Kidnapped by Mr. Bad Boy

Chapter 10

I stepped through the white French doors that opened to the top of the ballroom and I instantly felt like I had been transported back in time. Across from the staircase that I currently stood on, a sixteen-piece orchestra was softly playing classical music. Small round dining tables were set around the large dance floor. Each table was draped in white, with large vases of white roses on top. The middle of the ballroom was a sea of dancing couples, decked out in their very best. Everyone sported their own custom mask which made it rather difficult to tell anyone apart.

            Taking a deep breath, I began my descent down the stairs.  Each step filled me with dread as I realized that by taking part in Viktor’s schemes I was sealing my fate for the rest of my life. While I had been getting ready, Viktor returned to my room to ask me if I’d marry him. I’d hesitantly said yes, only agreeing because I couldn’t see a way out. As much as I wanted to believe that he was sincerely sorry for the way he had treated me, I couldn’t. No one is capable of transforming their demeanor that quickly and I was terrified of what he’d do if I said no. Yet, as I took another step forward, I felt my throat tighten. I couldn’t do this. I didn’t love him. How could I ever marry someone I didn’t love?

Tears filled my eyes as I realized that I would never have been in this situation if I hadn’t been so selfish when my parents were alive. Maybe this was karma. Maybe I deserved this for how awful I had been before. Resolutely, I walked down the remaining steps, ready to accept my future for what it was. As I reached the bottom, I turned to see a man in a black suit and a silver mask that obscured his face.

            “May I have this dance?” The man asked in a husky tone. His voice seemed familiar and it instantly calmed my shaky nerves.

            “Of course.” I smiled politely as he led me the rest of the way to the dance floor, all thoughts of escape and guilt on hold. Once we reached the middle, he pulled me closer to match the slow tempo of the song. I wrapped my arms around his neck and watched with amusement as the corners of his lips turned up in a smile. Unconsciously his grip on my waist tightened, as if he didn’t want to let me go.

            “You’re an excellent dancer. I’m sorry if my skills don’t quite match yours.” He smirked in a familiar way that sent my body in frenzy.

            “You’re not doing too badly yourself. Have you had a lot of practice?” I replied, trying to see who he was behind the mask. I studied the hard lines of his face, the stormy color of his eyes that were focused so intently on me. He seemed so familiar but I couldn’t place him.

            “Not really. Actually, this is my first dance.”

            “Seriously? I would’ve never guessed. What brings you here tonight since it obviously wasn’t to dance?”

            “There’s this girl I met a few weeks ago. I’m trying to find her.”

            “Oh?”

            “You see, when I first met this girl I was only interested in her money. Then I started to spend some time with her and I started to like her.”

            “Really? What made you change?” I asked honestly curious. I wanted to believe that people could truly change. It would give me hope about being with Viktor.

            “She could fight. She never backed down. She had a smart tongue. She always spoke her mind, even if it annoyed the heck out of me. She’s beautiful so at the time I thought my attraction to her was nothing more than my hormones and then well… she left and I just couldn’t seem to stop thinking about her. Finally, I realized I had started to care about her and it was killing me to imagine her with someone else when we never had the chance to explore what we had.” My heart started to thump rapidly in my chest as I started putting the pieces of what he was saying together.