Page 42 of Wicked Vow

I know I’m supposed to.

“Are you tired?” I glance over at him as he starts to pull away from the valet. “It’s not that late yet.”

Erik looks over at me in surprise. “Not really. Did you have something in mind?”

“We could go to one of Viktor’s clubs.”

I’m not sure what made me think to suggest it. I don’t think I want to sleep with him, so why would I suggest going to a strip club? But a small part of me wonders if it might let me see a different side of him. Something less sophisticated, less uptight. Something that might make me feel what I’m missing.

Besides, Ruby will probably be there, and she’ll be thrilled to see who Erik is. It’ll mean I’ll get her opinion on it later–but maybe once she sees him, she’ll understand my hesitation.

Or she’ll understand it less. There’s really no telling. She might see Erik and not understand why I’m not jumping feet-first into a relationship with a man who could absolutely take care of me–and the baby, if he knew about it and didn’t care. From what I can tell, he might be the sort of man whodoesn’tcare.

I know it seems insane to throw that away because I can’t get Mikhail out of my head.

Erik looks at me, his expression confused. “You want to go to one of Viktor’s strip clubs?” he repeats slowly as if he thinks he might have misheard me. “I assumed you’d want to go home.”

I can hear the thinly veiled disappointment at the idea in his voice–the idea of me being ready to go home–but he doesn’t pressure me. He pulls to the edge of the street and glances over at me, his expression uncertain.

“One of my friends works at thePassion Flower,” I explain quickly. “She came here with me. I don’t know, I thought it could be–fun? Something a little different.”

Erik pauses as if he’s trying to think of what to say in response to that. “You continually surprise me,” he says finally, his mouth quirking up a little on one side. “I can’t say I’ve been to a club like that in a while, but after all, I am one of Viktor’s investors, right? Maybe it would be worth seeing what the newest one looks like.”

He puts the car into gear, turning down the street as he taps a button on the steering wheel. “Directions to thePassion Flower,” he tells the GPS coolly, his other hand straying towards my leg as he speaks.

It feels a little as if my suggestion to go to the club has made him feel more confident in touching me. His hand brushes against my knee, and I wait to feel a jolt, something that sparks inside of me at him taking that kind of liberty, but there’s nothing. His hand slides a little higher, long fingers brushing against my inner thigh, and Iwantto feel that leap in my chest, that tingling across my skin. I want to want him, to feel excited the way I might have once, but I feel as if I’m made of ice.

His hand stays there, lingering. There’s a pressure to it, a possessive grip that should spur something in me. But all I can think of is Mikhail.

Maybe it was a mistake to go to the club.After all, I’d met Mikhail in one, what feels like a lifetime ago. Perhaps this isn’t how to go about forgetting him.

Maybe I should have gone home, after all.

But I feel Erik’s hand sliding along my leg, and I know it’s too late now.

Natalia

By the time we get to the club, there’s a line to get in, and it’s clearly busy. Erik ignores the line entirely, giving his keys to the valet and taking my hand, leading me towards the front door where the same bouncer I’d seen when I visited with Ruby is standing there.

“There’s a list tonight or back of the line,” the bouncer says with a grunt, and Erik gives him an easy smile.

“Erik Sorev and my date,” Erik says smoothly. “You can check with Viktor if you like, but I think you’ll find that he’ll be more than happy to let me in.”

The bouncer frowns. “Let me check.”

I’m curious to see what Erik’s response is. Some men would be angry at the idea of being made to wait for even a brief time, but Erik seems to take it in stride. His hand is still linked through mine, and I know I should lean into him and give him back some of the affection that I can feel he’s trying to encourage.This is what I wanted, for him to take initiative. To take, at least a little.But it takes everything in me not to pull my hand out of his.

It’s only a few moments before the bouncer gets a response, and he takes down the pink velvet rope immediately, nodding to Erik. “There’s a table for you in the VIP section,” he tells Erik. “And a complimentary bottle of champagne will be brought to you. Mr. Andreyev is happy that you decided to come by.”

“It was my date’s idea,” Erik says with a grin, his hand tightening on mine. He tugs me forward as we walk in, keeping me close to him as the steady thrumming beat of the music fills the air around us and vibrates in my blood.

The club is awash in pink lighting, the main stage occupied by a tall, thin black-haired girl in goth-style lingerie, with the two smaller stages occupied as well, and a handful of dancers and cocktail waitresses moving through the room. The VIP section is obvious–black velvet couches and lacquered tables behind another pink velvet rope, with a few scantily-clad cocktail waitresses milling about and bringing bottle service to the occupants.

“This is a first,” Erik says as he slides his arm around my waist, leading me towards the VIP section as he walks us past the velvet rope. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a date suggest this before.”

“Well, I like to keep things interesting.” I flash him a smile as we sit down, and I tuck my legs to one side as he sits next to me. His hand finds its way to my knee anyway, and a moment later, a cocktail waitress appears, bringing us a bottle of champagne and two glasses. She flashes him a sultry smile before turning and walking away, but I can feel his eyes on me.

“So, which one is your friend?” he asks with a wry smile, and I glance around the room.

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