Genius (CENTURIES series: Book #2)

8

It was like they had pumped in a metric ton of smoke and steam which seemed to make the entire club the equivalent of a sauna. After just two minutes of being inside, Mia's skin was already glistening from perspiration. The music was ear-piercingly loud and the bass made the floor vibrate. Everywhere around her, people were sweating, dancing, lurking and skulking in the corners and looking sketchy. The people were of all types, but most of them had one thing in common; they were people of color. Finding Eli, even with all his ink, would be like looking for a white sheep amongst black.

Working her way through the crowd, she tried to pass by as unnoticed as possible. She had gone for low-key clothes which was a black hoodie and a pair of tight pants. She kept her hood up and her head down to avoid suspicious stares and maybe to conceal her blonde hair. She definitely hadn't been to this part of town before and it made her wonder exactly where she had been all her life.

Deciding to just act casual like she belonged, she worked her way across the crowded dance floor, glancing around for someone with extensive ink work. The music was so loud it was giving her a headache, so she decided to head for a quiet corner of the club. And that was – surprisingly enough – where she spotted him.

Eli was shirtless and coming out of a private room with one of his mates by his side. All of a sudden, a girl in only (to Mia's mortification) lacy underwear walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and looked at her before he leaned down and kissed her thoroughly, raw. Mia watched with wide eyes the way their jaws worked in the heated kiss, almost eating each other up, slowly.

And yet, even as spicy as it was, it didn't seem affectionate – just friendly or familiar for some reason. Her suspicion was confirmed when they drew back and gave each other a smile before they exchanged a quick embrace whereafter the girl trotted off and Eli returned to the company of his friend.

"Well that's one way to greet a friend," Mia scoffed to herself and then gathered her thoughts when she felt a pinch in her stomach that felt alarmingly close to jealousy. Whatever it was, it had no business being in her body. She had no interest in Eli and him none in her. That meant he could kiss whoever he wanted, just like she could kiss whoever she wanted.

Mia took a deep breath and started etching closer to him without him having spotting her just yet. He was otherwise engaged in chatting with his friend who had the sickest cornrows riding across his skull. He reminded her of a young Snoop Dog.

"...had the deepest mouth ever, she was like one of them street performers who swallows a whole fucking sword," He reencountered to Eli, passing the blunt in his hand to him as well. "She could teach them other girls about some real deep-throatin', you know what I'm saying?"

Eli received the blunt – which was unmistakably weed – and took a deep inhale. He slowly blew the smoke out, watching it with a lazy interest as it danced in the thick air. "Maybe she should come visit the chicks at the Alexandrettia."

"Oh, I completely forgot, man. How's that hanging?" His friend asked him. "Are they all walking around in them Louis Vuitton shoes, or-or carrying Prada bags in them manicured hands?"

Eli took another drag of the blunt before passing it back to him. "Nah, much worse. They walk around with heavy books and talk about quantum physics."

"Quantum what? Shit, what they been taking?" His friend took a long hit at the bud and then openly glared after a gorgeous black chick as she sensually walked by, her big booty swaying every time she took a step in her high stilettos. "Whoa, speaking of taking things; I'd like to take that. Look, man."