Page 17 of Targeted By Vengeance

As we weaved through the crowds to the stairwell, I checked over the crowd again. The dim lighting, flashing lights, and abundance of movement made it difficult for me to pick Simone out. I was getting irritated at seeing every other face besides hers. Where the fuck was she?

“Hi Papi!” Lexie greeted us when we finally reached their section.

Dante ignored the slyness in her grin and shot a glare at the man beside her.

“Don’t look at me,” the guy responded. “This was all her idea.”

“And you went along with it.”

He shrugged. “She was going to do it anyway. Figured she’d be better off with me than without.”

Lexie rose from her seat and looped her arms around Dante’s neck. “Relax, Papi,” she cooed, pressing her red lips against his neck. “Have a drink and dance with me.”

“I will when we get back to Onyx.”

“I don’t want to go back to Onyx,” she said, pursing her lips into a small pout.

“That’s too bad.”

“Why?” Her lips curved into a teasing smile. “You gonna throw me over your shoulder and drag me out of here?”

Dante matched her smile and leaned in close to whisper in her ear.

Her lips spread wider at whatever he was saying.

Weak ass motherfucker.

Rolling my eyes, I turned my attention to the man still sitting on the couch. “Where’s Simone?”

“On the dance floor,” he said, jutting his chin to the crowd below us.

I followed his eyes to the middle of the floor. One of the flashing neon lights fell on Simone like a spotlight, casting a shine over her sapphire colored dress and rich brown skin. Her eyes were closed, and her body was swinging to the beat of the music. It was one of those rare times when her body was free of any tension. When she was truly happy.

And if it weren’t for the hands around her hips and the body inches too close to hers, I would’ve thought she looked absolutely divine.

THE AGENT

I can’t remember the last time I let loose like this.

In my past life, I never drank enough to get drunk - not in public anyway. I was too worried about getting judgmental looks from my mother or worse: a lecture about acting ladylike and classy.

Tonight, I wasn’t afraid of any judgment or disapproval. I just wanted to have fun.

That word hadn’t even been in my vocabulary until now.

Heat from the alcohol warmed my belly and ran through my veins. For once, my thoughts were silent, replaced by the beat of the hip hop music and the feeling of a firm body on mine.

I didn’t know the man I was dancing with from a can of paint. He’d approached me not too long after Lexie left me on the dance floor to take a water break. He let his moves speak for himself as he shimmied up to me. At first, he kept a reasonable distance between us. Close enough to dance together, but far enough that we wouldn’t touch.

Gradually, he moved closer and closer. His hands slowly slithered around my waist and pulled my hips against his. I didn’t mind the close proximity. From what I could make out in the dim lighting, he was cute - and his cologne smelled amazing. An earthy scent with a hint of spices.

He didn’t talk much, more focused on dancing than conversation. He was enjoying the moment just as much as I was. A dance was all he wanted, and I appreciated him more for that. It was nice, passing time with an easy goodbye. There were no obligations. No pressure. No expectations. Just the good vibes flowing between us.

But, like always, my perfect bubble of peace didn’t last long.

An arm wound around my waist, snatching me away from my partner. Wood and amber filled my nose, and my stomach clenched from the memories it bought.

“Get the fuck off of me,” I snapped without looking up at him.