FINDING LUXURY

Bringing her head to rest on the crisp gray pillowcase, Lux let out a happy sigh. Finally, her day was coming to an end. Being a personal chef made life hard sometimes. Hell, it made everything difficult. Having a social life was nearly obsolete. Relationships? Don’t even think about it. The one thing she could count on, though, was the intense feeling of comfort when she climbed in between her blankets. There was no better feeling than clean sheets waiting for their owner.

With a smile on her face, Lux closed her eyes and snuggled in for the day. Her work shift was from 3 a.m. to 11 a.m. She really didn’t mind it, to be honest. Getting up at two in the morning was becoming a natural habit for her. Nobody was on the streets except the clubbers. That’s what you get for living in a college town. Coming home before noon was a good perk, too. She could make doctor’s appointments, do grocery shopping, even get her hair and nails done when most people were at work.

The man she cooked for was wealthy and generous. His hours were strange to most people, but she didn’t mind. Most of his clientele was from Asia, so he tended to work around their schedules. When most people were eating breakfast, Mr. Lowry was indulging in dinner. That was Lux’s favorite meal of the day. She often started cooking entire roasts, chickens, or even racks of lamb at three in the morning. By the time her elaborate dinner was ready, Mr. Lowry was finishing his work. After the staff did a quick clean-up, Lux would meal prep breakfast for him, then head back home. Work-life balance didn’t get much better than this.

Lux felt her body relax as she drifted off to sleep. Just when she was falling deep into her ocean of tranquil blue waters, she heard her name being called out. The slamming of the front door immediately after the howl of her name let her know it was Cora, her roommate.

Taking a quick peek at her cell phone, Lux moaned in frustration. It was only half past three in the afternoon. What was Cora doing home?

“Oh, there you are!” Cora crowed, throwing open Lux’s bedroom door. Jumping up on the mattress, she bounced up and down on her knees in an attempt to wake Lux. “Guess what happened?”

“You got off work early and decided to interrupt my sleep?” Lux griped.

“No, silly. My boss had a family emergency!”

Pulling the pillow over her head, Lux groaned out her response. “Why are you making it sound like a good thing?”

“Because she gave me this!” Cora giggled, holding up a shiny piece of thick black paper.

Peeking out from under the dark cave she made for herself, Lux squinted so she could read the gold-foiled writing. “All it says is The Club.”

“I know! Do you know what this is?”

“Obviously not,” Lux yawned, covering her head once again.

“It’s an invitation into the most exclusive nightclub in the entire state. Possibly the world, even!”

There was a mumble that came from underneath the pillow. Pulling up one of the corners, Cora tried to peer under it. “What was that?”

“I said, tell me how it goes. Now good night!” Lux pulled the pillow out of Cora’s hand and held it down so her roommate couldn’t bother her again.

“What? I’m not going to tell you how it goes! You’re going with me!”

Quickly lifting the pillow off her head, Lux sat up on her elbows and glared at Cora. “Fine. If I agree to go, will you allow me to sleep?”

“Of course! Just be ready by ten. I’ll drive!” Cora bounced off the bed and toward the bedroom door.

“Wait!” Lux called out. “You mean ten tonight? As in six hours from now?”

“Yep! And don’t use work as an excuse. I know for a fact you have the next two days off,” Cora warned.

Screaming into her pillow, Lux privately scolded herself for being a pushover. Why did she agree to go when she didn’t even know what night it was for? All she wanted to do was fall into a deep sleep and wake up tomorrow morning around six. That would be sleeping in for her. Now she had to go to some ultra-private club filled with 'richies' who employed people like her. Might as well pull out the butcher knife and stab it deep within her soul, because that was what tonight was going to be… soul-crushing.

It seemed as if closing her eyes brought about the onslaught of her alarm blaring in her ears. Why did time tick away so quickly when she was sleeping, then drag when she was awake? Her mother always said life wasn’t fair.

How right she was!

Lux had her eyes closed as she and Cora drove through the garment district. If she couldn’t get a full night of sleep, she’d take whatever few minutes she could get.

“How do you know where this place is?” Lux asked again.

“My boss gave me the address and the secret code,” Cora boasted.

“There’s no address on the invite, just the words. None of this makes sense. I think she’s pulling one over on you.”

“Lux! She isn’t that kind of person. Apparently, if you hold this thing under a black light, there’s a number that appears.” Waving her hand in the air as if to dismiss her roommate, Cora showed she was starting to get perturbed. “I don’t have time to explain all this to you. I was busy today making sure I knew where I was going.”

“Whatever,” Lux mumbled into the darkened car.

After a few more turns and a bit of swearing, Cora pulled up in front of what looked like a car park. In the far back was a building with a single bulb hanging over a metal door. Finding a parking spot, Cora jostled Lux awake once again. “We’re here.”

“Here? This is the start of a horror film, not a nightclub!” Lux stepped out into the dark, slamming the car door closed.

“It’s fine! I swear to you, this is the place to be!” Cora scoffed. “Besides, we’re too beautiful to be killed by some serial murderer.”

Peering down at herself, Lux took in her petite frame. She was wearing a spaghetti-strap silver mini dress. The back hung down to sit on her bottom, while the front draped loosely across her chest. The skirt itself was pulled tight, leaving very little to the imagination. Her tall black boots reminded her of a 1960s go-go dancer. It was the reason she bought them.

Cora was dressed in a multi-sequined mini dress of her own. Her blonde hair was curled in perfect waves that hung down her back and over her shoulder. Lux always wished she had her best friend’s hair. Instead, she was stuck with her plain brown, straight hair. It was longer than her friend’s, though. She loved that it hung down the entirety of her back.

Grabbing Lux’s hand, Cora dragged her across the parking lot to the gray brick building with the single lit door. Knocking as hard as she could, Cora waited for someone to open it. A large, bald man wearing a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up answered. “What’s the code?”

“Fireflies fly at night, but not in L.A.”

Lux immediately snickered. What kind of stupid code is that? Cora was going to feel really dumb when this man laughed at her and slammed the door in their faces.

“Down the hall to your right. Welcome in.”

What the hell was happening right now? Lux’s mouth hung open as she stared at the bald man.

Cora grabbed her hand once again and pulled her along. “Do you hear that?” Cora asked as they got closer to the door. “You can hear the music, right?”

Of course she could hear the music. The thump-thump-thumping was unmistakable. What was hard to believe was that this Alice in Wonderland scenario playing out in front of her was actually happening.

Cora pushed against the door to see if it was locked. With every inch that it opened, Lux was even more taken aback.

The darkened club had the largest screen she had ever seen. The DJ wasn’t just playing music but was putting on an entire show. The robot-like hologram moving behind him was some sort of giant three-dimensional image. Every time the music thumped, the robot slammed its fists against the screen as if trying to get out. When the invisible shield finally cracked and fell to pieces, the audience screamed their reaction. The music heightened all around them. Laser lights of all colors began keeping rhythm. Even the robot seemed to be swaying with the music now.

Cora and Lux were frozen in place. This was more than either of them had ever seen in their lives. As they stood side by side, holding hands, a gorgeous man with short, wavy brown hair tapped Cora on the shoulder. “Hey! You want to dance?”

Giving a quick glance to Lux, Cora shrugged her shoulders. “Uhm… I don’t know.”

“Your friend can come too!” he yelled over the music.

Leaning into Cora, Lux loudly relayed her thoughts. “Go! He asked you, not me. I’ll be over at the bar getting a drink.”

“You sure?” Cora asked worriedly.

“I’m sure. Go have fun!”

Heading the opposite way of Cora, Lux stepped up to the busy pub. She waited until one of the young men bartending came over to her. “I’d like an espresso martini, please.”

“Coming right up,” the young man smiled. He gave her a pleasing up-and-down cursory glance before walking away.

Lux knew the key to staying awake long enough to make it through this night was going to take a lot of coffee and keeping her mind off the time. Hopefully the espresso in her drink would do the trick.

Placing the glass down in front of her, the bartender yelled over the music. “That will be $14.50.”

Holy shit! That was a lot of money for one drink. Lux coached herself the minute she heard the total. Don’t act like it’s expensive. Remember, you’re surrounded by rich people. Handing over a twenty-dollar bill, she told the bartender to keep the change.

Turning around, Lux tried to find Cora amongst the throng of dancers. In the middle of the dance floor, she saw her friend’s multi-colored sparkle dress shining against those around her. How could she be mad at Cora for bringing her here? Even though nobody had asked her to dance, she had to admit she was enjoying the music and the show. And just look at Cora. Her roommate was thriving under all the lights. She was truly beautiful.

Sipping on her drink, Lux took a moment to take in the scene. People were jumping and dancing around in the middle of the club. On the outskirts of the dance floor, booths and tables were set up. Most of them were occupied by large crowds. Seeing a set of metal stairs, Lux followed her line of sight to the loft that seemed to encircle most of the building.

As she continued to inspect the people upstairs, her gaze fell upon a man who was sitting in a tufted wingback chair. It wasn’t the fact that this man was beyond beautiful with his light brown hair cut perfectly, or his dark suit that seemed to pull at his muscled arms and chest. No, it was his eyes. He was too far away to see the color, but that wasn’t necessary.

They were staring right at her.

He lounged in his seat like he owned the air around him. His suit jacket hung open with deliberate carelessness, the knot of his tie loosened just enough to suggest restraint—not surrender. But it was that stare.

Those eyes never left her.

Lux couldn’t explain the pull, only that it locked into something deep in her chest and held tight. Every instinct told her to look away, to break whatever invisible line had just been drawn between them. She didn’t. She couldn’t. Instead, she froze in place, caught and pinned without a single hand laid on her.

Because somehow… it felt like if she so much as blinked too long, he would vanish into the shadows and she’d never see him again.

The music shifted without warning. What had been fast and thumping melted into something darker—slower, more primal. The kind of beat that slithered instead of pounded.

A man approached the stranger in the loft and bent low near his ear. The mystery man didn’t move much—just the faint tilt of his head as he murmured something back. Orders, maybe. Instructions. Whatever it was, it carried weight.

What made the fine hairs rise along Lux’s arms was the fact that he never once looked away from her.

Not once.

Even while speaking to the other man, his gaze stayed locked on hers—cool, steady, and far too intentional to be accidental.

Touch Me There by Emma Holzer slid into a dramatic remix beneath the DJ’s hands. Lux didn’t need to look at the crowd to know the energy in the room had shifted. She could feel it in her pulse.

Still, she couldn’t drag her eyes away.

A woman draped herself around the stranger’s neck like she belonged there. He opened his mouth slightly, allowing her to place something on his tongue with practiced familiarity.

He didn’t even glance at her.

The dismissal was so smooth it was almost cruel.

Somewhere in the back of Lux’s mind, a quiet voice whispered that she should be uneasy. Maybe even afraid.

A louder voice immediately told that one to shut the hell up.

Because whatever this was—whatever he was—fear wasn’t the emotion curling low in her stomach.

The club lights bled into a deep, moody purple, shadowing the sharp lines of his face and making him harder to read. Lux narrowed her eyes, straining to keep him in focus.

Another woman was guided toward him.

Presented.

This time, his hand moved—slow, unhurried—as he reached out and wrapped his fingers around the woman’s arm. The gesture wasn’t rough.

But it wasn’t gentle either.

Possessive. Decisive. Like he was used to people being placed within his reach.

And still… still those eyes never broke from Lux.

When the lights began to fade toward black and the massive screen behind the DJ dissolved into overtly sexual imagery, the stranger finally moved. He rose in one smooth, controlled motion, all quiet power and lethal grace.

Finally looking away from Lux, he turned and led the woman through a door Lux would have sworn hadn’t been there seconds ago.

And just like that— He was gone.

Eventually taking the time to blink, Lux took in the room around her. She was surrounded by people still dancing—just far more intimately.

Wow. What just happened?

A tap on her shoulder made her turn around immediately.

“Are you okay?” the cute bartender asked.

“Yeah. Sorry. I’ll move on.” Grabbing her drink from the counter, she was about to leave before being stopped.

“No, miss! I think you misunderstand. I’m asking if you want something more to drink.”

Looking down, she realized her glass was nearly empty. She hadn’t even noticed herself drinking it. The realization of what she was being asked—and how much she’d paid for it—made her a bit uneasy. The bartender clearly sensed something was off.

“There is a corner booth right over there,” he pointed.

Following his finger, Lux could make out a table with booth seating set atop a platform. A red velvet rope blocked anyone from accessing it.

“Bottle service has been requested for you and your party. It’s all paid for by an anonymous patron.”

Waving his hand in the air, Lux watched as a bouncer—similar to the one at the door—made his way over to her. “Right this way, miss…”

“Lux. Just call me by my first name,” she shyly instructed.

“Okay, Miss Lux. Please follow me.”

Shuffling behind the large bouncer, Lux realized she only came up to his mid-back. How large did they need to make men? Honestly, being this tall and built couldn’t be comfortable… right?

Just as she was mentally questioning the logistics of his size, the bouncer stepped aside and lifted the velvet rope. “After you.”

Taking a quick look around, she stepped onto the platform. Sitting on the corner of the booth seat, she perched on the edge and waited for what would happen next.

To her surprise, the young bartender appeared again. In his arms, he carried a stand, along with a bucket of ice and a bottle of expensive champagne.

“Looks like you caught someone’s attention here tonight,” he teased as he popped the cork.

“Do you know who?” Lux asked.

“Not a clue,” he smiled. Four champagne flutes hung from the stand he’d brought. Taking one down, he filled it for the beauty sitting in suspense. “Maybe if you play your cards right tonight, he might make himself known.”

“Him? Are you sure it’s a he?”

Laughing at her insinuation, he shook his head. “I don’t know anything, miss. All I can tell you is that I was instructed to make sure you get anything you want. Whatever that may be.”

“So… coffee? Can you get me coffee?”

“You would prefer coffee over champagne?”

Furrowing her brows, she nodded, then shook her head. “Yes—I mean, no. I mean… can I have both?”

“Absolutely,” the nice young man told her. “I’ll be right back.”

Sipping her champagne, Lux watched as men and women suddenly tried to approach her, only to be turned away by the bouncer standing guard. That was certainly strange. Was he supposed to keep watch over her for some reason? And what made her so important all of a sudden?

Catching her eye, she saw Cora waving while approaching. Afraid the bouncer would shoo her away too, Lux tapped him on the shoulder to let him know that Cora—and the man who had asked her to dance earlier—were with her.

“Wow! How did you get this table?” the man asked as soon as they were seated.

Lifting her shoulders, Lux simply shrugged. She had no idea how this had just magically appeared. Was it the strange man who’d been staring at her earlier? He’d looked far too composed to be high on anything… and far too deliberate to be random. Then he’d disappeared with that beautiful woman.

Maybe if she told Cora and her new companion what happened, he might know who it was.

Deciding to take her chances, she explained what had happened at the bar. The man—who she now knew was named Donovan—didn’t look particularly enlightened.

“I don’t know,” Donovan admitted slowly. “Those seats and rooms go for thousands of dollars. They’re usually used by the rich and famous.”

“Aren’t you rich?” Cora asked.

With a big smile, Donovan nodded. “Yes, but I’m not famous,” he pointed out.

“Ooh! A mystery man has taken a liking to our little Lux!” Cora sing-songed, reaching over to pinch Lux’s side.

“Knock it off!” Lux barked. “Did you forget the part where he left with a beautiful woman?”

“That doesn’t mean anything,” Cora dismissed easily. “Maybe that was his sister or his assistant.”

“Or his wife,” Lux countered dryly.

Before Cora could argue further, the handsome young bartender returned with a tray loaded with coffee, creamers, and even flavored syrups.

“Here you go, Miss Lux. I brought extra mugs in case your party would like some too.”

Cora looked over the spread and sneered dramatically. “My God, Lux. You are so old.”

“You’re right, Cora. I’m old and tired. Now, if you want me to stay here and party with you, I need to be awake for it.”

The music shifted into a mashup of Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, and Selena Gomez. Cora let out a squeal loud enough to compete with the speakers.

“Come on, Lux! Let’s dance!”

As Lux slid out of the booth, she stole one more glance toward the loft.

The wingback chair sat empty. Something in her chest tightened.

She couldn’t get his face—those eyes—out of her head. Who was he? Had she seen him somewhere before? The familiarity itched at the edges of her thoughts, just out of reach.

Cora twirled her suddenly, grabbing her hands and dragging her fully onto the dance floor.

Lux laughed despite herself.

Surrounded by pulsing lights and bodies moving in rhythm, the energy finally started to seep into her bones. She threw her head back and let the music take control, hips swaying with the beat, a real smile finally breaking free.

When different men took turns dancing with her, she simply grinned and went with it, letting the moment carry her.

Maybe this club idea wasn’t as bad as she’d thought.