Chapter 4

They drove for a few minutes until the driver pulled to a stop on the side of the road. Dan peered out of his window and stared at the building in confusion.

"A burlesque club?" he asked, following Chuck out of the limo. "These places actually exist?"

Chuck gave him a weird look before turning his attention back to Victrola.

"Yeah, it's mine," he replied.

"You own this place?" Dan asked, admittedly impressed.

"More or less," he said as something behind Dan's shoulder caught his attention.

"What?" Dan asked, following his gaze.

They both watched as Blair and Marcus made their way down the street, arm in arm. The beaming grin on Blair's face was apparent all the way from their side of the street as she laughed and flirted with him heavily. Dan watched quietly as Chuck's gaze grew dark and sadness swept over him.

"Stay here," he said and began heading across the street.

Seeing his approach, Blair turned to Marcus sweetly.

"Darling, will you please go inside this store and ask how much those artifacts are?" she asked, pointing inside an antique shop behind them.

"Of course," Marcus said and walked inside just as Chuck reached her.

"What do you want Bass?" she asked, her expression turning cold.

"When are you going to stop this, Blair?" he asked quietly.

"Stop what?" she asked innocently.

"This show you've put on for everyone," he said and leaned in towards her. "I know you don't really like this guy."

"Like usual, you're wrong," she said, but made no effort to push him away as he moved her until her back was pressed to the side of the building. "Marcus and I are very happy together."

"If you wanted to hurt me, you've proved your point," he said softly, lowering his gaze to her mouth. "I'm sorry I left you. I've regretted it every second. You know that."

"I told you once that all you had to do was say three words," she started.

"Blair, did you ever think that maybe there's a reason I can't say those words so quickly," he exclaimed.

"That's because you don't feel it," she snapped at him.

"Look at me, Waldorf," he said. "Every time I see you with him, all I want to do is strangle him. Every time he puts his hands on you, I remember what it was like when I did. Every time he kisses you, I remember how hot your skin felt with every touch."

Blair looked away as her breath got caught in her throat. With that, he turned her face back towards his and pressed his lips onto hers. At first she stood frozen in his embrace but the familiarity of the kiss made Blair respond rather hungrily. Burying her hands in his hair, she matched his passion as she kissed him back. A few more seconds passed before she realized what was happening and pushed him off of her.

"No!" she snapped at him. "No, you can't just kiss me and think that everything is okay!"

"Blair…," he began and reached out to her once more, but what she did surprised them both.

Her left hand made sudden contact with his cheek, leaving a red mark on his face and a shocked expression in his eyes.

"What the hell was that for?" he growled at her.

"I hate you," she said, but the sadness in her eyes didn't match the venom in her voice.

He stared at her for a long moment as an awkward Dan looked away from the scene.

"So that's it, huh?" he asked, rubbing his cheek. "Nate sleeps with your best friend behind your back and you take him back without a word. I leave you at the airport because I'm afraid of how I feel and of the day you realize I'm not good enough for you and you eventually leave me…but you won't give me a second chance."

Blair came to say something, but he shook his head and held his hand up to silence her.

"I guess this is it, then," he said and straightened his suit. "Go back to your knight in shining armor and leave me out of it."

"If I'm not mistaken, you're the one who keeps attacking me with your lips," she snapped back at him.

"That's because you keep flaunting your happiness in front of me. You did your job, alright. You hurt me like I hurt you. You got your revenge," he said and shrugged. "Satisfied?"

Blair remained silent as she cast her gaze down at her fidgeting hands.

"Like I said, go back to your fake relationship and leave me alone," he said.

Looking up at him, she scoffed and crossed her arms at her chest.

"And you can go back to the countless whores you bed every night because they're the only people who seem to give a damn about you," she said.

"Nate's out of town, just so you know," he replied.

"Nate's only friends with you out of habit and who are you with now? Humphrey? What, did you pay him to hang out with you since that's all you're good at…tossing money around," she said as he stared at her with a painful expression on his face. "Even Humphrey has more people who care about him than you. At least his lame 90's father gives a damn. Your own father even loathes you."

He stared at her for a long moment, unable to hide the hurt in his eyes.

"You really can be a heartless bitch, you know that," he said quietly. "No wonder Nate screwed Serena behind your back."

Blair's jaw widened as she stared at him, caught completely off guard by his words.

"What, you can dish it out but you can't take it?" he said and scoffed. "I'm not just done with this little game you've been playing, Waldorf. I'm just done."

With that, he turned and walked back across the street as she watched him go with tearful eyes. Without a single word, he moved past Dan and stormed into the club. Dan glanced back at Blair before following him just as Marcus walked out of the shop.

"Blair, are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes, it's just my allergies," she replied with a forced smile. "I'm actually not feeling that well. Will you take me home?"

"Of course," he said, leading her back up the sidewalk towards his car.

As they walked, Blair glanced back warily at Victrola, memories plaguing her mind before she looked away and hid her tears.