A Burning Flame by Daniella Kunz (book recommendations txt) 📕

out on me alright? Let me know if you start getting worse.” When I look back up Marina is watching Liliana with a calculated look.

“Here, one of you take mine too.” Liliana pushes hers between us.

“Go for it.” Marina nods at me to take it. Reaching down I take the first one, cringing slightly at the sharp burn as it warms my throat. Grabbing the second Marina tilts the bottle out to me, and I clink my little glass to it. “To a night to remember...or forget.” She gives me a wicked grin before putting the bottle to her lips as I toss back the liquid once more.

***

We pull up to an alleyway, and I look around. "Umm, you sure you got the address right?" I say glancing around again to see if I missed something obvious. Marina laughs as she pushes the door open.

"Yes, I'm sure. Come on." She slides out and starts walking down the alley. I look around again and get an eerie feeling as we walk through the small space between the buildings. She stops in front of a metal door painted with graffiti. I glance around again unsure she hasn't lost her mind.

She reaches out pounding loudly on the door twice as it echos back down the alley. A second later the door opens and a large man stands blocking the way. Music spills out around us as I feel the bass thumping through the asphalt below my heels. After a moment of speaking to the man he steps aside letting us in. We file in, immediately taking stairs down, drawing us further underground. The music gets louder with each step and I begin to feel the vibrations of the bass thumping in my chest. When we reach the bottom of the stairs we step down a short hall, coming to a black curtain in the doorway.

"You ready?" Marina yells out over the noise. Pushing it aside we step through into a large open space, packed with bodies as they move and jump along to the music. It's dark with blue lights flashing around illuminating the area just enough to see.

"This is fucking awesome!" I shout back to her. A pleased smile pulls on her lips. I grab hold of Liliana's hand as we push through the crowd heading to the bar. Even though Nico sent her with four guards, I don't want to risk getting separated. With it being so dark and packed even her guards might have a hard time keeping an eye on her.

As we get up to the bar, we try to wave down the bartender to get his attention. There are so many people packed around, he doesn't take notice. "What do you want?" Marina leans over shouting to me.

"I don't care, I'll take anything at this point." She nods before placing her hands on the bar and pushing herself up. Leaning over the counter, with her ass up in the air, she reaches around before grabbing a bottle of something and sliding back down. Pulling down her dress that had bunched up, she held up the bottle to me. My wide eyes dart back in the direction of the bartender only to see he still hasn't even looked our way.

Popping the top off, she takes a drink from the bottle before passing it to me. Holy shit, this bitch legit doesn't give a fuck. Shrugging it off, I grab it from her hands as I put it to my lips taking a long gulp. It sears my throat and I cough, handing it back to her. "That's terrible." She grins at me before grabbing my hand as she moves us like a train over into the sea of moving bodies.

I begin dancing as the alcohol begins to relax me, loosening me up. After a few songs of shaking around, Liliana grabs my hand, pulling me to her. "G, I'm so sorry but I think I need to leave." I stop and look at her pale with discomfort etched across her face. Concern grows at the sight of her.

"Okay, I'll walk you out to your guards." She nods as I grab hold of Marina's arm. "Hey, Lil isn't feeling good. I'm gonna make sure she gets to her guards, okay."

"Alright, meet me back at the bar. Eastside?" I nod to her as we step away instantly getting swallowed in the mass of people. I spot one of her guards along the west wall by the entrance and I begin pushing our way to him. As we break through and he sees Liliana he comes rushing to our side.

"She isn't feeling well. I need you to take her home." I call out to him. Pushing his headset in his ear he speaks into it before reaching down, grabbing her and lifting her up in his arms. I follow them down the hall and up the stairs before they walk out the door into the alley. The entire time worry gnaws at me at what is wrong.

When the door closes shut behind them, I make my way back down the stairs to find Marina.

21

DAVEON

I don't like the idea of Marina and Gianna out together. Those two are a bad idea waiting to happen. I shake my head trying to clear my head from this nagging worry I can't seem to shake. They will be fine, not only can Marina hold her own and then some, but Gianna isn't bad at self-defense either. They also have the four guards that Nico sent with Liliana. I try to convince myself I'm being paranoid.

Wanting to get out of the loft, I head up to Nico’s floor with a bottle of bourbon. When the doors open I hold up the bottle, greeting him. Stepping aside, he lets me in and grabs a couple of glasses before we head to the balcony and sit down. We sit in silence as I light a cigarette between my lips. "Where's Ciro at?" I