The song changes and we keep dancing as I sip on my drink, draining it and clutching the empty glass. I bend over, throw it back, and whip my ponytail as the liquor kicks in. My head is a little swimmy, made worse by the flashing, spinning lights, but I’m still thoroughly enjoying myself. I have no idea where Tobias has fucked off to, and I don’t care.
At some point the glass in my hand disappears. I think the guy behind me took it, but I’m not sure where he put it. I’m sweaty and my head is swimming more now, but I feel good.
So fucking good.
No responsibilities, no worries, no stress. Nothing but me and the music and my inability to stop moving. Asmile curves my mouth, and I close my eyes, grinding against the guy behind me. I don’t even know his name, but it doesn’t matter. Names create connections, and that’s not what I want.
I want something brief and fleeting.
The crowd cheers, and I cheer with them.
Eventually the guy I’m dancing with disappears, just like my glass, but I hardly notice. I’m too enraptured by the beat thrumming through my veins to care. Then someone else replaces him, their hands wandering over my stomach, inching toward my tits.
“You’ve sure got some moves, sweetheart,” he says in my ear.
I freeze, my stomach dropping through my ass at the nickname, and I whirl around. Expecting to see Tobias, I’m surprised to find another stranger standing there. He’s tall and broad, not nearly as cute as the first guy, wearing a red t-shirt and too much cologne. He has a splash of blond hair and dark eyes.
“What’s the matter?” he asks, a drunk smile on his face. “I thought we were having fun?”
He grabs my ass and pulls me against him, my tits pressing hard against his chest, and panic spikes through me.
“Why don’t you turn around and grind that ass on this cock like you did my friend?” He leans closer, despite my attempts to push him away. The smell of liquor is strong on his breath.
“Let go of me,” I demand, trying to sound in control despite the alcohol in my system.
His hands dip lower, fingers teasing the end of my dress, brushing against my legs and my stomach turns.
“I said let go,” I say, shoving against his chest again. “I’m not interested, you creepy fuck.”
He chuckles, the sounds making my stomach sour. “That’s okay. A little fight just makes things more fun.”
Fear floods my system as his eyes darken, and I contemplate screaming. Will anyone hear me? Will anyone notice with all the whooping and hollering? I doubt it.
I blink and the man’s head rocks back suddenly, a hand wrapped around his throat. His hands slip away from me and I stagger backward, looking for the face of my savior, who currently has the man in a chokehold.
A black mask with horns hovers above his shoulder, and my jaw drops.
“Touch her again and I’ll decorate this dance floor with your entrails,” he growls above the music. His hand visibly tightens around the man’s throat, who frantically tries to pry it away. “Understand?” The amount of power in that last word has several people looking in his direction, and my stomach knots.
The guy doesn’t say anything, just tries to claw hopelessly at Tobias’ arm to get free.
“I said do you understand?” This time, his growled words have at least a dozen pairs of eyes whipping in our direction, and the stranger in his grip stills.
“Yes. I-I understand,” he chokes out, barely audible.
Tobias lets go and shoves the man away, watching him stumble several steps before wheeling around. His eyes bounce between me and the masked drummerbefore he mutters something like “fucking insane” and slithers off into the crowd.
When my gaze tracks back to Tobias, his golden irises are nearly glowing with rage. The power radiating off him seems to vibrate the air, and I flinch when he takes a step forward. Then another.
“Are you okay?” He looks me up and down, inspecting me. Looking for damage.
“I-I’m fine.” I’m more breathless than I expect, and when I press my hand to my chest, my heart is racing.
Okay, maybe I’m a little shaken up, but I’m fine.
He steps closer, eliminating the space between us, and stares down at me through the holes in his mask. My skin tingles beneath his gaze, but the longer I look at him, the less nervous I feel. Like my panic is being sucked out of me, evaporating into thin air.
My jaw hardens. “What are you doing?”
