Page 43 of Wicked Vow

“I don’t see her yet–oh!” I gesture to the main stage, where the lighting is changing to gold as the curtains part, and a moment later, Ruby strides out on her tall platform heels.

She looks almost like a different person. It’s as if being here, in this more elite club, has made her flourish into a new version of the Ruby I knew before. Her now auburn-dyed hair is curled in thick, bouncy waves around her face, and she’s wearing the strappy black lingerie she’d shown me before her audition. The music fills the room, a heavy, sultry beat, and she looks every bit as if she’s in her element.

I might be uncertain about what my own future holds, but I’ve never felt so certain that convincing her to come with me was the right choice.

Erik’s fingers trace a pattern over my knee as we watch her dance, climbing higher toward the hem of my dress. “She’s very beautiful,” he murmurs as he reaches for his flute of champagne, moving a little closer to me. “But not nearly as beautiful as you.”

His lean body presses against mine, pulling me flush to him as he leans closer, his lips very near my ear. I can feel his warm breath against the shell of it, and I shiver slightly, but not from the desire I’d hoped I would feel. “There are so many beautiful women here, Natalia. But all I can see is you. I’ve been captivated by you since the first night I saw you. I wish you would tell me what I need to do to win you over. I’d do it–whatever that might be.”

I turn a little towards him, angling so that I’m looking at his face. I feel desperate to feelsomething, some attraction, some desire. I don’t understand why I can’t summon it. I’d hoped that being here, in this sexually charged atmosphere, with champagne in my bloodstream and the privacy of the VIP booth, might change things. That I might be able to let go a little.

If anything, I feel tenser. I have that creeping feeling of being watched again, a sensation like fingers sliding down my spine. I wonder if it’s that I want to be away from Erik or that I just can’t shake the feeling that no matter where I am, someone is watching us.

Watchingme.

“You know,” I say lightly, knowing that I’m purposefully ignoring his statement. Still, I can’t think of what to say in response. “I used to dance in a club like this, back in Moscow. It wasn’t nearly as nice, but it was this–sort of place.”

“A ballerinaandan exotic dancer?” Erik pulls away just a fraction, his expression intrigued. “There must be a story there.”

There is, but not one I’m about to share.“I think a little mystery is a good thing for a relationship,” I tell him teasingly. “But I would hardly have been the first ballerina to pick up shifts as a–different kind of dancer. Ballet is beautiful and thrilling, but it doesn’t always pay well. Lots of girls have side gigs.”

“And that was yours?” He raises an eyebrow, his gaze sliding down me in a more lustful way than it has before. It’s not surprising–I had a feeling that telling him might bring out the more animalistic side of him. Now all that’s left is to find out if it does anything more for me than the other side of his personality has. “You really are the most astonishing woman I’ve met in a long time, Natalia.”

“That’s where I met Ruby. We became friends that way.” I nod towards where Ruby is finishing her set on the stage, leaning forward to collect the dollars spread over the lacquered surface before starting to descend into the crowd.

“Would you ever dance for me?” His fingers make small circles on my thigh, just below the hem of my dress, and I wait to feel that tightening in my stomach, that ache spreading through me that tells me I want him, that Ineedmore from him.

You ruined me,I think in my head at Mikhail, half-wishing he was here so I could scream it at him.You made it so that I can’t be satisfied with anything less.

“What about now?”

The words come out of my mouth before I can stop them. I’m not entirely sure where they came from, outside of a sudden and petty desire to salt the earth where my relationship with Mikhail started, to prove to myself that none of it means anything. I feel hurt and torn and confused over all of it, and I find myself grasping at some way to make myself feel in control once again.

“What?” Erik laughs, raising an eyebrow, but I can see the wheels in his head turning already. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, don’t act as if you haven’t been to clubs like this before.” I lightly shove at his arm playfully. “You know there are private rooms. And you and I both know that Viktor won’t care if you and I use one. In fact, seeing as how youknowhe set us up, he’d probably be thrilled.”

I know I’m so close to stepping on a live wire here. Taking Eric back to a private room, dancing for him–it will seem, to him, like a setup for more to happen from there. And maybe, deep down, that’s what I’m doing.

If I put myself in a position where he’ll try to take advantage, maybe I can let it happen. Maybe I can forget how much I want someone else and lose myself in that old persona long enough to start to move on a little.

“You’re sure?” Erik looks at me, his face carefully still, as if he doesn’t want to give away what he’s thinking. It doesn’t matter–I’m very sure that I can guess. “This isn’t what I expected–”

“I like being a surprise.” I give him the most flirtatious look I can muster, standing up slowly from the velvet couch as I reach for his hand. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

Erik’s hand wraps around mine as he stands up with me, following me as I lead him back toward where I know the champagne rooms are. I catch Ruby’s gaze in the crowd as we walk past, and I see her eyebrows shoot up, but she just grins at me when she sees the direction we’re headed in.

“We’re personal friends of Viktor’s,” I tell the bouncer guarding the hallway to the rooms, who looks at me with thinly veiled suspicion. “Natalia Obelensky and Erik Sorev. You can ask him if you like, but I don’t think either of us want to wait long.”

I haven’t used the imperious tone that I used to use to ensnare men at theCat’s Meowin a long time, but I use it then, and it works. I’d forgotten how well it could work, actually, and I catch a glimpse of Erik’s impressed smirk as the bouncer nods, stepping back to let us in.

“I’ll be checking with Mr. Andreyev,” he says, glancing at us both. “But go on.”

I walk further down the hall until I see one that’s unoccupied. I open the door, pulling Erik inside, and close it firmly as I step back, looking at him with a sudden flare of nerves running through me.

Whether he pushes this as far as it could go or not, I’m alone with this man now, in a sexual environment, and no rules to protect me. I’m not a dancer here, and while I know Viktor wouldn’t stand for anyone hurting me, I won’t have someone just outside, waiting for me to call for help.

For the first time since I’ve started seeing Erik, I feel a small flame of excitement flicker to life in my belly along with the nerves, and that’s when I’m absolutely certain of the thing that I’ve feared was true since leaving Moscow.

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