Page 28 of Beyond Hate

Off.

But…

“Did you want a dance?”

Of course he did—that was why I was here. That was why Til sent me over. He nodded and stood, forcing me to take a step back or let him into my personal space.

That heat scalded along my body again, but no one was touching me.

And it wasfamiliar. I’d felt it before, when I’d been chained to the bed in the facility.

When I was certain Otto had been looking at me through the glass.

I nearly stumbled, and it was Mr. Caulson’s careful hands that caught me at the elbow, one going to my hip to steady me… It gave me a second to glance around.

I didn’t need to look—I alreadyknew—but it was impossible to stop myself from seeking him out.

And there was Otto, standing at the back of the building. He was watching me again, but he looked different.

His expression wasfuriousas I led my client to the back rooms for a private dance. I should have stopped—I should have turned around and told Til to call the police.

Instead, I threw him one more look, watching as he shook his head slowly. Just once, back and forth.

A warning.

Probably the only one I would get.

And for some reason… I ignored it.

Fuck.

Chapter 10

Otto

Amonthhadbeentoolong, but it had taken that long for me to get everything in order. I secured the money from the accounts Marco told me about—more than enough to take care of myself. It wasn’t just that, though. I’d had to get control of the urges I had to hurt London. It had taken me watching him, stalking him, acquainting myself with whoLondonwas to trust myself to get close to him again.

And now… well, now all of that careful and meticulous work was washing away as I saw the man’s hand land on London’s hip. My chest was burning—I had memories from multiple lives dancing in my head, and I couldn’t recall a time I’d ever felt like this.

It wasn’t exactly anger. It wasn’t exactly jealousy. It was some odd mixture that drifted in between and told me if I didn’t do something, I’d burn the building down with everyone inside.

London’s expression was wide and just a little terrified, but the slender, older man tapped him on the shoulder and leaned in, whispering something in his ear. His gaze didn’t leave me as I tilted my head, almost daring him to go through with it. Likehe couldn’t help himself, London plastered on a sweet smile and nodded to the man beside him, leading him toward the rooms in the back of the building.

It wasn’t as though this was some kind of brothel masquerading as a strip club—from what I’d seen while watching and researching London, it was a pretty reputable establishment.

That didn’t change the fact that the man slid his hand through London’s offered arm. I’d watched from a distance—I’d never gotten close enough to see this happening.

It didn’t change the fact that a part of me was pretty sure anyone who touched London was signing their own death warrant.

I stayed where I’d been for another few minutes, wondering whether I could talk myself out of what was obviously a very bad decision. I’d scouted the place enough to know that the security cameras existed in strategic locations to give the dancers their privacy… and as long as I moved just right, I could avoid them seeing my face if I pulled the hood of my jacket up.

I could get away with this.

And…

A bigger part of me didn’t care if I got caught, as long as I got my point across first. I still took the time to yank up my hood and leave the building, reentering through the emergency exit in the back that the security guards left propped open so they could easily get in and out when they took smoke breaks.

Amateurs, honestly.

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