Page 70 of Cold-Blooded Creatures

“You didn’t expect Zion to be the entire show tonight, did you? It’s just the beginning.” Ryder ordered another round of drinks from a passing worker.

Jayla appeared out of nowhere and beamed at me. “Did you like it? Please tell me you did. I worked so freaking hard to get him up there. Well, okay, not that hard. He owed me for telling Gedeon what he wasn’t supposed to. One day, I’ll get Gedeon to go up there.” She sighed dreamily with a hand on her chest. “That will be the highlight of my work.” Gedeon gave her a dirty look, and she pointed a finger at him. “I said one day, not today.”

“Pretty birdie!” Zion navigated between the tables toward us.

Oh, no.

A sheen of sweat glistened on the planes of his chest, but at least he’d pulled on the pair of black sweatpants the man had torn off him on the stage.

“He’ll carry you up there if you don’t run,” Ezra remarked.

Zion licked his lips as his hungry gaze scorched a trail up my bare thighs and to the high slit of my skirt. He dropped to his knees and roughly spread my legs apart, bringing me to the chair’s edge as I sucked in a breath.

Instinctively, I clutched at his bare shoulders, a little sticky from his sweat. His hot skin challenged my resolve to pretend I didn’t want to sink my teeth into his muscles.

“I could eat you up.” His nose skimmed up my inner thigh, pausing mere inches away from my panties. From how his blue eyes flicked to mine and back between my legs, he hadn’t missed the wet spot. My core tightened with the wish that he’d rip the fabric off.

Which also caused confusion to swirl in my stomach. From my experience, undressing often meant a transaction was about to begin. But Zion’s behavior contained not a trace of it. The lack of it jumbled up my senses into a knot.

“See? She already has him on his knees. I told you she belonged here,” Ezra drawled.

No, no,no.

I didn’t.

I did not belong here.

This was wrong. I was wrong. Everything was wrong.

I was not supposed to stay.

I was not supposed to live contentedly.

I was not supposed to entertain the idea of enjoying Zion’s body.

Shoving him away, I leaped out of my seat and bolted toward the exit.

“Wait, Kali, I’ll come with you!” Eislyn’s plea pierced the noise of customers lounging away during the break between the shows.

Darting between the tables to escape her, I hit a corner of one, and glass shattered on the floor, the sound as harsh as the yells from the customers. But I rushed, not daring to see how far away she was behind me. I knew I’d break down if her gentle voice flowed into my ears and her kindness knocked on my heart.

I didn’t stop outside. The crisp air wasn’t enough. I ran and ran and ran. The burn in my muscles pushed me farther, and I moved faster, taking random turns in the streets until a familiar one spread before me and I cut a corner, emerging at the edge of the grassy field leading to the surrounding forest.

Panting, I paused under the foliage of an oak tree. I plucked a leaf from a tiny branch and rubbed it between my fingers, hoping the roughness of its veins would ground me.

The faint illumination pouring from the windows of the closest buildings brought out the leaf’s darker shade of green. I crushed it. The color was too similar to the wristbands in Ilasall. The one Alora wore. The one I was supposed to wear.

The one I was free of. The one she still carried.

I’d been here a week and had already forgotten about my plans. I’d known I was selfish, but staying here had been a mistake.

Someone shouted in the streets on the other side of the field I’d crossed, and I flinched. I couldn’t let them find me.

I sprinted, ducking under the low-hanging branches and jumping over overlapping tree roots, thankful for the moss absorbing my heavy steps. Drops of dew dripped on my bare shoulders like arrows carrying whispers on their tips.

Drip.

You left her behind.