A hand brushed my wrist. “Are you alright?” Silver asked in my ear. “You're breathing heavily.”
“Fine. I'm fine.” Stepping back, I bumped into him; I'd forgotten how close we were.
Tucking his arm around my waist, he pressed his palm against my forehead. I could see the tiny crease in the middle of his bottom lip. “You're burning the fuck up.”
Of course I am, I thought sluggishly. I'm watching a bunch of strangers screwing in a corner. I could still hear them panting.
“Are you getting excited?” he asked me, his words burrowing into my ear. “Are you imaging doing that, fucking where everyone can watch you shake and shiver and come?”
My legs became noodles. He was being too crass, my mind resisting as my pussy threatened to ruin my panties. His form leaned into me, and I swore I felt the growing shape of his hard-on.
This was too much.
What the hell was I doing in this place?
From the corner of my eye, I spotted the neon-cherry exit sign. “I need to get some air,” I stammered. If I stayed, I didn't know what would happen. Did he want us to do that? Just go wild where everyone could see? Was he an exhibitionist, a voyeur, something else?
“Air? Of course, I'll walk with you—”
“Sorry, I can't—I'm sorry.” Unable to explain how the surging desire was overwhelming me, I pushed away from him. His fingers drifted down my arm, threatening to snatch me back before I could run.
Then we were apart, and I was stumbling for the door.
Shoving around the crowd, I rushed out into the cool night. Gasping, I threw my head back. Around me, the pulse of music and bodies faded, the heavy door clanking shut.
Why am I here?
The question swam up abruptly. I couldn't bury it. This place was a perverted sex club—Silver had taken me to an actual sex club!
A month ago, if I'd been asked to predict my future, I would never have guessed this was coming. None of it. Fuck, a million guesses and I'd still have been wrong.
Me, Alexis Willow—notoriously quiet and lame—meeting up with some smartly-dressed, power-oozing man who kept calling me Pet? Gifts were one thing, this escalation went beyond my limits.
I'm an idiot, I reprimanded myself. Pushing my hand to my forehead, I swiped my hair back and laughed. “What's wrong with me?” I asked the night sky. The scent of garbage was rank in my nose, but I breathed deeper, filling my lungs with it. “Did I think I could really mesh with a guy like him?”
Years ago, I would have fit in better... but... No. That was a pointless thought. I wasn't the same girl. My life was different, I was different.
Ever since that single day.
The grip that came down on my arm yanked me from my pitiful thoughts. It was firm, steel and iron.
Silver, I thought on reflex. He came outside to find me.
But something was wrong. Why hadn't I heard the door open? In fact, it should have hit me, I was still right up on it.
Fear snaked into my heart. In my ear, the breathing of the other person was raspy and labored. That was when I knew. Even before I turned, looking into those yellow and red-veined eyes, I knew.
The hand on my shoulder didn't belong to Silver.
- Chapter Seven -
Alexis
He spun me around, clutching for my wrists. It was an older man, his face hard, his smile too soft. Inside his eyes, hard-packed black ash focused on me.
“Hey there,” he purred. “You looked lonely out here. Thought I'd say hi.”
It's happening again.
“Let go of me!” Wrenching my shoulder, I worked to get free, but he only squeezed harder.
Chuckling, he spun me from the wall, forcing me down the empty alley. Trash slid under my heels, and I regretted wearing them. In sneakers, I could have run faster—fought back harder.
I'm not going to give up!
Gritting my teeth, I swung my body backwards. “Help!” I screamed, echoing off the wet bricks. “Someone please, help me! Help me!”
Scowling, my attacker rounded on me, strangling my wrists. My skin was numb; I didn't care. “Shut up!” he snarled, pushing me against the rough alley wall. The hard texture was cool under my exposed spine. “You make another sound and I'll smash that pretty mouth right in!”
Breathing through clenched teeth, I leveled my glare on his. Fight! I begged my body. On impulse, I jammed my head forward, hoping I'd crush his nose with my skull. He managed to lean away, but the surprise in his wide eyes gave me strength. “Let me go!” I shouted, throat going hoarse.
The world needed to hear me. Surely someone would realize I was in danger. Did no one care?
Curling his lips back, almost feral, my attacker laughed. “You fucking bitch, you tried to break my nose! You think that's funny? Huh?” He shook me violently. Everything in my skull banged together, mushing into paste.