Page 20 of Brutal Ice

Royal leaned close to her. He put his mouth right at her left ear. “I own the place, Violet.” She felt the lick of his tongue and the rasp of his breath against her. “You came to me.”

She sucked in a sharp breath. No, no, no.

But…what had Simone just said about the owner?

“Violet!”

It was Simone.

“Violet, you good?”

No, she didn’t feel good. Not even a single part of her felt good in that moment. The warmth from her two shots had faded rapidly.

“Dance with me,” Royal murmured.

She should not.

“Violet?” Simone had pushed closer. Her expression was hard to read. Odd, because Simone was usually an open book. Her friend bit her lower lip. Hesitated.

“I’m good,” Violet said.

Simone glanced at Royal.

The lights rolled overhead once more. Concealing. Revealing. Concealing.

Royal pulled Violet into his arms. Simone turned back to their group. The music pounded. Hot and hard. A throb that Violet could feel beneath her skin.

Everyone else was moving fast and hard. Royal wasn’t. He’d ditched the tux coat. Wore a black shirt. Black pants. The top few buttons on the shirt were undone. He looked big and dark and dangerous beneath those rolling lights.

Sexy. Undeniably so.

But…

Be careful with him.

“Someone has to keep you safe. Apparently, you take drinks from strange men.” His jaw hardened.

“I know Roderick. He’s not strange. He’s one of the palace guards in the show.”

“Do we ever really know anyone?” He curled one hand around her hip. The heat from his touch poured through her. “Take you, for example. You’re going to tell me that they really know you?”

She could feel his arousal.

She could feel her own arousal.

Dammit. What is happening?

“I’m not like this,” Violet breathed.

“Like what?”

“Out of control.” That was how she felt. “Like I want to scream and rage and—” But she stopped.

He didn’t. “Fuck?” Royal finished.

No. Yes. I do want to fuck. But not with some random stranger. I want to fuck Royal.

Only he was a stranger, wasn’t he? So why did she want to fuck him so badly?

---