Chapter 39: BUT THE NUMBNESS DIDN’T LAST LONG.
Chapter 40
Lumi
Ren slowly lifted his head.
The moment his dark eyes locked onto me, his entire body went dead rigid.
His gaze didn’t just look at me; it swept down my body like a physical touch, tracking the bare skin of my collarbones, the way the silk clung to the curve of my waist, and the long line of my leg exposed by the sharp slit of the dress.
Ren immediately raised a dark brow, his jaw clenching so hard a sharp muscle ticked in his cheek.
The glass in his hand remained perfectly still, his eyes darkening until they looked almost pitch black.
The silence in the room stretched out, thick and heavy with a sudden, suffocating heat. My hands trembled against my sides as I waited, breathless and terrified, to hear exactly what he was going to say in front of his sister.
For a terrifying second, I thought he was going to order me to go back inside and change. Or worse...tell Neve exactly why he didn’t want me wearing this in public.
Instead, he slowly tore his eyes away from my chest, looking over at his sister. He casually raised one broad shoulder, a completely relaxed, indifferent gesture that completely contradicted the dangerous intensity burning in his eyes.
"It’s fine," he rumbled, his deep voice sounding a little rougher, a little more grated than usual. "It looks okay. Let’s just go."
Neve let out a triumphant laugh, turning to give me a smug look. "See? Even Ren thinks it’s fine, and he takes forever to approve of anything. Case closed. Grab your coat, Lumi, we’re leaving."
I couldn’t move. I just stood there, staring at Ren as he turned his back to us to set his water glass down on the counter.
My skin felt like it was on fire where his eyes had lingered. He had downplayed it perfectly for Neve, but the raw intensity I had seen in his expression just a second ago told me a completely different story.
But then, why do I need his approval. I can wear whatever I want and whatever or however he feels has nothing to do with me.
We all headed out into Ren’s car, Neve insisted that he’d be out personal driver.
The club was a sensory assault. The moment we stepped inside, a wall of thumping bass hit my chest, making my heart vibrate against my ribs.
The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfume, sweat, and smoke. Flashing colored lights cut through the darkness, blinding me for a second.
The moment we got through the crowd, Ren didn’t try to crowd us. He looked down at Neve and then at me, his expression completely blank.
"I’m going to see some guys over there," he said, gesturing toward a private lounge area across the room. "You ladies have fun."
I watched him walk away, his broad shoulders cutting through the crowd effortlessly.
A sharp, unexpected stab of jealousy hit my stomach. My mind immediately went to Victoria.
Was she here? Was he meeting her? The thought of him with her made my blood boil with a mixture of anger and deep hurt.
"Hey," Neve said, bumping her shoulder against mine as we sat at a high table. "Forget about him, I don’t know why he’s like that. Let’s get a drink."
"Yes," I said, my voice tight. "Let’s do just that."
I wanted to numb the pain. I wanted to drown the image of Ren walking away from me.
When the bartender brought over a tray of dark, strong shots, I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed the first glass and threw it back, the liquid burning a hot trail down my throat.
Neve cheered, catching my energy. Trying to be completely supportive of my mood, she picked up her own glass and drank with me.
"That’s my girl!" she laughed, ordering another round.
One shot turned into three. Then four.
I knew I was exceeding my limit. I could feel the room spinning slightly, the edges of my vision blurring as the alcohol rushed through my system.
But I genuinely didn’t care. Callum was out there somewhere in the world, living his best life, completely unbothered by the damage he had caused me.
Why should I sit in a dark corner and cry? Everyone else in this room was having fun. So would I.
Suddenly, Neve’s phone buzzed in her hand. She looked down at the screen, and her entire face completely changed. Her eyes went wide, and a gasp left her lips. She grabbed my arm, squeezing it tightly.
"Lumi! Oh my god, he’s here!" she yelled over the loud music.
I blinked, my brain foggy from the alcohol. "Who? Who is here?"
"My boo!" she squealed, her face flushing with pure excitement.
I frowned, trying to think. "Your boss? But... isn’t he supposed to be in New York?"
"Yes!" Neve cried, shaking her head in disbelief.
"I sent him a text this morning just mentioning that I might come to this club tonight.
He responded normally, so I didn’t think anything of it. I had no idea he booked a flight immediately just to meet me here! He just texted me. He’s outside in the VIP lobby right now!" She said blushing uncontrollably.
"Go!" I said immediately, pushing her shoulder gently. A warm smile broke across my face despite the alcohol. "Neve, go to him right now! He flew across the country for you."
Neve hesitated, looking at me with a worried expression. "But Lumi... I can’t just leave you and I don’t even know where Ren went to. I was the one who brought up the whole idea of going out tonight. I don’t want to abandon you."
"You are not abandoning me," I insisted, my voice slurring just a tiny bit, though I tried to keep it steady. "You need to spend time with him. He came all this way for you. Go!"
"At least let me find Ren," Neve said, looking around the crowded room anxiously. "You look a little tipsy, Lumi. I’ll tell him he needs to take you home right now."
"No, don’t do that," I said quickly, grabbing her hand to stop her. The last thing I wanted was for Ren to look at me with pity or judgment.
"I am completely okay. Ren is having fun over there with his friends. Don’t ruin his night either."
I stood up, holding onto the edge of the table for a brief second to steady my balance.
"Go with your man, Neve. I’m just going to go to the floor and dance a little bit before I head back to the apartment. I’ll take a cab. I promise."
Neve looked at me for another long second, torn between her loyalty to me and the man waiting outside for her.
Finally, love won. She leaned in, kissed my cheek quickly, and yelled something over the music.
But my ears were ringing so loudly from the bass and the alcohol that I couldn’t even make out what she said. I just nodded and waved her away.
The moment she disappeared through the crowd, I turned toward the dance floor. The flashing lights seemed to move in slow motion.
I didn’t want to think about custody battles, the Reed Building, or anything. I just wanted to move. If Callum could move on so easily, so could I. He actually already moved on while I foolishly thought I was married to the love of my life.
A stupid laugh escaped my throat.
A little fun wasn’t going to hurt anyone. I promise no one would get hurt.
I walked straight into the middle of the crowded dance floor, letting the music take over my body.
After a few minutes, I felt a shadow fall over me. I turned my head slightly and saw a man coming toward me through the dark. He was handsome, with a confident smile, stepping directly into my personal space.
The old Lumi...the careful, guarded woman who was always worried about what people would say...would have glared at him and chased him away instantly.
But this new Lumi, the one who was tired of being good and tired of being hurt, actually didn’t care. I didn’t care about anything tonight.
I turned my back to him, closing my eyes as the heavy beat of the music dropped. I stepped closer, grinding my hips back against him, letting the green silk of my dress brush against his clothes.
His large hands came up immediately, gripping the bare skin of my waist to hold me against him. The touch was unfamiliar, but I didn’t complain. I didn’t push him away.
Just for today, I told myself, letting my head fall back as the room spun. Just for tonight, let me have some fun.
The heat of the stranger’s hands on my waist was completely different from what I expected.
It didn’t spark that intense, electrical jolt I felt whenever Ren touched me. It just felt heavy and solid, a grounding anchor while the world spun around me in a blur of green silk and strobe lights.
I kept moving against him, my eyes closed tight, letting the loud music fill my head until there was no room left for thoughts.
I didn’t want to think about Callum’s betrayal, my son across the ocean, or the fact that I was completely losing control.
For the first time in years, I was just a woman dancing in a club, entirely detached from her own messy life.
But the numbness didn’t last long.
Suddenly, the air around us went completely freezing cold. The easy, rhythmic movement of the crowd shifted, people subtly backing away as if an invisible predator had just stepped onto the floor.
Before I could even process what was happening, the hands on my waist were violently ripped away.
