Page 57 of Deception & Desire

Carmen is a natural on the dance floor, her movements fluid and carefree. She twirls, pulling me into her orbit, and for a little while, the tension in my shoulders eases.

I stay close, scanning the crowd out of habit, but I let myself relax enough to enjoy the moment and the buzz of bodies around me and the beating of a collective heartbeat through the speakers.

I’d told Leon I’d be here, just in case. It felt like the smart thing to do, and he’d texted me to be careful. Which was fine, honestly. It was very cool of him, very reserved, very mature after his response the last time I went out with Carmen.

Except there’s a part of me that really does want him to be here this time. Maybe it’s the press of skin against skin all around me, maybe it’s the hypnotic dancing, but I’m looking for chocolate brown in the eyes of every stranger who crosses my path.

By the time we make our way back to the bar, we’re both flushed and breathless. Carmen orders another round, her smile wide and genuine.

“See?” she says, leaning against the counter. “This is what we needed!”

I study her, the way her eyes sparkle in the flashing lights, the way her laughter seems to make the world a little brighter. It hits me then how much I’ve come to care for her.

Not as a client, not as the daughter of my enemy, but as Carmen.

“I think you’re good for me, Cammy,” I admit, and her grin widens.

“I think you’re good for me, too.”

The rest of the night blurs into a haze of music, laughter, and stolen moments of peace. For a little while, I forget about the danger, the lies, and the tightrope I’m walking.

Then the music shifts, a sultry beat that pulls the crowd closer together, bodies pressed together, barely a breath apart. A hand slides over my hip, firm but careful, and I stiffen on instinct.

“Easy,” a deep voice murmurs in my ear, the sound barely cutting through the music.

It’s a voice I know.

Before I can turn, the stranger moves in time with me, his other hand grazing the curve of my waist. The scent hits me next—rum spice and black pepper, warm and achingly familiar.

I freeze, my breath catching in my throat.

Leon.

I whip my head around, meeting the eyes I’ve been looking for all night beneath the brim of a low-slung cap. It’s him. Disguised, hidden in plain sight, but undeniably him.

“What are you doing here?” I hiss, my body still moving in sync with his despite the fact my heart is trying to beat out of my chest.

“Dancing with my wife,” he says, his tone casual but edged with heat.

My heart lurches. “You’re insane,” I snap, even as my body betrays me, pressing closer to his.

“Maybe.” His lips curve into a small, dangerous smile, and his hands tighten on my waist, pulling me flush against him. “But I’ve been watching you all night, and I couldn’t stay away.”

I glance over my shoulder, searching for Carmen. She’s still by the bar, laughing with someone who looks like they’re trying too hard.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I say, my voice lower now, almost pleading. God knows I’m going to lose all motivation to send him away if he keeps touching me like this.

“I know.”

I swallow hard, my pulse roaring in my ears. I’m letting him guide me through the song like we’re the only two people who can even hear it.

When the song ends, he leans in, his lips brushing my ear. “You look beautiful, by the way.”

Then, just as quickly as he appeared, he slips into the crowd, disappearing into the shadows.

I’m left standing there, my body humming with the aftermath of his touch, my mind in complete disarray.

“Mia!” Carmen’s voice cuts through the haze, and I turn to see her making her way over, having ditched her admirer, blissfully unaware of the storm raging inside me.

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