𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 | 𝟏𝟖+

21. dare

POPPY ELLISON

✥

I know a lot of people stare at me when I dance on the podium at Dark suite. Not that I'm the only dancer but we all draw in our fair share of attention. It's a new trend brought to the club so obviously people are going to stop and stare.

Although I've been feeling a particular set of eyes watch me every time he's here.

Gabriel doesn't hide it either. He'll loom over the balcony and watch with a glass of whiskey in hand. Sometimes he'll be with Zane, other times he'll be alone. But those eyes stay glued to my face like lasers.

The more he looks, the more flustered I become.

He greets me with a smile and somehow he's even more handsome than before. His suits change colour and his dark hair falls perfectly against his forehead. A few buttons undone on his shirt to show a sliver of tattooed skin that's beautifully tanned.

I notice the way his fingers trace the insides of my wrists, other times he tucks my hair behind my ear. I remember every little gesture because it makes my stomach flutter. I've never experienced butterflies like this before but holy hell, it makes me lurch.

How does anyone act normal under these sorts of conditions?

Gabriel consumes so much of my mind that I dream about him often. His gorgeous smile, those sinful eyes and broad shoulders. They practically haunt me, even when I don't want them to.

I've been weak for him for weeks, if not months–if not from the first time I met him.

I'll never forget when he kissed my knuckles, as if my scars never existed.

But now Rexx is cracking down on getting information from him, the thought of getting any closer to him swarms me. I don't want to lead him on–I don't want to lead myself on because he's not the only one who is going to get hurt.

It's gone too far. I've let myself get too involved.

I like Gabriel, it's hard not to see every little good thing in him. I close my eyes at night and wish that we could meet any other way because guilt will keep eating me alive forever and I'll never be able to convince him to trust me.

Rexx wants as much as he can get on Gabriel, Lonzo and Alexia. He's days away from drowning me in the bath again, I can sense it. He's sent me on other tasks now that I have my job at Dark Suite. I try to slip myself around Gabriel when he's there and exhale a breath of relief when he's not.

Keeping Rexx happy right now is my main priority because for the first time in ages, I feel normal. I have a job, I am getting to know the other dancers, and making friends. I actually have something going for me when I thought my life was going to be doomed.

But feeling something for Gabriel... he was not part of my plan.

Which is why for the last four nights I've been avoiding Gabriel like the plague. Anywhere he goes, I go in the opposite direction. I have Rexx's voice in the back of my head but I've got bits and pieces to share with him about Gabriel and the empire that won't completely tear them down, only enough to keep Rexx intrigued.

Right now, the thought of being in Gabriel's presence makes my skin crawl because I'm sick of lying and pretending. Especially when I shouldn't be feeling this pull of attraction towards him–especially when my heart feels so weak around him.

When it reaches Saturday I get to work, doing Rexx a favour first. But when I'm on the podium I feel unshackled. I feel like nothing can stop me, that I am living this life for me and only me. I'm being selfish for the first time in years and it feels fucking great.