Page 7 of A Midnight Romance
“I’ll just wear something you have!” she tosses over her shoulder while sprinting up the stairs.
“Funny how nothing has changed since we were kids.” I follow her upstairs and quickly find her rummaging through my closet.
“How about this?” She holds up a little black dress with sequins.
I pull out my laptop and sit on the side of my bed, knowing she’ll need more time to get ready than I will. I may as well sneak in a few words. “I like it.”
“Or this one?” She carries a red halter top dress from out of the closet, chuckling. “You need new clothes.”
I ignore her and continue typing.
She walks over and tents the top of my laptop. “Does Dad know that you stole his logins to the police department’s database?”
My armpits sweat knowing I’m doing something unlawful. But it’s been helpful with the research process when I write. “Of course not.”
She rolls her eyes.
“Blinded by the love of his innocent daughter.” She heads back into the closet.
“Maybe.”
“Are you going to get dressed?”
Hanging my head low, I shove my computer to the side and drag my feet until I join Stevie. “Yes.”
Stevie and I spend the next half hour getting ready, then it takes her another thirty minutes to figure out where we’re going. And before long, two sets of heelsclick-clackon my hardwood floors as we head into the night for what I expect to be uneventful, all while wishing I was cozy in my pajamas sitting at my desk writing.
Chapter 3
River
The wooden dance floor rumbles under my feet as my eyes scan the room, gazing from one sweaty body to another. Around me couples dance erotically under the influence of alcohol—or something else. The twinge of envy isn’t always a shock, but it reminds me I’ll never live a simple life like this.
I’m incapable of loving any other human.
And even if I was no one would ever accept my darkness.
My gaze scans the room before landing on a woman with medium brown hair dancing with another woman slightly taller. I find myself distracted by how her body sways to the electronic bass. My hungry eyes fall to her black high heels, before traveling to her leather skirt and low-cut sequined top. I clamp my eyes shut, refocusing on the task at hand tonight.
Hunting my next victim.
“What’s the plan?” Sebastian asks, his voice almost lost in my earpiece because of the loud music.
My eyes snap open, but instead of refocusing, my gaze catches a bead of sweat rolling down her chest. I wonder what it would be like to glide my tongue across her skin, tasting the moistness of it. I’m not one to ever be distracted, but the manner she moves in is mesmerizing. I imagine my hands gliding up the bare skin on her arm, when my stare narrows, irkedby a dark figure stepping in front of her, holding hands with a girl much younger. He obstructs my view.
Watching from a safe distance, I witness the man drop the hand of the woman he’s with and move on to the brunette I’ve had my eyes on. A dense heat settles over me, causing the tiny hairs on my body to stand when I recognize another predator.
“Hang on,” I say to Sebastian, unable to tear my focus from them.
She scoffs off whatever advances he’s forcing on her. The man flips his neck around with frustration, finally giving me a clear view of his face.
Andrew Hughes.
A trust fund baby—his parents own one of the largest hotel chains in the Pacific Northwest—and my target for the night.
Andrew drugged and raped his high school girlfriend after a night of drinking. The girl went on to press charges, but they were subsequently dropped six months before they were set to go to trial.
Since we run in the same wealthy circles, the ones who believe they have unlimited power and control, a small fact about him hasn’t sat well with me.
