I can’t explain why I know what that look meant, but it was simple and in black and white. “Want me to fucking kill him?”
I put my hand in his instead, to make it less awkward for him and to maybe stop Kyrin from slaughtering anyone in front of so many witnesses. For some reason… I don’t think people will buy that it was all part of an act here. “Lilith!”
The man, who has to be mid-forties, narrows his eyes on me. He has fine wrinkle lines around his mouth that give his otherwise classic look an edge. His dark hair is brushed to the back of his head, though the ends sit comfortably around his nape. “Someone has manners.”
“Hmm.” I stir my drink with the stem of my cherry, leaning into Kyrin slightly. It’s subtle. Not enough for people to notice.
Kyrin’s legs spread beneath the table, his hand coming to my upper thigh. My blood turns hot at his touch, but I shove it back because there’s something about this man that doesn’t feel right, and it has nothing to do with the uncomfortable vibes I’m getting from Eli. When you’re around evil long enough, you become evil. It’s like an infectious disease that you don’t notice you have until its ugly claws are already deep enough in to leave scar tissue behind. I recognize his kind of evil.
“This is Dominic Stranger.” Eli’s tone is low, as if a wave of warning is hovering below the surface.
“Awww, don’t be shy, Rebellis.” Dominic pulls out a cigar from inside his suit jacket, clipping the end and putting it into his mouth. “Tell them how we know each other.”
Eli tenses, his jaw flexing. “Dominic is an old friend.”
Needing to find a way to distract this conversation from Eli, because if he wanted us to know this man, he would have introduced us, I lean into Kyrin’s ear, flicking my tongue over his earlobe while squeezing his thigh beneath the table.
“This place is boring.”
Kyrin swings his arm behind my chair, smirking at Dominic while resting farther into my body. The intention is clear. I’m Kyrin’s lap pet. “I know.”
Dominic starts laughing, and the strong scent of his cigar hits my nose before he has even blown out his first puff. Memories cloud my head, but I crank my neck and zone in on Eli to squash them down. I don’t need them right now. I don’t need them ever. Dominic rests his elbows on the table, taking the fat trunk out of his mouth while winking at me.
“Care to show us how you would do things?”
I pause for a few moments, studying his features. He’s testing me, I know that. He probably thinks I’m just some average girl who walked into an adult sex bar with a bunch of people I don’t know. I cast a quick glance to Saskia and Killian, who are too busy kissing to hear the conversation that’s happening. He probably doesn’t know who they are, or that we’re Midnight Mayhem because he only knows Eli.
“What do you say, boys?” I keep my eyes focused on Dominic. “Should I show him what I’ve got?” I know they catch my double meaning, especially when Eli releases a small cackle.
“Yeah, baby… go show him.” Eli suddenly relaxes in his chair, all of the tension he held now released.
“I’m all for her being up there.” Dominic puffs on his cigar. His suit is ruby red. So fucking loud with no color break. He stubs out his cigar in the ashtray that’s in the middle of the table, pointing to both Eli and Kyrin. “But are you going to be okay when people bid on her for a VIP show?” He comes back to me and takes in my upper body. “Because people will put bids on her.”
Kyrin, after being silent the whole time, leans forward an inch, and I swear I stop breathing. When he moves, it’s like everyone wants to see where, and when he speaks, people want to know what words he uses. Kyrin is fascinating in a way that terrifies most people. I am not most people. “Oh, they can bid on her all they want.” He bares his teeth behind a satanic smile. “She will still be coming home with us.” And there’s that lion. The way he said us fueled the warmth that Eli planted inside of me and turns it more into a burning inferno. I know he meant all of them, as in Saskia and Killian, Keaton, and Eli, but with Saskia’s casual comment still dancing around in my brain, I allow it to penetrate another side of my head.
The side I shouldn’t.
Eli chuckles now. “Go on, let her up. Fuck, use that same song and watch her show you how your girls should be dancing to it.”