Born in Blood Collection Volume 1 - Cora Reilly Page 0,80

a second I worried they belonged to some suicidal idiot, but they were the big, strong hands I knew. I arched, pressing my butt against a crotch, and smiled. I was wrenched against a muscled body and Luca’s hot breath brushed my ear. “Who are you dancing for?”

I tilted my head to stare into his blazing gray eyes. “You. Only you.”

Luca’s expression was hungry, but there was still a hint of anger too. “What are you doing here?”

“Dancing.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I told Romero ‘no’”

“I’m not your possession, Luca. Don’t treat me like one.”

His fingers on my waist tightened. “You are mine, Aria, and I protect what’s mine.”

“I don’t mind being protected, but I do mind being imprisoned.” I turned in Luca’s arms, catching a glimpse of Gianna in a heated argument with Matteo. “Dance with me,” I shouted.

And Luca did. I knew from photos on the Internet that he’d often been to clubs in the past, and it became obvious when he moved his body. A man as tall and muscled as him shouldn’t be able to move so smoothly. His eyes never left mine, his hands possessive on my waist. Luca bent his head toward me to whisper in my ear. “You look fucking hot, Aria. Every man in the club wants you and I want to kill them all.”

“I’m only yours,” I said fiercely, and God help me it was the truth, not just because of the ring on my finger that marked me as his. Luca’s lips crashed down on mine, fierce and demanding and possessive, and I opened up for him, letting him claim me in front of everyone.

“I’m so fucking hard,” Luca growled against my lips and I could feel his erection against my stomach. “Fuck. I have a call set up with one of our distributors in five minutes.” I didn’t ask what they were distributing. I didn’t want to know.

“It’s okay,” I said. “Come back when you have time. I’m going to grab a drink.”

“Go to the VIP area.”

I shook my head. “I want to pretend I’m an ordinary girl tonight.”

“Nobody who looks at you will think you are ordinary.” His eyes travelled the length of my body and I shivered. Then he took a step back, regret obvious on his face. “Cesare and Romero will keep an eye on you.” I was about to nod when I noticed a familiar face in the VIP area, watching me. Grace.

My breath caught. She sat on another man’s lap so she wasn’t here for Luca, but the look in her eyes said it all. She wasn’t over him. Luca followed my gaze and cursed. “She’s not here because of me.”

“Yes, she is.”

“I can’t throw her out. She comes here all the time to party. I haven’t seen her since that night. I usually stay in the back.”

I nodded, a lump forming in my throat. Luca took my chin between his thumb and index finger, forcing me to meet his eyes. “There’s only you, Aria.” He glanced at his watch, then pulled back. “I really need to go now. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He turned and strode through the crowd that parted for him. Matteo followed after him and Gianna stepped up beside me. “That asshole.”

“Who?” I said distractedly. Grace had disappeared from the VIP area.

“Matteo. The guy has the nerve to tell me not to dance with other men. What is he, my owner? Fuck him.” She paused. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I whispered. “Let’s go to the bar.” Romero and Cesare fell into step behind us but I turned around to them, feeling on edge. “Can you watch us from afar? You’re driving me crazy.” Without a word they separated and took positions in corners of the club. I released a breath and settled on a barstool.

I ordered two new gin and tonics and took a deep gulp from the cool liquid, trying to relax. Gianna jiggled her leg. “You can go dancing,” I told her, but she shook her head and bobbed her head to the music.

“In a few minutes. You look pale.”

“I’m okay,” I said, my eyes searching the club for a sign of Grace, but she seemed to have vanished into thin air. There were too many people on the dance floor to find her anyway.

“I really need to go to the restroom,” Gianna said after a while. Her gin and tonic was almost gone.

“I need to sit for a few more minutes.”

Gianna gave me a worried