Cavalier (Crimson Elite 1)

“It’s a club, Mickey. I’m here to dance.”

He raises his eyebrow. “We can dance.” Mickey reaches out for me to place my hand in his, and I do so even when I can feel Tracey’s death glare from the back of me. He tugs me to him and out onto the floor, then pulls me so our bodies are aligned and touching. He brushes my hair from my neck and whispers in my ear, sending shivers all over my body, “You look stunning, Elicea. Why did we stop again?”

I shrug. “Maybe because you like to wander—to other women—regularly,” I say, trying to pull back so we aren’t so close. He doesn’t let me, keeping me close.

“I’ve changed.”

The laughter that bubbles up has him pulling back to look at me before he pulls me back to him. He looks deeply into my eyes, and he’s holding me tight again.

“You haven’t changed, you just want your dessert, too.” I feel his smile at my neck.

“We could be perfect. We were explosive in the bedroom.”

We were. But that isn’t enough to keep me with someone who wants other people as well. Pulling back with more force, his hands drop to his sides as he stares at me.

“That was the past. How about we keep it that way.” Leaning into him, I tap his shoulder before I kiss his cheek. He turns fast so our lips connect, stunning me for a second before I pull away. Before I can turn to walk away, someone is next to me. His hand touches my arm, sending electrical pulses straight through me.

Looking up and into his eyes—the same ones that make me forget what day it is—everything stops.

I pull my hand free. I don’t like it, I don’t like him having that kind of effect on me. I don’t like that I give him that sort of power over me. At all.

“Creed.” His name leaves my lips in a rush. He takes my breath away making me wonder why he’s here. Shaking my head, I walk straight past him back to Tracey who’s watching with her mouth hanging open. Reaching for her hand, I pull her to the door and straight out into the cold night without stopping until we can hail a cab. Getting in, I look back and see Creed is at the front, cell phone to his ear as he watches we drive off. My heart tries to slow down, but it’s impossible.

“Who the fuck was that?”

Closing my eyes, I count to ten, slowly, trying to think straight. “Oh, no, you don’t. Don’t think how you’re going to tell me. Just tell me who he is?”

When I open my eyes, Tracey is watching me, her face inches from mine.

“He’s my boss, I guess.”

She sits back, bites her nails as she takes in what I’ve said. “He was the one that offered you the job? He’s always so quiet when he comes in.”

I shrug, I have no idea. That night was the first night I’d met him.

“Yep, gave me his card and boom, job. Just like an angel.” The words taste bad as it leaves my mouth, but Tracey laughs.

“Oh, no, honey, that man is all devil. No angel in heaven is that good-looking. He was sent here to torment and fuck. That I know for sure.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me. Despite how he made me feel, I can’t help but laugh.

“He’s delectable, just like your finest sin,” I say, thinking of those whiskey-colored eyes. Tracey fans herself as we stop out front of her apartment building. She gets out, but I wave her off. “I’m going home, I need to sleep.” She kisses me as she goes.

Not too far away, the man who is sin himself is standing at my door. How did he beat me here? Was he following me? My hand shakes as I pay the driver and attempt to open the car door. Creed stands against the wall of my building, his leg bent and foot touching the wall, and he’s watching me. My heart beats hard. Closing my eyes and counting to ten isn’t possible right now, even if they fight to close. Instead, I open them and the minute they’re open I say, “Creed.” His name leaves my lips as my hand clutches my keys in my hand. “Do you need something?”

He looks to me, not blinking or moving as he assesses me with those eyes. I want to know what he’s thinking. Why late at night he’s standing out front of my building. Stepping forward, his hand lifts and I flinch, not because I think he’s going to hit me because I don’t know what he wants. He stops at my flinch, drops his hand and slowly shakes his head.

“You don’t answer your cell.”

I look at it and see no missed calls. Then I remember the private number that tried ringing me earlier. “You called from a private number?”