Page 138 of Long Live the King

“You look beautiful.” He says looking down at me from his substantial height. “Like a fucking dream.”

My cheeks heat under his gaze as he guides us in this slow, sensual dance. He’s here with me, his body flush against mine and his fingers digging into my flesh, and yet he feels miles away. There’s a distance there that I’m just noticing. Not enough that I can overtly question it but still enough to know something has changed since this morning. I can’t help wondering if I did something wrong.

This dress is part of the pre-selection he sent to me this morning, the hair and makeup done by the artist he paid for who showed up at my apartment two hours before the party.

I’m not sure what’s changed.

“Thank you.” I say, unable to come up with something more creative as I try to work through whether the difference is just in my imagination or not.

“Just stating the obvious. Every guy in here wants you.”

“And you?”

“Me?” He questions.

I nod, my breath hitching in my throat as I wait for his reply.

A slow, sexy and satisfied smile stretches across his face, wiping away any doubts I had previously.

The perceived distance between us must have been a figment of my imagination earlier.

“I already have you.” His grip further tightens around me, bringing me even closer as he leads us around the room.

His words ring with a truth I’ve rarely heard from him.

???

“Have you seen Rogue?” I ask Rhys.

He’s off to the side, staring daggers at Thayer and Carter. The latter surprised her this morning by flying to Switzerland and unexpectedly showing up at our suite door.

They’re dancing in the middle of the room, looking like a happy couple. Only I can tell how uncomfortable she is. Her shoulders are rigid, her body stiff as she throws furtive glances in Rhys’ direction.

The man in question is coiled tight, his eyes fixed on Carter’s hand curled around Thayer’s waist. He doesn’t hear my question, his attention completely devoted to Thayer. I put my hand on his arms gently, pulling his gaze towards me.

“Rogue?” I ask.

He shrugs, his eyes slipping back to my best friend. “Haven’t seen him.”

Me neither. When we finished our dance, he simply kissed my hand and walked away. I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time, thinking he was going to grab a drink, but he’s been gone for over an hour.

I’ve done the rounds with my friends, have met new people, hell I’ve even run into Rogue father. He cornered me in the room, asking me how it was going with Rogue. I answered him with generic platitudes, swallowing thickly around the hate in my throat as I kept the peace, knowing Rogue wouldn’t want me to make a scene.

The man in question hasn’t made an appearance since, however.

I amble down the halls of RCA aimlessly.

Pulling out my phone, I shoot him a quick text.

Me:Where are you?

When he doesn’t answer me five minutes later, I put it back in my clutch. Maybe he’s taking a call in one of these rooms?

I start at the end of the hall, opening first the door of my English Lit class and then the room I know belongs to European Studies, finding both empty. I open the third door and find it empty as well. Getting slightly frustrated at his lack of appearance, I go towards the next door.

I wonder if he went home and simply didn’t tell me. We’re still working on his flawed communication skills, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he did.

I open the fourth door, deciding this one will be the last I check if I don’t find him and stumble when I see a man's back and a woman’s hands wrapped around his neck. His head is bent, his hands are around her waist.

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