18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Finley

A noisy, crowded club is just the distraction I need. Free-flowing alcohol doesn't hurt either. The lighting is dark, the music loud, the crowd lively. There's a live band tonight, and even though I've never heard the songs before, the beat is catchy and makes my toes itch to dance.

This is one of our favorite clubs in the city. We used to sneak in here in high school, and then when we first started college we'd come almost every weekend. Usually with my ex. This was our place.

Sora spots me before I spot her. She leaves the high top table where she was standing with three other girls and waves with both hands. "Over he—" Her eyes land on Jethro standing behind me and she gives him a guarded half-smile before pulling me into a hug and whispering, "What's he doing here? "

"I'll explain later."

She won't like hearing that someone wants to kidnap me in order to blackmail Midas, and there's really no reason to stress her out about it. There's been no sign of danger any time I've left the apartment. I sometimes have the feeling someone's following me, but Cyrus said he was going to have someone tailing me for my protection. I'm sure it's just that.

"What's wrong?" Sora asks. "Why did you text that you need ice cream?"

I only eat ice cream when I'm really upset, and she's seen me destroy more than a few cartons of Mint Chocolate Chip in the years that we've known each other. I give her another hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Jeslyn's in labor."

"Isn't it too early?"

"Yep."

"Why aren't you on your way to the hospital?"

"They didn't want me there."

"Oh, Fin." She wraps her arms around me, understanding exactly what I'm feeling without me needing to explain, because that's how it is with good friends, especially ones you've known as long as we've known each other. Her comfort is a balm to the part of me that feels unwanted, a reminder that the belief I'm not good enough isn't entirely true. Sora loves me just as much as I love her.

"Come on, let me introduce you to the rest of the group," she says.

It doesn't take long to meet the three other girls celebrating Abigail's upcoming wedding, and even less time for them to ignore me in favor of Jethro, who regales them with stories about weddings he's attended in different parts of the world. The guy is seriously well traveled.

Sora seems more and more irritated with each question the women ask Jethro, so I pull her out onto the dance floor. We both need to blow off some steam.

"I'm really glad you're here," she whisper-shouts as we make our way into the crowd.

"Even though I brought Jethro?"

"I'm not happy about it, but I'd still rather have you here." She hipchecks me while we dance. "I don't really know any of them that well. Abigail just invited me because I live with her."

"Good thing I had an emotional crisis, then." I try to joke but the words are sour. Going out dancing with Sora is one of my favorite things in life, but right now, I'd rather be in the hospital helping Jeslyn. I straighten my spine and try to convince myself I don't want to be somewhere I'm not wanted.

Sora must read my change in expression, because she pulls me into a hug. "It'll be okay."

I nod, throat tight and body aching with tension. "Let's dance!"

We throw ourselves into the music with an abandonment usually reserved for drunk sorority girls. It feels like tingling, mind-numbing, freedom. Exactly what I need right now.

When I spin around, I catch Jethro staring at Sora with an intensity that seems unfamiliar to his usually lighthearted expression. My best friend notices too and just sways her hips a little more aggressively, grabbing the closest guy to her as the music changes to a slower song.

I decide it's a good opportunity to get another drink, but when I turn away from Sora, I see the last person I expect to run into right now.

My ex, Tim, is all over some girl dancing four feet away from me. Our eyes lock at the same moment, and his mouth falls open. He pushes the girl to the side and takes one giant step toward me. "You can't say anything to Victoria."

Victoria Mar, our sculpting professor. The woman he left me for, who clearly isn't here. Scumbag. He probably came back to visit his parents, and Professor Mar has no idea what else he's doing—or who else he's doing—while he's here.

I can't believe I ever thought I loved him. Clearly my judgment can't be trusted.

It's not like I talk to Professor Mar, but just to irk him, I say, "I'll be sure to mention your cheating ass in our weekly call."

"I'm not cheating, just dancing!" He grabs my arm, and I rip it away.

"He bothering you?" Someone says from behind me.

Turning, I come face-to-chest with a muscular giant. Well, not really a giant, but the guy is well over six feet, maybe close to seven. I've never really been into the whole big muscular thing, but I'm done talking to Tim and this guy seems like the perfect escape.

I smile at him. "Perfect timing."

"Dance?" Hand held out to me, he looks beyond me, glaring at Tim.

"We were talking." Tim takes my arm again, gripping a little too tight. I shove him away, grab the giant's hand, and hightail it as far away from my ex as possible, ignoring the dirty looks I can feel at my back.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Kyro." The giant's hands rest on my waist, respectful, nothing too intimate, which I appreciate.

He doesn't ask me my name or make any attempt at conversation, which is weird, but I'm kind of relieved. Seeing my ex threw me. It reminded me how much I never want to be in that kind of relationship again. The next time I'm in a relationship, I want it to be with someone who is all in, who doesn't hesitate or push me away. Someone loyal, who only has eyes for me.

We sway a little as Kyro slowly guides us deeper into the crowd. He's clearly not a dancer, which feeds my ego, since he still bothered to ask me to dance and help me out with my ex.

We're pretty deep in the middle of the room, packed tight on all sides by people. The lights and noise are a nice distraction from my thoughts. Kyro continues to take the lead, shifting me this way and that as we sway. He's awkward and stiff in his movements, but he's trying, and it makes me stifle a laugh.

This is what I need, someone who wants to dance with me even if he looks stupid.

When I look around again, I can't see Sora or the rest of our group. We've worked our way out of the worst of the crowd to the back of the club. Kyro bends forward and opens his mouth to say something. I really hope he 's not about to ask me to get out of here.

But before he can get out a word, he's jerked away from me. Jethro and another man I vaguely recognize from Jess's baby shower step between me and the harmless giant.

"Leave," Jethro says in a voice I've never heard from him before.

"What the hell?" I try to push past them to apologize to Kyro, but the guy with Jethro stops me. "We were just dancing. What's your problem?"

None of them pay any attention to me. Kyro stares at Jethro, a little too familiar for them to be strangers. He puffs his chest and his fists tighten. For a moment, I worry that they're actually going to get into a fight.

"Leave immediately, and I might not take this as a breach of the treaty," Jethro says.

Treaty? He's talking like we're in some kind of old war movie. Maybe they're mafia after all. The giant's gaze flicks to me, narrows, then centers on Jethro again. Without a word, he storms off.

"Damian." Jethro flicks his finger in the direction Kyro went.

The man, who must be Damian, lets go of me and follows the giant .

"What the fuck was that about?" I demand.

Jethro dips his head, takes a deep breath, then looks up with his normal smile back in place. "Just doing my job, Ra'ia."

I look from him to the giant, then pull Jethro out of the crowd. "Wait, is Kyro one of the guys who wants to kidnap me?"

Jethro assesses me. "He is."

The back exit of the club is only a few feet away, and I shudder to think about what might have happened if Jethro hadn't shown up when he did. Once again, my instincts suck.

"He seemed so nice. Even saved me from my ex."

"Your ex?"

I jerk my head and find Tim, who's turned his attention to a new girl in a red sequin dress. No longer interested in me or the girl he was dancing with before.

Typical.

"I'm gonna go," I say to Jethro.

"Oh, I'll…" His gaze swings around the room and lands on Sora, dancing close to a man who's got his hands on her thighs, thumbs hidden under the hem of her short skirt. Jethro makes a noise that's part growl. It's kind of adorable to see the lighthearted man all feral for my bestie.

"Stay." I pat his chest. "She should have someone looking out for her." Sora's definitely trying to make up for lost time, which is great, but I'm worried she might not be as discerning right now as she should be.

"You can't go back alone." Jethro walks me back to the table to get my purse. By then, Damian, the man he sent to make sure Kyro left, walks back into the club and Jethro motions him over.

"It's taken care of," Damian says.

"And Violeta's in the air?"

Damian nods. Whatever that means.

"Alright, Finley would like to retire. Accompany her home." He hands Damian his keys. "You can take my car."

Damian motions for me to go ahead of him. We make our way out of the club together. The noise of music fades behind the door, replaced with the standard noises of a New York street. It's late, the street dark, and I'm glad now that I don't have to go back to the apartment alone.

Damian has a kind look about him. He's wearing a t-shirt that says Close the Orgasm Gap, and his hair is a little messy. It gives him the look of a college student who just rolled out of bed. But he's got enough muscle to do some serious damage in a fight, and the way he acted when he and Jethro were confronting Kyro makes me think that he's got some training he hides behind the boyish charm.

"So are you Midas's security or bodyguard or something?"

"Something like that."

"Just so you know, I can take care of myself. I've done it for a while."

"I don't doubt it, but you know how Cyrus can get." Damian holds open the passenger side door for me, and I slide into the car, buckling up while he goes around to get in the driver's side.

"Actually, I don't know how Cyrus can get. Not really." The man is like a shifting shadow. Sometimes he seems sharp and clear, but other times hazy. Sometimes close, other times a million miles away.

"Oh." Damian's brows furrow. "I thought you were… together. He hasn't… um… well…" His cheeks are impossibly red. "I thought since he hasn't sought me out he was—"

"Wait, were you and Cyrus together?"

"Not officially." He stops at a red light and looks over at me. "Casual. You know? "

"Yeah, I know." The bitterness in my voice isn't hidden, but thankfully, he doesn't comment on it.