Grabbing her hand and following her through several dumbstruck people with phones pointed toward us, I beg God for patience.
* * *
Amelia and I are both sitting in the VIP lounge, staring down at the text message from Justin on her phone. He wants us to kiss today.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
We’ve gone a full month of fake dating without kissing one another. Our plan is doing better than we even thought—our streams prove that. And now, I have to kiss her?
Kiss my competitor.
Biting her nail, Amelia bounces her knee nervously. “Do you think he’ll know if we don’t do it?”
I snort, thinking of her ridiculous manager. “He’s probably watching us right now through the security cameras.”
My sarcastic comment is rewarded with a smile, and it’s the best sight I’ve seen. It lights me up and sets me on fire, and I’d gladly burn under her gaze.
“Okay,” she breathes out. “Let’s just get this over with.”
I was hoping she would put up more of a fight because I don’t know if I’m going to be able to control myself as soon as her lips touch my own. However, we all know the scolding we’re going to have to endure if we don’t do what’s asked of us.
I grip her hand in mine, and we make our way back to the dance floor. As sweaty bodies and the intoxicating smell of alcohol are surrounding us in the middle of the dance floor, I try to focus on her by pulling her into me. I would be lying if I said feeling her entire body pressed against mine doesn’t drive me insane.
Everything around me vanishes as she places her arms around my neck and moves her hips along mine. My hand travels to her waist while I cup her neck with the other. All while our heated eyes don’t stray away from one another. Creating dangerous electricity. My eyes cast down to her plump, forbidden lips as we sway to the music, and when I move my face closer, her lips part as her breathing deepens. Becomes less stable. Like I’ve been feeling all night with her on my arm.
I’m angry that the first time I’m going to kiss this girl is going to be here. With hundreds of phones pointed at us while people scream different things.
I’m furious.
But just as our lips almost touch and my lungs lose all oxygen at just the feeling of her, an object is pushed roughly into our faces. Making me stagger back, taking Amelia with me.
CHAPTER23
LEVI
The right side of my face screams out in pain when what feels like pins and needles shoot up into my eyes. Staggering back and knocking people down behind me, I pull Amelia into my chest as I stabilize us.
Wrapping an arm around her stomach, I look around wildly as our bodies get pushed and shoved from the current commotion in this club. Feeling Amelia’s tense, scared body against my own makes me furious.
Her slim fingers grip my wrist in her tight hold as she shouts over the blaring music and people’s screams, “We have to get out of here, Levi!”
I don’t see how that’s possible at the moment. It resembles a jungle here, more than the lively club it was moments ago.
“Are you hurt?” I ask Amelia as I feel my face burn from the hard, unexpected impact. Pulling her chin up with my pointer finger, I inspect her face from where she stands in front of me with her back against my chest. Spotting her raw lip and her terrified eyes puts me over the edge.
I’d rather feel emotionless than furious.
I try to push her forward through this thick crowd, but we only stay rooted to where we are. I feel her anxiety worsen with every shove.
If I can’t get her out of this, what am I even good for?
I see multiple security guards rushing into the crowd, looking for the person who assaulted us as everyone around us freaks out. But as I spot two men in black rush our way with cameras in their hands, it suddenly all makes sense.
The fucking paparazzi somehow got in, and they wanted a picture of us kissing so badly that they knocked into us by accident. People who shouldn’t even be in here hurt my girl. Whoever let this happen is getting fired tonight.
“Oh my gosh, Levi,” Amelia stresses when she sees the men as they come near.
They don’t even bother hiding from the security guards as they resume flashing their cameras at us.
