Page 23 of Savage Desire (The Savage Six #2)

23

POLARIS

T he invite to Wylder’s fight lingered in the air all day. I swayed back and forth over whether I should actually go or not, and as I stand here with my hair falling in waves around my face, my makeup perfected by Bryony herself, and a dress falling mid-thigh, I’m doubting my choices again.

“Maybe I shouldn’t go,” I murmur, running my hands over the soft material of the silver dress that Bryony insisted I had to wear. It felt like a good idea at the time, but now I’m not so sure.

“Maybe you shouldn’t doubt yourself,” she blurts in response, cocking a brow at me as she comes into view. Her hair is piled on top of her head with loose tendrils cascading down. Instead of a dress, she’s wearing a cropped tee and a denim skirt. She looks cute as hell even with the glaring look in her eyes.

“I haven’t talked to Wylder since yesterday, and?—”

“Asher asked you earlier too. Besides, Minnie just texted to say she’s on her way over now,” she replies, and my eyes widen in surprise.

“She did?”

With an eye roll, she thrusts her cell phone in my face for me to read the truth for myself.

Minnie: Are you guys ready? Wylder, Linc, and Tatum already left, but Asher and I are heading out now if you want to head down together?

Bryony: We’ll meet you in two.

I gulp before offering her a soft smile. My nerves are still getting the better of me, but maybe this is a good decision. The dress is cute.

“Fine. I’m ready, I just don’t know what to do about—” My words slam to a halt as my lips clamp shut, and Bryony stares at me in confusion. If I don’t finish my sentence now then she’s going to think I don’t trust her, but continuing what I was about to say will leave me feeling vulnerable. Thankfully, Bryony doesn’t say a word as she watches me intently until I sigh, my mind made up. “Where do you put your sand?”

Understanding washes over her face as she nods, slipping a hand inside her bra to reveal the tiniest pouch. “Got to keep the good stuff safe,” she says with a shrug, and I snort a laugh.

“In your bra?”

“That’s where all the important stuff goes,” she insists as I continue to stare at her, completely bewildered.

“I don’t know how I feel about that,” I mutter, aware it’s more than my sand I want to keep safe. Can’t exactly leave my coin home, now can I?

“Suit yourself. I think I might have a little silvery bag in my armoire if you want me to grab it,” she offers, and I perk up at the idea.

“If you don’t mind,” I breathe, and she nods, heading for the door.

“I’ll meet you outside,” she offers before disappearing out into the hallway.

I take a deep breath, grabbing my pouch of sand and family coin and follow after her. My fingers coil tight around the metal, pressing so tight I’m certain the imprint will remain on my flesh forever. When I make it outside, I’m startled to find Minnie and Asher already waiting.

My eyes latch onto the latter first. He’s an enigma. One who usually has his chin resting against his chest with his focus solely on his cell phone. In moments like this, when there’s a chance I may catch his attention, he’s even more breathtaking.

His eyes are marbled, a swirl of blue and green, luring you in closer and closer. His white hair sweeps back off his face from all the times he’s run his fingers through it. All while he stands ramrod straight, his toned body on full display even though he’s wearing jeans and a polo shirt.

Hot.

Embarrassingly so.

“Hey, where’s Bryony?” Minnie asks, beaming at me with amusement flickering in her eyes, confirming that she caught me eye-fucking Asher, and my cheeks heat.

“I’m here. Sorry,” Bryony hollers, announcing her arrival and thankfully cutting through the awkwardness that was quickly spreading between us.

She hands me the silver purse and I mumble my thanks as I take it. Slipping my pouch of sand, cell phone, and coin inside, I hike it over my shoulder and fall into step with everyone.

Minnie and Bryony march off ahead without a care in the world, while Asher holds back, remaining at my side as we follow after them.

I press my lips together nervously. I approached him earlier today, making sure he was okay, and his response was a little clipped. Maybe? I don’t know, but it almost felt like rejection, and I don’t think I want to subject myself to that again. Maybe that’s what’s been weighing on my mind all day.

Rejection.

It’s not something I should even remotely be feeling, but it seems the wolves here force me to feel things I don’t want any association with.

He clears his throat, drawing my attention to him with a nervous smile on my face, which falters when I see the intense glimmer in his eyes. “You look beautiful, Polaris,” he rasps, making me gulp.

“Thank you,” I breathe, my cheeks likely their usual tinged color at the compliment.

He reaches across the space between us, tucking a loose tendril of hair behind my ear as our pace slows, but we don’t grind to a halt. “Don’t hide behind your hair, Silver,” he adds, nodding at me before facing straight ahead, and I feel like I can’t breathe.

My chest heaves as my pulse rings in my ears, my skin still tingling from where he touched me. I run my tongue over my bottom lip, peering up at him shyly as his fingers ghost over mine at my side.

He doesn’t turn my way, not even a glance out of the corner of his eye, but the ghost of his touch morphs into his whole hand as he laces his fingers with mine, effortlessly tugging me into his side.

My heart hammers in my chest, heightening all of the senses already consuming me as his fingers flex around mine. I think I might die, or stumble to my damn knees in an impossible attempt to act natural.

As if sensing my inner turmoil, his thumb skims over my skin, leaving goosebumps in his wake, while his gaze remains straight ahead.

I don’t know what the fuck is going on, I just know that I’m scared. Not from what it might mean or what others might say, but because I might like it too much.

I’m screwed.

He’s still holding my hand. He’s still holding my freaking hand.

Acting calm is no longer possible.

As we near the security standing at the doors of The Aurum, panic starts to kick in and I try to tug my hand from his grasp. His gaze snaps to mine for the first time this entire walk, but he doesn’t say a word, he simply tightens his hold and tugs me closer so my arm is pressed against his.

Minnie and Bryony head inside as the two security men acknowledge Asher.

“Sir, the VIP section has already been prepared for after Wylder’s fight. Are there any new guests you would like to add to the list?”

Asher stops dead in his tracks, forcing me to do the same as he leans in to whisper in the guy’s ear. It’s over in a split second and we’re moving again. Before I can even consider asking what that was about, even if it had nothing to do with me, we’re heading inside where the music is pounding and it’s impossible to be heard.

He keeps me close, but it’s not hard when the sea of people before us part naturally from his presence. There’s no worming my way through people, no pushing and shoving or apologizing. Just a clear path.

The dark hallways open up to The Aurum after a few minutes, and we take the steps right down the center, where I spot the others already gathering. Tatum is murmuring something into Lincoln’s ear, and he nods along intently. It’s only when he pulls back that he looks up through the crowd to see us approaching.

Lincoln’s gaze latches straight on to our joined hands, and an emotion flickers over his face, but it’s gone too quickly for me to be certain what it is.

The familiar spark of panic shivers down my spine, but before I can try and pull my hand away, Asher stops, leaning down to whisper in my ear. “Don’t try and pull away again, Polaris. Otherwise, I’ll use the same hands to make your ass the same pink hue as your face.”

My jaw falls slack as my brain short circuits. Did he just say… oh fuck.

Without another word, he stands straight and cuts the remaining distance between us and the group. Bryony and Minnie are locked in a deep conversation, ignoring the world around them while Tatum offers me a soft smile when we arrive.

“Nice of you to join us, Brother. The fight is just about to begin,” Lincoln states, clapping Asher on the back, all while his gaze remains locked on our intertwined fingers.

“I had errands to run. Don’t complain when I’m here now,” he retorts, making my eyebrows rise in surprise, but if anything is off between them, it doesn’t seem to show. Tatum pays them no mind as if they’re like this all the time, but any chance of trying to decipher it evaporates the second the lights dim, the music cranks up louder, and a familiar song booms through the speakers.

On cue, a spot light beams in the distance and the familiar outline of Wylder appears a moment later. I watch, mesmerized as he saunters into the ring like he’s got all the time in the world while the crowd chant his name.

The atmosphere is electric, just as it was last time, and I’m quickly reminded of where the night headed after the last fight I attended. A delightful shiver runs down my spine.

Asher’s gaze snaps to mine as if he senses my thoughts, and a second later he’s maneuvering me to stand in front of him. He finally releases my hand, running his fingers over my hips as he places me perfectly flush against his chest.

I feel delirious as Wylder’s opponent heads toward the ring, the music changing and the chants not quite as prominent as they were for the man I’m here to watch. Everything feels hazy. I’m too caught up in Asher’s presence. His hands, his body, his attention, his words.

It’s intoxicating.

When the bell rings for the first round to begin, I try to blink through the lust and focus on the fight as I watch Wylder’s muscles flex and bulge while he maneuvers around the ring with a swagger.

My breath hitches when I feel lips press against the shell of my ear. “I can hear your heartbeat racing. Do you like watching my brother fight?” Asher asks, his hands inching a little higher at my sides. I don’t know how to answer. It’s clear I’m attracted to Wylder, I haven’t hidden it, but has Asher been paying enough attention to know that? Before I can answer, he continues. “If I were to slip my fingers in that tight cunt of yours, would I find you wet?”

Holy fuck.

He will now.

My breaths turn shallow as I keep my eyes on the ring, but I sense my body leaning farther into him. He must notice it too because his hands glide higher, his fingertips nestling just beneath my breasts.

Damn.

“Answer me, Polaris.”

I nod. There’s no chance in Hell I can muster a single word that isn’t a moan right now.

I have no idea where this is coming from with him, but it’s impossible to shy away, even if it feels as if I’m flying too close to the sun.

“We’re going to have to work on your words, Silver. A nod won’t be good enough for what I want,” he says before standing tall once more.

Holy crap. What does that mean?

His right hand drops from my waist and a pang of disappointment washes over me, but it’s quickly diminished when I feel his fingertips on my bare thigh instead.

My mind is jumbled with thoughts, desires, and questions, but instead of verbalizing any of them, I stare at Wylder, watching him watch me for a split second before he pounds his fist into his opponent’s face.

The room gasps and cheers with every slam of his knuckles, and the raw brutality of it leaves me… wet, to confirm Asher’s question from earlier.

My body ripples with tension, a knot tightening in my stomach as Asher’s hand slips under the hem of my dress while his left hand rises higher to fully engulf my breast through my dress.

Wylder catches the movement, even from a distance, and his urgency in the ring seems to escalate. My taut nipples pebble, desperate to feel Asher’s skin on mine, and I moan as he tweaks the peak with precision, even through the fabric.

Thankfully, the sound is eaten up by the cheers that vibrate through the room as Wylder completely knocks out his opponent, leaving him sprawled across the mat. The bell rings, signaling him the winner as Asher brushes his lips against my neck.

My skin tingles, wondering whether Wylder will jump from the ring like last time, only instead of carting me off, maybe… sharing me with the man completely consuming me right now, but I don’t get to find out as Asher whispers against my ear again.

“My restraint is gone now, Polaris.”