Page 71 of Priest

I stare at him and smooth my hands down the side of my body, my head falling back as the song switches and the tempo picks up.

Our eyes lock. I imagine his arms around me — his rock hard body behind me, his chest pressing into my back as he holds my hips. And I want it.

I want that feeling of security and protection, just from him.

This may be just about sex to him, but it isn’t to me. This is about how I feel and how I make him feel.

Should I be planning my life, trying to get out of here and never look back? Yes.

Should I run from a place like this and never look back? Also yes. But I don’t want to.

This newly found freedom wraps itself around me, but it isn’t like the chokehold I’m used to. This feels like a bubble I don’t ever want to burst.

It feels real.

Still. His eyes watch me with a calmness and ferocity that makes goosebumps rise on my flesh. Only Priest could look at me with two very different, mixed emotions.

From behind, Stella grabs me by the hips and spins me around. A sly smile crosses her face. “Told ya.”

I shake my head. “You’re wrong.”

She taps her nose. “Uh, uh, Stella knows best.”

We dance for two more songs until I feel his presence behind me before I see him.

Just like in my reverie, his hands land on my hips and he pulls me to him. His mouth at my ear as he says, “We’re leavin’. For real this time.”

I don’t even get to say goodbye to the girls as he takes my hand and pulls me across the dance floor, heading the way we came in. His hand is large and warm in mine.

I glance up at his huge figure and his jaw is set as he stares straight ahead.

I’ve never seen Priest this intense. This isn’t like him.

Did I do something wrong?

We pass by Nevada as he gives me a lopsided grin, and another guy holding a pool cue who calls out to Priest but he ignores him.

He’s walking awfully fast…

“Priest?”

He glances down. “Yeah?”

“Where’s the fire?”

He loosens my hand in his but still holds it. “It was time to go.”

“You get to decide that?”

“When you’re movin’ like that on the dance floor, yeah.”

“Moving like what? It’s dancing.”

He shakes his head. “Every man in the bar had his eyes on you.”

“Sounds like you don’t like that.”

“I’m just tryin’ to keep you safe.”

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