Chapter 17 Dex #3
The man frowned. “No.”
Behind the guy were more men waiting to be served, none of whom paid him any attention. Dex pushed past, away from the bar. Had Luc touched him? How? He couldn’t have been behind Dex with so many people packed in on all sides.
Dex skirted the edge of the crowd, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He looked everywhere. No Luc.
“You lost, sweetie?” a man probably twice Dex’s age asked.
“No. All good.” He moved away, pretending not to notice the way the man leered.
Maybe he’d imagined the touch. It had been feather-light. More likely, someone had breathed down his neck a little too hard.
Dex caught a glimpse of Ash and Harper and pushed toward them. Even if the touch had been in his head, he hadn’t imagined Luc behind the bartender.
His skin prickled. The hunt had officially started.
By the time he reached the group, Dex was breathless, and not because he had to fight through the crowd. Luc could appear at any moment.
Dex couldn’t stop looking for him, even though he doubted Luc would reveal himself before he wanted to. It was impossible for Dex to see Luc coming when he had magic on his side. There was nothing Dex could do but wait, and fuck, he twitched with anticipation, his neglected cock half hard.
He had to get off. God, he hoped Luc would let him.
Ollie seemed to have convinced Dante to dance, and they were sweetly wrapped around each other. No way Dex was butting in. He danced by himself, trying his best not to look over his shoulder every few seconds.
Harper broke away from Ash and grabbed his hand. “Dance with me.”
Dex could barely hear his shout over the music. He moved in close, and they found a rhythm.
Harper had taken his shirt off while Dex was at the bar and sported a black lace bralette. He’d skipped the glasses for the night, his makeup sparkling. He looked so damn happy, it was impossible for Dex not to smile and lose himself in the music.
Dex’s skin seemed to vibrate. His body pulsed to the beat, and sweat dripped down his back.
“Dex…” a low, seductive voice whispered, breath tickling Dex’s ear.
He gasped, his body jolting out of rhythm as his pulse thundered in his ears. He whirled around. No one was there except Onyx, plastered to Nico’s chest, writhing to the ever-pounding beat.
It should’ve been impossible to hear a whisper, but Luc’s taunt had reached him all the same.
“You okay?” Harper shouted.
Dex faced him and laughed it off. “Fine.”
As he got back into the groove of dancing, he swore he heard the ghost of a chuckle, and tingles skittered down his spine.
This wasn’t what he imagined Luc hunting him in a club would be like, the unexpectedness adding a layer of foreboding that kicked Dex’s heart into gear. Even when nothing else happened, and Luc’s chuckle faded into memory, Dex’s senses stayed on alert.
Ash crowded behind Harper, and the three of them danced.
Onyx joined in, pulling Nico along, and soon, Dex and Onyx were pressed together.
For once, Dex wasn’t nervous. He could forget that Onyx was one of the most important people in the Shearwater Landing art scene and see him as a potential friend.
Their group moved with the music, breaking off and coming back together.
“Are Ash and Harper making out behind me?” Onyx shouted in Dex’s ear.
“Yeah,” Dex confirmed, glancing over Onyx’s shoulder.
The lights flashed blue, illuminating Ash devouring Harper, his hand tangled in Harper’s hair. The lights flashed red. A dark figure towered behind them, features obscured by shadow and eyes glowing. The lights flashed green, and the figure was gone.
“What’s wrong?” Onyx shouted.
Dex had stopped moving. “Nothing.” He began to dance again.
Onyx grabbed his arm. “No, really. Your eyes nearly popped out of your head.” Onyx craned his neck to look behind him.
A chuckle tickled Dex’s ear, and he shivered.
Onyx narrowed his gaze. “Something is up with you. You look freaked out.”
“I’m not.” Dex shook his head, smiling brightly. Too brightly.
“That’s not helping.” Onyx stopped dancing completely. “You’ve been looking over your shoulder since we walked in. What’s up?”
Nico leaned in close. “You can talk to us.”
Dex groaned in frustration. He shouldn’t have done this when he was with people. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m fine.”
“Is it Luc?” Onyx asked, and Nico’s eyes widened.
Dex was momentarily stunned.
Onyx’s mouth dropped open. “It is him. Is he stalking you? He said he wouldn’t. I could kill him.”
“No,” Dex shouted, grabbing Onyx’s arm. “It’s not like that.”
“Then why are you so jumpy?”
Dex clenched a fist. Fuck. He didn’t want his night ruined. “Because I asked Luc to stalk me tonight. It’s a game, okay?”
Onyx blinked. “You asked…oh!” A sly grin twisted his lips. And he seemed to get exactly what Dex was saying.
Dex’s face flamed.
Onyx leaned closer. “No need to be embarrassed. I get it. Whatever floats your boat. As long as my brother isn’t putting you up to something you aren’t into.”
“It was my idea. I have a safe word. It’s fine.”
Onyx beamed at Dex as if he was…proud? That couldn’t be right. “Don’t let me kill the mood.”
“Too late,” Dex grumbled, and Onyx laughed.
“I’m guessing you won’t be riding home with us?” Nico asked.
“No.” The lights flashed purple, and suddenly, Luc stood behind Onyx, his fangs descended, his lips drawn back in a snarl.
Dex swallowed. He wouldn’t be going home with anyone but Luc.