A Burning Impulse

Chapter 2

“Eclipse!” Jane, my other best friend and the bachelorette party’s host, exclaimed as I stepped into the club.

As Lilith mentioned, Jane had booked the entire venue. I only saw a few bar staff and waiters besides us.

“Am I late? I tried to leave the meeting early, but the client was important, and I couldn’t get away in time,” I said, feeling guilty about my tardiness.

“Girl, you’re only five minutes late! Five! And even if you’d arrived twenty hours later, we’d have waited. I wouldn’t have my bachelorette without you,” she smiled, then her gaze traveled down my body, her smile fading as she looked at my clothes. “Darling, you look like a sexy businesswoman, as always, but you could’ve ditched the suit for today.”

“You know I only own suits and boring dresses. The suit seemed more appropriate than anything else I have. At least I didn’t turn up looking like a grandma,” I joked, and she chuckled.

“I should be thankful for that,” she joked back.

“Yeah.” I looked away and greeted my other close friends, missing the mischievous smirk on Jane’s face.

“Oh, my! I forgot. Eclipse, can you help me change? I feel this dress isn’t pretty enough,” Jane pouted. Not thinking much of it, I followed her into one of the private rooms. Jane quickly blocked and locked the door, smirking at me. “Change into this.”

She shoved a dress into my hands, unlocked the door, and locked it from the outside, saying, “You’d better be quick, or I’ll come in and dress you myself.”

At her warning, I sighed and put on the dress. Knowing her, she wouldn’t hesitate to strip me and dress me, which I wanted to avoid.

The dress she prepared wasn’t modest or revealing; it was sensual, if that’s a way to describe clothing. It hugged my curves and showed just enough skin. A thigh-high slit added an edge, showing off my legs and the heels Jane had paired with the dress.

“I’m dressed,” I said, and Jane instantly unlocked the door, gasping dramatically.

“Should I cancel my wedding and marry you instead?” she wondered, scanning me from head to toe.

“Ladies, look at this beautiful woman. Isn’t she the most gorgeous woman ever?”

My friends agreed and cheered.

“You’re exaggerating,” I said, brushing off her comment as an attempt to hype me up. At my response, her face fell. She closed the distance between us, grasped my shoulders, and looked me in the eyes.

“You’re gorgeous, Eclipse. Don’t ever doubt that,” she said, making sure I understood she was serious.

Her comment made me wonder when I’d stopped seeing myself as beautiful. I knew I was, but my confidence had plummeted after what happened with Mason.

“Am I?” I asked doubtfully, looking at myself in the mirror. “I only see a dull woman.”

“And I see a woman with unlimited charm,” she said. “This one was bad luck, but one day you’ll meet a man who’ll admire your special charm and worship you like a lord.”

“That day will never come,” I declared.

“You never know, honey,” she smiled.

“Now, straighten up and own the night, girl.” Her words instantly cheered me up.

“You have a way with words. That’s a given, considering you’re a journalist and your words affect everyone,” I laughed, looking at the tired woman with dark circles under her eyes in the mirror, wondering what she found beautiful. A few years ago, I would have believed her, but my divorce changed me for the worse.

“Those aren’t just words. Cut yourself some slack and see your beauty. I’d spend millions to look like you. You should thank your genes for that perfect beauty. Dang, now I’m jealous. It’s infuriating how you don’t see how beautiful you are, but you leave everyone around you stunned by your ethereal beauty,” she rambled on until Lilith interrupted.

“Are you planning to spend the whole night in there?” Lilith chuckled, adding, “And Jane’s right. It’s infuriating how clueless you are about your beauty. I’ve been close to turning gay many times in your presence.”

“Oh, please, stop exaggerating. You only have Sam in your heart,” I teased, making her blush.

“You’re terrible,” she huffed, stomping toward the bar area, making me laugh as I followed. Jane chuckled and joined us.

“Why is she walking like the Hulk?” my friend Aratrika asked when she saw Lilith stomping toward the bar.

“Who are you calling the Hulk?” Lilith growled at Aratrika.

“My, no one resembles him more than you,” Aratrika smirked. Lilith growled but remained silent. She knew she couldn’t win against a well-known lawyer. She’d only walk into Aratrika’s trap and embarrass herself.

“Stop it, girls. The male strippers are about to come out,” Jane announced, gaining everyone’s attention. Shortly after, the strippers entered, barely covered. I averted my gaze, my face turning red.

Their minimal clothing was more seductive than being naked. Their hard physiques were outlined by their small thongs. I have to admit, Jane had chosen them well.

“I’ll watch from afar, but you girls enjoy yourselves,” Jane chuckled, raising her glass.

“We sure will,” Lilith drooled, taking photos from every angle.

We spent hours in the club, leaving only when we were tipsy.

“I know that club,” Aratrika said as we left. We’d decided to get ice cream before heading to Jane’s house, and Aratrika stopped, pointing at a building.

“What club is that?” Jane asked curiously.

“I’ve heard of it too,” Lilith commented.

“Tell us more. It looks different from a regular club,” Jane said.

“That’s because it’s not a regular club. It’s a hangout for rich folks who enjoy indulging in wild pleasures,” Aratrika explained.

“Yeah, I’ve heard things get pretty uninhibited there,” Lilith added, piquing our interest. We looked at each other, thinking the same thing: we had to check it out.

We entered the club, where a receptionist asked for our identification. Only after providing our information and jobs were we allowed inside. We were greeted by a woman wearing only a thong and a choker.

“Have you been here before?” she asked politely, unfazed by our shock.

“Ah, yes,” I replied, snapping out of it. The woman secretly checked me out, her smile widening.

“Did you come for the experience?” she asked, focusing on me.

“Yes—I mean, no, we’re just looking around,” I stammered, unsure how to react. The woman was gorgeous, and she was looking at me with intense interest.

“Would you like a partner to show you around?” she asked.

“No,” I said.

“Perfect,” she whispered, looking at my curves.

“Excuse me,” I stammered.

“Come this way, please,” she smiled, knowing I’d caught her meaning. I smiled awkwardly and followed her.

She led us to a door and said, “Walk through this door and enjoy the show,” then walked away, giving me a suggestive look.

“She was ready to eat you alive,” Lilith whispered.

“I know,” I replied.

“She’d have taken her chance if Eclipse had given the green light,” Jane said as we walked through the door and gasped.

I struggled to focus as I looked around the large hall. Now I understood why it was called Sin.

Naked men and women were scattered around the floor, confident in their skin. It was baffling and amazing how comfortable they were, something I couldn’t imagine. They weren’t just walking; many were openly having s*x.

I paused, noticing a man with a woman facing away from him, her legs spread wide. He was fingering her. When he saw me looking, he smirked and whispered something in her ear, making her look at me.

The woman licked her lips and whispered back to the man, checking me out.

Feeling awkward, I turned away, trying to calm my flushed cheeks. The place had a primal energy that stirred my emotions.

“Look at those two hunks. God, that girl is lucky,” Lilith moaned, gaining our attention. She was staring at something with stars in her eyes. Following her gaze, I saw three people.

Several rooms with transparent glass walls lined the hall, like display cases where couples were intimate while others watched.

The room she was looking at had two men and a woman. She was tied to a bench, and the men were engaging in acts with her. She was spread-eagle, positioned so watchers could see everything.

I watched, mesmerized by their coordination and chemistry, until the show ended and I got a good look at the men.

“No way,” I whispered in shock, ducking behind a sofa when they turned toward the onlookers.

"What are they doing here?" I whispered, trying to calm my racing heart. By "they," I meant my ex-husband's older brothers.

I can't believe I was watching my ex-husband's brothers having s*x, and I found it breathtaking, I thought, wondering what was wrong with me.

"I've gone crazy," I muttered to myself, peeking over the sofa to see if they'd left. Just then, Erebus looked over his shoulder, and our eyes met.

"Eeek!" I squeaked, ducking back down, my heartbeat now pounding even louder.

He didn't recognize me, did he? There's no way he could recognize me just from my eyes. Brown eyes are common, so there's no way he could tell it was me.

"Yes, it's impossible," I mumbled to myself, and then I ran. I escaped the club without being caught by them. I hastily informed the girls that I was leaving and practically sprinted to my apartment, though it did nothing to erase what I'd seen in the club. After that night, I was caught in a whirlwind of vivid dreams in which the scene repeated over and over. The problem was that I imagined myself in the girl's place, and I wasn't prepared for the torment that followed those dreams.

~°~