His black pupils bled into the blue of his iris’s and then I saw a pinpoint of red before he closed his eyes, turned around, and left, slamming the door to the bar behind him.
“What was that about?” Tarek asked making me jump a foot before pressing a hand to my chest. “He looked ready to either kill you or eat you.”
“Hah.” My heart fluttered, and then my entire body went on high alert. He was dangerous.
Very, very, dangerous.
And as I looked around the bar at the grinding bodies, at the beautiful people who watched others dance only to beckon them to their laps and toy with them like they were trying to put them under a spell, I had to wonder… why?
Just why?
Something felt… off.
Why had my mom suggested this bar of all places as a break after college?
“Tarek…” I licked my lips. “Why aren’t any of the men dancing?”
He shrugged. “Probably because it’s more fun watching women move their hips. Besides, not many men can dance, and men usually want sex so… clapping and snapping between beats typically means a hard no by any girl watching.”
“You clap when you dance?” I laughed behind my hand.
He bowed. “And my point is made!”
I forgot about Timber the rest of the night.
And when I let myself in my small apartment down the street. The one I could barely afford.
I could have sworn I saw his face when I closed my eyes.
What was more disconcerting…
It felt like he was still watching me.
Even then.
Something was hot against my face.
The darkness wrapped itself around me like a blanket. Thankfully, it didn’t scare me, the darkness. It was just the opposite of light, and that didn’t mean it was bad.
Dark was just the absence of light.
I’d always preferred it. Always. As if it was my savior. Most little girls are afraid of the dark—I embraced it because it provided comfort.
But the light always came.
Sadly, in the morning, things would look the same.
I’d be the same.
I was safe in the shadows and in the light.
I closed my eyes as a heaviness settled on my chest.
And when I blinked them open, there he was, standing there.
I blinked again.
Gone.