Page 32 of Remi's War (Four Dark Horsemen 2)

According to Monique, I just had lousy lays, and judging by all the women getting off here, I think she was right because I can’t imagine having sex in a club. How good a lover does a man have to be to make you forget everything and everyone but him?

We make it a few steps before a young guy with a boyish smile stands in front of Isla, winking at us both. His suit showcases his lean body, and by how charm oozes from him, I have no doubt he is popular with women. “Hey, ladies. I haven’t seen you here before.” His gaze darts between us before he gives his full attention to Isla.

He scans her from head to toe, interest sparking in his eyes. Her leather boots, black jeans, and green blouse stand out among the fancy dresses here. “Would you allow me to buy you a drink?” He extends his hand toward another lock of hair that escaped from her band, when a muscled hand drops on his, squeezing it hard and making the guy wince.

“Don’t touch her, Steven.” My eyes widen at Octavius’s deep, dangerous voice. A furious expression settles on his features as he shoves the guy away.

Steven shakes his injured hand, blinks several times at Octavius, and with a nod hightails his ass in the other direction, but not before I hear him mutter, “Why do I always offer drinks to their women?”

Octavius looks at me and asks, although it sounds more like an annoyed growl, “What are you doing here?” Confusion washes over me as his full-of-hatred gaze settles on me. “You’ve brought enough trouble to us as it is.”

If I didn’t know better, I’d think he knows me, but that’s impossible. I’ve never met him, let alone done something to deserve these emotions.

I open my mouth to give him a piece of my mind. I don’t care for his tone and implications.

But the entitled asshole has already shifted his focus to Isla, who just stares at him in awe. Something akin to curiosity, and fear, flashes in her gray eyes when he steps closer to her. “I told you to stay away from me or there will be consequences.”

“And I told you, I don’t scare easily.”

A sinister smile like a grimace—due to his scar—shapes his mouth, warning everyone to stay away, and Isla’s breath hitches when he wraps his hand around her throat, pulling her to his chest. “You should, darling.” A beat passes, and he leans toward her, their faces inches apart. “Every brave act has a price. And yours might cost more than you expect.”

She fists his shirt, holding him, as she replies, “I’m willing to pay.”

The sexual tension envelops them, swirling in the air, making it uncomfortable to be in their presence, because I feel almost like an intruder despite the crowd around us.

“Then you’re more stupid than I thought. And I haven’t given you much credit to begin with.” Isla pales, and Octavius lets go of her. “Get the fuck out of my club.” He looks at me again. “Both of you.” Then he walks off, people parting to give him space, and I shift awkwardly since Isla just got rejected for the whole club to see.

For the hundredth time, I think about how I ended up in all this mess. “Listen—”

“That infuriating man!” she exclaims and darts after him, while I’m left standing alone on the freaking dance floor.

Serves me right for trusting new people.

Sighing in frustration, I pull at my dark locks and take a step in their direction. At this point, I have nothing else to lose.

A deep, husky voice speaks up, though, stopping me in my tracks, so sinister it feels akin to silk slowly gliding over my skin, pulling me to him and luring me to my doom. No good person should have such a tempting timbre. “I wouldn't follow them if I were you.” I turn around swiftly, almost tripping, but a muscled arm wraps around my waist, easily catching me and dragging me toward him. “Their encounters tend to get wild.”

I gasp as I come face-to-face with the dark-eyed stranger who awakened such a strong reaction from me earlier.

Remi.

My splayed palms settle on his chest while I just gape at him, his masculine scent of tobacco, somehow familiar, making my nostrils twitch. It sends a scorching rush through my entire system and adds gasoline to the already burning fire inside me from his presence.

Gazing into his secret-filled orbs that hypnotize me, creating a fog around my mind, I grip his shirt reflexively, straightening up. The muscles under me flex, hard as granite that probably speaks about years of dedicated work.

And once again, his presence seems familiar. Trying to resist the temptation to curl my fingers on his chest, I stare at him like an idiot, doing my best to remember when I met this man and managed to learn how he feels underneath my hands.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, still holding on to him for dear life. My cheeks heat up just thinking about my clumsiness around such a powerful man who probably never mingles with walking disasters because he could pick whoever he wishes.

Even now, a lot of women are sending daggers my way for being in his company, and I grin, a small laugh slipping past my lips.

They shouldn’t worry; the man might be kind enough to help me not fall in his own club, but he won’t display a real interest in me.

You don’t pick an ordinary stone found everywhere if you can choose from diamonds.

Tension ripples through him, his fingers digging into my skin, and he presses me to him even harder, my curves melting against him while something flashes on his face, which makes me hot and confused at the same time.

“Pleasure is all mine, darling,” he says with that damned voice again, wrapping the invisible silk tighter around me and imprisoning me in a burning bubble that can pop at any moment. “I quite enjoyed catching you. Twice,” he adds, swaying lightly to the slow music, leading my body farther onto the dance floor while I keep up with his steps, my arms circling his neck, because I’m too stunned to do anything else but listen to him.

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