Page 112 of The Silencer
Viktor huffs and shakes his head. “He’s not mine. He’s the boss’s.”
The woman’s perfectly plucked eyebrows rise. “You don’t say?” Her manicured hand reaches across the bar top and as she does this, I realize I can peer down the front of her sheer dress. Not that I look. “I’m Monica. So nice to meet you.”
“Tatum,” I say, slipping my hand into hers. She shakes it and then winks at me.
“Everything’s on the house, of course. What would you like? And only the best for you.”
I feel my cheeks flush and then I blurt, “Um, surprise me.”
Monica grins and nods. “Oh, I do like him. You got it. And I assume, nothing for you?” she asks Viktor. He just shakes his head.
She turns away and gets to work, leaving me to lean against the bar and wait. My eyes scan the people converging around us, watching as they interact. They seem like people who have too much time on their hands and way too much money.
They move like Anthony in many ways. Sure, confident. Powerful. Like they’ve never been told no a day in their lives.
As my gaze flits around, someone to my right meets my stare and nods at me.
I find myself blinking over at him, something unfurling in my stomach. I don’t like how he’s looking at me. Not at all.
“Who’s that?” I ask, leaning into Viktor, hoping his proximity to me makes the other man look away.
“Who?”
“The young guy with the purple tie and the earring.”
“Oh, that’s no one you need to be concerned with.”
“What’s his name?”
“Henry. But stay away from him. He’s an asshole and not to be trusted.”
I nod and tuck myself into Viktor’s side, letting him shield me until Monica brings me my drink. It’s bright green with a salt rim.
“What is it?” I ask, staring into the glittering drink.
“A green goddess, just like you.”
She winks at me, and I take a sip, the no-doubt expensive liquor sliding down my throat with ease. It settles into my stomach and immediately makes me lightheaded. It’s stronger than it tastes, it seems.
“You alright?” Viktor asks, and I nod, taking another sip.
“Yep. It’s good.”
“Yeah, but knowing Monica, it’s strong, so be careful.”
I smack my lips together and nod. “Mister, I am always careful.”
I am one with the beat. I can feel the thumping move through my torso and into my legs. I can’t stop moving.
I should have become a ballerina. I have grace and poise.
“You drank too much,” Viktor shouts into my ear as I spin in his arms and wrap my arms around his neck.
“I only had three drinks.”
“That was two too many.”
I snort and then lift my arms off him and sway them back and forth in the air. This has been nice, really fucking fun. It would be better if Anthony was here to grind up against, but he’s not. So I’ve been relegated to pulling Viktor onto the dancefloor. I haven’t seen Luca since he led me inside. I have no idea where he is or what he’s doing. And to be honest, I don’t fucking care. Viktor is doing a superb job of hovering.