Dancing with a Stranger

Chapter Twenty

Instantly, I feel Nikolai tense up and his grip on my waist gets tighter. "She's off limits, Gideon," he says with a sternness I have not heard from him before.

"Oh, come on," he chides, "you can't tempt us with a seductress like her and claim she's 'off limits.'" He redirects his gaze from Nikolai and stares at me, licking his lips again with flirtatious smirk. "Hi cutie, what's your name?"

He looks at me expectantly and I stand there, completely at a loss as to whether I should answer him and unsure of what I would say if I did. Thankfully, Nikolai does not give me a choice.

"I said, she's off limits," he states matter-of-factly.

Gideon rolls his eyes and releases a quick sigh of frustration. "Why don't you let the little minx speak, Nik? Maybe she's looking for some variety."

"I said she's off limits!" Nikolai yells and the whole room goes silent. You could practically hear a pin drop, despite the music blasting in the background. Everyone is now staring in our direction; looks of bewilderment, jealousy and fear evident on all their faces as they watch this interchange.

I finally sneak a glance at Nikolai, whose eyes are raging. If looks could kill, this man would be dead on his feet. I had never seen him lose control of his emotions this way and I would be lying if I said it did not frighten me.

I turn my body towards him and place my hand on his chest. I can feel his body relax slightly as he looks down at me and says, "Lacey, my dear, weren't you just saying you needed to excuse yourself for a moment?"

Catching his not-so-subtle hint, I nod at him and respond, "I'll be right back." He nods back at me and as I start pulling away, I hear him clear his throat.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" He gently pulls me in, brushing some of the hair away from my face as he strokes my cheek with his thumb. He lowers his head and before I know it, his lips press against mine and he starts kissing me. I refuse to bring the same energy to this kiss, instead, detaching myself to prevent me from getting swept up in the passion his kisses normally bring. I am not stupid; I know he is just laying his claim and letting this guy know I was his and his alone. While I felt protected and reassured nothing would happen to me in this moment, I also felt mad as hell that I was being used as the tree in this pissing contest.

After an inappropriate amount of time, he finally releases me and I quickly walk away, unwilling to meet his gaze. With shaking legs, I somehow make my way to the restroom and lean against the counter, using my arms for support. I stare up in the mirror and see a visibly shaken, flushed face staring back at me. Is this what they do? Is this what Braden has been warning me about?

I start to panic as I am hit with the realization that I am in a city I barely know with a man I barely know. The peculiar events and conversations of the night pepper my thoughts and bring about confusion, anxiety and rage.

Taking a few deep breaths, I pull out my phone to call Tiffany. The need to hear a familiar voice is overwhelming and I know Lottie would lose her shit if I told her about any of this. She may be laid-back and cool, but she is still very much the protective mama bear when it comes to me.

The lock screen shows a few missed texts and one missed call, all from Tiff. "Ah, shit! I forgot to text her," my words piercing the silence with only me to hear them.

Hey girl, how was the drive out?

By now you should've arrived and unpacked. Is Mr. Mysterious giving you a "tour" of your room ;)

Ok...now I'm worried. This isn't like you. Text me back cuz I'm here thinking you've either been in an accident or you're dead.

Not bothering to check my voicemail, I quickly dial her number to call her back.