She continued dancing, working every inch of the song and feeding off the crowd, and I buttoned my jacket, using every ounce of control to not lose my cool here.
Someone appeared, and I shifted my gaze away from the dance floor as Michael approached.
“You know what?” he said, laughing and patting me on both arms. “I’m feeling generous tonight. Forget what I said. You can stay as long as you like. Eat, drink…” He tossed a glance behind him to the dance floor and then turned back to me. “Because it looks like you have your hands full enough at home. Ouch.”
I steeled myself, letting him walk away, but the air pouring out of my nose was damn near steam.
The song ended, the crowd cheered, and I saw Crane approach my side again as I watched Winter smile on the dance floor and soak up all that love at my expense.
“She needs to be disciplined,” I said.
“Did you have fun?” I asked, hearing the front door close.
Headlights shone through the drapes, and I pushed my chair back and rose from the dining room table, Winter’s dog popping his head up from my lap to let me up.
I knew she’d come home. Good girl.
And at one a.m., no less.
The headlights outside died, and I stalked into the dark foyer, seeing Winter still dressed in her costume from the party. I put my hand on her abdomen and walked into her, forcing her back against the door.
She sucked in a breath, planting her hands on my chest.
“Four hours,” I scolded. “When I think of all the trouble you could’ve gotten up to in four hours…”
After her dance, she disappeared, and it only took Crane a few minutes to find out she’d left with Ethan Belmont, escaping while she could. I sent someone to his house, but no one was home.
Hopefully that was him who just dropped her off, too.
“I’m an adult,” she shot back. “You have no power.”
But just then protests and struggles rang out loud and clear as people entered the house.
“Get your hands off me!” Ethan shouted as Crane dragged him into the room from the side door in the dining room.
I kept my eyes on Winter, though, a smirk curling my lips.
Perfect timing.
A puzzled look crossed her face when she heard his voice. “Wha—what are you doing? Leave him alone.”
I moved my hand to her jaw, holding it in one hand. “I think he touched you,” I told her. “He kept you out after curfew.”
She clutched my hand with both of hers, breathing hard.
“He’s been dying to get you into bed. Judging from the naked pictures of you all over his bedroom wall, anyway.”
“What?” she blurted out. “Stop it, Damon.”
Belmont struggled against Crane’s hold to my right.
“He’s been photographing you,” I told her, reporting what Crane found when he went to Belmont’s house earlier. “I really hope you didn’t know.”
“It wasn’t like that!” he yelled. “I just… Winter, they’re not bad pictures. I promise.”
I kept my stare on her. “They’re bad to me,” I bit out. “She’s in her bathing suit, her shorts, bending over… All without her knowledge from the looks of it, am I right?”
“Spare me your concern about what happens without her knowledge!” he fired back. “You only care when it’s not you taking advantage!”