Red in the Blue

Chapter 20

It was clear by the expression on Cade's face that he'd already caught his lieutenant grinding up on me, but a careful smile spread across his lips, that lock of hair falling across his forehead. His teeth glinted in the red lights, the exposed skin of his chest glowed, and something tightened in me at how intense he looked, even smiling. As he moved in our direction and they adjusted to follow, I realized he was with two men I didn't recognize.

I'd never seen him in anything but suits. Tonight, he was wearing a black, short-sleeved button-down, the first few buttons undone so his chest was visible underneath, or rather the tattoos covering it. His arms, too, as I'd guessed before, were covered in tattoos to just above the wrist. He looked very different, struck a very different vibe looking like this, straight black jeans stuffed into laced biker boots. There was a silver ring on his index finger and a silver chain on the same wrist. Elias stepped around me to clap his hand to Cade's, who pulled him forward into a hug and patted him on the shoulder. Then Elias shifted away, and Irene stepped with him, leaving me standing in front of Cade.

I shied back instinctively. His eyes tangled in the hair swept over my shoulder.

"I tell you to lay low and work with me and you make yourself a peacock?" he asked, a glint in his eyes. He was leaning over me with his head tucked down to be heard over the music. I raised an eyebrow and cocked my head at him.

"You can't help but be noticeable, can you?" He added dryly.

"You're one to talk," I quipped back. "You're a walking etch-a-sketch."

His smile widened.

"Maybe. But my alternate identity can be hidden."

"Yes, the suits are very convincing." I tried to sound sarcastic, but I was having trouble pulling my eyes from him, the glint of his chest in the lights, the way his shoulders blocked me from the rest of the club, so close to me I could have brushed a finger over his forearm with a twitch of my hand. The two men flanking him made him seem bigger. I glanced between them, but they were scanning the room, not looking at me. For once.

I sucked in a breath to steady myself and his scent flooded me, tweaked at me, his presence pulling like the ebb of so many other shifters in the club.

"Are you going to dance with me?" he asked slyly. "You were certainly enjoying yourself with my lieutenant."

I heard Elias bark out a laugh and looked over.

"I'm a better dancer than you," he shouted to Cade. "It'll be a downgrade."

"Maybe," Cade agreed, smiling back then looking back down at me. I flushed. I didn't mind dancing with him. I just didn't want it to mean anything. It was different with Elias. Our bodies didn't strain for each other any more than they would with anyone else. It was light and fun. It wasn't like gasping for breath. Already, Cade being so close to me was making my stomach clench and twist. It made me nervous and weird. I didn't know what to say.

My eyes fell into the groove at the base of his throat, the glimpse of flowers and stems visible in the valley of his shirt. I tried to guess at the floral piece stretching across his chest, but it was too narrow a sampling to tell. I found myself leaning closer to the hum of him, reaching to grasp his forearm. He let me, watching me steadily. Something about this space, all these shifters. It was heady. His presence was heightened for me. I wanted to be physically inside his shirt, wearing those tattoos. I tried to say something to explain myself. I knew I should be embarrassed. I knew I should pull my hand back. Instead, I found myself looking up at him, stammering, my brow pulling together. He tilted his head, a question in his eyes, but didn't say anything.

I put a hand against his chest and gently pushed myself away from him, dropping my other hand from the crook of his elbow. I became aware of Elias and Irene pretending not to watch us. Without another look at Cade, I stepped around him and rejoined them. He hesitated behind me a minute, then kept walking, his bodyguards with him. I whirled to Irene.