The Bottom Club

13 | onism

HIS HEART GAVE a violent lurch. For a moment it felt like the whole world stood still, and it wasn't until Elina Petrova threw her head back to laugh that he finally let out a shaky exhale.

Canyon hissed, urging him up the stairs as the corners of his mouth dipped down in faint displeasure.

"C'mon," he said.

"What? I was just kidding." Elina's heels clicked as she jogged to catch up with them when they swept past her. "You knew that, right?"

His face still burned from her casual cruelty, but somehow Wyatt managed a nod, introducing himself as they stepped into the mansion and she got her first good look at him.

"Wow," she breathed after a stretch, cocking her head to one side as she took a step closer to Wyatt, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're stunning."

"Thank you?" he mumbled, not sure of how to take it since it'd sounded accusatory, if anything.

The moment passed when Canyon threw his hands up in exasperation, waving them over his head coming between them.

"Alright, alright, my turn," he said, and Elina relaxed as he swept her into a hug that made her squeal delightedly. "I've missed you."

Wyatt felt awkward and a little bit jealous. It wasn't an emotion he was used to, or one he liked for that matter.

"I've missed you too, babe," Elina confessed, pulling away to look up at him before going in for another hug and tightening her arms over Canyon's midriff, so that after a moment he began to squirm.

He may have wheezed a stop suffocating me you barbarian but Wyatt couldn't be too sure and stood to a side until they finally disentangled themselves from each other.

"Wyatt," Canyon started, throwing a casual arm over his shoulder as he came to stand beside him. "Meet my best friend, Elina."

Something in him uncoiled, and Wyatt pasted on a genuine smile in greeting as he and Canyon followed after Elina, who led them through a series of maze-like corridors, and past a room that had an entire floor-to-ceiling of luminescent tempered glass behind which all types of small sea-life darted, and another that boasted row upon row of expensive-looking paintings until finally they came to stand on a patio and he paused to take in the small group of about fifteen, most of whom milled about aimlessly, though some swam in the wide pool at a far corner.

The atmosphere was relaxed, curls of smoke snaking through the air as an RnB song played.

With a start Wyatt realized that he knew none of these people and he mentioned this to Canyon, who threw him a mischief-filled grin, shrugging as he confessed that he'd lied.

"Well, are you coming?" Elina threw over her shoulder, and when it became evident that Canyon hadn't moved because of him Wyatt forced a leg in front of the other, taking small steps which felt like they were drawing him ever so closer to an early demise.

The small group let out a cheer as soon as they drew closer and Wyatt realized that it was because of Canyon, who raised his hands, looking right at home, and he startled when Elina grabbed his arm without preamble.

She led him away from Canyon, off to a smaller group and asked, "Do you model?"

He shook his head, earning a small frown.