13 _ Under the Surface.

Cassie moaned as she eyelids flickered . Her head was pounding and her thoughts swirled around in her head as she tried to gain control of them.

How long had she been out? Damn that alcohol!

She felt lips against hers and someone groping her boobs and gave a slight smile thinking it was Blaze. When she fully opened her eyes, she saw saw that it was not Blaze as she had originally thought but Draven. He had already taken off her jacket , his hand was already underneath her short dress as he toyed with her panties , pushing aside the jeanstring to get to her opening.

She slapped him away and pulled back in horror or disgust , maybe a semblance of both.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Just catching a bit of fun." He said indolently with a careless disregard. "And by the feel of it , you were enjoying it too." He gave a knowing grin referring to the far that she had been aroused by his touch even as she was passed out.

Cassie put on her jacket back on as a sort of protective covering from this man's lewd gaze. "You dick!" She cursed loudly but no other person heard as the electronic dance music drowned out her voice. "Wait till I tell Blaze..."

"Tell him what?" He boasted gripping her wrist as a dark smoke shot across his face . "That I wanted a quick screw with his girlfriend? He's the one that gave me the go ahead as he was occupied in other places."

Cassie's breath snagged but she shouted right back at him. "You're a liar! Blaze would never do that to me!"

"He's right upstairs. Be my guest."

She freed herself from his grip and made her way through the people. He couldn't be right. Blaze could not do that to her? Maybe he could? She began to doubt herself and didn't even know that she still held the cocktail glass in her hand.

When she finished the flight of stairs , she saw that she had reached a different section of the party. Dim neon lights twinkled and framed the dark figures of drunk men laughing and talking with their hired escorts in secluded booths. Indecently dressed waitresses with sensuous curves and alluring lips served drinks around. They shook their asses and their tops showed enough cleavage for satisfied customers to appreciate.

Cassie wasn't concerned about all this. Her main concern was to find Blaze and have him explain what heck was happening.

When she eventually found him , Blaze was seated on a divan with a dark hue , his arms spread out on the lenght of the sofa with two women on both sides holding a glass of... in their hands as he passionately kissed one of them.

Their eyes caught and suddenly She felt sick and dizzy. Cassie began moving away feeling as if she would faint and held the wall for support as Blaze ran after her calling her back but she did not answer as her breathing was harsh and shallow.

She needed to get out of here.

While she moved through the mass of people , it all hit her. The rancid smell of alcohol , the suffocating stench of cigars and other things she dared not name. This wasn't her place and now she knew that.

Cassie was confronted by Draven and she attempted to quickly move past him and he called out to her his voice mocking. "Seems you didn't know him that well after all."

She was glad to get out of that toxic environment but the dizziness still remained. She had to sit on the sidewalk to steady herself , as a cold wind blew and she wrapped her arms around herself , feeling desolate. Cassie pulled out her phone and punched in Fay's number. A sense of relief washed over her as she heard her voice come online.

"Hey Cassie? What's up?" She asked drowsily.

"Sorry to be a bother Fay , but I really need your help." Cassie whispered almost out of breath. "Pick me up at

"Isn't that where the Starlight Club...Cassie are you drunk..."

She ended the call. Cassie didn't need any more questions that night. She'd wished she'd didn't look for him. Wished she had stayed passed out, at least then it would be like nothing had happened.

Blaze burst out around the back door and stood in front of her , blocking her path preventing her from going any further.

"Cass I can explain..."

"Explain what?" She shot back at him. "Explain why you ditched me , with that loser friend of yours who then tried to harass me , only for me to find you bullshitting around."

"Harass?" He scoffed thinking She was exaggerating to drive her point home. "I've known Draven for a long time, Cass , and he isn't ...He isn't that way!"

"It seems you don't know him as well as you thought." Cassie made to move pass him when he grabbed her wrist and yanked her back , trapping her with his body just as he had done when they had first met . They were both drunk and pissed up at the other. She tried to resist the warmth emanating from his body and the hotness of his breath rushing against her face in the cold, dark night.

"It was a wild party Cass and things happens at parties." Blaze retorted in a heated tone. "Besides What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas and for all I f******

care those girls don't mean shit to me. You know I love you babe." He tucked her hair behind her ear as he leaned in wanting to kiss her.

Cassie turned her face away from him trying to mask her tears and fears.

"I don't know what to believe anymore Blaze."

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist in a suppressed rage because was mad at this girl for making him feel guilty , feel responsible for what he'd done.

"What else did you expect?!" He lashed out, trying not give in to the guilt that was beclouding his heart. "I'm a rockstar with fans all over the world with A number of girls at my beck and call who'll lay flat on their backs when I give the signal. This is my way of life. I thought you understood."

"If this is your life, drugs , women , alcohol ..." She spoke squaring up directly to him. "Then it was a mistake to be in it."

Fay's car came around and she hopped in the back seat. Her friend looked up at the rear view mirror and changed gears and put the vehicle in reverse.

"You alright?"

Cassie did not reply as she closed her eyes , trying not to think about the earlier events of that night.

Maybe Draven was right...

Maybe She didn't know him at all.