Chapter 26
Kinsley
Dancing With The Blade
Ivan stepped up to take my hand. Nik gave it a little squeeze, grounding me in the here and now.
“Enjoy yourself. Blade, try not to step on her toes,”
Nik said with a kiss on the back of my hand.
My skin tingled where he had kissed it, and the exchange with him left me lost in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. I was thankful he hadn’t grilled me on my past, but the results of the conversation we did have were still odd at best.
Strangely, a part of me didn’t want to part company with him. But there was still another brother waiting for a dance. I turned and met the serious expression of Ivan King. He extended his hand toward me, claiming me.
Nowhere in my mind had I imagined the night being like this. A surge of anticipation rippled through me. Confusion set in when he placed me directly in front of him.
His touch was deliberate as his fingers deftly worked through the pins securing my hair. With each delicate tug, a cascade of curls released, tumbling freely around my shoulders.
In that fleeting moment, strands of hair danced around us. A sense of vulnerability washed over me. The way he fixed my hair was another unexpected act of intimacy. I met his gaze once more.
“What are you doing?”
I exclaimed, trying to gather my wits about me.
“I like it down.”
He smirked.
Softening his smile, he took my hand.
The music began again, and I whipped my head toward the DJ booth as Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” began.
What an eclectic playlist. It had a unique arrangement, a more orchestrated version. My ears picked up the distinct tones of the piano and cello, and a pang of sadness rippled through my heart.
“Hey, what’s that look for?”
Ivan asked as he brushed a knuckle over my cheek.
Something in the soft tone of his voice and the gesture soothed me. It was as if he spoke to my soul somehow. I stared into his oceanic-colored eyes and let him lead me farther onto the dance floor. In Ivan’s arms, there was a sense of safety, and the size difference between us was almost comical. He towered over me, even in heels.
And as if he heard my thoughts, he spoke, “I don’t think I’ve ever danced with someone so incredibly small. You’ll have to forgive me if I stumble a little.”
He gave me a sheepish grin. “Alek’s right. I’m not the best dancer. But I am the best fighter,”
he added, puffing his chest out.
It seemed sweet, and like something a brother would do when trying to best the other. As far as dancing went, he knew what he was doing. He held his own with me, his form relaxed but hitting the moves at the right time.
“Fighting, like what kind of fighting?”
“All kinds—boxing, MMA, you name it, I like it. But my favorite is knife fighting. It takes a special skill.”
“And would Alek agree you are the better fighter?”
I teased. He twirled me around, flinging me away from him, only to pull me back tightly.
“He would. We each have our specialties. I hear you like blades.”
“Oh, gosh. Yes, I carry mine with me everywhere I go.”
“Everywhere? Does that mean you are hiding it somewhere right this moment?”
His eyes flicked down my body, checking me out.
I flushed, and my heart raced. “This dress isn’t made for that, so you’re safe here on the dance floor. However, back at the table in my clutch is a custom Sam Eddleman Weehawk Balisong.”
“Blade size?”
he asked smugly.
“Four and a quarter inches,”
I answered, relaxing into him.
“That’s a baby blade,”
he scoffed.
“Gets the job done, and it has polished titanium handles with purple and black inlays. It’s so pretty.”
“Like you?”
I flushed under the compliment and said, “As I was saying, it gets the job done. Size isn’t everything, you know. Some girls like a smaller blade. It fits better.”
He roared with laughter, and I groaned as I realized how that sounded. He took my hand and put it around his waist, placing it on the holster holding his blade on the belt loops. Allowing my hands to roam the entire length of it, I caressed it lovingly. With wide eyes, I sighed. It was an enormous blade.
“Then you wouldn’t like mine. Fifteen and a quarter from handle to blade tip. It has both a plain and serrated edge.”
He continued to grin.
The song was ending, and I realized I was enjoying his company. I could probably talk knives with him all night.
“Dual purposes, then. The fine edge for slicing and cutting, and the jagged edge for sawing through things,”
I said, smiling.
I shivered as his words painted a picture. My imagination went wild, and I envisioned him in a fight stance, the massive blade on his belt being drawn. I could see him in my mind, poised and ready for battle.
The thought sent a rush of adrenaline through my veins, quickening the beat of my heart. It was the strangest sensation, this overwhelming urge to see him in action, to see him unleash the full extent of his power.
The intensity of the feelings took me by complete surprise, and it stirred something primal and exhilarating in me. Amid the music and laughter in the ballroom, I found myself with a deep longing to witness the true power of this giant.
Would it be weird of me to ask to see him wield his weapon? Yeah, even Summer would think that was weird. I shook my head.
His next comment snapped me out of my fantasy land.
“You know your edges. That’s good to know. However, you should carry your blade on you at all times. Even if the dress isn’t ideal, you have to find a way to make it work. Your baby blade does you no good with me when it’s over there.”
He gestured toward the table with his head, and his voice turned firm.
I nodded in agreement.
“They have these things called garter holsters. You can wear it around one of those pretty thighs of yours. You should get one.”
His brow furrowed, and Alek sauntered over to us.
“We need to talk,”
Ivan barked at Alek, who raised an eyebrow.
“Kinsley, will you excuse me and Ivan for a moment?”
“Yes, of course. I’d like to freshen up anyway,”
I murmured, getting ready to walk toward the bathroom.
“Grab your clutch first, young lady,”
Ivan bellowed, making me suck in my breath.
I nodded quickly and rushed over to get it. I looked up from the table, and his eyes were watching to ensure I had listened. He was so mellow and easy to talk to, but now he seemed upset. What was that about? We were having a lovely discussion. What happened?
I made my way to the bathroom, feeling chided. Did he just scold me like a father or like a lover? It stung. His words carried a hint of disappointment, no matter how well-intentioned.
Clearly, he had a protective nature, and in my heart, I believed his intentions were rooted in a desire to keep me safe. A pang of sadness washed over me, accompanied by the realization that I’d let him down.
I grappled with my thoughts as my footsteps echoed down the hall. The music dimmed into the background. What was happening? I didn’t even know the guy and certainly didn’t owe him anything, so why did I feel so horrible? The more time I spent with the King brothers, the more confusing emotions seemed to surface.
I suppose it’s a natural response, given that this is my first genuine encounter with men.
Until this point in my life, I had managed to keep men at arm’s length. It didn’t help that I’d spent years living off grid with Owen. Urban living had given me a jolt, but nothing quite like this. I was out of my league with Alek. If I hadn’t had the past I did, maybe it would have been different.
If I were anyone else, like Jenna, I would absolutely indulge, but I wasn’t blessed with a faulty memory. No, that would have been a gift from the universe, and I learned early on that I was not one of the universe’s favorite people. I pushed the bathroom door open and found Sarah and Jenna chatting like old friends.
“Does this mean Ivan is free? I’d better get back out there before someone else steals him,”
Sarah said, laughing while checking her reflection one last time.
She rushed out, leaving me with Jenna. Perfect.
“Alek has specific tastes. Let me know if you need any tips,”
Jenna said, applying some lipstick.
“Excuse me?”
“Yes, I assume you’re the new flavor of the week. He’s been very fickle lately. He likes it when—”
“I don’t need tips on how to please Aleksandr,”
I retorted.
Who the hell does this woman think she is?
And why did she even care? I narrowed my eyes.
“Touchy. I was just trying to help. It’s probably wasted energy, anyway. You seem, I don’t know, what is the word? Inexperienced.”
She washed her hands and moved to grab some paper towels. “You mind?”
she asked rudely.
Realizing I was standing in her way, I moved, mumbling an apology. My face flushed; she seemed overly invested in Alek. I sighed, unable to help but catch Jenna’s thinly veiled disdain.
And as if she couldn’t resist, her malicious tone continued, her words dripping with contempt. “Enjoy it while it lasts,”
she sneered. “You won’t be around for long. You’re not even in the same league as what Alek requires. You’ll fold under the weight.”
This woman had to be mental, and I tried not to let her words rile me up. I had enough of my own doubts rattling around inside my head. Who knew, maybe she was sleeping with one brother while secretly pinning for the other? In the end, her rude behavior didn’t deserve to take up any more space in my head. I went into one of the stalls to get away from the hateful look, though.
“Mental,”
I mumbled to myself.
I sighed in relief when I came out and she was gone. Another downfall to leading a sheltered life. The only mean girl I’d ever dealt with was Deborah from dance class. She had relented some, especially because I wouldn’t dance with Pasha. She’d been paired with him several times, from what I was told.
Choosing again to ignore Jenna’s comments, I vowed to ask Alek to take me home. I knew he wanted me to stay the night, but if my thoughts about him were true, it seemed prudent not to push things. At the end of the day, Jenna was right. If Alek thought I’d make a good sub, and that was what he was aiming for, he’d be majorly disappointed. I studied my face in the mirror and channeled Summer bear.
“All you need to do is tell him the truth. Everyone wins when honesty is practiced. He’ll see you’re right and appreciate the fact you didn’t waste any more of his time.”
Making up my mind, I opened the bathroom door. Alek stood outside the ladies’ room, lounging casually without a care in the world. He pushed off the wall and walked toward me.
“I was about to come in and see if you needed help with anything.”
He grinned, causing me to smile.
“And there she goes, folks. Her resolve has dissolved like sugar in a cup of hot tea,”
Autumn shouted inside my head.
Winter quickly followed. “One smile, and she’s forgotten he wants to dominate her.”
Shut it, you two, it’s just a smile, I thought.
“You and your brother work out whatever issue was upsetting him?”
He yanked me to him and ran his fingers through my hair. Gathering it together, he asked, “Do you have another hair tie? I can’t believe he pulled it down.”
I nodded, opened my clutch, and handed him one, feeling like I was in another dimension.
“He was worried that you’re putting yourself at risk by not carrying your blade on you at all times. I guess that’s somehow my fault.”
As Aleksandr’s nimble fingers fixed my hair, a wave of confusion washed over me.
“That’s absurd. How is that your fault?”
I mumbled, equally puzzled by how effortlessly he seemed to know how to fix my hair, as if he’d been doing it for years.
What kind of alternate universe was I living in? One brother sharing his sexual habits, another placing blame unnecessarily on another, and them wanting me to wear my hair to suit their preferences. I’d officially lost it.
“Precisely what I told him, but now he’s insistent on you coming to the gym to learn some basic self-defense. There, that’s better.”
He moved back a step, giving me room to breathe.
His scent was so damn masculine, and there was this sexiness to it that drew me in. I was tempted to ask him what he used as he did me, but I refrained. Instead, I replied to his comment.
“Another King making demands and insisting I do something. Wow, I feel like I’ve won the lottery. Whatever did I do to deserve such luck? Tell me, should I expect Nik to have some outlandish demands too?”
I asked sarcastically.
“Give the Crow enough time, and I’m sure he will. Now, tell me you’ve thought long and hard”—he smirked as I rolled my eyes at him—“and can’t wait to see the suite we’re staying in.”
He ran his hands softly down my back.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea, not to mention I don’t have any clothes.”
My resolve once more melted away. I was weakening each second his hands were on me.
Not good, not good at all.