Page 8 of Ashes

I watched him work when suddenly, I felt the woosh ofa breath skating over my bare shoulder. I turned around and tilted my head up to look at the culprit, giving him a once-over.

Blond slicked-back hair, a fitted three-piece Armani suit, and a shiny—fake—watch adorning his wrist.

By the look of it, he seemed to be in his mid-thirties. He was probably one of those investment bankers who worked a few streets over. They always came to Fenice to unwind after a long week of numbers, in search of someone to bring back home with them.

“Can I buy you a drink?” He gave me a smile that he probably thought was smoldering, but it was just creepy.

Men.

I pondered on the best way to brush him off but quickly decided that a direct approach would be best since most men rarely got the message when you were nice.

“No, I already got it. Thanks.” I gave him a tight smile and turned my attention back to the bartender who was preparing our drinks.

Instead of leaving, he crept closer and placed his hand over my lower back.

“Come on, now. At least let me buy you another after you finish it.” His hand inched farther down and it was now brushing the swell of my ass.

I shook my head to myself. What was it with men and them not processing the word “no”?

I subtly whipped around and grabbed his hand. Twisting it behind his back, I pulled him closer. “Listen,when someone says no, it means no. It doesn’t mean maybe or later, it meansno. I made a vow to save people, but I won’t hesitate to break your radius because you don’t know how to respect boundaries and want to impress yourbuddies.”

He swallowed, his throat bobbing down, and nodded.

“Now, off you go,” I said, releasing the hold I had on his wrist.

He pivoted around and left, finally getting the message.

I was glad the music was loud enough because our littleinteractiondidn’t seem to draw any attention.

I turned back toward the bar and sat on a vacant stool. While I waited for our drinks, the same feeling of being watched reappeared, but I brushed it off when the bartender came back, placing my order in front of me.

I grabbed my glass of wine and Esra’s beer in one hand and held Kenna’s espresso martini in the other. I walked back to our table and placed them down before sliding back into the booth.

“Thank you,” they both said before they resumed their previous conversation. I didn’t know when I’d zoned out of it, but I found myself perusing the floor, people watching.

The place was filling up by the minute. The previous remix shifted into a popular R&B song and the room came even more alive. A group of girlfriends with bachelorette party sashes were dancing on the main floor and belting out the lyrics while couples were sensually gyrating against one another.

They looked so carefree and I envied that. I didn’t even remember the last time I felt like that, the last time I feltfree.

I was in the midst of my musing when I felt the heat of someone’s stare over my skin. I lifted my head and that’s the moment I sawhim.

He was sitting at the bar, a tumbler in hand, his arm lazily hanging on his thigh.

It was difficult to see him properly considering how packed the club was and the sultry lighting, but I didn’t need to. His presence exuded an intoxicating aura that you couldn’t help but be drawn to. It felt like an invisible line threaded between us, pulling me to him.

Like a moth to a flame.

When our gazes collided through the moving crowd, something swarmed in the pit of my stomach. Shivers of anticipation rushed down my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck lifted.

The brutality in his gaze sprouted goose bumps all over my skin and I shifted in my seat, crossing my left leg over my right. Heat swarmed over my body the longer his penetrating gaze roamed over my skin.

My mind wandered to possibilities.

What if I followed Kenna’s advice?

I couldn’t tell how long we kept looking at each other until Esra snapped me out of my haze. “Sienna, what do you think?” she asked and I broke eye contact and looked over at her.

“Sorry?” I said, startled.