AllFreeNovel
Share Us
They were given a place to remove their coats and sweaters. She stuffed her belongings into a cubbyhole next to Eli’s. She couldn’t hold back laughter when he removed his top and sweatpants. He was shirtless and his pants were made of a similar fabric to that of her gown, flowy and slightly transparent. She could see his lean legs poking through. His back looked much better. Scars were forming now, but the black of his tattoos helped disguise the red and shiny skin.
“Stop it,” he said, but he also smirked. “They’re ridiculous. I know.”
“I think you look…ethereal.” She snorted, unable to keep a straight face. For a moment, everything was normal again. She was joking with her best friend, and it felt good.
Eli’s eyes lingered on her. He scanned her body up and down and raised his brows. “You look—” He ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck, Ali, you look like everyone is going to be looking at you. And they’re going to see all of you.” He looked around her like he was trying to find some hidden fabric, but all he found was more bare skin. His face flushed. She was reminded of the man who’d been in love with her months ago. Was he still in love with her? After everything they’d been through? “Ali—”
“I know.” She shrugged. There was nothing they could do about it. He didn’t need to get into any other fights on her behalf, though she suddenly worried that he might. “I’ll be fine,” she reassured him.
The head chef rounded them up and began passing out trays. They were to intermingle with the guests silently. Seen and not heard. Ali took a tray with tiny bite sized snacks. A fluffy mixture she didn’t recognize on top of toasted bread and green garnish placed delicately in the center. It smelled amazing, and she hoped she’d have time to sneak a bite at some point during the night.
She pushed through one of the swinging doors and into the main ballroom. It was so stunning she forgot to keep moving for a moment. The music was louder now, and she saw it was coming from a small band with string instruments. The walls were made of marble and columns lined the room from floor to ceiling with vines swirled around them. Ornate chandeliers filled with candles hung all around the room. The cool dusk light beamed through stained glass windows and created a magical green and blue atmosphere, like an underwater paradise. It was beautiful.
Someone bumped into her, and she almost dumped her entire tray. She gathered herself and tentatively stepped forward into the mass of people. There must’ve been a thousand people present. She had severely underestimated the number of people in Rysburg.
Ali weaved through the crowd, pausing near groups of people while they swiped appetizers from her tray. She mostly came across couples, which was to her advantage. The women gave her a quick look and sneered, turning to their friends to whisper insults. Meanwhile, the men were too conscious of their partners to stare for long. They only peeked out of the corner of their eyes.
It wasn’t until she came across the first group of bachelors that she felt truly uncomfortable. They didn’t hide their gawking at all. Some of them went as far as putting a hand on her shoulder or on the small of her back while they grabbed a bite to eat. They made crude comments, and she felt inferior and insignificant.
She was grateful when her first tray of food ran out so she could go back to the solace of the kitchen. She slammed the tray down on the table and several heads whipped in her direction. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. They all quickly returned to what they were doing, uninterested in whatever tantrum she was about to throw. This might’ve been her first time being treated this way, but it was clear they were used to it. If she was hoping someone might check on her, she’d be waiting a long time.
She grabbed a new tray and took a deep breath before exiting the kitchen for a second round. She did her best to stick to the groups of couples and avoid a repeat of the vulgar men. Her only goal was to get through this night without feeling completely degraded.
“May I?” a familiar voice came from behind her shoulder.
She spun around and locked eyes with Nik. He wore a dark blue button-up shirt and black slacks. His normally tousled hair had been combed back. He looked sleek and handsome, but she preferred him more rugged in a black T-shirt. This one didn’t cling to his muscles the way she liked, but it did bring out the blue in his eyes. But there was purple there, in smudges underneath his eyes. He must not be sleeping well. His brows pinched together, and he looked sad to be so close and yet feel so far away. The same sorrow echoed in her heart.
She extended her tray so he could grab a bite.
“Thanks.” His eyes dropped to her chest as he took one of the tiny appetizers, but he quickly cleared his throat and averted his eyes.
Her cheeks flushed, but her lips curved into a smile. His feeble attempt to be courteous was appreciated, but she also liked to see him squirm. The power she sometimes felt over him was divine. Chills ran up her spine and heat rolled across her chest and down between her legs.
“You’re welcome.” She turned, needing to get away before she did or said something she’d regret. She felt his eyes on her as she made her escape.
***
Chapter Twenty-Three
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Sam interrupted Nik’s train of thought. He’d been watching Ali almost all night long. Spotting her in the crowd whenever he could. Her blonde braid was a stark contrast against the sea of black coats. His heart raced every time he got a glimpse of her full body in that gown. It took his breath away and he would gladly surrender his life with that last bit of air if it meant he got to lay eyes on her.
It didn’t even bother him that other people were looking. He wasn’t the jealous type. Unless it was Eli and then it was mostly just jealousy of how well they knew each other. Eli had decades of knowledge that Nik would never have. A lifetime of experiences he’d never shared. Would Nik ever know her as intimately as Eli did?
No, others could look, but what lay beneath that dress was for him and him alone. Even now, when they weren’t speaking, he knew she belonged to him just as he belonged to her.
She couldn’t hide it, though she tried. The pink on her cheeks and between her breasts said it all. He had the urge to whisk her out of this hall and back to his bed. To see the other places she was flushed. To run his hands over her skin and feel the warmth beneath his fingertips. Feel her shudder from his touch.
“Has she forgiven you yet?” Sam asked, pulling Nik out of his thoughts.
“What?” Nik turned in alarm.
Sam sighed dramatically and took a sip of his drink. “Nik, we work together every day. You’re not hiding anything from me. It’s painfully obvious something is going on there. Not to mention the time you took her to your home of all places rather than the infirmary. I haven’t seen you two sneaking off or whispering around the greenhouses lately, so I know something isn’t right. I’m not blind. Don’t insult my intelligence.”
Nik swirled his drink and tried to read him. He didn’t look mad or disapproving. He just looked bored, like this was all factual information that everyone knew and unworthy of his attention. Small talk. That’s all it was to him.
Did everyone know?
“Um, okay. She’s still not talking to me.” He felt like his head was spinning.
