I toss the shot back, and it burns going down, leaving warmth blooming in its wake. Before I can second-guess myself, I grab his hand, threading my fingers through his and pulling him towards the dancefloor.
“On whether we can dance all this alcohol out of my system.”
I pull him into me, closing the last inch of space between us. Heat blooms as his body fits against mine. My hands slide up his shoulders, feeling the strength he keeps coiled beneath the surface. Then they find his hair, and I fist the soft blond strands, grounding myself in the proof that this is real. It doesn’t feel real. It feels like I’m watching someone else live my dream.
His grip lands on my hips, fingers digging in just enough to make my pulse spike. It’s possessive without being restrictive, a silentI’ve got youpressed into my skin.
We move together, bodies finding the rhythm beneath the pounding music. The bass thrums through the floor and up my legs, seemingly syncing with my heartbeat. Everything else fades until there’s only sensation.
The warmth of him.
The solid press of his chest against mine.
The way his breath ghosts over my temple when he leans in a little closer.
My worry and anxiety finally loosen their grip. The constant second-guessing and fear of the future fade like someone turned the volume down on my brain.
For the first time in a while, I can breathe.
Chapter Twenty
Aksel
“You know what really pisses me off about the whole thing?” Aksel says, voice tight with barely controlled rage.
His leg bounces in a restless rhythm, leaning forward as if he can’t control the anger vibrating out of him.
“The camera guys let that elf talk trash about my husband,” he continues, jaw clenched hard enough that the muscle ticks along his cheek. “No one thought to stop him? No one thought,hey, maybe we shouldn’t let a racist piece of shit spit garbage on national television?” His hands flex, fingers curling into fists. “No. They let that stinky elf drag my sweet husband through the mud like it was good TV.
“That guy is lucky Hale is such a good person,” Aksel goes on, practically growling. “He could absolutely sue for defamation of character. Sirens aren’t bad people just because they’re sirens. I mean, look at the history between sirens and krakens. We hated each other for centuries. Actual wars were fought, blood was shed, and generations were lost to racist propaganda. But do you see Hale and me fighting?
No. Because we have more than two brain cells to rub together, unlike that stupid elf.”
There’s a beat of silence as Aksel visibly reins himself in. His shoulders drop an inch, and he straightens in his chair, scrubbing a hand over his face like he’s embarrassed his emotions got the better of him.
“Sorry,” he says finally, glancing back at Cammie. “When anyone talks badly about my husband, I get a little upset.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Hale
We sway together, the rhythm more akin to sex than dancing, and my cock grows heavy with interest. I can feel Aksel’s erection pressing into me as our pheromones mix and our desires swell.
Our eyes lock.
The way he looks at me is dangerous, like he’s already imagining how the night will end. His pupils blowwide, dark swallowing blue. When I lick my lips without thinking, his gaze drops instantly, tracking the movement.
That tiny reaction sends a thrill through me.
I lean in, just enough that I can feel the heat of his breath on my mouth. Our noses brush. My heart is slamming against my ribs, every beat echoing how badly I want to close that last inch.
Aksel tilts forward, seemingly unable to help himself, his hand tightening at my hip as he tries to steal a kiss.
I pull back.
Just a little. Enough to deny him without breaking eye contact.
His breath hitches, and gods, that does things to me. I smile, savoring the tension snapping between us like a live wire.
