Page 9 of Bloody Seven

"It's fine. I can hear you loud and clear." She takes a sip of her drink, and her eyes roll back in her head.

"You have got to stop doing that," I confess before I can stop myself.

"Stop doing what?" she teases, like she knew exactly what she was doing.

"Okay, cupid. What's your story? Should I be concerned?"

She hesitates a bit but then tells me how she's only in town for a few days. I’m given vague details about her as she continuously shifts the conversation back to me.

She must have walls up, but I'm confident that with time, I'll can get her to open up more. Every barrier will come down, one at a time, because I'd be crazy if I didn’t take a chance on a woman like her. Even if she isn't from the city, we could find a way to make things work.

Wait. Why am I so intrigued by someone that's basically a stranger? Is this what love at first sight feels like? No. I'm not in love, but I'm definitely infatuated.

The two of us spend the next hour or so talking and getting to know one another. I'm surprised by how easy it is to make conversation with her and how engaging it is. Any other time I've tried to date, I found myself tuning them out or picking out something about their mannerisms that bothered me. This one, though, she doesn't have a flaw in sight.

We polish off two more rounds of drinks before I gather enough courage to ask her to dance. Here we are, becoming one of the cliches of the night, and I can say with full confidence that I have zero regrets.

Chapter 4

Poppy

Icame here with one thing in mind—murder—but the drinks and music have been a nice distraction. I'm starting to think I chose the wrong person to set my sights on because the guy standing in front of me hasn't given me any reason to kill him. He's actually one of the most attentive men I've met in almost a decade, which is beyond frustrating. I'm still entertaining spending time with him because I’m hoping he will prove to be someone deserving of death at some point.

We spent the first hour drinking and getting to know one another, which is not part of my usual pattern, but I can't seem to help myself. I'm blaming the Gin and those absolutely stunning dimples he flashes every time he smiles.

Disappointment settles in. I'm supposed to be here fulfilling my promise to Drew, but instead, I'm drooling over some guy. None of this is okay, and yet I can't stop myself.

It's crazy. I just met him. I'm supposed to kill him. Lust was supposed to be the easiest of the Seven Deadly Sins, but for some unknown fucking reason, this one has been the hardest so far.

Why do I want this guy near me, touching me? Why am I thinking about what he would be willing to do for me every time his tongue pops out to lick his lips after taking a drink? Would he beg me to let him fuck me? Would he let me call him my good little boy as I praise him? Clearly, I need to slow my drinking.

The longer I'm with him, the deeper my fantasies seem to grow. It's like there is an invisible cord pulling us together, that has me caught between a mixture of curiosity and anger. I can't explain.

If I let things progress beyond drinks, I could sully the memories of Drew, and if I don't at least try to explore this, I could go the entirety of my life without feeling this kind of connection again. Corbin's eyes bore into mine as though he can feel my inner turmoil. Why is the pull so strong?

He stands and extends a hand. “Dance with me?”

My eyes flick to the other side of the bar, where some women are grinding on men and others dancing with their friends.

I consider whether or not this is a good idea, but then those dimples appear again, and I can't help myself. It's just dancing, and even if things progress beyond that, maybe I can still kill him. He will probably end up being a ‘one shot, stick it in for five seconds and then blow my load’ kind of guy anyway. Now, that's something that deserves murder, not letting a woman finish first.

Corbin pulls me from my thoughts and onto the dance floor. He's quite a few inches taller than me, I'm guessing around 6'4, but that doesn't stop me from taking the lead. We find our spot amongst the others as the music bumps around us.

Electric Love by BORNS plays loudly, and I let the vibrations fill me as I lift one arm and throw it over his left shoulder. His hands land on my hips as he begins swaying me from side to side. The heat from his palms burns through my dress, making my heart slam in my chest.

Most men would pull me closer, limiting the space between us, but he keeps me at the respectable distance of my choice. Again, not ideal, considering I'm supposed to be finding a reason to kill him.

I move closer, feeling his hardened length brush against me as he takes a sharp breath. It’s obvious he’s affected by the contact, but he keeps himself focused intently on the way I move against him.

"Careful, cupid. I’m trying to be a gentleman. It's only the first date," he whispers in my ear.

I beam up at him, shaking my head. "Not a date."

His hands caress my body, and I get lost in the feel of his touch. One of them slides onto my neck, allowing his thumb to rub my jawline sensually, and I lose every bit of control I thought I had.

I tug him down and crash my lips to his, tasting the smoky whiskey residue on them. There may be a few regrets in the morning, but I don't care. I can't let this feeling pass by without giving it a chance.

We let the world fade away for a moment as his tongue slides along my bottom lip, sending shockwaves through me. The only thing I’m focused on is how much of a reprieve he is from the rage that has been consuming me.

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