Page 3 of Untamed

Antony traced the design he could see with his thumb, pausing as Lesley’s breath caught as he passed over her wrist. He swiped again and was rewarded with a quick intake of breath. He looked into her eyes and the lights dancing around her large pupils dazzled him.

Antony pulled Lesley even closer and spun her in a slow circle, taking small steps back and forth in time with the pulsing beat. She matched him, move for move, her thighs melded to his with each step, their hips moving in sync. His thumb traced her wrist, feeling for her pulse as well, and he pressed her palm flat against his chest, right over his heart.

***

Black. His eyes were glossy black, Lesley had decided. They reflected the lights from the ceiling, and she watched the blues and greens and reds from the gels flash and dance across the liquid surface of them as he spun her in slow circles around their little corner of the dance floor.

He was an excellent dancer, light on his feet and easy to follow. The feeling of his fingers imprinting on her skin where he lightly rubbed and touched her wrist was both soothing and arousing. She watched as he slowly raised her hand up, skating her palm along his chest before catching her fingers with his and bringing them to his lips.

Her breath caught, and her eyes locked on his mouth as he pressed his lips to her knuckles. They were warm and soft, and as she gulped air, she looked into his eyes.

Jesus. His gaze was liquid fire, and if she looked at him much longer, she was going to be consumed by it.

She watched as his gaze flickered up and then back to her, and then suddenly up again. He stiffened and his brow furrowed. Lesley turned to see what he was looking at. There was a man sitting really close to the woman Antony was there with. The man had his hand on the woman’s hip and was leaning toward her. She looked back at Antony.

“Is everything okay?” She asked.

He shook his head. “This isn’t like her.” He looked at Lesley. “I don’t want this to end, but I need to go see what’s up,” he said, running his lips over her knuckles again.

Antony looked back toward Charlie again, and Lesley followed his movements. He bit back a curse as he saw the man started to nuzzle Charlie’s neck and scoot her off the barstool. “Shit, yeah. I gotta go,” he said. He looked at her with a flash of regret. “I’m sorry.”

Lesley nodded. “Don’t be. Help your friend.” She stepped back and watched as he headed toward the couple, dodging between dancing couples as his friend and the stranger were making their way toward the door.

***

“Hey, Charlie, what the hell are you doing?” Antony asked as he approached the pair.

The man turned toward him. “Mind your own business, man. She’s with me.”

Ant looked him up and down. All bluster. He might get off a punch or two, but he was too much bravado wrapped up in a punk who needed to drug women to get off. “I don’t think so,” Antony answered.

“Oh, fuck off. Bitch doesn’t want you, man.”

Charlie looked up, and Antony could tell that something was terribly wrong with her. Her eyes were glazed over, and she was slurring her speech. “Ant,” she mumbled. “I dunno...Oh. I don’t know ‘bout this.”

The mystery man tugged on her arm. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s go to a private party.”

Antony nodded at one bouncer and grabbed the man by the shoulder. The guy turned and squared off.

“I am the last person you want to fuck with,” Antony said softly. He looked him up and down. Shorter hair, still in decent shape. “I’m willing to bet you’re a contractor on post, yeah?”

The man froze and said nothing. Antony continued, “I will start there. I will find out who you are and where you work. I will find out where you got whatever shit you gave to my friend, and I will end you.”

The man released Charlie, who stumbled into Antony’s arms, and ran out the door into the night. Antony looked over at the bouncer. “Camera’s working?” he asked.

“Sure thing, boss,” Jeff answered. “We’ll get that copied off for you for the morning,” he said as he picked up the phone to put the call in to the office.

“Thanks, man. I owe you.” Antony looked back out to the dance floor and saw Lesley staring back at him, eyes wide and her mouth in a small ‘o.’ Damn. He wasn’t much for regrets, but he wished he’d gotten her number. He raised his fingers to his lips and waved at her, then bundled Charlie up and walked her outside. The ambulance was just pulling up as the door closed behind them.

***

Stina came up next to Lesley. “The fuck is going on?”

“Something’s wrong with his friend. Said that she was acting funny.” Lesley watched the doors close behind Antony and his friend. “She looked really drunk.”

“She looked fine when they were playing pool.”

“I know. That’s what scares me.” Lesley looked at Stina. “That guy with her was being a creep. You don’t think he drugged her, do you?”

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