Chapter Twenty-One
ARINA
Daze and I got several curious looks at the pizza place we chose for dinner, but I hardly noticed. I was too distracted by the way my skin heated every time his eyes lingered on me.
I shouldn’t have cared.
I really shouldn’t have cared.
Not only was he in some fucked-up relationship with one of the circus headliners—whose salted-pretzel scent was burned into my brain, along with his cold, malicious gaze—but I was pretty sure Daze wasn’t interested in my anatomy. Even if he was, I was the last person he should get involved with.
An omega on the run? Yeah, I wasn’t suitable for anyone, much less a beta like Daze.
So, I simply stared at him across the table while we ate and listened to him ramble on about past performances and troupe culture. He rattled off too many names for me to remember, but I caught some of them. Syxx, Sevyn, Legacy, Avra…
I almost wanted to ask if there was someone else named Kedabra, but I decided to save it for later. If I stuck around, I’d learn them eventually.
Hopefully .
I had to survive this weekend’s shows and prove I could be a valuable asset to the circus before I learned my true fate. If I did terribly, there was a chance Hallow could still leave me behind, and then I’d be back to square one.
“Arina?”
I blinked and realized Daze was waiting for a response.
Somewhere between me admiring his sharp jawline and rich brown eyes, I’d missed his question.
Shit.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized, my cheeks heating. “What did you say?”
A gentle smile graced his face, but I could almost sense his disappointment. Did he think I wasn’t paying attention on purpose? Did he think I was bored?
“We can head back whenever you’re ready,” he assured me, still smiling. “You had a big day. I’m sure you’re tired.”
I scoffed a laugh. “So says the man who just did an entire aerial routine. If anyone should be tired, it’s you.”
“A little.” He lifted a single shoulder in a shrug. “But I’m used to it now. Been doing it for years.”
I pursed my lips, unconvinced, but quickly let it go. Truthfully, I wasn’t ready to head back to the clown bus where Zero would be waiting. I was nervous how his scent would affect me in close quarters and trying not to think about it. I was also enjoying myself and didn’t want to ruin the moment.
I liked spending time with Daze.
He was kind, extremely handsome, understanding?—
“Do you want to go somewhere after this?” he asked, shattering my thoughts.
I shifted in the booth and picked up a piece of pizza crust to nibble the edge. “Maybe. What did you have in mind?”
He hesitated, and I wondered if he had a plan at all. Did he not want the moment to end either? Did he want to spend more time with me?
I swallowed down the little bubble of optimism threatening to form. I wouldn’t get my hopes up. Not when every emotion churning through me was pointless.
Daze and I were nothing, and we could never be anything more than friends.
“We could hit a nightclub,” he offered.
I blanched.
Me? In a nightclub? Dressed like this?
I glanced down at my colorful ensemble, wondering how many more strange looks we would get in such a crowded place. Maybe they’d all be so drunk they wouldn’t notice. Or maybe they’d be too preoccupied.
What did people do at nightclubs besides dance?
Does Daze expect me to dance?
“Or not.” He laughed, probably registering the conflicted look on my face. “We can go somewhere else.”
“No, I…” The thought of a nightclub was a little unnerving, but I’d already done so many things out of my comfort zone today. What was one more? “A club sounds fun, but I’ll admit I’ve never been to one. Never really danced either, unless you count alone in my room in front of the mirror.”
His jaw fell slack, and his words came out slow. “You’ve never danced? Not even at school events or anything?”
I shook my head, not wanting to admit that I’d never been allowed to attend prom or winter formal.
Even before I awakened, my mother kept a watchful eye on me.
Always carefully plotting and planning what I was allowed to do and where I was allowed to go.
If I left the house, it was almost always in the company of her or my father.
She was overly protective and, at the time, I’d hated it. I’d thought she was trying to control me, to ruin my life, but since her death I’d realized she meant well. She only ever wanted to protect me, even if it meant smothering me sometimes.
Emotions welled, and I coughed to clear the lump forming in my throat. Now wasn’t the time to get sentimental. Not when I was sitting in a restaurant with one of the hottest men I’d ever seen. That could definitely wait.
“Nope.” I shrugged. “So, I’ll probably be terrible. Fair warning.”
“I bet you’re not that bad.” His smile widened into an excited grin. “And if you are, I’ll teach you.”
Heat bloomed low in my belly at the thought of his body anywhere near mine, especially on a dimly lit dance floor. Before I could open my mouth to say anything, though, the waitress was dropping off our check.
Daze counted out cash and left it on the table before climbing out of the booth and gesturing for me to follow.
Nerves lighting up my system, I obeyed without a word and let him lead the way out the front door and down the sidewalk.
The entire time, I wondered what the heck I was getting myself into, but I refused to back out now.
If I could take Zero throwing razor-sharp knives at my head, I could handle a nightclub.
This would be a piece of cake… I hoped.
With the help of Daze’s phone GPS, it didn’t take us long to find a decent-looking club a few blocks over.
My stomach fluttered when I noted the name of the club, Enigma, glowing in pink above the entrance.
It was still early by nightclub standards according to Daze, but there were already a couple of people lined up outside.
“If you hate it, we’ll leave,” he assured me under his breath as we joined the queue. We could already hear the thrum of the music pounding from inside the building.
I giggled nervously, doubtful that I’d admit it even if I despised the whole thing. I was here for an experience, to do things I’d never done before. And with the sexy aerialist by my side, I’d make the most of it, no matter what.
“Deal.”
The inside of the club was stunning, everything dripping in shades of pink, blue, and silver. A long bar ran the length of the wall to our left, with light fixtures hanging evenly spaced above it. Behind it were several shelves of glass bottles, all different shapes and colors.
My eyes drifted across the club, taking in the rest of the scene.
Spaced sporadically around half of the room were small cocktail tables and contemporary couches that looked more intriguing than functional.
Pink string lights were draped from the dark ceiling, glinting off the silver fixtures and accents around the room.
At the back of the space was a glowing dance floor where lights spun and flashed.
“What do you think?” Daze asked over the music, which played so loud it had my hair standing on end. The song was familiar, but I was too overwhelmed to really pay attention.
Enigma was a lot , but excitement vibrated beneath my skin.
“I like it.” Once more people trickled in, and I worked through my nerves, I’d probably have a good time. Until I embarrassed myself on the dance floor.
“Do you want a drink?”
I stared up at him, indecision mounting.
Did I want something to take the edge off and soothe my anxiety? Yes, yes, I did.
But were these really the best circumstances for me to be getting tipsy for the first time?
“Don’t tell me,” he said before I had the chance to answer. “You’ve never drank before either?”
“I… no. I haven’t. But there’s a first time for everything, right?” I offered a bashful smile.
He shook his head. “I’m just going to corrupt you, aren’t I?”
I burst into a fit of laughter and clapped my hand over my mouth. The thought of Daze corrupting me—or anyone, for that matter—was hilarious. He was so sweet and genuine. He hardly seemed capable of corruption.
The asshole alphas in the circus, on the other hand…
If anything, it would probably be the other way around, with me corrupting the adorable aerialist. Daze had no idea what I’d done to get here. He didn’t know I was a criminal hiding illegal suppressants. He didn’t know I was potentially a murderer.
“You can try.” I winked.
I didn’t miss the mischievous glint in his eye as he grabbed my hand and dragged me to the bar, ordering two drinks without batting an eye. Moments later, the bartender set two strawberry margaritas down in front of us, and Daze slid money across the counter.
“I’m going to pay you back,” I said, reaching for my glass. I brought it to my lips, surprised by the sugar rimming the top, and took a cautious sip. It was tangy and sweet, and burned a bit on the way down.
“I said don’t worry about it.” Daze took a swig of his drink and smirked in my direction. “Just let me treat you to a night on the town and enjoy it, cielito .”
I was so embarrassed that I hardly registered the nickname. It must have been in Spanish because I’d never heard it before.
If I remembered later, I’d ask him what it meant.
For now, I took two large gulps of my margarita to chase off the heat blooming through me.
“Easy there”—he laughed—“I don’t want to carry you back to the bus.”
My face flamed at the thought of him tossing me over his shoulder and toting me through the streets of Dallas. I set the glass down hurriedly and tucked my hair behind my ear.
“Sorry,” I muttered, just loud enough to hear over the music. “Just nervous.”
“Nervous?” He cocked a dark eyebrow at me. “What for?”
“New things. Change. Performing in front of thousands of people.” I refused to admit that right now he was making me more nervous than anything else. “I’m sure there are some other things in there that I haven’t thought of yet.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I think you’re handling it all very well.”
I snorted a laugh. “That makes one of us. If you could read my mind, you’d probably change yours.”
Daze ran his fingers through his rainbow hair, and it fell perfectly over his eyes. I tracked his movements, like I had been for the past few hours, unable to squash my guilt for staring. He was dating someone, sort of.
I needed to knock it off.
“And if I could read your mind?” he asked, taking another sip.
My eyes immediately went to his mouth on the glass, and I shifted in my seat. Just watching the man drink was making me squirm. How will I act if he teaches me to roll my hips on the dance floor later? I clenched my thighs together.
“What would I learn?” he asked.
Nope.
I wasn’t falling into that trap.
Did he really want to know what was on my mind? To hear the borderline-filthy things I was thinking about him? Or was he just talking about the internal panic I was disguising?
It was getting hard to think clearly, and I quickly reached for my drink again.
Maybe if I drank enough, I’d forget my shame and just say the things playing in my head.
Would it scare him off?
Would he still want to be my friend?
Would he… feel the same?
I fought off a whine and choked down the rest of my drink, ignoring the burn in my throat. With a grimace, I set the empty glass aside.
“Careful what you ask for,” I replied cryptically. “Some secrets should be kept secret.”
“Hmm,” he hummed, then downed his drink in a few swallows. He waved at the bartender, signaling for another round of drinks, then turned back to me. “Fair. We all have secrets, even those who pretend they don’t. Especially them.”
I wasn’t sure who he was talking about, but before I had a chance to ponder it, another strawberry margarita was sitting in front of me.
Daze reached for his and raised it with a nod. “To new beginnings.”
I followed his lead before taking a sip. This one didn’t burn going down, and by the time I reached the bottom of the glass I was feeling good.
No, more than good.
I felt fantastic.
When Daze grabbed my hand and dragged me across the club, I was nearly floating, gliding along behind him as he led the way. My nerves had long since dissolved, replaced by an unfamiliar confidence. I was so sure of myself as we made our way through the crowd of gyrating bodies.
The music flowed through my veins, and I was already bobbing to the beat and swinging my hips before we stopped in the middle of the dance floor.
“You’re a natural,” Daze said, leaning close, so I could hear him.
Every part of me tingled, and I tried to blame the alcohol and not his nearness.
“No, no. I’ve practiced a lot,” I laughed.
“Alone in your bedroom?”
I nodded.
“Well, let’s do something you haven’t practiced before.”
Before I could process his words, he grabbed me by the waist and spun me around. He dragged my ass back against him, and I gasped as his lips came down close enough to graze my ear.
“Show me some moves, cielito,” he urged, his voice suddenly gruff. “Dance for me.”
My knees went weak, and if it weren’t for his hands on me, I would have melted into a puddle. Every part of me was buzzing with electricity, the margaritas making my head swim.
I wasn’t sure what his plan was, but I knew one thing: he’d given me an invitation, and I wasn’t going to squander it.
Pressing my ass back against him, I began to dance, doing my best to mimic the beautiful women around us.
Despite my buzz, I was keenly aware of his hands on my hips and the way his body moved with mine.
Delicious heat licked through my veins, and I didn’t know what to blame: the crowd, the alcohol, or the way Daze moved against me.
I silently thanked whatever god was listening for the illegal suppressants in my system. They’d prevent me from ending up a slink-soaked mess on the dance floor, even if they didn’t quell my blooming desire.
His hands twitched on my hips, his digits brushing over my abdomen before sinking to my thighs, and I shuddered.
I could barely think straight because of the margaritas, but I knew one thing: if he kept grinding on me, I was going to be in a whole lot of trouble.