Predator - A Stand Alone Suspense Romance(23)

I pull back only enough to look up at him and a smile starts to pull at his lips. I stand on my toes so I can reach his ear. “Just don’t leave me alone.” I don’t care that I sound needy. I’ll die if he leaves me here.

“Not a fucking chance in hell of that happening tonight.” His voice is deep and reassuring. “Another drink then we dance.” He sounds normal again.

The word dance registers somewhere in my frazzled mind. I pull back and everything comes into focus. We’re standing at a horseshoe shaped bar. The wood has been worn through over the years. Bowls of peanuts are spaced over the counter. I once read that it’s one of the dirtiest things on the planet next to a public toilet.

The bar is not as full as it felt when we first came in. Only half the seats are taken. My eyes keep taking in everything and then I see the dance floor and I realize why the bar looks empty. Most of the people are there, swaying to the song I haven’t even been listening to.

I don’t know it, but then I don’t know ninety percent of the songs out there. The band is playing a real slow song and I listen as Damian places another order.

His eyes are serious when they come back to me. I used to be scared of making eye contact with him, but right now that dark look in his eyes grounds me. It means protection for me and death for anyone who tries to hurt me. Damian is my shield against the world.

I don’t down the next drink. I make it last four huge gulps. “I charge a fee to carry you home, but dancing is for free. Come on.” He takes my hand as the first piano notes of a song start up. It sounds sad.

“I can’t dance,” I say anxiously. He doesn’t listen and pulls me across the floor. “Damian, I’ve never danced,” I try again.

When we reach the dance floor, he turns to me and then pulls me to his chest.

He doesn’t hold me like some of the other couples are holding each other. He takes my hand and holds it to his chest. His other hand presses lightly against my lower back, securing me to his body. I stare up at him with huge eyes. This is so unlike Damian. I’m not sure what to make of it. I never took him for someone who likes to dance.

I’m not comfortable with all the touching. He’s touched me more in the last hour than he has altogether since I’ve come to stay with him. It’s not that I’m scared, I’m just not comfortable with it. It confuses my already disoriented mind.

I place my other hand on his bicep and then he starts to move. He doesn’t make me do some elaborate dance. Thank, God! He just holds me and moves us slowly in a circle.

As the seconds tick by I start to relax a little. I’m super aware of every single person close to me. Damian’s breath is warm on my forehead and I try to focus on it.

I close my eyes to block out the world. It’s only us and no one else, because no one else matters. I’m safe. No one can hurt me.

After the song, Damian leads me back to the bar and once we’re seated I keep my eyes on him. I have to lean in so he can hear me.

“Have you come here before?” I glance at the other women. Some are visibly staring at him and it doesn’t sit well in my gut. He’s never brought anyone home and I don’t know how I’ll feel about it should he do something like that. That house is my safe zone. I don’t want anyone else there. Damian is my shield and another woman will only endanger that.

“Yes.” He doesn’t offer more of an explanation.

I know he’s older than me, by a few years. He’s showing me a different side to him and just maybe he’ll allow questions tonight.

“How old are you?” Oh hell! Not the actual question I was thinking of asking.

His mouth lifts at the corner. I look at the people around us so I don’t have to look at him.

“Thirty-six,” he says, and I can feel the burn of his eyes on me.

Thirty-six! Wow, that makes him eleven years older than me. I didn’t think he was that old. I couldn’t tell for sure with the beard.

He orders another round of drinks. I sit down on a bar stool and drink it slowly. My eyes are on the woman singing. She’s beautiful with her deep auburn hair curling wild around her face. When the song ends, she smiles and talks seductively into the mic, “Thanks folks, we’re taking a short break.”

I look back to find Damian also looking at her. There’s a twisting in my chest when my eyes jump back to the stage and I see her smile at him. I frown as she makes her way toward us and my hands grow clammy. Is she the real reason we came here tonight?

My world stills when he reaches an arm out to her. I watch his arm slip around her slender waist and he pulls her to his chest. Her fingers splay open over his ribs and I watch her squeeze into him. They smile at each other and then bile suddenly builds up in my throat.

I push myself off the stool and rush towards the toilet sign. I just need a second to collect myself. I just need a minute, maybe ten.

Thoughts rush through my mind in a crazy blur. What if he likes her? What if she comes to the house? My safety zone will be gone then!

I push through the door and I go to stand behind the four women who are already waiting. Good, it gives me some time.

I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I look like shit. I’ve passed albino and I’m heading for translucency. Maybe that’s what I’ll become – a ghost.

“Are you going?” a woman behind me asks.