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For some crazy reason, I liked the sound of it.

I took a deep breath before sliding my napkin onto the table. While still tentative about taking his hand, once I did all the nervousness, the swarm of butterflies I’d felt around him faded away. “Nothing about you surprises me any longer.”

“Then I guess I’m not doing my job well enough.” He turned around, switching the way he was holding my hand. As I was pulled behind him, the powerful man walking us through the crowd, I sensed there wasn’t a single person in the room who hadn’t stopped eating and drinking, laughing and talking to take a moment to stare at the gorgeous couple.

And we did look good together, stunning in fact.

Even the reflection of our heated bodies in the windows, white lights twinkling all around us added the perfect illumination to what could appear to be a couple very much in love.

That made me wonder whether he was even capable of such a thing.

As he pulled me close to the musicians, I was suddenly more nervous than before. Why? I’d also danced just about every style over the last few years, my experience with the Joffrey allowing for use of varied techniques.

He allowed our fingers to slip free and turned to face me, giving me a heated yet stern look. “Stay right there. Do not move. You know, Bella, that I would hunt you down.”

A part of me wanted to try to flee to see what he’d do, but not like before, not because I was terrified of what he was going to do to do. Because I wanted to know what lengths he’d go to in order to keep his possession secure. How strange. How… twisted.

He spoke with the pianist, even slipping the man what appeared to be money. When Creed turned around, his look was even more primal than before, the hulk of a man taking very slow steps in my direction. There was a moment where it seemed everyone in the room stopped talking, stopped breathing as they waited to see what we would do.

As soon as the music began, I recognized it immediately. It was one of my favorites, the mention of a beautiful lady in red an homage to the love of the singer’s life. He swept me into his arms, one hand wrapped around my waist, his fingers on the other grasping mine. The music, like the dance, was seductive and more powerful than non-dancers could understand.

He was masterful in the art, spinning us both around the dance floor with ease. The few moments were so powerful, drawing me into more than just a magical state. It was as if time had stopped, karma putting us together for a reason. When he twirled me, pulling me into such a deep arc, my head almost touched the floor, I heard several people from the closest tables gasp. As if the muscular man would ever let me fall.

He leaned over while holding me that way, his balance unlike any dancer’s I experienced, the twinkling lights allowing me to see the burning need in his eyes. And as he yanked me against him, our bodies crushed together for a few incredible seconds, I felt something other than hatred and lust.

I felt alive and adored.

Even though I suddenly wanted the world to fade away, allowing us to be very much alone, I was also petrified.

Not of the man.

Not of his vicious nature.

Or his penchant for pain.

But because I had a terrifying feeling this was the beginning of the end of a part of my life, the birth of another.

And it would involve the man easily able to steal my heart.

CHAPTER 20

Creed

“There’s no place in this world for emotion, boy,” my father said as he stood over me, twisting his fingers around the thick strap of leather, laughing softly, evilly. “No such thing as love. Once you realize and accept that, you will succeed in everything you do. Until then, you will remain the piece of useless flesh you are.”

He brought the strap down, but I bit back a single sound. He was never going to get the satisfaction of hearing me cry out in pain again.

I’d also made a promise to myself this would be the last time he whipped me like some dog. I was over eighteen, outweighed the man by fifty pounds and was ready to end our relationship.

Permanently.

He brought the strap down again and I knew the lashes would scar, but I didn’t care. Soon, the bastard would be out of my life one way or the other.

However, the sperm donor was right. There was no place in my world for any aspect of love, whether from a beautiful woman or a family.

The memory was unwanted, but my father would say necessary. I’d enjoyed myself with a woman entirely too much, which put all the strengths I’d mastered, the skills I’d honed into a precarious position. Up until now, the only thing I’d allowed myself to feel with a woman was sexual need, quenching a thirst and nothing more.

Yet while I’d sat beside Bella in the velveted box, allowing her to enjoy watching her favorite ballet company performing Giselle, I could sense a change coming from deep within.

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