Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 149338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
When we arrived at the club, I had the bodyguards do a sweep before letting Lexi out. The dance club was packed to the brim like it was every Friday night. Everyone dressed to the nines, my drugs and booze flowing like fucking water. It happened to be Latin night, the salsa rhythm pounded through the speakers. We walked in through the back entrance, avoiding the crowds I fucking hated. Drunken strangers, grinding up against you as you tried to make your way inside, was not my kind of night. I’d already done my share of partying. I was too old for this fucking shit. I left Lexi with the bodyguards at my VIP table, ordering them not to let anyone near her. I needed to make nice with some of the regular high rollers, who all spent a fuck load of money on everything I had to offer.
When I was done, I turned to find Lexi dancing, provocatively swaying her hips to the music without missing a beat. Not paying any mind to the sets of male eyes that were solely focused on her. I saw it happen before it actually went down, one of the men eye fucking the shit out of her, slid past the guards. The motherfucker caged Lexi in with his arms, pinning her against the wall. The fear in her eyes was enough for me to push through the fucking crowd, yelling at my men to turn the fuck around. I got to her just as they were about to intervene.
Roughly grabbing the random motherfucker by the back of his collared shirt, dragging him away from her. Throwing him up against the adjacent wall. It was my turn to cage him in.
“You don’t touch what fucking belongs to me,” I growled, knocking the fucker to his knees. Stepping back and nodding to my men to get this piece of shit out of my club. They would have to deal with my wrath later for not doing their fucking jobs.
I turned my attention back to Lexi, who was shaking in the corner from the motherfucker who scared her. As soon as she felt my touch against her cheek, my fingers caressing the side of her face, she relaxed.
“You okay?” I asked, pulling her into my body.
She nodded unable to form words yet. I hated seeing her weak. It physically pained me to watch her shut down. I acted on pure impulse, without thinking twice about it. I grabbed her hands, placing them around the back of my neck. Bringing her as close to my body as possible. Wrapping my arms around the small of her back, I savored the feel of her exposed skin, clinging to my back. I slowly spun us around in slow circles. Taking my time until she smiled, getting comfortable, and content again.
I rested my forehead on hers, staring deep into her bright, green eyes as I swayed around with her. Moving us effortlessly around our private space. Blocking out the people near us.
The moves.
The music.
All bringing back painful memories from my past. Seeing flashes of my mother and Sophia dancing and laughing in our living room. I hadn’t danced since then, another lifetime, another world, another man. I shook off the memories as fast as they came. Pushing Lexi away from my body, turning her in a circle, ending with a dip. She laughed, and I swear it was the most contagious sound. I looked down at her, both of us losing ourselves to the undeniable connection we always shared.
She stood up on the tips of her toes to whisper in my ear, “Thank you, Alejandro. For everything.”
The feel of her in my arms.
The smell of her against me.
The look in her eyes.
I didn’t fight it any longer. I smiled. Laughing with her, enjoying the fact that for the first time in a long time. I was happy.
With her.
The upbeat rhythm transitioned into a slower Latin melody. Lexi looked up at me through her lashes with lust filled eyes, begging for me to lean down and kiss her pouty lips. My smile faded, reality kicked back in.
What the fuck was I allowing to happen?
I completely let my guard down. “Fuck,” I breathed out, stepping back and away from her.
She stepped toward me, placing her hands on my chest. “What just happened? Why did you push me away?”
“Because you got me to smile and laugh with you in a span five minutes? Because I've changed? Because you’ve changed me? I’ll break it down for you, little girl. You make me lose sight of who I am, I’ll admit that. I find myself thinking of you in moments that I shouldn’t. I can’t have that, and…” I gestured in between us, “we can’t happen,” I snapped, turning back into the cold, callused man I needed to be.