Chapter 3 Collateral Damage

VALENTINA'S POV

"Wait," I said, breaking the silence. "Heartspade's Hospital? I know it." My voice came out louder than I intended, earning a few glances from nearby tables. "I mean, who doesn't? It's one of the biggest in the city. And this club is called Ace of Spades..." I trailed off, narrowing my eyes at him. "Plus, your last name is Spade. That's not just a coincidence, is it?" I asked, arching a brow and gesturing downward with my finger.

Christian nodded casually as if it didn't matter much. "My younger brother owns this club," he said, his tone nonchalant. "He's the social one in the family. Dragged me out tonight, then bailed the second we walked in." His annoyance was subtle, but it was there.

Without thinking, I reached for one of the tumblers in front of him, brought it to my lips, and downed the liquor inside. The burning sensation tickled my throat, but I didn't care.

"Thank you for the drink," I said politely, flashing him a small smile.

"That drink was actually for my brother," he replied with a grin. "I was going to get you another one, but you're welcome anyway." He chuckled and downed his own drink. "Woah, that's so harsh on the throat!" he exclaimed loudly.

I couldn't help but smile tightly. Maybe it's his first time drinking alcohol too, I thought.

"Your younger brother wants you to have fun, while my older sister is against it. What a world we live in," I said, shaking my head.

Christian sighed and shrugged. "Or maybe she's just looking out for you. She doesn't want you to get hurt."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I whined, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "I'm an adult. I can take care of myself... you know what, just forget I said anything," I joked nervously, trying to mask my slip-up. He chuckled softly, easing the tension, and I inwardly sighed in relief. I'm not about to start sharing my life story with a stranger.

Suddenly, a strange sensation began to creep over me. My guts began to heat up. Like a furnace fueled by coal, it rose and spread across each of my skin. It was a strange feeling, was it the drink? Did he mix it with something else?

The room suddenly felt hot, the heat becoming unbearable. I tugged at the fabric of my strapless black midi-length flared dress, its lack of sleeves was meant to keep me cool... Yet here I was, sweating profusely.

This is why I don't accept freebies from strangers.

Christian noticed my discomfort. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, in a low and concerned voice. His hand brushed against my thigh accidentally, and he quickly withdrew it, his expression apologetic.

But to my surprise... and confusion... I found myself wishing he hadn't pulled away. I wanted his hand in them. I began to crave his touch which was weird because I was never the one to have sexual thoughts about a stranger.

"You're hot," he hissed. "I mean literally, not-" He paused, visibly flustered. "Not in a weird way. Are you okay, though?"

His concerns were making it hard for me to focus on other things aside from him. My eyes trail down from his striking blue orbs to his nose and finally to his rosy lips. They looked soft and succulent under the light. I was so lost in my imagination that I didn't notice him calling out to me.

"Valentina? Valentina?"

His voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I jerked upright, blinking rapidly. "Yes," I answered, my voice low and thick with an unfamiliar lust.

His face tilted slightly, concern etched into his features. "Are you okay? You're sweating and breathing hard. Do you need us to leave? I can give you a ride home," he offered.

I agreed almost immediately, not caring that he was a stranger I had just met.

"Alright then, let's get you out of here."

He stood up from the stool, leaning over to exchange a few words with the bartender. I couldn't make out what he said, but the bartender nodded his head in agreement. Christian turned back to me, stepped closer, and wrapped my bare shoulders with his jacket before helping me up.

The moment his hands touched my skin, I hissed softly at the unexpected warmth of his fingers on my burning flesh. His firm grip steadied me as I wobbled on shaky legs. Slowly and carefully, he guided me out of the dimly lit club, toward his car. He unlocked the doors, led me to the passenger's seat, fastened the seat belt over me, and closed the door. My weak eyes watched him run to the other side of the door.

The strong scent of his cologne filled the car, intensifying the turmoil coursing through my body. My skin felt like it was on fire, and my pulse raced uncontrollably. It was as though my body was screaming for his touch. My mind spun with dark thoughts. Did he spike my drink?

Is this how it happens?

Raped in a small car by a rich man's son? Taylor is going to be so mad

A bitter thought crossed my mind. If that's the case, I might as well make money off it. He can't have my body for free.

"What did you do to me?" I asked, my voice strained and my heart pounding in my chest.

"Huh?" he asked, looking confused.

"Cut the crap you,,, you jerk, i... it was after I took your drink that I started feeling like this. You drugged me on purpose, didn't you? To rape me right?" I blurted out, watching as his body froze. "Well, you can't have free sex. Drop some bills, let's get this over with... and please, use a condom, I don't want to contact whatever disease you have." i said, but it didnt sound like me.

Ohh God, I must really be out of my mind.

"W...What? what do you mean?" He wanted to start the car but he paused and turned his head sharply to look at me. "Use a condom? Do you think I want to have sex with you? I promise you Valentina, I didn't spike your drink." He explained, before turning back toward the dashboard, muttering under his breath as if to calm himself, but then paused. His hand hovered over the ignition.

"Is it just me, or is it getting really hot in here?" he asked suddenly, reaching for the air conditioning and turning it on full blast.

I frowned in confusion. "Were you drugged too?" My surprise was genuine and then it clicked....

The drinks.

"Your brother must have pulled a huge one on you, and I ended up as collateral damage," I said, my words coming out in short, hard breaths.

The burning sensation was unbearable now, as though my core was on fire, consuming me entirely. I leaned my head back against the seat, my body trembling. "I feel so hot," I whispered, my voice laced with desperation. "So hot... and so turned on."

A throbbing discomfort settled between my thighs, a relentless spark that grew stronger every time I glanced at Christian. It was humiliating, but the drug had taken over, overriding my sense of control. This wasn't me... this couldn't be me.

I needed relief from this suffering.

I turned my head weakly to face Christian, he was becoming worse by the minute. He had loosened his tie from his collar and I felt more turned on seeing his skin. Christian reached for a water bottle behind his seat, his hot breath grazed my face and I felt even worse.

"Christian," I whispered slowly. He paused and brought his gaze to my countenance. Our gaze locked into each other's, the silence made our heavy breathing audible to our ears. My eyes left his, tracing its way to his rosy lips.

My head began moving forward to his face, and with my eyes still on the lips, I drew closer till there was no space between our faces. His breath was hot against my skin. I gazed at him from under my eyelashes to meet his gaze. He opened his mouth to say something but I shut him up with a kiss.

Christian pulled back slightly, his breath mingling with mine. "We shouldn't be doing this, Valentina. We're under the influence," he murmured, his voice low and tinged with uncertainty.

"I'll stop if you want me to," I whispered softly, my voice barely audible, yet heavy with desire.

Christian hesitated for a moment, his gaze searching mine, and then he leaned in again, the world outside fading into oblivion as I allowed myself to be swept off by the moment. The kiss deepened by the minutes, it was electric, fueling the heat between us and I found myself responding with a hunger that surprised me, my body pressed against him as though he was a magnet. His hands were everywhere, tracing paths of fire on my skin, I was completely consumed by the moment.

I moved closer to him, straddling his lap as I settled onto his thighs. Our clothes were discarded carelessly, forgotten in the heat of the moment. The world outside, the club, and everything else faded into irrelevance as we moved together on the carseat.

My back pressed against the steering wheel, and it let out a loud honk, breaking the silence of the car.

Christian chuckled softly between kisses, his breath warm against my skin. "Hold on," he murmured, reaching down to recline the seat. The steering wheel retreated, creating space between it and me, allowing us to continue undisturbed.

His laugh was infectious, and for a moment, everything felt wild, reckless, and completely out of control-but I didn't want to stop.

Every touch, every kiss was a manifestation of the drug in our system. We moved together on the couch, a dance of desire and needs. Seconds turned into minutes, the night an endless train of whispered names and shared breaths. I surrender myself completely, giving myself over to the pleasures that overwhelmed me in his arms.

If only I had known that this moment would mark the beginning of something far darker than I could have ever imagined.