Page 20 of Recon Rendezvous

Heat and hunger.

Or maybe that’s just me, but everything is overshadowed by the impressions of fire and ice that prick my skin and this desire to do damage. I want to wring her out and make her kneel. I don't know what I did to her to piss her off and the glares she’s sending me, but I’m going to rectify that. Just watch me. I'll have her eating out of the palm of my hand.

“What are you doing here?” Everyone freezes when she finally breaks the silence. “You weren't invited,” she yells over the music.

“Babycakes, I'm always on the list.” I bounce a little on my toes. My blood pumping, ready for whatever this is.

Her eyes blaze as she picks up on my intent before she laughs. “No list of mine.”

Here we go with this again.“If you say so, but just know, you’re at the top of mine. Number fucking one, so, cheers to you.”

Holding up my glass, eyes ping pong between us before they finally follow suit and we clink glasses, tap the table, and take our shots.

Mia comes over then, bumping me with her hip. “Knock it off,” she yells in my ear.

Lucky for me, when London is in a room, she has my undivided attention so when she looks at Sasha and she gives a little shake of her head, a tendril of understanding starts to snake through me. Is she jealous? Of me and Mia? We were standing together, my arm around her. And I haven’t spoken to London the entire time I’ve been here.Shit.I’ve fucked up. Big time.

“I told you,” London calls out to Sasha and Gem, plopping on the couch. “Men are trash but congrats to you two. Apparently, you got the only two good ones.”

Sasha shoots me a look before shaking her head. “You sound like Mia.”

High fiving London, Mia laughs, nodding. “Men are only good for one thing, that’s why I’ll always take two.”

“Yeah, and most of them can't even get that right. In my sad experience at least,” London adds.

“Hello, a man is standing right here.” I wave my arms around.

“Okay. Maybe, the one thing they’re good for is stating the obvious,” London deadpans.

Yep, I’m not in the doghouse, I’m the chewed up dried out bone buried under that motherfucker. But I can fix this. Right?

My eyes follow London and Sasha as they head up the stairs to the VIP restrooms that overlook the club, and my foot taps an uneven rhythm as I watch them. Since I fucked it up trying to play it cool, London’s been avoiding me. I mean besides a few glances here or there when I inserted myself into whatever was going on.

Unable to take another second of her ignoring me, I stand and start up the stairs. Anger I can take. The way it burns in her eyes makes my dick hard. But this, her complete disregard and indifference, is another matter. The hall is narrow, the only light streaming in from the dance floor below. I linger in the shadows, waiting for her to step out of the restroom.

Sasha steps through the door first, London right behind her, and I regret my decision to be this stealthy the moment Sasha’s scream pierces the air when she spots me.

Sasha’s hand clutches her throat as she glares at me. “Fuck, Xander. You scared the shit out of me.”

My eyes remained locked on London as I say, “Sorry, Sash.”

London also remains silent as Sasha looks between the two of us and nods. “Well, I guess I'll see you both later.” Her voice trails off as she nods again. Stepping toward me, she slaps me on the chest and whispers, “Good luck,” so low only I can hear it.

My attention finally turns to her as I watch her walk down the hall before I step into London’s path. Turning back to her as she raises her chin defiantly, she smirks and it's that look that makes me take a step toward her.

We stare at each other for long quiet moments. I don’t know what I was hoping for, maybe just to look her in the eyes without the distractions around us. The music is a little softer up here, the strobes of light flicker across her face highlighting those beautiful eyes and I take another step forward. I expect her to stand her ground, but then she takes a step back, and I follow, like a predator. Stalking her deeper into the shadows. Her breaths quicken as she watches me with an intensity that matches my own.

I don't know what she sees in my eyes, but she swallows thickly as her hand comes up to rest against the pulse in her neck. We finally make it to the end of the hall and there is a small alcove that overlooks the dance floor below and it looks like it'sa storage area for products for the restrooms. She finally turns away to look over the crowd below.

Turning to me, she says, “You’re sulking.” I hear over the bass of the music below. “You have been all night.”

“Have I?” She’s not wrong.

“Yeah. Don’t tell me I hurt your feelings?”

“Never. I’d have to have feelings for you to hurt. But I could say the same about you,” I murmur, knowing she’ll never admit it, not even sure if I’m right.

She doesn’t respond as I step closer, stopping beside her at the railing. She has to know I’m only here for her, right? No more words are spoken as her sweet scent envelops me and my dick that’s been half hard all night swells.

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