Laurent’s heart sank. So Beast was still upset by what happened a week ago? “N-no. Nothing like that.”
King laughed and patted Laurent’s ass, just like he did to girls. “It’s probably why then. He’s blue-balling like hell. Keep up the good work.”
Laurent groaned and wanted to complain, but King was always the one to choose when he wanted to leave and he did so with the wave of a hand.
Laurent stared after him for long enough to see him pulling a tall, slim woman in black clothes out of the crowd. The woman laughed and gave him a kiss as soon as she saw who it was, and Laurent couldn’t look on anymore. He tried not to judge the depravity he observed around the club every day, as times had clearly changed and so did mores, but he did not want to watch King in any capacity after the things he’d just been told.
Nao didn’t care that her man had found another woman for the night and danced by a metal pole in an elevated spot, for everyone to see. Left on his own, Laurent didn’t know where to go from here. His gaze kept shifting back to Beast when a heavy arm landed on his shoulders. He hated being so short.
“I am not an armrest,” he groaned, but then looked up to find Knight smiling at him widely. He could excuse Knight being intrusive, since the man was so irresistibly charming. Still, he crossed his arms on his chest as the thoughts of King’s horrific pact with the devil tumbled in his mind like clothes in a washing machine.
“Aw, I just haven’t talked to you in a while. Have you congratulated Beast yet?” Knight asked, moving into the place vacated by King moments ago.
Laurent shifted uncomfortably, still shellshocked by the truth behind King’s intentions for Beast. And now he felt like he was an unwilling accomplice to the vile plan. “I… I don’t think he would appreciate that.”
“You think?” Knight shrugged, looking down at Laurent with a wide smile that made him even more handsome, the messy hair somehow only adding to his roguish charm. “Maybe he’s forgiven you already. You were a bit of a douche back at the warehouse, but it’s not like you killed anyone.”
Laurent’s shoulders sagged. “I would very much wish to make it up to him, but I admit I’m somewhat afraid.”
The sudden slap on the ass startled Laurent.
“Be a man about it. Go,” Knight said, leaning against the wall. It was almost as if he knew something Laurent didn’t.
Laurent took a deep breath and started walking toward the little corner table hidden beyond all the sweaty bodies. His new pants were inviting an onslaught of slaps, and he wasn’t sure how much he liked that kind of attention.
To avoid touching strangers as much as possible, Laurent moved closer to the wall, effectively circling the room while Nao and another woman both danced by the metal pole together, urged on by a whistling crowd. Nao climbed all the way to the top, only to rest her spine against the rod with her head down and lower her legs, spreading them obscenely. The other woman must have been jealous of all that attention, as she suddenly tore off her shirt, revealing her bosom to everyone gathered.
Laurent was so shocked by the display he walked into somebody. After a profuse apology, he finally reached Beast’s table, slowing down as if he were a pauper arriving for an audience with the king. He nervously picked at his sleeve, trying to ignore the feeling of his chest sagging and restricting him from breathing freely.
Beast looked up from above his glass, his eyes narrowing when he took in Laurent’s presence. Their gazes met, and it hit Laurent like a bullet just how much he longed for Beast’s appreciation. Martina and Jake glared at Laurent too, and the latter actually whistled, but their opinion didn’t matter in the face of Beast’s frown.
“Okay...” Beast said in an odd tone.
Beast watched Laurent without a word, and yet it felt like there were burning hot fingers rubbing up and down Laurent’s body. That, or Beast’s gaze was actually flaying him. He didn’t know the difference anymore. All he knew was that even fleeting, accidental touches from Beast were what he craved as much as Beast’s attention and forgiveness.
“I… I came to congratulate on the promotion to the position of VP,” Laurent said in the end, with his heart thudding in his chest so hard he was afraid people could see the evidence of it, since his whole chest was on show.
Beast’s mouth narrowed, and he gave a curt nod. Before Laurent could flee in face of such an unenthusiastic reaction, Beast spoke, and each one of his words made Laurent wish he hadn’t approached him at all. “What are you wearing? Those clothes aren’t you at all. Was everything else you own dirty?”