Page 17 of Alluring Darkness
Tense silence spreads through the large room as the four of us prowl up to Raina. She doesn’t even bother looking up from her food. Instead, she simply cuts a piece of salmon and pops it in her mouth.
Only once we’re standing right in front of her on the other side of the table does she deign to look up and meet our gazes. After swallowing the bite of food, she arches a dark brow at me. “Can I help you with something?”
Instead of answering, I just hold her gaze while Kaden and Rico pull out the chairs on her left and right, and sit down. Jace takes a seat opposite her.
“There are other tables, you know,” she says, flicking her wrist to motion at the empty ones scattered around the room. Then she shrugs. “But if you’re that desperate for my company, then by all means, join me.”
The silence in the room is now so prominent that I can almost feel it pulsing against my eardrums. Everyone seems to be holding their breath, waiting to see how this will play out.
I study Raina. But I can’t get a read on her, so I’m not sure if she’s challenging me on purpose, or if she truly didn’t know that this is our table. Given what she did in the car, my money is on the former. But I still decide to inform her, hoping to see the color drain from her face in fear as she realizes her mistake.
“This is our table,” I tell her.
“Your table?” She snorts and rolls her eyes. “What is this? High school?”
Okay, so she’s definitely doing this on purpose.
All around us, people are staring. Waiting to see what I will do. I know exactly what Iwantto do. But I’m not sure if it’s the best move. On one hand, there are a lot of people here, and I can’t let them see her disrespect go unpunished. But at the same time, there are a lot of people here, which means that there are a lot of witnesses.
“Leave,” I grind out between gritted teeth while trying to keep a tight hold on my restraint.
A small smirk plays at the corner of her lips as she holds my gaze. It sends a spike of alarm through me. Because for a moment, I swear that those perceptive green eyes of hers can see straight through all my bullshit and read exactly what is going on inside my head.
But all she says is a simple, “No.”
“I’m—” I begin, but she blows out a frustrated sigh and cuts me off.
“I swear, it’s like you only have two braincells left and they’re both fighting for third place.”
The cafeteria sucks in a collective gasp.
And for a while, all I can do is stare at her.
Then my restraint at last snaps.
Raina shoots up from her seat as I advance on her, but my brothers stand up as well and block her path before she can slink away. Rounding the table, I grab her arm and drag her towards the table’s short side. She growls curses at me, but she’s no match for my strength.
Positioning her hips against the edge of the table, I plant my palm between her shoulder blades and shove her face down over the table.
“Hold her,” I tell my brothers.
Jace and Kaden immediately place their hands on her wrists, holding her arms stretched out before her and trapped against the table, while Rico locks his fingers around the back of her neck. She tries to yank against their grip, but all she can do is to wiggle her ass.
I stare at that ass, that perfect ass hidden by a black skirt, as I slide my leather belt out of my pants. It produces a snap as I pull it out sharply and then fold it across the middle.
Raina’s gaze darts towards the sound, and her eyes go wide with shock as she sees the belt in my hands.
“Don’t you dare,” she warns.
Moving up beside her, I efficiently push her short black skirt up to her waist and then pull her panties halfway down her thighs. Then I whip her bare ass with the belt.
Raina gasps. And so do the people around us.
I whip the belt again. It produces a snapping sound as it connects.
“Act like a brat…” I begin.
Snap.