CHAPTER 28 #3
I notice everything. The way her hair falls over one shoulder when she turns. The way she closes her eyes before opening them again to find me. The way she loses herself in the rhythm for a while before remembering exactly why she came here.
To defy me.
To remind me that marrying her didn’t tame her.
To remind me that she’s still fighting.
And God help me, it only makes it impossible to look away from her. I don’t know why she’s doing this. Maybe it’s the alcohol she drank. Maybe it’s the anger she’s carrying. Or maybe it’s simply Siya being Siya.
Bold. Beautiful. Reckless. And sometimes infuriating.
Every time I think I have her figured out, she changes the rules. Every time I think I know what she’ll do next, she surprises me. It’s dangerous because no woman has ever walked into a room and made everything else disappear.
Even now, despite the crowd, the music, dozens of people surrounding us... I see only her. I watch the way her palms glide over her waist, tracing her curves as she loses herself in the rhythm.
My chest rises and falls harder with each sway of her hips.
Every turn, every slow movement she makes feels far too intimate for a public dance floor.
When she turns away from me, my gaze drops from her face to the backless dress and further down to the tempting curve of her backside, moving perfectly with the beat. F*ck!
A muscle ticks in my jaw. Because again, no woman has ever managed to hold my attention like this.
I’ve never stood in a place and felt such a pull towards someone without even touching her.
Yet here I am, completely aware of every breath leaving my lungs, fully aware that my wife is driving me dangerously close to losing my patience.
I swallow to soothe my dry throat when she turns around and our eyes meet once again. This time, neither of us looks away. She keeps dancing, keeps testing me, keeps pushing my limits, having no idea how badly she’s affecting me right now. Just watching her dance is such a huge turn-on for me.
Suddenly, a movement at the edge of the dance floor catches my attention. A drunk idiot in his mid-thirties, probably a tourist, has been watching Siya for the last few minutes.
My fingers tighten around the armrest of the chair. Haider notices him too. I can tell from the way he stiffens beside me. One word from me and the man would be dragged out of here before he even realises the mistake he’s made.
But I don’t move. I simply observe. Because I already know something about my wife that the poor fool doesn’t.
Siya doesn’t need saving. Not from men like him.
The idiot takes another step towards her as the music continues to blast through the speakers.
And then his hand lifts and moves straight towards her waist.
A big f*cking mistake.
The second his fingers come within touching distance of her, Siya moves so fast that he doesn’t even realise what has happened.
One moment, he’s reaching for her. The next, she has twisted his wrist behind his back so brutally that his face drains of colour.
A howl tears from his throat, but before the sound can fully escape, her knee slams into his stomach.
He collapses instantly before crashing onto the dance floor. Gasps ripple through the crowd around them as Siya stands over him like the fierce princess she is. Furious and deadly.
“How dare you touch me?” she snarls, the threat evident in her voice.
The man immediately raises both his hands. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“Didn’t mean what?” she snaps. “Didn’t mean to grab me without asking? Didn’t mean to put your hands on me because you thought you could get away with it?”
The man visibly shrinks under her glare, but Siya isn’t done. Her chest rises and falls with anger as she continues to stare him down. The entire dance floor has gone silent now.
“You men always think you’re entitled. You assume that if a woman is polite, she’s interested. If she’s smiling, she’s inviting you. If she’s standing alone, she’s available.”
The man looks ready to disappear into the floor.
“But let me make this very clear.” She takes a step closer. “If a woman doesn’t give you permission, you don’t touch her. Ever. If a woman says no, it means no. You can’t force her or threaten her to change her mind. Get that in your head.”
The man nods frantically.
I know exactly what this is. That fool only made a mistake. The rest of this isn’t just for him. It’s for every man who has ever tried to control her. Every man who has ever made decisions on her behalf. Every man who ever thought her consent wasn’t necessary.
Including me.
I lean back in the chair, a slow smirk pulling at the corner of my mouth. She can fight me, defy me, or challenge me, but I know one thing for sure. She would never use another man to provoke me or make me jealous. And she would never allow another man’s hands on her.
And whether she admits it or not... that right belongs only to me. I finish the rest of my drink and rise from the sofa.
The show is over.
As I stride across the dance floor, people automatically move aside. The man is still on the floor, clutching his stomach, while Siya glares at him as if she’s considering kicking him again.
I stop in front of her.
For several seconds, neither of us says a word. I don’t need to. The message is clear: You’ve made your point, wife. Now we’re leaving.
Her jaw tightens, but surprisingly, she doesn’t argue or tell me to go to hell. When I reach for her wrist, she allows me to hold it for just a few seconds before shoving my hand away, as if to remind me not to touch her.
My gaze lingers on her face before I step back. If that’s what she wants, fine.
I let her walk ahead while I follow a few steps behind, like a predator shadowing another predator, ensuring that no one comes near her again.
The walk through the lounge, across the hotel lobby, and out to the parking area passes in complete silence.
She walks with her shoulders straight and her head held high, while I trail behind her, keeping a watchful eye on everyone around us.
The valet spots us immediately and rushes forward with the keys. When he extends them towards Siya, I take them first. She shoots me an annoyed look, but I ignore it. Then I walk to the passenger side of the SUV and pull the door open for her.