Page 108 of Bratva Butcher

It sounded like Dimitri was refusing to dance to Allistair’s tune, and Mikhail was telling him he had no choice. That they couldn’t get kicked out of the ball because they had some sort of mission to finish.

What mission?

With an angry snarl, Dimitri got to his feet abruptly, buttoning up his suit jacket.

“Wonderful!” Allistair beamed. “Now, to select your partner—”

Richelle’s arm shot up in the air so quickly that I was surprised she didn’t pull it out of the fucking socket. “I’d be happy to—”

“Fuck. No,” Dimitri snapped.

“Well, okay then,” Allistair said. “Sorry, dear. Better not push my luck. How about” —Don’t you dare say me, don’t you fucking dare say me—“you, Natalie?”

I groaned internally. Plastering a smile on my face, I looked at Allistair. “Thank you so much for the opportunity to participate, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline. Dancing isn’t really my thing.”

He returned my smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.” I suggest you make it your thing, darling. Same rules apply.”

The four men standing behind him all turned to face me and took a step in my direction, their intent clear.

I gritted my teeth, trying to keep my anger in check. I couldn’t afford to get kicked out of the ball yet. My mission was still incomplete. That meant that if I wanted to finish it, I would need to fucking dance. I moved my eyes to Dimitri. His face was impassable. I had no idea what the fuck he was thinking, but unlike when Richelle offered to be his partner, he didn’t say a goddamn word. Didn’t remotely object.

Why did my heart pound in my chest at that thought?

Chapter Thirty

Autumn DeValos

Dimitri escorted me acrossthe ballroom, my hand in his, his hold soft but firm. After forcibly agreeing to Allistair’s ultimatum, Dimitri and I left the dining area hand in hand, and that one touch sent my heart absolutely racing.

All of the other couples who had already been selected were waiting on the dance floor, a small crowd of people beginning to form around it—people who couldn’t wait to watch what a giant clusterfuck it was going to be.

When we got to the dance floor, Dimitri swung me elegantly so that I was facing him, let go of my hand and took three steps back.

The song“Love Story”byIndila began to play lightly through the air.

He stood with absolute confidence. A man who knew exactly who he was and what to do. There was nothing sexier thana confident man dressed in a dark suit that was so perfectly molded to his body, I could see every outline of muscle he possessed.

But then, of course, he had to go and ruin it by opening up his big, dumb mouth.

“Do you even know how to dance?” he asked, one arm wrapped around his middle as he bowed at the waist. All around us, the other men did the same to their partners.

“The question isn’t whether or not I can dance,” I replied, lowering myself into a curtsy. I straightened and stared him dead in the eyes. “It’s whether or notyoucan lead.”

He raked his gaze over me from head to toe. One corner of his mouth twitched slightly. “Touche.”

We stepped towards each other and assumed the position, my hand lying gracefully on his muscular shoulder, his arm encircling me so his hand rested on my lower back and our free hands clasped together. His touch electrified me. My body hummed with awareness. He was so close. So, so, close. I could feel the heat of his skin despite the fact that the fabric of our clothes were in the way. It was like every single nerve inside me was on fire,burningfor him to touch me. Touch me everywhere.

We stared into each other’s eyes. Something passed between us. I didn’t have a fucking clue what it was, but it was there, blazing as hot as the sun.

Will he ever acknowledge it?

Will I?

The music began to pick up, and it was as if I could sense exactly when Dimitri was going to move. He stepped forward, I stepped back and then we were off, spinning lightly around the dance floor. He moved us effortlessly through the other couples without missing a beat, like he was the master and we were all his students who should watch and follow his lead.

“This is ridiculous,” I hissed under my breath, not wanting to admit how much I was actually enjoying being so close to him. Feeling his hard, muscled body beneath my fingertips.

“It is,” he acknowledged. “Allistair is a man who enjoys doing ridiculous things.”

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