Naomi Velez
The bar throbbed with a low, gritty sound. Neon lights flickered over sticky floors, and the air was thick with cigarette smoke and a sense of hopelessness.
I moved through the crowd, my boots hitting the wooden floor, my eyes focused on Viper in the corner. There he was, hunched over a laptop, his geeky frame a stark contrast to the surrounding chaos—high cheekbones, tousled hair, that smirking smile I’d seen in his company photo. Darian’s tech expert. My ticket to unraveling the mess Maria was drowning in.
My heart raced as I felt a heavy weight in my chest. I have always protected Maria since we were kids—standing up for her and keeping dangers away. Now, she was getting lost in Darian Wolfe’s world, and I had pushed her into that gala night, into his circle. I felt guilt
