Gypsy Freak (All The Pretty Monsters #2)(50)

When laughter rumbles out of him, I turn and give him a sad smile.

“She really would,” I go on. “It feels wasted on me because I don’t want to just join in with some random people. I like to know who’s touching me, and I…”

I shut up is what I do, because saying I’m not usually a casual sex person because I’m clingy doesn’t sound like a smart or respectable thing to say.

“Anyway,” I go on quickly, deciding to change the subject completely before he can weigh in on the dropped comment, “Mom and I used to do birthdays—”

I stop talking again when someone races by, and Vance is up and off the mushrooms, intercepting the man.

I’m not sure what they say or what happens, because they turn and simply dart out. A familiar body presses up against mine from behind, and I feel an arm snake around my waist like Damien’s gotten a confidence boost from the attention tonight.

“Happy birthday,” Damien says close to my ear.

“Thank you for the party,” I say a little distractedly, wondering why Vance had to take off.

“The party is just getting started, Violet. Just wait until everyone really gets going.”

Damien’s phone must go off, because he keeps his arm around me as he glances down at it. I turn to see him frowning.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he says, pocketing his phone and smiling tightly at me.

“Vance just ran out of here without a word, and now you’re lying to me.”

“We’re alphas, Violet. We’re unfortunately privy to information you’re not,” he says, making me feel a little ridiculous, since I have no idea why I feel entitled to all answers.

I start to apologize, but he suddenly lifts me, spins me around, and we’re on the dance floor in less than a trapped breath. He moves me to the music that is so…I don’t even know what to call it. I’ve never heard music like it before.

Sort of a beautiful melancholy tune that continues through one song after the next.

“You and I are going to enjoy your birthday together, you’re going to get completely intoxicated, and I’m going to hold your hair away from your mortal lips when you spew it all back out,” he says, using an eloquent tone for the most ineloquent birthday promise ever.

“Aren’t you going to at least introduce me to everyone?”

He shudders like that’s a terrible thought. “Of course not.”

“Why?” I ask as he pulls me to the center of the dance floor, apparently wanting his feet stepped all over when he stops carrying me and starts expecting me to dance on my own.

He tips my chin and winks at me, as he says, “Because they don’t really matter.”

As I step all over his feet and earn a few grunts, I try to look at it through his eyes. All these people will just forget him if enough time passes, as though they can’t put in the effort to want to see him before it happens.

He’s so lonely that he stalks me just to keep me from forgetting. And he threw me a birthday party. The first one I’ve had since I was thirteen.

“Is the party my gift?” I ask on a small smile as my arms twine a little tighter around his neck, my body relaxing as his arms get tighter on my waist.

“Well, I have two gift options,” he says, moving me around on the dance floor. “The first is a traditionally wrapped, very appropriate gift. It’s in my bedroom. The second is a completely unwrapped and entirely inappropriate gift,” he says, adding the last part jokingly. “Also in my bedroom.”

He winces and bends when I land hard on his foot, and I shove at his chest when he groans and laughs. “All gypsies can dance,” he says on a teasing sigh.

I roll my eyes as he turns and guides me up the stairs, even as I sort of smile.

Everyone tries to be in his line of view, and I can’t deny that I also feel the pull of his presence the more the night goes on.

“You’re probably the most physically perfect man I’ve ever seen. Is it all an illusion for me? Because most of the time people seem to look right by you. I’ve never really realized how often until I finally see everyone noticing you the way they should tonight,” I say as we go up the stairs.

He huffs out a somewhat sad laugh, as we finally turn down the hallway toward his bedroom.

Our fingers lace together like it’s a casual, nonchalant sort of thing to do.

“I had you a surprise party all lined up, and I was going to hand you your gift at midnight, but you decided to traipse in circles around town for however long. The whole damn town smelled like you,” he says as he gives me a look.

I’m not sure why I smile. However, it’s clear he’s deliberately deflecting.

“I tried calling you.”

“Phones are down,” he states immediately. “They’ll be back on sporadically, but if things keep going like this, there will be little electrical currents in the air that cause random blackouts.”

Again, the mention of electrical currents has me swallowing a little harder than necessary.

Lightning will strike the same place a lot more than twice if I’m standing anywhere without salt, rubber, and shelter.

“Doubtful it’ll come to that. Afraid of the dark, Violet?” he muses as he moves to the dresser.

“Only since I started hanging out with monsters,” I absently quip.