Page 64 of Reverence

Having dealt with a mother who constantly sought male validation after my father left and who resented me because I looked like him, I knew that wasn’t the life I wanted for myself.

I suppose it was the reason behind my aversion towards men.

Now I found myself feeling something other than hatred towards a man whom I’ve loathed since the day I met him.

With no logical explanation for how I ended up in this predicament in the first place.

At this point I was too far gone to care about the fact that someone slid their hands up my hips and was dancing too close to me, practically pressing their body flush against mine.

If I’d been in the right state of mind I would’ve knocked their teeth out of their fucking mouth but right now?

I welcomed the distraction.

Gripping it with both hands, in hopes that it would steer my mind in the complete opposite direction.

The music felt like a warm embrace and I happily allowed it to consume me wholly.

For the first time in years, I allowed myself to be completely free.

No self-control.

No discipline.

No thoughts of Ares, a case that seemed to eat me alive every waking day, and a life that constantly seemed to throw curveballs at me from every direction.

Twenty

Ares

Iwatched her from across the room, as I leaned against the bar countertop, both elbows situated on top of the cool surface.

She seemed more relaxed than usual, more careless, more free. That’s how I knew she was clearly intoxicated.

My jaw ticked, my jeans suddenly feeling tighter.

Amala swayed her hips sensually, those pitch-black tendrils, cascading down her bare back. I looked away for a few seconds.

After she stopped by my house a week ago, I hadn’t heard from or seen her since.

That’s why I didn’t hesitate to locate her when her friends said she’d been missing in action—only to find her in this overcrowded club wearing the most revealing dress I’d ever seen.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds, tossing my head back.

I don’t know what pounded harder.

My heart, the beat of the song floating through the speakers, or the throbbing sensation in my arm where I’d been shot a week ago.

I released a heavy sigh, slowly opening my eyes. This time Amala wasn’t alone. Somebody was practically dry humping her in the middle of the dance floor.

She pushed her ass against him and that’s when I lost all sense of control.

It was like the undercover mission all over again. My eye twitched and my trigger finger itched.

I pushed myself forward, slowly stalking towards them.

My eyes never left her form, and when I was close enough I tapped the man on the shoulder.

In terms of height and muscle, I easily overshadowed him.