Her brown eyes widened, and her light brown skin flushed. Pushing back her springy black curls, she bit her lip. “Yeah, I just . . .” Imani’s shoulders bunched,and the flashing lights highlighted the creases between her eyebrows. “What am I doing here,Sasha?”
“What do you mean?” I sat on the stool next to her.
“Look at me! I’m wearing a freaking cardigan and flats? It’s like I can’t help but look like I spend my days in the library.” Her hand gestured toward Jazz,who was bumping and grinding with Ashley, howling with laughter. “And look at her. She’s everything sexy and wonderful. What am I doing here?”
I wasn’t sure if Jazz would appreciate what I was about to say or do, but her girlfriend needed a pick me up, and damn it, I was going to be there for her.
Standing up, I pushed her legs apart and stood between them. Her mouth fell open. “Imani, you’re a beautiful woman.” I let my fingers gently trace from her knee to hip. “These legs are to die for.”Continuingto where her generous curves nipped at the waist,I wrapped my hands around and squeezed.Herthick thighs tighten around my legs. “You have these amazing curves and perfect . . .” I grazed the outsideof her chest with the side of my palm. Her breath hitched, and I smiled. One hand danced up her neck, cupping her cheek. The heat of her blush warmed my palm. The pad of my thumb lightly brushed her full bottom lip, little pieces of salt rubbing my skin. “And these lips.” Pulling her waist closer, I leaned in. Counting to three, I waited for our interruption.
Sure enough, I was yanked back long before our lips met.
“What the fuck,Sasha!” Jazz’s eyes flared with anger while Imani jumped up to pull Jazz away from me.
“No, baby, it’s not. Sasha was—”
“I know what the fuck Sasha was doing.” She tore her heated gaze from a shaken Imani to me. “Stay the fuck away from Imani. She’s not one of your little distractions. She’s . . . she’s—”
“Important to you.” I smiled at Imani and winked.
Jazz looked between us, a new rage setting in. “You’re fucking right, so stop with the winking shit.” Giving me her back, Jazz grabbed Imani’s hand and pulled her to the dance floor.
“You’re welcome!” I yelled behind them. Jazz flipped me off, but Imani only laughed and waved.
After another shot, I danced my way to my friends. Song aftersong,we danced and sweated up a storm. Jazz smiled at me, letting me know we were okay.
As my eyes scanned the dance floor for a distraction for the night, the lights flashed on a face I thought I’d never see again. My breath stopped, but my feet moved toward where I’d just seen Luca. A big-headed dude blocked my view for a moment, and when I shouldered past him, Luca was gone.
Shaking my head, I returned to the group. I wondered if I was seeing things. It wouldn’t have been the first time I thought I saw Luca and was wrong.
Leaning into Ashley, I yelled, “I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Want me to go too?” The guy behind her tightened his hold on her waist, and she shoved him back.
“Nah, I’m good.”
She nodded and danced away from Mr. Handsy and into the protection of our pack of dancing beauties.
Groaning at the line to the women’s bathroom, I scoped out the men’s bathroom. Casually, I pushed the door open. No one. Thanking my lucky stars, I booked it into the stall.
Bladder fully relieved, I went to flush when the door flew open with a bang. A few pairs of feet shuffled in, one man grunting.
“I can’t believe you were stupid enough to come here, Alec.”
There was no mistaking Luca’s voice, even if it was colder and harder than I remembered. I pulled my feet up to sit on the toilet and triednot to move a muscle.
“I . . . I didn’t—”
There was the sound of glass breaking, followed by a thud. I leaned to the side to peek through the crack between the stall wall and door. Luca stood over a man with blood gushing from his head. Glass littered the floor and counter, reflecting the dingy yellow light up at my raging ex. A tremor of fear went through my body, and I leaned back against the tank of the toilet.
“Don’t bullshit me. You were one of the fuckers that shot me! Your cousin told us everything right before I ripped him apart.” The man on the floor moved to stand up, but Luca stomped down on his hand. “Don’t move one fucking muscle.” Lowering himself into a squat, Luca rocked on his feet,causing the man to scream out. “Now tell me, where the fuck is Cy?”
“I don’t know. I don’t—AHHHHH!” Luca’s fingers dug into Alec’s scalp, where the glass had ripped him open. My stomach turned as the blood poured from his wound.
Luca smiled and stood up,pulling a gun from his waistband. I gasped, and my hand flew to cover my mouth. Luckily, Alec’s scream covered any noise coming from me.
“Here’s the deal. You know I can’t let you leave alive.”
Alec cried louder. “Please! Please! I—”