Dangerous Illusion [18+]

9: Epiphany

With my heart pounding in my chest, I stopped outside the bar on the thirty-ninth. I also felt dizzy from the rushing I had done all day without food or a drop of water. But my appetite had died after the visit from Christopher. He was bad news, as I had been previously warned by Jason. However, he had walked right into my home and cornered me. If I ever doubted that he was dangerous, this move of his just proved how careful I had to be.

The bar had an old-school vibe, reminiscent of the eighties. I saw a couple of people go in and out, all finely dressed. I was majorly out of place in my sweats. The wind blew a cloud of smoke my way, and I grimaced. The man with a cigar in his mouth immediately pulled it out and apologized to me. His heavily accented Italian voice and hard-set face added to the scene's intensity. It felt straight out of "The Godfather," which didn't ease my discomfort at all.

Still moving against caution, I walked in and saw exactly what I expected from a place like this. Despite a handful of people seated inside, the bar was quiet. My gaze wandered, taking in the scene, until it landed on the man I was so desperate to see. His beautiful face was etched in worry, and even from a distance, I could see his mouth set hard. He held a drink, washing away whatever was bothering him. I was mesmerized by his sizzling body encased in a fitting leather jacket and cargo trousers, and the soft tussle of his dark hair swept across his forehead. But then I noticed her-the woman touching his arm with her polished and manicured fingers. My own fists clenched at my sides.

Valentina was sitting too close to Ares for my liking, spreading a heatwave of jealousy through me. Their profiles were directly in my view, but neither had seen me yet. The riot of emotions I felt at their proximity made me want to throw up. After all that Ares had said to me the night, we first made love, it all came crashing back.

I couldn't go back to her, not after tonight.

I didn't want to assume he was feeding me lines to pacify my outburst the other night, but I was immediately proven right when both stood, and Ares's lips touched her cheek. I couldn't breathe. I felt light-headed and sick.

Ares's eyes swept across the room and froze upon me. They widened slightly, and he immediately stepped back. Too late. I turned away, afraid I was either going to either scream in frustration or cry like a baby or worse, do both.

"Luna, wait," I didn't stop at his call, but he caught up to me with long strides, grabbed me by the arm, and crashed me back against his concrete chest. Infuriated with being manhandled, my palm met his cheek in a harsh slap that barely moved his head but left a sting on my own palm. The sound drew the attention of the rest of the diners, and the soft music stopped. The incensed look on Ares's face terrified me. God, he was seething in fury. His jaw hardened, and his eyes held icy anger.

I swallowed and dared to gauge the reaction of the people around us. Every single one of them was horrified. I could barely meet Ares's gaze, but I could tell he was restraining violent thoughts. I didn't care. No one manhandled me.

"Do not fucking hit me." There was no mistaking the warning in his tone. Hurt and provoked, I responded, "Screw you, Ares Rafaelli." He was on me in the split of a second, pushing me flat against the wall I didn't know I had behind me and grabbing me roughly by the throat. It didn't hurt, but it was enough pressure for me to not move. That didn't mean I didn't try.

"Do not hit me, Luna," he spat out. I had never seen him this angry before. But then again, I had never raised my hand to him before either. I was aware of the watchful gaze of the people on us, but I couldn't move my head trapped in the cage of his body. He pressed his hard body against me and let me feel the steely length of his erection. God, he was hard as fuck!

"Ares, let me go." I whispered, not wanting to get into a brawl in the midst of a crowd, although I was no competitor for the man. I pushed his biceps to free myself, but that just made him push into me more. "Touch me and I won't hesitate to put my cock in you in front of everyone." I gasped. He wouldn't. But he wasn't the type to give hollow threats.