Page 19 of Dublin's Danger Dancer

I take the knife there and press it against his huge bulging veins, but I pull it back. I can’t do this. I close my eyes and sit back on the bed, hugging myself. I had to do this the right way, and this wasn’t it.

I take the knife back to the kitchen, plunging it back into the knife holder the way I wish to plunge into him.

I begin searching again. Photographing everything. When I think there’s nothing I haven’t evidenced, I push his bedside drawer back into place. As the black of night turns into the grey of early morning, I get into bed next to him. My clothes are stiff from the sweaty anger heating my body, and though I don’t think sleep will claim me, as soon as I lay my head next to him, my tired muscles and I are plunged into darkness.

Chapter Six

The smell of coffee wakes me. Birds are chirping happily. Liam hovers over me with a steaming glass of espresso on a glass plate.

He places it down next to me as he takes a seat beside me on his bed. He is wearing a burgundy suit, a crisp black shirt with the belt he tried to take off seductively for me last night.

He looks down at me, unable to speak. He opens his mouth and closes it again.

“I’m so sorry Ciara, I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what happened to me last night.”

“I came out of the bathroom and you were sleeping. My phone died so I had to stay here.” I lie.

He rubs his stubbled chin. “I’m so sorry. How can I make this up to you?”

“Perhaps another dance?”

He laughs, shaking his head. “I only dance after dark.”

He exhales long and deep rubbing his chin. “I’ve never fallen asleep next to a woman in my entire life, not even ones I’ve fucked.”

“So I should feel special that I seduced you into a deep slumber?”

A smile pulls at his lips.

“Who is this babe?” I say picking up a picture on his bedside table of a beautiful rosy-cheeked blonde woman sporting a perm and barring one tanned shoulder to the camera.

Liam runs the tops of his fingers along the heavy silver frame.

“My da banned all pictures of my mammy after she died, but now he’s dead, I get to say goodnight to her every night. “

“That’s so sweet.” I say pursing my lips. He would be saying goodnight to her in a six feet by nine feet cell soon enough.

“Loss is the greatest teacher. I didn’t know until I lost my Mammy that other people have the power to destroy me.” He shakes his head trying to shake out some powerful memory. “How about breakfast and a shopping spree, anything you want?”

He takes out a black Amex card and positions it next to me on the bed. “You slept in your damp clothes?” he asks.

“They’ve dried after you danced for me.” I say keeping my gaze fixed on his blue eyes. The dark circles that normally ring his eyes were partially gone. Obviously, the tranquilliser did him some good.

He passes me a steaming cup of espresso and I sip it.

“I have business, but take my card.” he pulls out the drawer next to my bed and whips out a pen and paper inside and writes down his pin.

“What’s my limit?” I ask.

“No limit. Spend as much as you want. I only have one request.” He bobs his head down to mine and plants a kiss on my lips.

He tastes bitter.

“Buy something to wear to dinner. I have business now, but later I want to take you on the date you promised me. But I have something to ask of you.”

“What?”

“If we’re going to do this properly, you have to stop dancing at the club.” He brushes my hair with the outer edges of his fingers.

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