Page 68 of The Sins of Silas

Only once we made it through the guard blocking the entrance, him marking the tops of our hands with ink, did we weave our way intothe tent. We could hear cheering, the music now over, and my eyes widened as we finally made it in.

Another large stage was in the back, currently dark as the previous performers had just ceased their show. The people at the bottom of the pit stood amongst each other, murmuring in anticipation, preparing to dance during the next performance.

As we strode forward, our eyes took in the various people walking about, ordering drinks, or kissing in corners. I sucked in a breath once I noticed that some of the women here were topless.

Silas's eyes remained on me.

I took another step forward, my arms slacking at my sides. “Dance with me?” I asked.

He seemed taken aback for a moment, eyes darting to the large group in front of the stage.

I snorted.

“What’s so funny?” he asked with narrowed eyes.

“The face you just gave me…ouch.” I winced, my hand going to my chest.

The corner of his mouth went up again.

“Come on,” I insistedas I glimpsed up at the stage, the bar, and the many flammable objects that filled the large tent. “If anyone fucks with us, this tent will go burning down, along with everyone inside it.” I cocked my head to the side, a smirk on my face. “I’ll protect you. Don’t worry.”

My smirk faltered when he responded with a smile that showcased his perfect teeth. I took in a deep breath and held my elbow out, Silas interlocking his arm with mine once more.

We stood on the outside of the group gathered in front of the stage, and my face warmed at the many suggestive outfits surrounding us. Mine was suggestive, I supposed, but it was still tameenough that I could be around kids. Some of these adults, however, were dressed for the bedroom. Or hardly dressed at all.

The crowd began to cheer as the silhouettes of a handful of people began striding on stage, the lighting still off so we couldn't see exactly who.

Silas leaned down. “Are you nervous?” he whispered in my ear as the music started.

“No…” I lied. People started coming in from behind us, sandwiching us closer.

When the lights above finally snapped on, I gasped. Standing atop the stage were men and women with barely any clothing on—the females wearing covers over their breasts that only hid their nipples, the males wearing the skimpiest undergarments.

The sparkly, pink tassels that hung from the women's covers sparkled as they danced.

My jaw hung open. As the music picked up, fast yet sensual, the people around us began grinding against one another. A woman beside us was leaning against a man's chest, her hands trailing up behind her to run through his hair while his hands trailed her front, gripping her breasts.

It was like the dancing at Lost Anchor, only ten times naughtier. The man beside us began devouring the woman's neck, her eyes rolling back.

“So, this is what you wanted to see?” Silas yelled over the music.

My nervous eyes went to him, and after witnessing my expression, he shot his hand over his mouth to hide his smile.

Mine only grew, and I slapped his arm again. “I guess we figured it out—” I yelled over the music before someonebehind me thrust into me, causing me to collide with Silas, who managed to catch me before I fell over.

“S-sorry,” I stuttered, looking up at him as he chuckled, holding my arms.

This expression…this smile—was real. It was the first real one I had seen since he came back into my life. The first one that reached his eyes.

I couldn’t help but beam up at him. “This is a little more rambunctious than I was expecting!” I laughed, daring to wrap my arms around his neck. I tried to calm my breathing as he placed his hands on my waist.

“Wild indeed,” he replied with a half-smile, leaning down to speak in my ear. “A bit more rambunctious than the Summer Solstice festival.”

I flushed at the mention of that night. “Well, more than the dancing part of that evening, anyway,” I murmured into his ear.

My breathing faltered when I drew away and saw Silas’s eyes flare, his lips separating slightly.

Was that too much?

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