“Your Gatsby spoke so highly of you. I had to meet you myself. To see if what he saw in you was true.”
“Oh?” I tilted my head upward, despite not being able to see. “And?”
“You’re more than he could have ever imagined.” Our dancing stopped and he took my chin in-between his fingers. My heart was beating wildly as my lips parted, anticipating the kiss that was coming.
His lips pressed lightly against mine, and my world changed. I lost my breath as the kiss prolonged. I opened my mouth further, and his tongue found mine, slowly, as if shy, but curious. Much like myself. Our tongues danced together in slow movements. His hand went down, pausing at the low point in my back. He pressed me tighter against him, and I melted completely in his arms.
I didn’t care who this man was. He wasn’t Max; he wasn’t Gatsby, but for just a moment, he was mine.
His mouth left mine and began moving down. His lips touched my jawline, and then my neck, brushing my hair away. I gasped and writhed as his scratchy face tickled my skin. A small moan slipped from my lips.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Ask me something else.”
“Is this wrong?”
“What?”
“Loving another man while being in your arms?” The music, while low, was now pounding in my ears. The heat from the stage lights was warm, and I found myself struggling to breathe. I pulled myself from his grasp and inhaled deeply. I reached for the blindfold, but he stopped me.
“Don’t do it, Daisy,” he warned. “Take that blindfold off and this will all be over. You’ll never hear from me again, and you’ll never know the truth.”
I dropped my hands to my sides. “The truth?”
“About what happened to him. To your precious Gatsby.”
My heart dropped into my chest. “Is he okay?” I ran back to the stranger, my arms instinctively wrapping around his middle. “Please, tell me he’s alright.”
“He’s fine. But he gave me a message for you. I am to give it to you when I feel you’re ready.”
“When will that be?” I shook my head. “This is cruel. How could you dangle something like that in front of me? This is—this is coercion.” It was all making sense now. He was using my emotions, my vulnerability, my need to be close to the one and only person who ever had my heart, to get me in bed.
“You think this is coercion, but not whatever Max Stanton did to convince you to marry him? Tell me, is thebird still able to sing just because the cage is better, Daisy? You went from your grandmother’s prison to a new one. That’s not what he wanted for you. You deserve more than the life hidden away.” He took me by my elbows. “You can be angry at me all you want, but at the end of the day, I’m not the monster you’re angry at. I didn’t come here to trap you.”
“Then why did you come here?” I demanded, opening my mouth to yell more, but his warm, sensual lips crushed down on mine. I wanted to protest, but my mouth refused. I kissed him back with angry, needy passion, and it took longer than it should have to pull away. Panting and gasping for air, he finally gave me an answer.
“To save you.”
Chapter 18
Daisy
“I’mglad you’re finally getting use out of this.” I turned my head to see Max standing at the door of my dance studio, arms crossed, smirking. “Took long enough.”
I continued to dance, ignoring his snark. Used to my attitude, he stepped into the room, shoving his hands into his pockets. “How is schmoozing the owner of that opera house going?”
I slowed and then stopped dancing altogether. “I didn’t realize you took an interest in my comings and goings.”
He shrugged. “The renovation is big news. My colleagues are watching it with great interest. I was hoping you’d have some information about the man behind it.”
Ah, so that was why he sought me out. It wasn’t genuine interest. I rolled my eyes and went to the wall for my towel. “I don’t. I haven’t actually met the man.”
“What have you been doing, then?” His tone turned sharp.
I shrugged. “I dance.” It wasn’t entirely a lie. I had, in fact, danced both times I’d been there.
“Just danced? So what, he’s a fan? Some pervert needing a private show? I don’t like the sound of that.”
