I didn’t want him to come with me. “No. Stay. You can watch me from here. I just want to go grab a drink by myself.” He looked down at me, and for a split second, his expression seemed like he was sorry for disengaging.
Finally, I walked away from him, and he sat back down. When I looked back, he was watching me but also scanning the room. I saw him nod at someone, and when I followed his line of sight, it was Chase.
When King looked away, I snuck off in the opposite direction to go to the bathroom. I wanted to freshen up without him breathing down my neck. He was being wonderful, but having someone around all the time when you are used to being alone takes some getting used to.
As I reapplied some lip gloss in the mirror and fixed my hair, someone dressed in all black walked in and passed behind me. It was odd and sent shivers up my spine. I just saw their back, and briefly, as they walked by to the first stall, but it seemed like they were wearing a hood. I wondered if it was nerves or my imagination.
Feeling uneasy, I quickly put my lip gloss back in my clutch and turned to walk out. As soon as I opened the door, King was standing there, and he looked pissed. “Serayah.”
“King! Um, I just needed to freshen up. Let’s go dance.” I knew he was angry, but I didn’t want to give him time to scold me.
“Serayah…”
I pulled him behind me by the hand as I made our way back to our table. When we got there, I set my clutch on the chair and hid it under my shawl, then turned back to King. “Come on, grumpy. Dance with me.”
“Serayah, if I’m dancing with you, I can’t pay attention. And apparently, if I look away for two fucking seconds, you take that as your opportunity to run off and do dangerous shit.”
I had my hands wrapped behind his neck as we danced, but stopped dancing and said, “Dangerous, huh?”
“Yeah. Stop doing things to put yourself in danger and keep dancing.”
I let out an annoyed breath. “You’re so bossy. I just needed a quick break, to put on a little lip gloss.”
“Yeah, well, it’s my job to protect you. I don’t want anything to happen to you…ever. So please… I’m begging your sassy ass to please stop doing things that make me worry about you. I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened…” Then he stopped.
“King Wilder. Are you crushing on me?”
He rolled his eyes. “Stop.”
“You are.” I smiled up at him.
“I’m working.”
“No, you’re dancin’ with me. And worried about me. And you liiiiike me.”
“Alright, dancing is over.” He went to walk away, but I didn’t move. He wasnotgoing to leave me standing there, alone on the dance floor. I’d die of embarrassment. He finally turned around and looked like he was pleading with his eyes. I folded my arms across my chest and jutted a hip out. I wasn’t moving.
I watched him as he shrugged his shoulder, said something into his little secret walkie-talkie ear thing under his collar, and started rolling his sleeves up.What is he about to do?After he rolled the last cuff on his arm, he walked toward me and picked me up, tossing me over his shoulder, making me yelp!
I was mortified but also couldn’t stop laughing. Then someone snapped their camera because I saw a flash go off. Everyone around us clapped and cheered for King, and Icouldn’t believe it. He walked over to the table and asked, “Is there anything here you need me to grab?”
“Just my shawl and clutch, you beast.”
“Serayah, there isn’t a shawl or clutch here.”
“Put me down,” I said in a panic.
He set me down gently, making me giggle. When I turned to my chair though, I didn’t see my things. “They were here, King.” We looked everywhere and they were gone. “Can you look under the table?”
King squatted down and looked under the table, and when he stood, he said my name. “Ms. Flores…” When I looked up, he handed me a note, then searched the room with a hard glare.
I read the note.“That lip gloss is beautiful on you, but you don’t need it. Thank you for signing my book tonight. Your biggest fan.”
“King… he was here.” I suddenly felt sick.
Chapter 7
King
