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I turn around to check if Rachel has come out of the hallway that leads to the bathroom, and my mouth drops open in shock when I see her talking to Sam.
What the fuck is he doing here? Did she invite him? Two pairs of eyes dart to me as she talks to him hurriedly, panic in her gaze. Sam nods, runs his knuckles against his cheek and shakes his head ‘no’ at me. I take it as my sign to act faster.
I hurry across the room, catching Conor on his own by the bar. I feel like it takes me forever. Avoiding bumping into a waiter, trying not to step on everyone’s feet, and not kick a kid by accident. I push people out of the way, squeezing between groups of friends. I don’t have any weapons, but I don’t care. Strangling will do. A wave of guests unconsciously slows me down, but I keep going. I push past the last two people. I know he’s behind them. For a second, he’s out of view, just while I squeeze through.
“Conor,” I call, but I don’t think he hears me.
I bump into someone else getting in my way. Tall, large, hard…
One of Sam’s hands comes to the small of my back when I bounce against him, stopping me from falling backward. The other grabs my wrist tightly, and he forcefully drags me along as he walks toward the dance floor and away from Conor.
“Let’s dance,” he tells me calmly.
“Fuck off,” I grunt, fury so hot in my veins I can’t hear myself think.
Unsurprisingly, he doesn’t listen. He drags me with him until we’re among the other dancers.Ocean Driveby Duke Dumontcomes on. A quick rhythm that has couples attempting messy dances next to us. In the middle of them all, Sam calmly wraps two strong hands around my waist. He doesn’t hold me tightly, though my breath hitches anyway. My heart picks up the already crazy rhythm from my need to end Conor. I put my hands on his wrists, trying to get out of his hold. Futile.
It’s unsettling to see Sam in a suit. I’m used to his black jeans and black tee. To the casual darkness that he surrounds himself with. Tonight, he looks handsome enough that I want to lose myself in the new person I’m discovering. A simple white button-up, while the rest is a dark blue suit. The same color as my eyes. The midnight blue tie is tight against his throat. While the white shirt contrasts with the tattoos on his neck, the color of the suit reminds me of the danger that hides within him.
His strong hands encircle my waist, his long fingers are covered in tattoos too, and I feel myself squeezing my thighs when my eyes go from his tattooed wrists to the long sleeves of the suit.
He’s beautiful. As rare as it is to see him like that, it’s a sight I’m glad I didn’t miss.
Putting a hand at the back of my head, he brings me close to him, my cheek against his chest as if we’re about to slow dance to the fast song.
And we are. He starts moving, making sure I follow and that I can’t get out of his hold at the same time. I’ve lost sight of Conor already, and it brings me more frustration. Not knowing what to do with my hands anymore, I wrap my arms around his neck. His cologne envelops me, enthralling me and luring me to him. Grapefruit mixed with the base notes of patchouli and cedar.
“I heard you’re trying to get yourself arrested for murder,” he says quietly in my ear. A shiver runs through my body, starting at the exact point his warm breath touches my skin.
We’re slower than the music, than all the people around us, but no one cares. Some look at us with a smile on their lips, thinking we’re a loving couple who just can’t get enough of each other.
“You knew, didn’t you?” I growl against his chest. “Do you think I don’t know what you’re doing?”
His silence tells me he wants me to keep talking, so I do. “You’re trying to save her. She reminds you of the situation your mom was in. Stuck with an abusive piece of shit. You couldn’t save her, so you want to save Rachel.”
He doesn’t deny it. In fact, he even confirms my thoughts, knowing there’s no point insulting my intelligence. “And yet, you don’t see me murdering Conor McGill, do you?”
“Shocking, since you’ve got such a sensitive trigger finger and no problem hiding bodies.”
I trip on his foot, my dancing skills being much more limited than his. I never knew he was such a good dancer, and I find it hard to believe that he can still surprise me. Despite his height and size, he’s got an agility I don’t compare with. He catches me, putting me back in rhythm by lifting me by the waist and spinning us with my feet above the floor. He puts me back down, and our argument continues.
“While your bullshit technique of trying to make Rachel stronger and getting her to leave by herself is cute,” I hiss in his ear. “She is still dealing with a violent man every day.”
“You, more than anyone I know, can understand what it is like to be in an abusive relationship. Rachel is scared to leave and yet found the courage to ask for my help. Running away would only mean he’d find her. Killing him would bring attention to her, and she doesn’t want that. She wants to leave him safely. It’s her choice to make, not yours. I know it’s hard for you to comprehend, but not everything goes by your rules. People are allowed to make their own decisions without thinking of how it affects you.”
“If you saw the bruises—”
“Oh, I have,” he cuts me off.
My words get lost in my throat. It doesn’t stop him from moving. One step left, one step right. I’m the silent one now. He puts his mouth against my cheek, pretending to give me a kiss, but instead, I feel his lips spread into a smile.
“What did you think, baby? That just because you decided you didn’t want to see any of us anymore, we’d stop enjoying each other’s company?”
The jealousy that spreads through my entire being makes me feel dizzy. He grabs my hand, gives me a slight push, and I take a step back. Guiding me with a flick of his wrist, he holds my fingers while I mindlessly do a spin. He pulls me back, and his lips meet the skin below my ear. He inhales me, like my perfume is a drug.
“Rach…she wouldn’t do this to me.” My voice is shaking.
He chuckles against my skin, warmth spreading through my face from him and the embarrassment. “Rachel was lonely, scared, and needed you. You weren’t there because you were bitter and jealous. But Lik and I were.”
