BLACKMAILED BY THE BILLIONAIRE

Chapter 22: The Club

Chapter 22: The Club

Alex's voice was a warm ripple in the cool ambiance of the night. "I'm thrilled you're here with me. Why don't we seize the night? Care to dance?" His hand was a gentle but firm guide, steering me away from the intensity of Harry's gaze, which had been fixed on me with an unsettling blend of anger and something unspoken since I arrived. I was determined not to be the first to break the silence; if Harry wished for a wall of silence between us, I'd let it stand—especially tonight. Tonight was about my joy, my liberation from the tangled web of our past interactions.

Across the room, Lisa and David were already ensconced in their own world on the dance floor, their bodies moving together in a dance that blurred the lines between bold and intimate. It was a sight that seemed to ignite a playful spark in Alex's eyes as he looked at me, a silent laugh dancing in the depths.

"We're going to shine brighter than anyone else here. Let's really get lost in the music," Alex murmured, his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "Let's not just dance; let's leave an impression." His words were an invitation to plunge into the depths of joy, to forget the lingering shadows cast by Harry.

As the music's first beats filled the air, Alex and I instantly found our rhythm, moving closer with each note. His touch sent shivers down my spine, his hands drawing fiery trails over my skin. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Harry watching us, his face clouded with unmistakable jealousy. Then, as if on cue, he aggressively kissed a girl nearby, making sure I saw.

Honestly, Harry's behavior baffles me. He's the one who insisted that anything between us was a mistake, who made it clear he didn't want anything more. And yet, there he was, acting like a jealous lover. He's become the epitome of mixed signals, but in that moment, none of it mattered. The world narrowed down to Alex's lips on my neck, the sensation blotting out any concern for Harry's contradictions. The bliss of the moment with Alex made everything else fade into insignificance.

The night evolved into a blur of exotic dances shot after shot, each moment with Alex surpassing the last, until exhaustion nudged us towards a break. Returning to the VIP area, I felt Harry's eyes burning into me, his look sharp enough to cut. He was fuming, but I couldn't care less. I brushed off his silent fury and headed for the restroom.

That's when Lisa intercepted me, a tipsy sway in her step. "What's got into Harry? He's been eyeing you all night, totally seething. You've got him exactly where you want him, Bella. Keep it up," she slurred, her grin wide. David soon joined, his concern for Lisa evident as he suggested, perhaps, she'd had enough. Her response was a disarmingly sweet smile, one David couldn't resist, though he playfully insisted, "Okay, one more, but then that's it." He led her away, leaving me with a wave and a drunken declaration of love.

As I navigated through the crowd towards the restroom, Harry seemed to emerge from the shadows themselves. Before I knew it, I was backed against a wall, his towering figure looming over me, his expression a turbulent mix of anger and something else unidentifiable. He trapped my hands above my head, his body inching closer, his breath hot and heavy with emotion.

"You're making quite the fucking scene, Bella. The way you had your hands all over him..." His voice was a menacing growl, thick with jealousy he refused to acknowledge, though his eyes betrayed him, burning with an intensity that ignited a fire within me.

"why the fuck should it matter to you?" I retorted, relishing the surge of power that surged through me at his obvious agitation, watching as his jaw clenched and his gaze darkened further..

Harry's laughter was bitter, laced with disbelief. "Matter? Give me a fucking break. I couldn't give two shits about who you're fucking grinding on out there." His words dripped with insincerity, a stark contradiction to the tumult of emotions raging beneath the surface. Harry was a master of manipulation, a walking contradiction .Truly, Harry could be crowned the king of mixed signals.