Dawn to Dark

by Halston James

  His eyes nearly pop out of his skull from my suggestion as a door upstairs slams shut, making the paintings on the walls shake with its force. He flinches at the sound. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  Chuckling under my breath, I slide my hands into the front pockets of my slacks. “I don’t see a better one.”

  He laughs with twinkling eyes, grateful for my easy-going demeanor.

  “Alright then. Good luck,” he mutters under his breath before waving his arm toward the set of immaculate stairs, leading to their second floor. “Turn left, third door on the right. And be careful of her cat, Raja. She’s” —he shudders— “a protective feline.”

  My brows crinkle at his warning before taking one sure step after another until I reach the second floor and am greeted with a long hallway leading to the left and right. On each side are various doors, but I take Saamir’s directions into account. Turning left, and counting three doors on the right side, I lift my hand to knock on the large double doors when it swings open and reveals a breathtaking Jasmine hot with anger.

  Jazzy squeals in surprise before nearly landing on her ass as she jumps backward. Quickly, I reach out and grasp her slender waist, stopping her from falling on the carpeted floor beneath our feet. Her quick intake of breath is the only hint that she enjoys my touch and the sound is like music to my ears. I watch in fascination as she evaluates my presence, debating how she should react with my arms firmly planted on her waist.

  When she looks up at me with her almond eyes, her brows furrow in recognition. I can almost see the wheels turning in her head. She’s trying to place where she’s seen me before, and it’s a stark reminder that I need to tread carefully.

  I don’t look much different than the first time I met her. Fancier clothes, new haircut, light scruff covering my cheeks. But it doesn’t take a genius to recognize me, so I try to distract her from doing exactly that.

  “Whoa there, princess. I was warned your cat would attack me, but not you personally.” An arrogant smirk is plastered on my face as her expression changes from shock to anger.

  “Excuse me?” She shoves me away before folding her arms and leaning against the doorframe. “Who do you think you are? This isn’t your house. You can’t just walk in here like you own the place.” Her tone is as pointed as a sharpened blade.

  “I wouldn’t need to come up here if you’d been willing to meet me at the front door, princess. Your father invited me into his home, so you can put your claws away. All I want is to take you on a date. If you decide I’m not worth your time then I bring you home right away, no questions asked. I’m Ali, by the way.”

  She watches me warily, not introducing herself the way society would normally dictate. We both know it isn’t necessary, though. It’s obvious that I know who she is. If I didn’t, then I wouldn’t be standing here.

  “And if I’ve already decided you’re not worth my time?” she quips.

  I try to hide the deep chuckle that escapes me with a faux cough before releasing my grasp on her waist and offering my hand. “Trust me?”

  As soon as the words leave my mouth, her eyes spark with recognition.

  Shit.

  Why did that feel a hell of a lot like deja vu?

  Her gaze bounces to my open palm before swallowing thickly. “Do I know you?”

  With a clenched jaw, my mind scrambles to find a response that isn’t a flat out lie.

  I don’t want to lie. Not to her.

  Instead, I repeat my question while completely ignoring hers. “Do you trust me?”

  My words wash over her, absorbing into her olive skin like the heat on a summer’s day. She blinks slowly before releasing a deep breath and grabbing her purse near the door.

  “Don’t make me regret this,” she warns, her eyes portraying the weight of her trust and how hard it is to earn in the first place.

  I take a moment to evaluate her room. The opulence is staggering as I note the open balcony doors with swirling curtains from the light breeze. Jasmine’s cat looks eerily similar to a miniature tiger as it lounges on the gold comforter covering the bed. Her jade green eyes are glued to me, watching how Jasmine reacts to my presence. She hisses when I catch her stare then jumps to the ground, charging at me with its claws extended.

  “Down kitty.” Hastily, I take a step back as Jasmine bends down and picks up her feisty feline. “Shh… Raja. It’s okay. I’ll be back soon.” She lovingly rubs the cat’s ear before nuzzling her head against the soft fur. When Raja starts purring, she plants a soft kiss on her muzzle then walks over to her extravagant bed and sets her down.

  “I’ll be back soon, Raja,” she whispers before turning on her heel and walking back to me. It takes every fiber of self-control I possess to keep my gaze on her face instead of sliding down her hourglass figure that’s barely hidden behind her flowy top and skintight jeans.

  Her lips tilt up on one side slightly, her eyes shining with amusement. For some reason, I feel like I passed some kind of test, and my chest fills with pride.

  Silently, we walk down the stairs and out the front door without a word uttered between us.

  When we pass Saamir with his jaw hanging off its hinges, I smile humbly at him, trying to silently express my gratitude for his trust.

  However, when I see Jay hidden in the shadows with daggers in his eyes, my humble pride transforms into full-blown arrogance. I slip my calloused hand around Jasmine’s slender waist for good measure. She’s wearing a flowy black tank top with an open back, giving me the opportunity to brush my palm against her exposed skin.

  Don’t wait up, Jay. You don’t stand a chance.

  After she slides into the passenger seat of my car, she smirks at me from across the center console. “You gonna whip out your dick next time and compare sizes?”

  My eyes bug out of my head at her bluntness. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “You and Jay. I’m not an idiot. I know what I saw.”

  Dropping my head against the headrest, I pinch the bridge of my nose in defeat. “It’s not what you think.”

  “Yeah it is,” she disagrees. “It’s exactly what I think. Like I said, I’m not an idiot. Jay wants to use me to become the head chairman for QUA, and if he gets a hot wife in the process, he won’t complain. You, however, are a little more difficult to read. Your eyes hold the same lust as his, but they hold a hint of affection too. Like you might see me as more than a piece of meat with billions of dollars on the side.” Her gaze pins me in place for a split second before I shake off her pointed stare and press the ignition to start my car.

  Pulling out of her expansive driveway, she continues. “So tell me, Ali, do you see more than an opportunity when you look at me?”

  I give her the side-eye while gripping the steering wheel like my life depends on it.

  She really is gorgeous. Her hair hangs in long, thick waves over her shoulder, covering her cleavage. Her long legs are covered in tight dark jeans with her feet in killer heels. I can barely contain the groan as I finish my subtle perusal of the beauty next to me.

  What does she want me to say? I feel like I’m in a no-win situation, and it sucks.

  “I see you,” I reply, simply. Her silence begs me for a more detailed explanation. And because I’m wrapped around her little finger, I give it to her. “The real you. The girl who’s locked in a shiny prison. The one with diamond shackles adorning her delicate wrists. The girl who craves freedom like most women crave jewelry. I see you.”

  Her silence remains as I concentrate on the curvy road in front of me instead of the curvy girl in my passenger seat.

  After a few minutes, her velvet voice makes an appearance and surprises me by changing the subject. “So, where are we going?”

  Glancing over at her, I can’t help but notice that her invisible barriers just might be slowly lowering. Inch by blessed inch.

  Apparently, I said the right thing.

  I reach for her hand before entwining our fingers and setting my elbow
on the center console. We’re going a decent speed and I doubt I’ll need to shift gears anytime soon which means I’m going to take full advantage of holding hands while I can.

  “It’s a surprise, but I’m about to show you a whole new world.”

  When I press the button on the door, it takes the top down on the magic carpet and lets the warm breeze wash over us. The wind is cleansing somehow, like it’s rinsing us of our bleak pasts, and giving us a glimpse of our bright future if we only have the courage to grab it.

  After a few minutes have passed by, I glance over at Jasmine. A soft smile graces her lips and her eyes are closed with her head tilted up at the night sky. Her hair whips around her in a chaotic whirlwind, but she looks at peace for the first time since I’ve known her.

  And I know, without a doubt, I’d do anything to see that look again.

  Pulling into the thumping club, I hesitantly look at my guest for the evening. Her eyes shine with curiosity and it’s obvious she has no idea what we’re doing a hundred miles from home in front of a bar.

  “What are we doing here?” she asks hesitantly.

  I hold up my forefinger, silently telling her to wait. A curious Jasmine watches me get out of the car and walk around to her side before opening the door like a gentleman. If the gesture surprises her, she doesn’t show it. Reluctantly, Jasmine slides out of the passenger seat and grasps my offered arm.

  “So?” she probes.

  “We’re going dancing.”

  Tilting her head up to compensate for our height difference, she assesses me. “There are plenty of places where we could’ve gone dancing… Ones that are a hell of a lot closer to home than this place.” She gestures to the building a few meters away.

  I nod in agreement. “Yes, but none of those places include the anonymity that this one does. You want to feel normal. You want to blend in. You can’t do that too close to home, but you can do it here.”

  Her steps falter for the shortest of seconds, stopping us near the entrance. “Am I safe here?”

  Vulnerability shines in her eyes as I turn her toward me, bringing us nearly chest to chest. I tilt her chin up to me to make sure I have her full attention. “I won’t let anything happen to you, princess. Promise.”

  While nibbling her lower lip, she looks for any hint that I’m lying. Her assessment doesn’t intimidate me because I have nothing to hide so I stare right back, soaking up her mesmerizing mocha-colored gaze. When she doesn’t find anything but the truth, she nods her assent. “Okay.”

  We head inside and Jasmine walks straight to the bar along the back wall. She orders a few shots of tequila before slamming them back one after the other while I watch from a respectable distance.

  “Care for a drink?” she asks me while lifting up a tiny glass filled with amber liquid.

  “Nah. I’m driving, princess. Tonight’s your night.”

  With a scrunched up nose, she shows her distaste. “Why do you keep calling me princess?”

  I lean forward to make sure we keep that anonymity I had just spoken of. Brushing my mouth against the shell of her ear, I whisper, “You’re the heiress to a fortune greater than the Queen of England, I think you deserve the title.”

  A few brief seconds of silence pass by before she pulls away slightly and looks up at me. With a shake of her head, a hesitant Jasmine releases a deep breath, breaking the spell I’d accidentally placed on both of us.

  “And would that make you a prince?” Her sarcasm is potent before she tosses back the last shot.

  “Nah, just a good actor,” I mumble under my breath. Thankfully, she doesn’t hear me.

  Grabbing Jasmine’s hand, I lead her to the dance floor. If she wanted to dance without a bunch of bodyguards, then I’d prefer she didn’t waste her precious freedom by getting shitfaced beforehand.

  I’ve never been inside a club like this. Flashing lights. Thumping music. Grinding bodies. The smell of sweat, sex, and alcohol hang in the air as Jasmine follows me willingly to the dance floor. She turns in my arms before placing her wrists on my shoulders and rocking her body back and forth with the base.

  I watch as she slowly lets go, her muscles loosening right before my eyes as she dances from side-to-side.

  She looks... free.

  Her face is soft. The mask she normally wears has disappeared, giving me a glimpse of her whimsical smile. Her shoulders are relaxed. A weight seems to have been lifted as she sways like a dandelion in the breeze, effortlessly moving from side-to-side. The motion is hypnotizing to every man in the room and I can’t stop myself from protectively placing my hands on her hips, silently warning every horny asshole to back off.

  She’s taken.

  She’s mine.

  Even if she doesn’t know it yet.

  Her eyes are shining. Whether it’s from the alcohol or from her freedom, I’ll never know, but she looks gorgeous with it as she rubs the front of herself against me like a cat in heat.

  I don’t want to be a regret to her. I only want to see her smile.

  Carefully, I grab her hips to give us an inch of space before all my blood rushes south and logic flies out the window.

  Wrong move. With a mischievous smirk, she turns around and arches her back so that her ass is pressed against my groin. Our bodies move in perfect rhythm with each other while I try to maintain some decorum.

  It’s damn-near impossible.

  My self-control is seconds away from snapping as she wraps her arms around my neck. My heart races from barely restrained lust as she slides up and down me in perfect sync with the pulsing music.

  I’ve never experienced something so sexy in my entire life until she turns back around and grinds against me. My breathing is erratic when she takes my earlobe between her perfectly white teeth and bites down softly.

  A groan slips past my defenses.

  “I’m not as drunk as you think I am,” she whispers, peeking up at me.

  I look down into her mocha colored eyes.

  “You sure about that?”

  “Positive. I think you should kiss me now, Ali.”

  Running her fingers through the hair on the back of my head, she pulls me down until our lips are nearly touching. Surprisingly, there’s only a hint of alcohol on her breath, confirming her honesty and allowing me to feel less guilt concerning what I’m about to do.

  Leaning forward, I press her lips against mine before slipping my tongue into her tantalizing mouth. When her unique flavor touches my taste buds, I groan. The thumping base quiets to a muffled beat. The world around us disappears until it’s just the two of us and I deepen the kiss. Taking my time, I drag my calloused hands along her bare back and she shivers from my touch. The feel of her skin beneath my fingertips is exquisite. It’s more than I ever could’ve dreamed for. All I wanted was to take away an ounce of her sadness, yet it seems I’ve been gifted with so much more.

  As her hands slide from the back of my neck to roam my pecs in lust, I tangle my fingers in her long ebony hair. In the back of my mind, I try to convince myself we’re just dancing while making out under the strobe lights, but in reality, we’re practically dry humping in a sea of strangers.

  The thought flickers in my head, reminding me of who I’m kissing and the fact that she belongs to me.

  And only me.

  She doesn’t belong to the possible paparazzi’s hidden throughout the club. They don’t deserve to see her expression hazy with lust. They don’t deserve to see her chest heaving with sexual frustration. Those looks, along with everything else she has to offer, are for me. Only me.

  Pulling away, I scan the gorgeous girl in my arms. Her lips are swollen from our kiss, and it takes all of my restraint to not bruise them further.

  Thankfully, she doesn’t look offended that I stopped our heated make-out session. Instead, she looks satisfied, yet sexually frustrated at the same time.

  It’s a heady concoction.

  “Well, that was a fun turn of events.” She smirks coyly before tak
ing a few slow, sensual steps around me, dragging her fingers along my chest, shoulder, and back flirtatiously. Afterward, she continues dancing right where we left off like she didn’t just make me harder than a stone pillar.

  With a dry laugh, I join in, loving how carefree she is with me.

  The next few hours are spent laughing, drinking, and soaking up the little bit of freedom I’ve gifted her with. And her gratitude shines brighter than the flashing lights in the dimly-lit room. Or maybe it’s her smile that’s finally not hidden behind a cloud of sadness. Regardless, it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

  A few hours later, we’re in my car with the roof back in place and flying down the interstate. She insisted we leave the convertible atmosphere for another day so that we can carry on an actual conversation without blaring music or gusts of winds muffling our words.

  Our hands are intertwined over the center console as a comfortable silence encompasses the tiny space.

  “I enjoyed dancing with you tonight. Thank you for taking me. And for twisting my dad’s arm to take me out,” she teases. “I haven’t had that much fun in… ever.”

  “I enjoyed dancing with you, too. Especially without a pack of bodyguards threatening to cut off any hands.” I joke. As soon as the words slip from my mouth, I recognize my error. I just repeated the exact words she had told me the first night we met. She’d be an idiot not to recognize them. And if I’ve learned anything about Jazzy, she’s not an idiot.

  Jasmine’s soft smile transforms to one of outrage. Turning toward me in her seat, her mouth is open wide in shock. “It is you!” she screeches. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  My eyes squeeze shut. “I didn’t lie to you.”

  “So you’ve always been a billionaire’s nephew? That hovel you showed me is what, your summer house?” She scoffs at the ridiculousness of her comment before wrenching her hand from mine and leaning against the car door in hopes of getting as far away from me as possible.

  I cringe at her accusation.

  And she notices.

  Softening, she tries again. “Don’t lie to me, Ali. I feel something for you. Something that could be amazing, but if you lose my trust, you won’t get it back.” Her words are an omen. One I know I shouldn’t test.