Claimed by the Wolfe men.

“Oh my God, Tania, now you’re freaking me out,” I said, scooting an inch away from her on the barstool. “Who knows what crazy thing you have planned out”.

She laughed in the way she always did when she was plotting something unhinged, her head thrown back, her eyes glittering, and her grin too wide.

“Oh Bella,” she said, raising her glass and taking a sip. “I was serious when I said we are going to have fun tonight. And we are going to be irresponsible adults, because we earned it.”

I shook my head, as I giggled. “I’m already feeling tipsy, and you know how I get when I’m tipsy, I—”

Her eyes widened dramatically. “Oh hell no you’re not! Come on!” She grabbed my wrist and tugged me forcefully. “It’s time to hit the dance floor.”

“Tania no! You know I can’t dance,” I protested, stumbling as she dragged me. “I’m not about to make a fool of myself in front of strangers, so—”

“Shut up,” she said sweetly. “I don’t want to hear it. Tonight, you’re going to dance, and you’re not allowed to be a party pooper. So let’s gooooo”

And just like that, she hauled me into the center of the dance floor. The music was loud, as I could feel the bass vibrating through my ribs. The colored lights swept over us like waves, and people moved everywhere. Bodies pressed together, laughter, heat, sweat, everything was messy and alive. Tania immediately started dancing like she owned the place, swinging her hips left and right, flying her hair, and within seconds, my body betrayed me as I started dancing too.

“Oh my God, Bella!” Tania yelled over the music, laughing. “Look at you! You actually have hips!”

“Shut up!” I yelled back, and soon we were both dancing like our lives depended on it, laughing, spinning, not caring about who was watching.

After about thirty minutes, we stumbled off the dance floor breathless, sweaty, and giggling like idiots. Tania grabbed my hand. “Vip timeeeeeee.” She said in a sing-song tone.

“Vip?” I blinked at her. “Tania… how? With what money?”

She tossed her hair dramatically. “Do I look like I came to celebrate my graduation like a commoner?”

“Tania—”

“Nope. Shhhhh, don’t say anything, just follow me.” She scolded immediately. She marched us past the velvet rope leading inside, and sat on the plush velvet seats, before I could even blink, she ordered a bottle of champagne that definitely cost more than my mother’s monthly rent.

“Tania…” I whispered. “We are just nineteen.”

“Exactly,” she said, popping the bottle. “It’s the perfect age to make reckless financial choices.”

She poured into our glasses and soon we were talking loudly, and freely about our plans after high school, how we both wanted to go to Stanford, even though we had different reasons.

“I can’t wait to get admitted into Stanford,” she said proudly after her third glass.

“You and Stanford?” I laughed. “Girl, you and I know you hate studying.”

“Yes I do,” she said seriously. “But I know I’m going to look really hot on campus.”

I burst out laughing, I laughed so hard champagne nearly came out of my nose.

But then as the laughter faded, my mind drifted elsewhere. “Tania…” I whispered, swirling my glass. “My mom apparently is getting married very soon to her ‘supposed boyfriend’ and now, we have to move somewhere else. She’s basically just disrupting my life here, all for what? All for a man she barely even knows?

Her smile fell slowly.

“Can you believe she didn’t even ask me what I wanted? She simply just decided that it was best for me.” My voice cracked without warning. “Tania, she doesn’t care about how I feel, and that’s really selfish.” I finished, swallowing hard.

For a moment, Tania just stared at me. Then she motioned for me to come sit by her side. I stood up without hesitation, and went to her. I collapsed on her shoulder, as she gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Bella,” she said softly. “I want you to listen to me. There’s no amount of force on earth or in heaven that is strong enough to separate us.”

I blinked fast as I fought back the tears that wanted to make their way down my face, as my throat tightened. “Do you hear me?” she continued, as she tapped her finger on my forehead. “You’re stuck with me for life, and no matter where you are, I’ll come visit and you can always visit me too. Plus if we look on the bright side, we’ll be in the same school, so we can literally get to see each other everyday. Nothing’s going to change, cause I’m not going anywhere.”

“Tania…”

“And whatever your mom decides to do with her life? That’s not your business, and it’s not yours to handle. She’s simply living her life” She raised her glass. “And now, we’re living ours.”

I let out a shaky laugh, as she grinned widely. “Tonight’s about us girl, so cheer up.”

I lifted my glass. “You know what? Fuck it!.”

“Yes girl! That’s the spirit.” She cheered.

“Tonight’s about us,” I repeated, feeling the words warm my chest. “No moms, no future stepfathers, no problems. Just us, drinking until we drop dead.”

Tania screamed in excitement. “Yes! That’s what I’m talking about!”

We clinked our glasses loudly, and after that, everything blurred beautifully. We started taking pictures, making ridiculous videos, Tania posing like a Victoria’s Secret angel, me pretending to look seductive but actually looking like a confused hamster. And then, Tania nudged my arm hard enough to jolt me.

“What?” I asked.

She grinned like she had just found a lost treasure. “It looks like you’ve got an admirer.” She squealed, then winked at me. I frowned and followed her gaze slowly, and my heart stopped when I saw him. It was a man, no, not a man, he looked like the devil himself, wrapped in sin and desire. He looked like a man from my romance novels. He was tall, with dark hair that was slightly messy, his Roman nose and perfectly defined cheekbones sat above his jaw. He wore a black shirt which stretched over his broad shoulders, revealing those arms that I wouldn’t mind being wrapped in. He looked like he belonged on a magazine cover, certainly not in a dimly lit nightclub.

“Holy shit” I whispered.

“I know right?,” Tania said smugly. “He’s definitely hot, and he’s checking you out.”

“Checking me out? No. No, Tania. I mean have you seen him? And have you seen me? He’s clearly—”

“Clearly into you,” she said, cutting me off. “And you know what? I think you should go talk to him.”

I nearly choked on my drink. “Are you insane? Hell no! I can’t talk to that.”

“Bella…”

“No Tania, you know how I get. I’ll panic, probably say something stupid like I like turtles or something. Plus I don’t know how to say anything fun to keep a conversation going.”

She snorted. “Honestly, that’s not so bad. I think it would be adorable.”

I glared at her, but before I could argue any further, she squealed softly. “Well too late now, talk of the devil. He’s coming over.”

My eyes widened in terror. “What? Why? Why is he coming over? Tania what do I do?! What should I say?! Oh my—”

She laughed, as she held my shoulders. “Okay firefighter, just calm down and breathe. You’ve got this. Maybe don’t say anything about turtles, or about history. They’re really boring” she teased,

“Tania! You’re not helping. I can’t—”

“Yes, you can. She laughed lightly. “I’m right here remember?”

I exhaled heavily, and then there he was, standing right in front of us. “Good evening, ladies,” he said, in a smooth, yet deep voice. “Do you mind if I join you?”

“Of course not,” Tania said instantly, saving me before I said something stupid.

I lifted my glass, pretending to take a sip, but my hand was shaking so badly the liquid swirled dangerously close to the rim.

“I’m Raphael,” he said. “But you can call me Raph.”

“I’m Lucy,” Tania said before I could stop her. “And this is my friend Amy.”

“It’s nice to meet you both,” he said politely.

Then his eyes shifted to me. God. They were beautiful, dark, intense, observant, like he could read my entire mind. “So, Amy,” he said softly. “I take it you don’t talk much, or is it because I’m a stranger?”

I sucked in a breath and forced myself to look at him, and that was a big mistake, my pulse caught in my throat. He had the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, and I wouldn't mind being lost in them. “Uhn… I’m sorry,” I whispered after Tania nudged me gently. “I just got distracted for a bit”

He chuckled lightly, and I couldn’t help but notice his perfect set of teeth. I tried to pull myself together. “Yeah you’re right. I’m not much of a talker, unless I need to be. Hence the silence. But anyways it’s nice to meet you too”

Tania chuckled, then spoke up. “I’m so sorry but I have to take this call. It’s really important.”

I quickly grabbed her dress under the table, to stop her from leaving but she pried my fingers off, as she stood up. “You two have fun,” she said, winking at me, traitor.

And then she was gone, leaving me all alone with him. I immediately started tapping my foot nervously, as I bit my nails while trying to avoid his gaze. Almost certain my body would betray me, if I kept looking at him.

He noticed, then slowly a smirk tugged at his lips. “Do I make you nervous, princess?”