Chapter Five #3
Instead, I just focused on right now. One horrible step at a time. “Just...stop arguing with me and we’ll see where the night takes us.”
The bouncer appeared beside Ily, his face aggressive and eyes narrowed into suspicious slits. Tapping her arm, he barked in a heavy French accent, “Everything okay?”
Every muscle in my body shut down.
My heart didn’t dare beat.
Ily blinked again, searching my stare for any trace of falsehoods.
I gritted my teeth and tried to hide the truth.
I was buying her for a trafficker.
I was stealing her future.
I was all that stood between her surviving and dying.
Merde, what the fuck am I doing?
My entire body wracked with trembles. I almost retched with horror. Wrenching my hands off her, I backed away. “You know what? This was a mistake. A terrible fucking mistake. Go,” I grunted. “Get out of here. Now.”
Before it’s too late.
Ily narrowed her eyes, questions and utter confusion battling over her face. “But—”
“Leave,” I snarled.
Before I kill you.
I ran a hand over my mouth, my mind racing at the implications. Victor would be pissed, but I would likely live another day.
She would be free. And I wouldn’t be permitted to join The Jewelry Box.
I’d fail on my brother’s task and have nowhere else to go. I’d have to keep living my miserable existence fighting to stay human and kiss goodbye to ever belonging to someone.
But at least I will have protected her.
“Go, Ily. I changed my mind.” I backed away, ready to vanish into the crowd.
“Miss?” The bouncer sniffed, crossing his arms. “Is this guy bothering you?”
Her sunshine eyes skated to him; I instantly felt the loss of her attention. In that split second of her looking away, I felt adrift. Afloat. Lost.
How?
How had she anchored me so quickly?
What the hell was it about this girl that made my rancid heart howl for her to look at me again?
Her eyes flicked to mine as if summoned by my silent command.
The crackle of chemistry between us shot like an arrow into my chest.
Merde.
I’m fucked.
I’m—
“I...” She frowned and shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know if he’s bothering you?” The bouncer scowled. “But you screamed.”
“I did.” She nodded, frowning at me. “But...he let me go.”
How the fuck did I have the strength to do that?
I wanted to snatch her into my arms again. Tie her to me. Chain her so she could never take up my offer to run.
Gritting my teeth, fighting that fucking beast inside me, I took another step away. “We had a misunderstanding. She’s leaving. I made a mistake.” I swallowed hard, fighting, breaking, wanting. “Go, Ily. I won’t tell you again. Get away from me.”
The bouncer looked between us and rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” Pointing at me, he snapped, “She stays. You go.”
I clenched my teeth.
If she stayed in this club, she wasn’t safe. Victor could steal her.
She needs to get far, far away.
“She can’t stay.” I glowered. “She needs to—”
“A million?” Erasing the distance between us, she whispered, “A million to see where the night takes us?”
I groaned under my breath.
My skin sparked with her closeness.
Goddammit.
I dropped my chin as a crossroads appeared.
Sadistic fate gave me one last choice.
Shake my head and she’d leave.
And survive.
Nod and she’d stay.
And die.
It’s her or countless other women will suffer.
Is her life really worth more than those already trafficked?
She’s the key...
I held her stare.
I buckled beneath nightmarish urges.
She was just one in thousands. Thousands of missing and tortured souls I’d been tasked to save. She meant nothing. Nothing more than the tax I had to pay to be cured.
Only question was, did I have the strength to pay it?
In the end, fate made the choice for me.
With a sharp inhale, Ily suddenly announced, “You know what? Everything’s fine. I’m the one who made a mistake. He doesn’t have to go.”
Fuck, Ily, what have you done?
The bouncer muttered some French slurs about intoxicated youth and ridiculous drama, then stomped back to his post by the wall. Dancers forgot about us as the music switched to an electric trance.
Energy crushed us, trapping us with dark chemistry and strobe lights.
I had no idea what to say.
No idea if I had the courage to save her or steal her.
Raising her chin, Ily studied me.
She looked far too young and far, far too breakable.
She represented my end.
I was a motherfucking dead man.
Ever so slowly, she stepped into me and stared directly into my dirty, despicable soul.
I couldn’t look away as her beautiful gaze darkened with decisions and dangers.
And then...barely noticeable, she nodded. “A million...to see where the night takes us.”
I smothered my groan.
My life was over.
Her life was over.
We were officially bound in death.
I held out my hand and waited.
With the smallest hesitation, she placed her fingers in mine.
A crackle, a bolt, a fissure of electricity.
“I’m trusting you, Henri...don’t...please don’t make me regret it.”
As quickly as that electricity arrived, it died.
My teeth turned to dust in my mouth; I couldn’t reply.
I doubted I’d ever be able to speak to her again.
Hating myself, I tugged her into the nightmare that would destroy both of us.