Page 76 of Stars in Umbra
Rina observed him, fascinated, seeing another facet of the precision and ruthlessness he carried into everything.
His gun-running reputation wasn’t just about violence; it was about absolute, undeniable competence.
Which he demonstrated at the card table, taking home the win with a grin.
He surprised her even more by handing his winnings to the servers, giving each one a generous tip.
No wonder they adored him, Rina thought as she witnessed their broad smiles and slight bows to Mo, as if he were some benevolent king.
‘You keep blowing my mind, soldier,’ she told him.
He leaned in and kissed her as he helped her back to their booth. ‘As do you.’
As the night wore on, the music swelled, a vibrant thrum vibrating through the floor.
The central hall transformed, tables and chatter giving way to a swirling mass of bodies.
An Iccythrian dance took hold, a raw, primal expression of joy and connection that was both a celebration and a confession.
The routine,Izomba, was a captivating blend of Kwavi rhythms and Iccythrian influences.
It was a sensual, shoulder-to-hip, male-to-female salsa-like style that created a unique, enchanting experience for dancers and observers.
The music shifted, growing intricate, its beat a magnetic pulse that pulled everyone into its orbit.
Mo’s gaze found Rina, a silent invitation in the intense heat of his eyes.
He rose from his seat, his presence filling the space, and offered her his hand.
‘Care for a dance, Colonel?’
His voice was a growl, a rumble of lush sensuality that tightened her belly and sent a shiver down her spine.
The sound was a promise, an intimate dare.
‘I’m not sure I can hit it like the Iccythrians,’ she said, laced with a touch of doubt.
A smirk spread across his face as he took her hand, his thumb stroking her palm in a hypnotic rhythm.
‘This is different,’ he murmured, his timbre dropping. ‘This is about letting go so that I can lead and romance you like a dream’
The invitation hung in the air, rich with unspoken promises.
Rina took a long breath, filling her lungs with the complex scents of roasted meat, sweet Lumian wine, and the exotic perfumes of the Iccythrian crowd.
She met his gaze, and a hot, dangerous emotion rolled over her.
She understood, with a certainty that settled deep in her bones, that she wanted to abandon all caution.
‘Show me,’ she whispered, and she took his hand, stepping with him into the swirl of light and bodies.
She moved into the dynamic, intoxicating rhythm of the intricate choreography.
The dance was less about steps and more about sensation.
It was about losing yourself in the collective energy, about feeling the music in your core.
She found herself swaying to the beat, a new, unfamiliar heat stirring within her, a scorching that had everything to do with him.
