Babysitting The Amnesiac Lycan King

Chapter 70

I need air.

Not just because I'm about two minutes away from wringing Celeste Vaelor's scrawny little neck, but because my dress reeks of wine, my shoes are cutting into my feet, and I feel Enoch's gaze like a goddamn brand on my skin-even from across the ballroom.

The music is loud enough to shake the floor beneath my heels, but I barely hear it over the rush of my own thoughts. It's been two hours since I danced with him. Two hours since I dared to raise my hand like a damn challenge in front of everyone, since his hands were on me, since we were too close and too obvious and too much.

No. No more thinking about that man.

I should be smart and stay where Liam can see me. Should blend in, act normal, and let this night pass without more unnecessary bloodshed.

But when have I ever done what I should?

“Liam, I'm going to step out for a bit,” I say, already shifting my weight toward the nearest open balcony door.

Predictably, he stiffens. "Yeah, no, not happening.

"Why?" I feign innocence, picking at the wine stain on my dress. "Scared I'll throw myself off the railing out of sheer boredom?"

Liam doesn't laugh. He levels me with his signature you're-a-goddamn-menace look, crossing his arms. "I don't trust you alone for five seconds, Sinclair."

Zoe clears her throat beside us, looking everywhere but at us. Weird. Usually, she'd be backing me up, adding a dramatic "Let the girl breathe, Liam!"

But now she's red-faced and quiet, stealing glances at Liam like he's suddenly grown three heads.

What the hell?

I squint at her. "Are you okay?"

"Yep!" she squeaks, grabbing a champagne flute from a passing tray and downing half of it. "Just peachy!"

That's suspicious. I file it away for later. Right now, I have an escape plan to execute.

"Look," I say, turning back to Liam. "You and Zoe should dance."

"You two should dance," I say, mostly to shut them up.

Zoe startles like I suggested something illegal. "What? No. Why would I-'

"You've been stuck with me all night, I'm giving you a chance to

looking anywhere but at Liam.

Huh.

Weird.

"Excuse me?" he deadpans.

escape." I nudge her, but she just presses her lips together,

"Dance," I repeat. "You know, two people moving to music? Maybe you've heard of it?"

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Chapter 70

Liam glares. "Sinclair-"

"Oh, don't be a killjoy, Calloway," I cut him off. "Zoe, tell him you want to dance."

Zoe turns the color of a ripe tomato. "I-uh-well, I mean-"

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Liam sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Whatever. But you-" He jabs a finger at me. "Stay where I can fucking see you."

"Cross my heart and hope to die," I sing-song, already slipping through the nearest exit.

He mutters something about regretting ever hiring me. Zoe, still visibly flustered, lets Liam pull her onto the dance floor, and I finally-finally-escape.

Jand

I store that weird reaction for later

balcony is

air, the scent of rain

mouth against mine, the way he looked at me

thinking

in a glittering sprawl, endless lights flickering like a second sky. The moon is hanging

wine stain on my dress, the

done more. I should've knocked her straight into the punch bowl when she dumped that glass onto me. My brain is doing

meaner.

bad, did I trip and accidentally push you

more at the wine stain, muttering

comes near me, I'm throwing a whole bottle at her

I should've shoved

and shake my head. The adrenaline

me

sigh, shaking my head, letting my gaze wander to

first time tonight, I

And then-

shift of light. A shadow

go rigid, every nerve in my body

Slowly, I turn.

He's there.

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Chapter 70

Enoch.

watching me. A smirk tugging

I swallow. Hard.

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me though he has all the time in the world. That smirk is dangerous, lazy, knowing. His tux is crisp, his posture relaxed,

My stomach flips violently.

him. I want to crawl into his lap and

hard to breathe, hard to think. The come-fuck-me look that mkaes you thank the heavens you're a woman. Dressed in black, sharp angles and broad shoulders, eyes like the deepest part of the forest-dangerous, endless,

that smirk.

Cinderella? Lost your slipper?" The night

warm.

is suddenly

my heart is currently trying to beat its way out of my goddamn ribcage.

melt and I try

burst apart just from the way his thumb brushes absently over my

bone.

Silence.

are locked on mine, unblinking,

That fucking mask.

I hate it.

hate that I can't see his face. That I can't tell if this is

it was the only thing tethering him to that ballroom earlier. Or if this is

Then-suddenly.

flex against my

Then-he moves.

Fast. Unforgiving.

from my throat as my back

is

if I lean back even a little, I'll

bones, but it's not the fall that terrifies me. It's

But I don't move.

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I know

way his breath, hot and unsteady, fans against my lips. My breath is ragged, my chest rising and falling too fast, too

devours me.

We are both starving

silence between