How Else Would You Have Gotten My Services?

Lucia's eyes darted around the room, searching for Rose, her missing friend. But there was no sign of her. "Where the heck is she?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"Who?" Callum asked, following her gaze. 

Lucia turned her attention back to Callum, her arms now uncrossed. "My friend, we came together, but I can't seem to find her, and I didn't bring my phone. She has hers, though. Could you lend me your phone for a moment? I just need to call her."

Callum looked at her, a hint of reluctance in his expression. "Leaving so soon? The party has barely begun, and I doubt your friend would want to leave. She's probably gone with the others to the after-party."

Lucia's eyes widened as if she couldn't quite believe what she'd just heard. "No, she couldn't have done that," she protested. "She knows I don't know anyone here."

Callum shrugged, seeming unfazed. "Well, it's your call. If you don't believe me, here's my phone." He reached into his pocket and handed it to her.

Taking the phone, Lucia quickly dialed Rose's number. After three rings, Rose finally picked up, and Lucia could hear loud music in the background, entirely different from the music at the main party.

"Rose, it's me, Lucia. Where are you? I've been looking everywhere for you," Lucia said, desperately hoping that her suspicions were wrong.

But Rose's response left her utterly stunned. "Oh, Lu Lu, I got invited to an after-party." Rose said, sounding excited and tipsy.

Lucia felt like her legs had turned to jelly. She couldn't help but blurt out, "How could you just leave me here when you know I came because of you? How the heck am I supposed to find my way back?"

On the other end of the line, Rose bit her lip, clearly feeling guilty. "If it makes you feel better, the car is still there with you. Yay!" 

Lucia frowned slightly. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? You know I'm a horrible driver," she said, remembering how she had crashed into a tree last time she drove. 

Rose said in a pitiful voice, "Lu Lu, I'm sorry. I promise to make it up to you. Why don't you use this time to try to find a man. You clearly need one also don't talk too much and let loose" In the background, a voice could be heard calling out to Rose. 

Rose quickly said to Lucia, "Lu Lu, I have to go now. Bye bye, love you." Thud. The call ended.

Lucia was too stunned to speak. She removed the phone from her ear and looked at it. "Wh…I mean ho…how could she?" She said in disbelief. 

When she looked back at Callum, if she could have seen his face, she would have been convinced that he was wearing the "I told you so" expression beneath his mask. 

Lucia sighed deeply, her fingers pinching the space between her eyebrows as if trying to massage away her mounting frustration "I think she has gone nuts. Let loose my ass.  I should never have agreed to come here."

Callum's voice sounded behind her, interrupting her thoughts. "Isn't it good that you came? How else would you have gotten my services?" He said, with a smirk on his face. 

Lucia paused her movement and turned to look at him. How could she have forgotten this man here? She knew the "services" he was talking about. 

She glared at him, "What services? You mean the ones that left me with these marks on my neck?" She pointed at the kiss marks that he had given her.

Callum couldn't help himself; he broke into a wide, beaming grin that practically stretched from ear to ear. He tilted his head back, his smile resembling a proud peacock flaunting its feathers.

Lucia, on the other hand, was trying to keep her cool. Gritting her teeth, she decided it was best to avert her gaze. She took a slow, deep breath, and then, she began to count backward from ten.

Is everyone on a mission to test my patience today?" Lucia mused inwardly, feeling like she was starring in a real-life sitcom. First, there was the shirtless man and his "thing," then Rose bailing on her, and now Callum with his relentless teasing. She began to wonder if she could make it through the night with her sanity intact.