Page 37 of A Dangerous Proposal

Eww. No.

Spinning, she tried to free herself from the grip and dance a few steps away, but the man caught her hand and tugged her back.

“You are the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen. I’ve been watching you all night.”

His liquor breath almost gagged her, and Madison attempted to wrench her hand free.

“Well, watching is all you get tonight.”

A sliver of fear sliced through her as he yanked her back, and she felt a hand on her ass that quickly moved toward the hem of her skirt.

“Hey! Get off me,” Madison growled.

She felt the briefest graze of a finger on her bare skin, and then the man yelped, and she stumbled forward, only to be caught against another firm chest.

This time however, a familiar spicy scent hit her nose. With no rational explanation, her whole body sagged, her fight or flight response silenced. She didn’t need to fight because Alex was there. And that meant she could exhale.

Chapter Eleven

Alex had planned to go straight home after working late. The only one in the office, and without the normal distractions, he’d been able to clear several items from his to-do list. However, all thoughts of a quiet night vanished when Liev called with the news that Madison had just walked into one of Mikhail’s clubs.

By the time he’d arrived, the nightclub pulsed with life. Amid the swirling chaos of flashing neon, a deep thrumming bass vibrated through the floor. Above it all, glittering lights draped over the ceiling reflected off a giant disco ball, showering the crowd in shards of silver.

Somewhere in this carnage was his angel.

From Liev’s last message, Madison and her friends were hanging out in the VIP section on the second floor. Apparently, one of the young women was Ivan’s flavor of the month.

She hadn’t noticed him when he joined Liev on a small sofa tucked away in the corner. It was far enough out of the mess, but he had a clear view of her.

For the next two hours, he watched as Madison danced. Her smile was wide, but it was obvious, at least to him, that something was wrong.

“Why does she keep doing that?” Liev nudged his arm. His cousin had stayed by his side most of the night, happy to just watch the festivities.

“What?” Alex tore his eyes away from Madison to glance at his companion.

“Keep putting the tops back on the bottles.”

Alex’s lips lifted in a slight smile. “Because she’s incredibly intelligent. She’s trying to make sure no one doses them when they are on the dance floor.”

Not that anyone who wanted to live would dare in this club.

Despite his brother’s various criminal activities, the Kovalyov Bratva strictly forbade the abuse of women and children. His brother wasn’t morally opposed to it—The truth was humans were a messy and unpredictable income stream and brought attention like no other crime. All Mikhail really cared about was the steady stream of money that flowed into his accounts.

When Madison started downing shots, Alex leaned back, one arm slung casually over the sofa back, though there was nothing relaxed about him. His jaw was tight, tension twitching every muscle in his body as he watched Madison’s movements become loose and less coordinated.

“Are you going to put a stop to this?”

Alex didn’t have to ask what Liev meant. During the last two songs, Madison’s friends had dispersed, offering an opportunity to the men who’d been watching his angel.

His attention returned to the group of men near the stairs.

“Not yet. She’s having fun.”

The men had their eyes on Madison all night, and he could easily understand why.

She was the most beautiful woman in the building. Fuck, probably the city. Her blond hair swayed around her as she moved her hips to the beat.

Alex might have understood their attention, but it didn’t stop the anger pulsing through him.

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