I’m aching to finally have her. To feel her pussy pulse around my cock. And that’s the one place I know we’ll have complete privacy. The lights dim and the blue spotlights illuminate the dancefloor. It’s time for the couples to take the stage. I swallow back my drink and pat Cassian on the shoulder, not answering his previous question, but rather telling him, “Time to play.”
With a wink, I turn and make a beeline directly for my girl and Creed. When I reach them, my hand captures her hip, causing her to gasp.
“Your dance is over,” I say, looking directly at Creed who, for a moment, looks like he doesn’t want to let go. But he tips his head in acknowledgment and steps back.
“Thank you for the dance, Nesrin,” he tells her, before leaving me with my wild rose.
“What’s happening?” she asks, looking around as if she’s only now noticed the blue illumination that surrounds us.
“It’s time for the dance we practiced. Afterward, there’ll be a game,” I tell her, as the music starts, and we move across the floor. The fluid motion of the couples is beautifully in sync. Nothing else matters to me in this moment, though, because her gaze is on me.
“Game?”
“Think of it as hide and seek,” I say, leaning my face down to steal a kiss. But Nesrin turns her head, giving me her cheek, which causes my body to lock in anger. “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to get a hold of everything that’s been said tonight.”
“What did Creed tell you?” My voice comes out laced with anger, even though I try not to let it get to me. I should have known the asshole would’ve said something to make her feel like this.
She doesn’t respond. We dance until the song ends, and the speakers come alive with the deep voice of Creed’s father.
“Every female attendee will now find her hiding spot. Time to play,” he says into the microphone, the booming baritone makes Nesrin shiver. “The person to find you first will be your partner at the upcoming year-end ball in December. It will be the person you’re publicly professing as…” the words filter off, leaving anticipation hanging in the air, “the girl you’re either in love with, or the girl you’d like to be with.”
I cup her face, holding her, so she doesn’t turn away from me because I feel like she’s about to disappear. Keeping my gaze locked with hers, I don’t blink, as I swipe my thumb along her lower lip. “I’ll find you.”
“What if you don’t?” There’s fear twined around her words, and it twists in my chest. There is no guarantee that I will be the first to find her, but I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way.
“Don’t be afraid. I’ll always find you, even in the dark.” The words are out of my mouth before I can swallow them back. My admission means more than she knows. Seconds later, she’s racing through the doors, leaving me to watch her disappearing form. A childish game made for adults. If she only knew what’s to come.
“She’s a beauty,” Creed says, from beside me. We stand in silence. I can’t speak to him, if I do, I’ll say something that could cause a war. “I didn’t tell her all the secrets you’re still hiding from her. And I definitely didn’t tell her about Gen. Perhaps you can,” he murmurs, with a chuckle.
“If you don’t stop this bullshit, I will kill you,” I promise. “I don’t give a shit who you are.”
“You’re in love with her,” he muses. “I can see the appeal. But have you taken her for a test drive yet?”
His question has rage burning through my veins. My hands fist, but a touch on my shoulder from Cassian, reminds me to keep calm. Creed enjoys taunting me and, as much as I want to hurt him, I know I can’t. Not yet, anyway.
We’re the same age, grew up together, but one event turned our loyalty into hate. There’s a fine line between loving someone and hating them. And teetering on the barrier of those two emotions can be detrimental.
“Will you win tonight? Can the polished and perfect, Damien Thorne, ever cause a scandal in this town?”
“If you go near her tonight,” I speak, keeping my voice low so only he can hear me, “I will come for you, and I’ll make sure everyone knows what happened that night.” The moment the words are out, the buzzer sounds, and we’re on the move. I grab a rose from the basket on the table which sits inside the dining hall and make my way into the bowels of the castle, praying with all I have that I find her.
I need to get to Nesrin before he does.
Or he’ll steal her from me, just like he did with her.