I hope you’re right. I’ll never forgive myself if he starts to project something dark to them right now.
Surprise colors Rafe’s next thoughts. Are you doubting the blocks you put in place? Was his young mind that much of a challenge?
No, that’s not it. I’m off tonight. Like something’s right under my skin and I can’t settle down.
I enter the gentlemen’s lounge to find it empty. Pushing open the carved door to the bar, conversation rushes to greet me.
Could be dead Jean Pierre. The situation would rile up anyone.
Yes, I’m sure you’re right. Asa will be arriving tomorrow morning. It’ll be nice to dump this on someone else.
Looking to the bar, I meet Charlie’s eye. He jerks his head to the nightclub, anticipating I’ll want to know where Rafe is without any sign from me. He’s right, but isn’t aware that I already know where Rafe is through our connection.
Rafe’s response to my comment about Asa sounds incredulous. Is this some kind of a miracle? You’re actually going to let someone help you? That’s huge, babe.
Yeah, yeah, stuff it. I’ll wait till I meet him to make my decision final, okay?
Striding across the threshold, I slip in to the dark, strobe-lit room, easing the heavy door shut behind me. The music thumps a steady techno beat overlaid with flashes of lyrics from other songs. This particular tune sounds like a mixture of Cotton-Eyed Joe and Me So Horny, accompanied by the throb of a computer-generated rhythm.
Out on the dance floor, bodies gyrate and bump with wild abandon, as hands grope and lips linger on necks. Ten or so people occupy the parquet dance space, and several groups line the wall standing near tall tables. The smiles I see and the laughs that reach my ears indicate they’re all having fun.
Rafe raises an arm to catch my eye and I angle over to his bar-height table in a corner. Joining him, I look around the room trying to spot Olivia and Drew. I find them cozied up on the dance floor bumping and grinding to the beat.
“Olivia still has her clothes on,” I point out. “That’s a good sign.”
“Yeah, it’s half-past midnight now and the crowd is starting to get hopping. I wonder how long the clothing situation will last?”
“Should we step in and have him back off now that Antonio is out of the picture for tonight?”
“No, I think we should leave them be for a few more minutes. She looks like she’s enjoying all the attention. She needed it.”
I agree. The poor thing looks as happy as a wallflower in middle school getting asked to dance for the first time. Antonio is an ass. To have such a gem offered to him and not share blood with her. Either he’s just plain stupid or incredibly selfish, I can’t decide which yet.
Drew senses my attention on the two of them and looks up to catch my eye. I give him a nod, motioning my head toward the door back into the pub. He nods back and angles Olivia towards the exit with a smile and a hand on her lower back.
Leaning in to Rafe, I whisper, “Let’s go, love. I've changed my mind. I want to end our stay here on the fun floor and enjoy some time alone together back in our suite.”
Rafe gives me a stern look as he moves around the table to leave. You’re going to touch Drew tonight, aren’t you?
If you know everything already, why do you bother to ask?
Why now? Can’t you let it go for another time?
No. Something is off and I need to know what. Would you rather I snuck out to his cabin in the wee hours of the morning while you were sleeping and told you about the encounter later? Your choice, babe.
He gives me a nasty look. Can’t say I blame him. I know I’m being bitchy.
Rafe’s voice sounds angry in my head. Now what kind of choice is that? Of course, I want to be there. Drew’s an unknown element with everything else we have going on right now. No matter how tired I am from this damn long night, I would never risk your safety.
When we reach the soundproofed door connecting the club and the bar, Rafe pulls it open for me to enter ahead of him. I try to sway Rafe to understand my desires.
Can’t you try to see my side? How I don’t want to have the mystery of