Page 88 of InfraRed

“Yes.” Her fingers twitch beneath mine. “But they’ll guess.”

Instead of leading her to the table, I take her to the dance floor. The small orchestra plays the instrumental version ofDowntownby Majical Cloudz as I grip her waist. “Forget them,” I tell her. “It’s only you and me.” I spin her out, and when she spins back, I hold her close, cupping her face, ensuring her eyes stay on me.

I hum to the song as we move across the floor in our little bubble. One song bleeds into another. Soon, just as I knew she would, she loses herself to the music and me. Everyone around us disappears, and it’s only the two of us.

“How do you always know what I need before I do?” She asks as she rests her chin on my shoulder with a soft, contented sigh.

My chest bounces with quiet laughter. “How can I not? It’s a byproduct of obsession. I was obsessed with you before I knew I was obsessed, and you, pretty girl, are a creature of habit.” I dip my head, brushing my lips over her temple before dropping to her ear. “It was this or take you somewhere and fuck you until you forgot you were nervous. I thought this was the more appropriate choice for now.”

She shudders against me, then leans back with a coy expression. From beneath her lashes, she looks at me while her tongue darts between her lips. “But we can do that later, though. Right?”

“Mmm. My insatiable little sunflower. Do you think I’ll make it all night without tasting you or sinking my cock into this tight little body?”

She trembles again as those pretty eyes turn hazy with lust. “Soon, baby, but first, let’s get through this.”

We take a few minutes to weave through the crowd, especially when people keep stopping me, making me wish I’d worn a mask too, but we finally get there. Liam sits next to Lily, Henry next to Ashleigh, and Jagger sits with some girl I’ve never seen before. The table next to us holds three of five Sons of Sin members and their wives along with a guy I’ve only seen in a couple of pictures when I was doing my digging and another guy I don’t recognize.

I nod to them as I pull out Casey’s chair. “I’m going to the bar. Do you want something?” She looks at the water glass and champagne flute on the table.

“Anything but that,” she says with a scrunched nose.

“Pink and fruity. Got it.” I kiss the top of her head, ignoring Liam’s glare.

I get stopped by more men on the way. The effort it takes not to roll my eyes as they not so subtly pass me business cards is exhausting. Envy I’m unaccustomed to rolls through me as I realize Masters has as much money, if not more than I do. It’s debatable, but it’s possible. He doesn’t have to deal with this bullshit because while I was rubbing elbows, he made certain everyone saw him as a fuck up.

It feels like hours have passed by the time I make it to the bar. In reality, it’s been minutes. I wave a finger at the bartender.

Liam is standing behind me when I turn with folded arms and a set jaw. I lean back against the bar, resting my elbows against the top as I pop a brow. “Spit it out, Liam.”

“I don’t like you.”

“Likewise,” I grin. “But I bet my distaste has existed longer than yours. However, I also recognize it’s illogical.

He looks stunned when I say that. “What reason could you have for disliking me?”

“You first.” The bartender sets the drinks beside me. I take one and offer him the other, knowing he was behind me the entire time. “Though, I already know. And I get it. She’s your only child. I was in a position to take advantage of her, but I didn’t.” I nod toward her. “She kissed me when she was sixteen, and I won’t lie. It turned me inside out, and my reaction was horrible because of it. She fucked me up so badly I avoided her for a long time.”

“And you couldn’t keep doing that?”

“I thought I could. I fucking tried. Then one night, after I saw some punk with his grubby hands all over her, I knew I couldn’t. The thought of anyone else having her made me sick.”

He chokes on the bourbon I ordered him. Fire lights in his eyes, anger tightening his jaw. “The fuck?”

“Don’t worry. I handled it. And I left again because I knew she wasn’t ready for me. I’m not sure I was ready for her either.”

“But she is now?” I can see the struggling war in his eyes. He still sees her as his little girl but knows she’s not.

“Honestly? No. But she needs me. Whether you or anyone else likes it, she’s got me. You made her mine ten years ago. Don’t get mad because I’m collecting.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “That’s not what I did. Or wanted.” He blows out a breath. “Let me amend my statement. I don’t want to like you, but I can’t deny you make her happy. After her accident, I blamed you. Not for what happened, but for the shell she crawled into for the last four years.”

The dagger digs deep. Not curling from the pain is difficult. It’s the one thing I take full responsibility for. “You’re right. That is my fault.”

“Maybe, but it’s why I don’t hate you after all. When you returned, I was terrified it would kill Casey. I shouldn’t have told her to stay away from you.” His head falls back for a moment. I can see how hard this conversation is for him. I have to respect that he confronted me at all. “I can admit I was wrong, and right now it’s fucking hard because sheismy little girl. I look at you and see a grown man, but when I look at her, I see the little girl who begged me to sing her to sleep. Who cried so hard when I had to leave her it ripped my heart out of my chest. I left it with her for a long damn time. But I was wrong. You’re good for her.” He blows out a breath and tosses back his bourbon. “So, what’s your problem with me?”

“Krista.” One word—a single name sums it up. “You should’ve taken Casey from her when she was a baby. I know that means she probably wouldn’t be with me now, but I would’ve found her eventually. And if I didn’t, at least she wouldn’t have suffered the hell she did.”

“Hindsight is a motherfucker.”

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