Not A Small Town Girl (Danielle and David) novel Chapter 10

Divine Club reigned as Soulfield's most exclusive venue. Cross its threshold, and reality melted away into a playground of luxury and excess.

Crystal chandeliers cast seductive shadows across the grand hall, wrapping everything in dreamy luminescence as music shook the walls.

On the dance floor, bodies moved to the thundering beat, surrendering to the intoxicating atmosphere.

In a shadowy corner, four impeccably suited men nursed premium whiskey, deliberately ignoring the hopeful glances from every direction. The liquid caught the light as they swirled their glasses, their striking looks drawing attention despite their calculated distance.

"What happened to our usual spot?" Andrew asked, a smirk creeping across his face. "Let me guess—you broke up or something?"

They always had a private room reserved for their drinking sessions, but tonight, Joshua had insisted on staying in the main hall.

The thumping bass from the music was so loud, it was like trying to have a conversation in the middle of a damn concert. Of course, that just seemed to make Andrew more sarcastic than usual.

"Like you understand." Joshua rolled his eyes. "This spot has the best view in the hall."

"Speaking of this," Cameron interjected smoothly, "that plot in the southern part of the city, David—any plans?"

"Resort development." David barely glanced up from his glass.

"Enough work talk!" Joshua groaned, his face full of excitement. "Let's get wasted. My dad's been drowning me in arranged matches lately, and I'm sick of it. Want me to set each of you up with someone? There are some fresh faces here."

Before anyone could respond, Danielle and Juniper's arrival caught everyone's attention.

Danielle wore simple jeans and a white tee, hair in a casual ponytail—completely at odds with the club's glitzy atmosphere yet somehow magnetic. Juniper brought classic glamour in a strappy dress that showed off endless legs, caramel waves bouncing as she walked.

The pair commanded attention instantly. Once seated, the contrast between Juniper's excitement and Danielle's cool detachment became even more striking.

"Relax, girl. I've got your back if you overdo it." Juniper grinned, knowing her friend's low tolerance.

"I'd be home if you hadn't dragged me here," Danielle sighed but took a substantial sip. Finding it surprisingly pleasant, she followed with another.

"Easy there—" Juniper started, but Danielle had already finished her second glass.

Danielle was usually a total lightweight—one drink and she'd be done, unlike her friend who could drink anyone under the table. Tonight though, she was holding up surprisingly well. Two drinks in and she still sat ramrod straight, maintaining her cool, distant vibe.

Yet subtle signs betrayed her state—her slightly tilted head, flushed cheeks, and that dreamy look in her eyes, caught between tipsy and drunk. There was something dangerously captivating about her in that state.

When a knife flashed behind her, she sensed it without looking, spinning into a kick that sent the attacker sprawling. Blood sprayed as bones cracked with a sickening crunch. Within seconds, the club floor was littered with groaning bodies and turned into her personal combat zone.

Danielle, feeling the alcohol kick in, started to get wobbly on her feet.

Watching his men fall, Draco's expression turned vicious. He pulled a blade, aiming for her heart. At that critical moment, David's boot caught Draco in the chest before he could strike.

"You okay?" David asked the swaying girl. Her flushed face and disheveled ponytail stirred something primal in him.

Danielle studied David through hazy eyes, her gaze fixed solely on him despite the crowd. Something unnamed passed between them.

Then she started fumbling through her pockets. Finding nothing, she wobbled over to Juniper's purse, extracted several hundred-dollar notes, and pressed them into David's hand.

"You're seriously hot," she said, her words a bit slurred. "Must be rough, doing this kind of job. Thanks for giving me a hand."

The entire club froze in stunned silence, watching this drunk girl mistake David—the man who could crash Soulfield's economy with a phone call—for a male escort.

David's eyes narrowed dangerously, his spine-chilling smile promising unspoken consequences.