya...” I start to say, but she interrupts.

“Not a word from you, Damien. I’m the one talking now and you’re listening,” she yells against the loud music blaring in the background. “I think I’m drunk enough to give you a piece of my mind.”

“Wait what? You’re drunk?”

Ignoring my question, she continues, “You hurt me yesterday with your racist comments and your indecent proposition. What we shared was special, but you pretended I didn’t mean anything to you, that I wasn’t good enough to be with you because you’re a Duke. What does that even mean? What’s so special about being a Duke? Seems to me you only have a fucking title and truckloads of more money to spend than I do. What gives you the right to think you’re better than me in any way? Because you’re not, you hear me. You are nasty and cruel and despicable.”

I shut my eyes and lean against the wall of my bedroom.

I hurt her!