She was surprised to see him back at the club, since Harley had told her that he wasn’t a regular there. When Mila had first spotted him sitting at the table with a few Mercury Pack members, her heart had slammed against her rib cage. Knowing better than to make eye contact and get ensnared by one of his “I am so going to fuck you” looks, she kept her gaze on the people crowding the dance floor.
As she reached the instrumental portion of the song, Mila moved aside while Harley did a solo. Like the audience, Mila clapped and cheered for the insanely talented margay shifter.
Whipping out her phone, Mila put her back to the crowd as she took selfies and even recorded a little video of them all bobbing, singing, dancing, and hooting. That only made them go wilder. And then, once again, she was pouring herself into the song.
Dominic could only stare at Mila, sincerely blown away by how much raw natural talent she possessed. Her smoky, scratchy voice was filled with soul and power. Her joy and exhilaration bled out into the crowd, which was loving her performance because she was loving it.
A siren. She was a fucking siren. Engaging and entrancing the crowd so effortlessly. All those snarls, twangs, and gritty vocals went straight to his cock.
There was so much passion in her, she was unbelievably compelling and made him feel . . . greedy. At that moment, he wanted to own all that passion. Wanted it for himself. Wanted her for himself. And that thought made him straighten in his seat, double-blinking, because there had never been a single time in his life when he’d felt remotely possessive of a woman.
He barely knew Mila. Hadn’t even touched her. And yet, there was something about her that pulled him in. It was because she was real, he realized as he watched her perform onstage—no alter ego, no fake stage persona. She was authentic. Didn’t put on a show or wear a mask. She was true to who she was whether she was cutting hair, singing onstage, or merely sitting at a bar.
Many people wore masks, even if it was only for the workplace or for dealing with strangers—it was human nature, really, to wrap your sense of self in protective layers. If people hurt or rejected the mask, it wasn’t so personal; it lessened the pain. But Mila was just . . . Mila. And he suspected that was part of where her steadiness came from. Only someone who was truly genuine could have that degree of inner balance.
His wolf was just as captivated by her performance. Was just as hungry to touch and take.
A hand snatched his empty beer bottle from the table. “Want another?” Charlene asked.
“No, thanks, I’m driving,” he told her.
Everyone clapped as the song ended. Mila gave a brief shout-out to Harley and the DJ before thanking the crowd and wishing them a good night. Dominic watched her disappear off the stage and then waited impatiently for her to walk out of the door that . . . and there she was. Instead of walking to the bar, she turned the corner that led to the restrooms.
Dominic stood as he spoke to Jesse. “I’ll be back soon.”
Jesse sighed, casting a brief glance in the direction that Mila had headed. “You’re wasting your time with that one. I’m sure a woman being uninterested is something of a novel concept for you, though,” he teased, his mouth quirking.
“I don’t think you should take her rejection personally, Dominic,” said Charlene. “I’ve seen plenty of guys come on to Mila. She’s not mean about it, but she shoots them down.”
Dominic’s wolf growled, not liking the idea of her being hounded by other males. “I won’t be long.”
Charlene frowned. “But—”
Ignoring her, Dominic left the VIP area and began winding his way through the cluster of tables. Some of the females tried catching his attention, but he simply said his hellos and never broke stride as he shouldered his way through the throngs of people and finally turned into the long corridor.
There was a line near the entrance to the women’s restroom, so he waited near the exit, his hip propped against the wall. It wasn’t long before Mila came strolling out the door. Seeing him, she came to a sharp stop and sighed, rubbing her temple as if weary. It was probably odd that that made him smile.