Page 5 of Dark Temptations

“It’s nice to meet you, too.” He smoothed the hair from her beautiful face and saw the weary look she got in her eyes, so he needed to hold back the urge to keep touching her.

She had such big blue eyes. So big they should have looked funny on her tiny face, but everything about her fit together in an image he’d not soon forget.

Xavier felt the tension in the air rise. A fight would definitely break out if he didn’t get her moving. He whistled for Miles.

“Yeah, Boss?”

“I’m going to take her to the private lounge until you find who she came with.”

“That’s probably a good idea. I’ll follow to keep the crowd back.”

“Hey, Ariana. May I speak to you privately?” Xavier asked.

She looked confused. “About what?”

“A few things.”

Ariana shook her head. “I don’t think I should go with a stranger.”

Goddamn, she was so fucking cute.

“Hey, Miles, can you tell her that I’m a nice guy and would never harm her?”

Miles nodded. “He would never harm you. I’ve known him most of my life.”

“You’re one of the men with a vest the guy at the door said to look for if I needed help, so you must be a good person, right?”

“I think I am.”

“So, I should trust you?” she asked.

Fuck, she was too innocent to be on her own anywhere.

“Who did you come with?” Xavier asked.

“Two of my friends.”

“Can you describe them?” Miles asked.

“One has short blonde hair, and the other has shoulder-length brown hair. They are both about my size and dressed all in black.”

Xavier hid a grin at the disgruntled look on his employee’s face because Ariana had just described ninety percent of the women in the club.

“I’ll do my best as soon as I get you to safety,” Miles said.

“Safety? What do you mean?” she asked.

Xavier grunted and wrapped a hand around her upper arm. “Come on. I’ll tell you when we get to a quiet place.”

“But…” She pulled back.

“You don’t have a choice,” Xavier said.

“Are you, like, the manager or something?”

“Yes.”

She looked around, he presumed for her friends, and when she couldn’t find them, she sighed, nodded, and let him lead her away.

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