It’s almost a relief when the chef clears the plates away and lets us know he will be bringing dessert out in a moment.
Maria stands. “Thank you for dinner. I’m very tired, so I’m going to bed now,” she explains. I glance out the patio doors. The sun has hardly even set yet.
“Go ahead, I hope you get some good rest,” I say quickly before Artur can snap something nasty or Kazimir can make some obscene remark about keeping her company in bed.
All in all, dinner was an awkward mess. A disaster. But at least she came. I’ll try and get her to join us again tomorrow. Small steps. I’ll win her over and help her feel more comfortable here in no time.
Chapter 5 - Kazimir
I can feel the music in my chest when I walk into the club. It pulses through my body like a living thing. Immediately, I’m alive with it. Inspired by it.
A smile creeps over my lips as I glance around the room, taking in the busy scene. The place is packed. I haven’t been here lately; I haven’t been anywhere, really, and I was starting to get cabin fever. Too many nights stuck in that mansion with everyone else and all their issues.
I don’t have time for it.
Maria is cute. Something nice to look at.
But Joseph and Artur want to rip each other’s throats out, and not a moment goes by that they aren’t arguing about something or other.
It’s driving me crazy.
My usual go-to when I need to wind down is to go dancing. To find a beautiful woman, have a laugh, take her home, and release all this pent-up energy building inside me.
The barman waves and smiles when I get close.
“Kaz, where you been? It’s so quiet here without you,” he says over the music.
“Busy, man. But I could do with a drink. And make it a double.”
Leaning against the counter, my eyes keep drifting over the room, looking for the most beautiful specimen. I don’t come here for mediocre. I want the girl all the other guys have been trying and failing to get all night. The bitchy, full of herself, too beautiful for anyone else girl.
That’s the one I chase. And I always get her. No matter how hard she tries to resist.
“I heard a rumor you got married,” the barman says, laughing as though it can’t possibly be true. He sets my drink down in front of me and I grimace. The last thing I want is for people to be talking about my marriage, that bullshit arrangement to get the others into an alliance.
Fuck. I don’t know. Did I make a mistake?
“Well?” he huffs, impatiently. “Is it true?”
I smirk, throwing him a devilish smile. “Sometimes it’s good to let rumors live their own lives, become their own creatures,” I shrug, staying vague so I don’t have to answer him.
He shakes his head. “The day you get married is the day I keel over dead behind this bar!” he laughs louder.
He should be careful what he wishes for.
“Keep that bottle on ice for me. I’ll be back for another soon,” I tell him.
He nods in acknowledgement and leaves to help another customer. I turn toward the dance floor to continue scouting.
There are plenty of gorgeous women here. Who the fuck even cares if she isn’t the hottest one tonight. I need release. It’s been way too long. Almost a week? More?Fuck, it’s the longest I’ve ever gone.I scoff, chuckling at myself.
A cute little brunette grins at me, and I wink. She bites her lip and flutters her lashes, turning her back on me as she wiggles her hips on the dance floor.
I watch her for a while, but she’s a little too skinny for my liking. I want hips I can grab. An ass that shakes when I pound into her from behind.
Maria slips into my thoughts. Her ass would shake, that’s for sure.
I could slap it and send satisfying ripples over her thighs.
