Jade stumbled slightly as she turned, the pounding bass of the club vibrating through her bones. The strobe lights were blinding, streaks of red, blue, and white dancing across the room, disorienting her further. She barely registered the collision until she heard a familiar voice.
“Well, well, well.”
Her breath hitched. Jade’s eyes shot up, and for a moment, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It wasn’t just one person—it was three. Milan, Thiago, and Enzo stood there, a sight that stole the air right from her lungs. They were disheveled, their shirts slightly rumpled and their dark hair mussed like they’d been running their hands through it all night. And yet, somehow, they still looked maddeningly perfect.
Milan was the first to move, his eyes raking over her in a way that made her skin prickle. His gaze slid down her black dress, lingering far too long before dragging back up to meet her wide, startled eyes. The smirk on his face deepened.
“Jade.” Milan’s voice was rich and smooth, like dark velvet. “Look at you.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Thiago, standing just behind Milan, grinned broadly as he leaned a little closer, his hair tumbling over his forehead. “We’re seeing things, right?”Enzo didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. The look in his eyes said it all. His arms were crossed, a lazy sort of confidence in his posture, but his gaze hadn’t moved from her face since the moment she turned around.
Jade swallowed hard. She could feel their stares like heat against her skin. Before she could collect herself, Mia leaned in close and whispered, “They’re drooling over you, girl.”
Jade whipped her head toward her best friend, her cheeks flaming. “Mia!” she hissed under her breath, giving Mia a quick slap on the arm. “Cut it out.”
Mia just grinned shamelessly, winking at her. “I’m just saying what we’re all thinking.”
Jade turned back to the trio, trying to regain some semblance of composure. Her hands fidgeted by her sides as Milan’s smirk widened, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction. He tilted his head slightly, his gaze still locked onto her.
“You should come sit with us,” he said smoothly, his voice carrying easily over the thumping music.
Jade opened her mouth to decline, desperate to escape the dangerous pull of their attention, but before she could even form the word “no,” Mia piped up, beaming like she’d just won the lottery.
“Yes, we will!” she said enthusiastically, grabbing Jade’s arm before Jade could protest.
Jade’s jaw dropped. “Mia—what? No—”
“It’ll be fun!” Mia chirped, dragging her along toward the VIP booth where Milan, Thiago, and Enzo had clearly set up for the night. “You need to loosen up anyway.”
Jade shot her an exasperated look, muttering under her breath, “I am loose. Looser than you, apparently.” But her protests fell on deaf ears. Mia was already leading the way, practically skipping.