Playing With Fire

Chapter3

"I have to go," I said to Rosalia as I hailed a cab to the hotel room. She and Santiago had helped me book the nearest flight to Los Angeles, where the wedding was happening, and booked a room for the few days I would be staying for my private investigation.

How hard could it be to stop a wedding?

The distance wasn't far and it seems like a popular hotel. The ambience was classy and everyone seemed nice. My room was by far the nicest I had seen. I hurriedly arranged my clothes in the closet and headed to the bathroom. I was tired and desperately in need of rest. I ordered room service and enjoyed the plate of chicken salad, before going to bed.

My sleep was interrupted by the chill temperature of the room. That's when I remembered I had to call Maxwell, the guy that Rosalia's colleague knew. Apparently, he was part of the wedding planners.

"It's Joanna," I told him on the phone.

"Oh."

"You don't remember?" I asked as I noticed the tone of his voice.

"No, um…I am a bit busy right now." He said to me.

"Oh. You are in a meeting?" I asked, noticing the sound of loud music in the background.

"No, we were done hours ago. Made friends and chose to go out for drinks." He revealed as I frowned.

"Right."

"You know what…why don't you join us?" He added. My smile beamed as I asked, "Like now?"

"Yeah, why not?" He assured me.

"Are you sure?" I asked unsure of how socializing with his new friends would seem.

"Yeah, the guys seem pretty cool and I know you must have been bored out of your mind." He said as I laughed.

"You don't even know the half of it," I told him.

"Alright, come downtown. There is a classy nightlife club, RISQUÉ SYMPH." He informed me.

"Downtown LA?"

"Yeah! Wear something sexy." He said excitedly as I agreed.

"Sure. I'll call you when I get there."

I didn't have fancy clothes, but was sure I threw in something short and skimpy.

The first dress Rosalia gifted me after graduation. It had a low neckline and stopped below my buttnow.. I wore my black heels after applying light makeup and packing my long blonde hair in a ponytail. I decided to ditch my scrunchie and let my long hair loose. I curled it and applied scented oil to make the blonde color shine and scent nice. Maxwell thought I was some talented designer who needed a rich network for my business and chose to help me get into the wedding team for the biggest wedding of the year. I had to look the part.

"Hey, beautiful." That was the first interaction I had as soon as I stepped into the club. It reeked of smoke and alcohol.

"Sorry, I have to go." I muttered under my breath as the drunk man followed me.

"Why so soon?" He asked as he staggered close to me. I pushed his hand away and backed away.

"Ew, back off." He grabbed my arm tightly and pulled me close to him.

"No. I got you first."

"Let me go," I told him sternly. He laughed and his hot smelling breath fanned across my face. I scrunched my nose in disgust.

"Dance with me baby, stop being such a bitch."

"Dammit, I said let go," I exclaimed angrily and pulled my arm out of his grip. The force pushed me backwards and I fell onto the lap of a stranger.

"Ow," I mumbled while rubbing my arm.

"I am not interested. Lousy method of seduction, I might add." The stranger said as I looked at him in confusion. This section was dark and he seemed like a rich man because of the expensive wine on the table.

"What?" I asked as I attempted to stand up without revealing my butt.

"Instead of lap dances, use your pole." He said as he gestured to the pole in the middle.

"I don't —" I began before he stuffed some cash into my dress.

"Here. You don't have to thank me." He shrugged as he sipped his wine.

"What is this?" I asked after grabbing the cash from my bra.

"Too small…fine, anything for you to leave." He responded arrogantly as he brought out a wad of cash. My eyes widened as he realized the misunderstanding.

"I don't need your money," I told him abruptly as I stood. He sighed in frustration and looked at me with disdain.

"I am not interested in your services. w***e around with another person." He stated as I gasped.

"What…you think…you actually…I am not a stripper, you piece of s**t!"I snapped angrily as I flung the cash in my hand onto his face.

"How dare you?" He asked as he looked at me with surprise on his face before grabbing my wrist.

"You are sick and no one will want to be with you even if you pay them." I spat and hit his other hand angrily. His wine poured on his shirt and he left my wrists.

"Dirty p*****t," I muttered under my breath as I walked out of the section.

"Joanna!" Maxwell exclaimed. I hurriedly walked to him after spending more than ten minutes looking for him.

"Thank goodness, where have you been?" I asked him.

"Right here!" He said excitedly. He sounded tipsy.

"And who is this beauty?" A black American man asked.

"I need to speak to you," I told Maxwell while I ignored the other guy.

"Um…yeah."

"Yes, I want to be on the wedding planning team. Shirley's friend.."

"I am a videographer. Wait…you are the girl Shirley told me about?"He asked me as his eyes raked over my body..

"Bingo."

"Damn…Shirley is cool and I'm sure I can fix you in." He encouraged me.

"I hope so." I mumbled.

"Here, take my number." He said as he dialed the number into my phone.

"You can call me tomorrow morning." He advised as I smiled brightly.

"I will do that," I said hopefully.

"This is better than buying you a drink, I'm sure." He said as I chuckled softly.

"Yes, it is. Thank you."

"Are you…like a thing?" I asked out of curiosity as I noticed the black American checking him out.

"Yes, I'm gay." He stated as I smiled in understanding.

"Are you surprised?" He asked me.

"Well…now, that I think of it, I am not. You are literally the only sane guy I've interacted with since I got here." I revealed as he laughed.

"Today is crowded, I won't lie." He mentioned.

"It is your first time in LA?" He asked me and I nodded positively.

"Hey! Get the lady a glass of Martini." He shouted to the bartender.

"Thanks."

"If you get bored, join us on the dance floor." He said before leaving me alone at the bar.

"Just a martini?" The bartender asked.

"Yes, please."

"Here you go." He gave me the drink after a while.

"Thank you."

"Is it that bad?" I heard a baritone voice at my side. I coughed softly before placing the drink on the table.

"A bit harsh," I admitted and turned to face him.

He was handsome. Very attractive with his casual shirt and black shoulder-length hair. He looked very familiar.

"What can I get you, sir?" The bartender asked him.

"Whatever the lady is having." He replied before turning to smile at me.

He gulped down the drink once as he blinked rapidly at the harsh taste.

"Another please." He told the bartender before turning to ask me "You?"

"No, thank you." I politely rejected. He nodded and gulped down the second glass of the drink after which he requested a third.

I took in his features as he played with the rim of the glass in his hand. Shoulder-length black hair, broad shoulders, sexy jaw line, a fading mark on his wedding finger, and the familiar honey brown eyes I stared at every f*****g day with hate in my heart.

"Sorry, stressful day." He said to me as he faced me with a light smirk on his face.

My hair stood and my body became on alert as I realized who he was.

Lucas f*****g King.

"I can relate." I said between my gritted teeth.

"You can?" He asked me in surprise.

"Yeah, got fired today, my things got stolen and this is my first day in the city." I lied blatantly as he frowned.

"Wait…I am sorry." He apologized as I scoffed inwardly.

"Yeah, no kidding," I muttered under my breath.

"Well, I can make your day better." He offered as I raised my left brow.

"Please don't tell me to dance," I told him as he laughed.

"God, no. I am bad at that." He confessed.

"Same."

"What would you like to do?" He asked me as I frowned.

"I don't honestly know," I answered indecisively. I didn't expect to meet my target so soon.

"Have you eaten?" He asked me. I ate salad before coming here.

"No. I was in a hurry to come here. My mother is sick." I lied again.

"You don't look like you hurriedly dressed up." He mentioned as my bit my lips anxiously. Did he know I was lying?

"Oh."

"I mean you look good…very good to be honest." He complimented and I sighed softly with relief

"I mean…you don't look too bad yourself," I told him. He gave me a nice smile and said, "Let's get you something to eat."

"I don't know…I don't know what I want to eat."

"Very indecisive huh?"He asked me as I nodded.

"Lucky for you, I'm smart enough to think for two. Let's go, I'll surprise you." I nodded and said, "Let me call my friend, first. He has to know I'm leaving."

He nodded in understanding and I moved to a calm corner and texted Santiago, informing him about my first meeting with Lucas.

"Let's go," I said to him as I waited for a reply from Santiago, and received none. He must have gone to bed early.

"You aren't calling him anymore?" He asked me as I shrugged.

"He left a while ago." I lied again.

"You never told me your name." He remarked while he walked me to his car.

"Um…Jo," I responded while admiring his red Porsches

"Short for?"

"Joanna."

"Jojo."

"It's been a long time, since someone called me that." I blurted out as I remembered Jania's nickname for me.

"Good memories, I hope." He said as I looked at him while he walked to the car door with burning hate.

"Yeah."

Good memories, he f*****g tainted.

"Get comfortable." He told me as he opened the car door for me to enter.

"Thanks."

"What is your name?" I asked him.

"Lucas." He responded and my fists clenched by my side.

"Hm."

"What happened?" He asked me as I shook my head and turned away from him.

I held my desire to punch his face.

"It suits you." I lied as he chuckled.

"It suits your tongue better." He remarked as I raised my brow and the Ed to him.

Was he flirting?

"Where are we going?" I asked him and he answered, " My home."

"If you aren't comfortable, I will stop, and we can turn back." He added as he noticed the shock on my face.

"No, that's not it…I just thought we were going to eat, like in a restaurant." I said softly.

Going to his house was not advisable.

Unfamiliar grounds where the enemy had full control. But, I

needed more information on him.

"We are going to eat. But, I will cook." He explained as I nodded.

I needed to do this, for Jania.