AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But that's not in the cards for us, at least not yet. For tonight, I have to be content with watching her twirl around the room with her friends, wrapped in rippling silk. Easily done with the promise of dragging her back to bed with me once this whole spectacle is over.
23
SHILOH
The ballroom isa swirling kaleidoscope of color and sound, filled with the rustle of costumes and the hum of excited chatter. Dom and I stand on the fringe of the crowd, both of us satisfied observers of the spectacle before us.
My chest swells with pride and relief to see the success we had a hand in creating. Weeks of planning, mind-numbing committee meetings, and one very awkward phone call to my estranged stepbrother have all led to this magical moment.
And if I drink enough, I might be able to tune out Melanie’s gloating.
I turn to Dom, allowing myself a moment to appreciate how devastatingly sexy he looks in his costume. The flickering candlelight casts shadows across his chiseled features, while the perfect fit of his tailcoat has me wanting to sink my teeth into those deliciously broad shoulders.
“You know,” I say, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth, “if your hair was a bit longer, you'd be the spitting image of Johnny Depp in Sleepy Hollow.”
Dom's lips quirk just a little, though his eyes never leave the crowd as he determinedly maintains an air of bored indifference.“I’ll take that as a compliment. Though I must point out, that film was set over a century after the Connecticut witch trials. Are you accusing me of missing your theme, Oh Great Avalon Lore Expert?”
“Can't you just let a girl tell you that you look hot without being such a smartass?” I roll my eyes, nudging him with my elbow. “Although…if you wanna talk about missing the theme, Melanie will have your balls if you don’t put that mask on.”
He huffs a frustrated sigh, the final piece of his costume still hanging off his finger. “The fuck has my life become?” he mutters before pulling the elastic over his head. The mask is a twisted, black web of spray-painted wicker that obscures the top half of his face and reduces his eyes to glinting obsidian. I wouldn’t be surprised if anyone mistook him for some pagan deity, this imposing creature that would give any sane human a heart attack if they came across him in the middle of a cornfield.
“Fuck me, that thing is terrifying…why am I turned on right now?” I speak low enough that only he can hear me as I stare wide-eyed at the monster that towers over me.
A low chuckle rumbles in his chest as he leans in close, his breath hot against my cheek. “I’m glad you like it. And you, my little Shy Girl, look tempting enough that every man and woman in this room would likely sell their soul to the devil, just for the chance to touch you.”
Heat blooms across my cheeks, and I glance around nervously, suddenly hyper-aware of how close we're standing. Thankfully, the mask of swirling black lace I’ve fastened over my own eyes should obscure the worst of it. Otherwise, it might be obvious to passersby that my stepbrother is whispering salacious things to me right now.
My heart races with the desire to reach out and touch him, to claim him as mine in front of everyone. But I know I can't.The thought of being at the center of Avalon’s scandal of the year makes my stomach churn.
“Behave yourself, Dominic,” I murmur and take a sip of my drink, savoring the burn of alcohol as it slides down my throat. It’s refreshing, though nothing seems to heat my veins quite as easily as the man standing next to me.
Our flirtatious bubble pops when I spot Ruby and Jemma pushing through the crowd toward us, their faces flushed with excitement and no doubt several drinks of their own.
“Shiloh!” Ruby calls out, grabbing onto my arm. “Come on, girly, you have to dance with us! The DJ is killing it tonight.”
I hesitate for a moment, caught between the desire to stay with Dom and the pull of my best friends. Turning to him again, I ask, “Want to join us?”
The girls exchange confused looks, clearly surprised by my warmth toward the guy I ranted so furiously about only a couple of weeks ago.
Dom's face remains impassive as he shakes his head. “Dancing isn't really my thing. You go ahead.”
Disappointment twists in my chest, but I paste on an understanding smile. It was a long shot anyway. I follow my friends to the dance floor, casting one last, longing glance over my shoulder at Dom's brooding figure.
The music pulses through me as I lose myself in the rhythm of the bass. Ruby and Jemma flank me either side, our bodies moving in sync as we twirl and laugh together like we have on so many wild nights at The Cauldron. For a little while, I forget about the pressure of organizing this event, the constant confusion of strange happenings that have plagued me in recent weeks, and the ever-present weight of my growing feelings for a man I’m not sure I can depend on.
When the beat transitions into a slower melody, I turn, breathless from all the dancing, and blanch a little as I’m met with Greyson's intense gaze.
“May I have this dance?” he asks, a hopeful smile playing on his lips as a hand extends toward me.
I hesitate, reading the not-so-innocent look in his eyes, but before I can politely decline, a hard body presses itself against my spine. Dom's voice cuts through the music, cold and sharp. “Ask someone else. Shiloh's not interested in you.”
Greyson's face flushes a deep crimson as he sputters, “I-I wasn't...I didn't mean…”
With a dismissive wave of his hand, Dom talks over him. “Save it. Everyone can see you've had a pathetic crush on her for a while. It’s time to let it go before you really embarrass yourself.”
My eyes widen in shock at his blunt assault. “Dom! Can you shut the fuck up for a second?” I interject, thoroughly mortified. "I'm so sorry, Grey, you didn’t deserve that. Can we talk about thi–”
Before I can even finish my sentence, Greyson mumbles something about getting another drink and hurries away. I whirl on Dom, anger bubbling up inside me. “That was a dick move. Greyson and I have been friends for years, I was going to let him down easy.”
