Page 19 of Twisted Thorns

Kieran steps forward, and the space between the three of us charges with an electric current. "She's not your plaything, James."

"Since when do you care?" Mickey challenges, baring the fangs of his bruised ego.

"Since always," Kieran breathes, and his fist flies, connecting with Mickey's jaw in a crack that resonates louder than the crescendo of violins.

The crowd gasps, a collective intake of breath that sucks the warmth from the room. Mickey stumbles back, surprise etched into the lines of his face where a red mark blooms like a rose in winter. He touches his jaw, eyes wide with disbelief, then glares at Kieran with venomous defeat before disappearing into the sea of bodies.

Silence stretches, a taut string ready to snap, until Kieran extends his hand to me, palm open and inviting. "Dance with me, Avalina."

I place my hand in his, instinctively seeking the heat that promises sanctuary. The world fades into a backdrop as we find our rhythm, bodies moving in sync to a song that seems composed just for us. Kieran's hands are firm but gentle, guiding without dictating, a stark contrast to Mickey's earlier claims.

"You didn’t have to do that," I whisper, caught in the orbit of his dark eyes.

"I did," he says simply, and I believe him.

Our dance is a conversation without words, every turn and dip a sentence spun from the language of desire. The spicy scent of his cologne wraps around me, a heady mix of power and mystery that I remember without knowing why.

"Thank you," I murmur, gratitude mingling with something deeper, something that feels like yearning.

"Anything for you," he replies, his voice a caress that ignites a fire deep within me, a fire I thought was long extinguished.

"What are you even doing here?" I gasp, my mind reeling with the events.

"A little bird told me you were going to be here, and I thought I'd join you."

"But, why?" I ask, perplexed.

Kieran doesn’t answer. His eyes pierce mine with ruthless intensity. I want to look away but can't, feeling the strongest feeling of something just out of reach in the corner of my mind. A wave of déjà vu threatens to take me under.

"You know, I asked around about you."

"You did? And what did you find out?"

"Nothing. No one wants to talk about you." I can feel my eyes narrow and try to shove down my rising frustration at the lack of answers.

"Who are you?" I finally ask, my voice barely audible in the cavernous ballroom. His sensuous mouth curves into a knowing smile. I can't help but bite my own in response.

"I think you know, Avalina," he says, my name sounding intimate on his lips. His voice is a low caress.

My pulse quickens, and I feel my breath coming faster. I have the curious urge to reach out and touch him. I automatically reach up to toy with my necklace, but it's not there. It's on my wrist instead. I glance down at it, frowning. I can't help but notice how closely Kieran watches the movement.

"Do you like this necklace? I've noticed you look at it a lot."

"You always wear it. Why?"

I shrug. "It feels comforting, safe." I pause, unsure of my next words or why I want to voice them. But Kieran was the one that reminded me to use my words. "Was it from you?"

"Yes." he replies, voice strained with something I couldn't place.

"Why?"

"So you would remember me." His words were coated with a longing I recognized, but it terrifies me all the same.

Sensing my turmoil, he lifts a hand as if to touch my cheek but stops just shy of contact. Even that near caress sends heat flooding through me.

The song ends too soon, and Kieran steps aside, but not before bending to whisper in my ear. "Meet me in the woods tomorrow morning, 8am. Your favorite spot by the old oak tree."

I pause, stunned. My brain finally catches up and I turn to ask him how he knows about my favorite spot, but he's already gone, disappearing into the crowd like he was never here.

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