I feel Ice Man vibrate with anger, but I just take his hand until he looks at me, slightly shaking my head to tell him to let it go. Then, I reach inside his cut to find the wrinkled invitation I saw him place there before we left. I bet he figured we’d need it, and he was right. And even after being crumpled up into a ball as if it were trash, you can still see his name clear as day.
With the invitation in my hand, I turn back to the doorman, shoving the paper in his face. “See for yourself.”
Taking the invitation out of my hands, his face pales when he sees we were indeed invited, though I’m sure he’s wondering why. Wouldn’t he like to know.
Giving the paper back to me, he opens the door without another word. Smiling, I walk inside, throwing a thank you behind me without looking at him again.
I can hear soft music, but nothing that I recognize. Honestly, it sounds like horrible elevator music. How can anyone dance or have fun to this shit?
The room is filled with people, some sitting at fancy tables with huge flower arrangements and expensive looking food, while others are milling around, talking among themselves. But they all look the same; the men in custom tailored suits and the women in long flowing dresses that probably cost at least four digits. But it doesn’t bother me. Sure, I look out of place, but that just adds to the fun.
Ice Man looks around the room, and stiffens when he sees someone. I don’t even need to look to guess who he found, but I do anyway. Yup, the bride and groom are laughing and smiling while they talk to another couple. They haven’t noticed us yet, which is surprising, since everyone else has. The people around us can’t stop staring but I don’t care. They can look all they want. I’m confident in who I am and who I’m with.
Stepping in front of Ice Man so he has no choice but to look at me, I smile. “So, you want to grab a drink and dance a little?”
I’m gonna need a lot more than one drink to make it through this party, but it’s a good start. And then I can talk to the band about playing something a little more dance worthy, instead of this symphony shit. Though, it doesn’t bother me too much. I’m sure I’ll figure out a way to dance to whatever they play.
“Yeah, I could use a drink,” Ice Man says, grabbing my hand and leading me toward the bar.
“Good evening, miss. May I offer you some champagne or maybe some wine? We have a great selection on stock,” the bartender asks when we arrive.
“How much is the champagne?” I ask, knowing that everything here will no doubt cost more than the dress I’m wearing.
The bartender actually laughs at me. “Everything is on the house tonight, miss.”
“Everything?” I ask with a smile. I know the shit he’s offering is most likely more expensive than anything I’d order, but if this is an open bar, I want something that I’ll enjoy drinking.
“Yes, miss.”
Smiling, I lean over the bar to get closer and say in a seductive voice. “I like to live on the wild side, if you know what I mean.” I wink at him. “I’ll have a whiskey on the rocks. Make sure it’s top shelf.”
Standing back up, I watch the man behind the bar sputter a little before he shakes the fog from his head and does my bidding like a good little boy.
Hearing Ice Man chuckle, I turn to him. “Oh, I’m sorry, did you want something too?”
“That’s all right, sweetheart. I’ll wait till the poor man can breathe again before having him grab me a beer.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I answer, feigning innocence when I know I’m anything but.
“Sure you don’t.” He doesn’t say anything else, but at least he’s not upset with me. He knows I’m just having a little fun, which is more than I can say for a few other men I’ve gone to places with. They think that just because I’m out with them, I can’t have my fun or even shop around for the newest model of man. A girl like me always has to keep her options open, never satisfied with one man for long. One day, that may change, but that day hasn’t happened yet, and old habits die hard.
It took almost five minutes for us both to get drinks in our hands. Maybe I did come on a little too strong for that boy. Some men just can’t handle the heat. But once we have our drinks, Ice Man leads us toward a table off in the back corner. I oblige but know I’ll be heading onto the dance floor soon, I just need to finish my first drink before that happens. Gotta hydrate and all that, you know what they say.
It seems since we’ve walked in, people have gone back to their normal conversations, now only occasionally looking over at us. I know they’re wondering who we are and who we’re here for; the bride or the groom. If I had to guess, they’re probably thinking I’m either the long lost distant cousin to the bride, one who wreaked a bunch of havoc and was disowned by daddy. Or maybe I’m one of Brittany’s sorority sisters and Ice Man is my hunk of a date for tonight. Not like I care who they think we are, but it’s fun to try and guess the story they have in their heads.
When my drink is almost finished, a waitress brings me another without my asking. I’m not sure if this is just really damn good service or if I need to thank someone, but I don’t ask. I just accept the offering and smile at her, to which she smiles sincerely back. I think I like her. She doesn’t seem like the rest of the people here, all snooty with a stick up their asses. I bet she’s a college kid, just trying to make her next tuition payment. Hopefully they’re paying her well for this party.
My second drink is almost gone and I see the nice waitress on her way with another when I decide now is the time to dance. I can’t sit back here anymore, I need to be moving. This is a party, for fuck’s sake.
“Would you like to dance?” I ask Ice Man as I stand up.
He eyes me, then looks out onto the dance floor and at the band. When his eyes return to mine, he seems doubtful or thinks I’m crazy, I’m not sure which, because that whiskey is fucking good and probably close to one hundred proof. I’m feeling mighty fine right now.
“To this?” he finally asks. Ah, he’s not too crazy about the music either. But hopefully I’ll be changing that soon.
“We’ll see,” I say, then turn on my heels and make my way across the dance floor and right up to the band, noticing that all eyes seem to be on me. I just smile to myself and continue on.
The lead guitarist steps away from the rest of the band and addresses me. “Can I help you miss?”
“As a matter of fact you can. You see, this is a party, no? And I’d like to dance. Not waltz or whatever it is these people do here, but I want to really dance. Do you think you could play something like that?” I bat my eyelashes and look at him with hope.
He must appreciate my request because he looks very happy to give me what I want. “I think I can make that happen.”
He turns toward his band mates, and I step off of the stage. Sure enough, everyone is still watching me. Well, keep watching, ’cause I’ve got something good in store for all of them.
As I step off the stage, the band starts playing something more upbeat. I can’t place what song it is, but I don’t need to. It’s got a beat to dance to and that’s all that matters. So, locking eyes with Ice Man on the way back, I start to dance. And I’m not talking about just swaying my hips back and forth. No, I’m talking about real dancing. Sure, these aren’t even close to the moves I use at work, but every male eye is on me while I only have eyes for the man in the back.
When the song is over, I notice that more people have joined me on the dance floor, though they aren’t dancing like I am, but hey, who am I to judge? They’re out here, which means they’re trying to have a good time at this stuffy party.
The band starts in on another good song, so I keep dancing, moving around the dance floor, and even dancing along with a few of the guests. Everyone is smiling and seeming to have a good time. I guess sometimes all it takes to get people on the dance floor is one brave person to start it.
It’s never made sense to me before, though. I mean, you go to a party, doesn’t matt
er if it’s a school dance, a wedding, or even a freaking retirement party. If you have a band or DJ there playing songs, why wouldn’t you expect people to dance?
I look back to where Ice Man was sitting earlier, but I notice he’s no longer there. Scanning the crowd, I don’t see him. A little concerned, I walk off the dance floor to go in search of him, but when I don’t find him inside, I make my way outside to see if he’s there. Though I don’t know why he’d leave, especially without telling me first.
Just as I’m about ready to pull on the door, it opens from the outside and in walks the man I’ve been looking for. “There you are. What were you doing outside?” I ask, a little upset that he just left me in there. I know I was dancing and left him at the table, but that was his choice. It’s not like I went far and he knew where I was.
“Sorry. I had to take a phone call and couldn’t hear anything inside,” he answers, which makes sense. It probably had to do with whatever is going on with his club.
“Well, you could have at least told me,” I pout, but there’s no fire behind it, which he knows.
Smiling and taking my hand, he leads me back to the table and says, “You looked like you were having too much fun, I didn’t want to interrupt.”
Laughing and shaking my head, I answer, “Yeah right, you just didn’t want to risk me pulling your ass onto the dance floor with me.”
“Touché, sweetheart. Touché.”
Back at the table, I have a fresh drink, which I almost finish in one gulp. Damn, I didn’t realize how thirsty I was, but dancing does that to you.
Taking my glass, he stands. “I’ll go get you another. Why don’t you sit tight and take a break before going back out there.”
I let him go, but am not alone for long. A few men I noticed watching me on the dance floor decide it’s time to make their move. They ask me to dance with them, but I politely decline, telling them I’m here with someone else. Thankfully, they don’t make a big deal out it. It’s for their own good anyway.
Ice Man returns with our drinks in hand, but barely sits down when we have company. I don’t know who this couple is, but they look pissed off to see us.
“What the hell are you doing here?” the man asks Ice Man while the woman stares at me.
“I was invited, Greg. Wait, did your darling daughter not tell you she invited me?” Ice Man shoots back.
The old man, Greg, looks like he swallowed something sour before he regains his composure. “You need to leave. Now,” he says, then looks to me with disgust. “Both of you.”
“I’m pretty damn sure this is a free fucking country, sir. And like he said, we were invited. If you have a problem with that, take that up with your daughter,” I say, getting irritated with them. How dare they come up to us and speak to us that way. We weren’t doing anything wrong.
“If you aren’t gone in five minutes, I’m calling the cops. And in case I need to spell it out for you, money has a nice way of talking, invitation or not,” the man says, sounding pretty pleased with himself.
What a fucking jackass. It’s just like his type to use money as a weapon. But before I can say anything else to him, Ice Man stands up and takes a few steps in their direction, getting almost face to face with the man. “We’ll leave when we’re damn good and ready to fuckin’ leave. You can call the cops, I don’t give a shit, because money doesn’t work with cops around here for me,” he says, then takes the last step between them, and asking in a low voice, almost too low for me to hear, “Do you know who the fuck I am, Greg?” But he doesn’t give him time to answer. “I’m the president of the Devil’s Crew MC. And you may have sway over congressmen or businessmen, but I hold all the law enforcement in my hands. Not you. So unless you want to embarrass yourself in front of your wife, daughter, and influential friends, I suggest you shut the fuck up, sit the fuck down, and get the fuck outta my face. Me and my woman will leave when we are damn good and ready. But if we keep having a problem, I’ll make sure to cause a whole shitstorm of problems for you. And believe me, if you know anything about me and my club, that’s the last fucking thing you want. You got me?”
Greg’s face paled as soon as Ice Man told him who he was, though it’s not like it’s not patched on his cut that he’s still proudly wearing. Maybe they don’t notice shit like that though, not like I do or other normal people. But Greg’s wife seems insulted and pissed.
“Are you going to let him talk to you like that, Greg?” she asks, scoffing at us.
“Shut it, Susan. Let’s go. I’m sure they’ll leave soon enough. Nothing much for them here anyway,” Greg says, then he grabs Susan’s hand, and they take off back to wherever the hell it is they came from.
“Are the cops really in your pockets here?” I ask, not looking at Ice Man, unable to tear my eyes away from the couple’s retreating backs.
“Fuck no, but they don’t know that,” he replies, causing me to laugh.
“You’re bad,” I say, turning to him finally. “But I wish you were badder.” Biting my lip, I stare into his eyes, hoping to convey everything I want from him. Seeing him stand up for us turned me the fuck on. He’s sexy as hell when he’s pissed off, and I want nothing more than to fuck him right here and right now, not caring who watches.
His eyes go heavy and fill with a delicious heat I can’t wait to experience, when suddenly he sees something behind me, and the look is gone, replaced with nothingness.
Sighing, I turn around and see Susan talking heatedly to the bride, who is currently staring daggers at us. Smiling, I lift my hand and wave.
“Are you ready to leave? I’m about done with this place,” Ice Man asks.
I know this was a lot for him, and I was ready to leave before all that shit went down. But I don’t want them to think we’re leaving because of them. So, I say, “I want to dance a little more and then you can take me back to the hotel.”
I wait for him to agree before taking my full drink onto the dance floor with me. But this time, I’m not dancing for myself or even for Ice Man. Okay, maybe I’m dancing a little bit for him, but mainly, I’m dancing to piss Greg, Susan, and the new bride off. I want this to be a big fuck you in the face. I want to be who people talk about for years and years to come. Not what the bride was wearing or how beautiful everything was. No, everyone will be talking about the redhead dancing at the reception.
Seductively, I dance across the floor, moving my body in just the right way. And it just so happens that this song is actually perfect for my little show. It sounds sexy, even without words.
Every eye is on me now, the women either looking at me like they want to kill me, or be me. And the men are looking at me with lust and want. I soak it all up because this is what I do. I perform. It just makes it so much sweeter when I look at the bride and see her shooting fire out of her eyes at me. But I just smile at her and move my hips just a little more.
Finally, I look at Ice Man and see him staring at me. His eyes are heated, his stance hard, as if he’s afraid that if he moves, he’ll take me right here on the dance floor. My pussy starts to throb and grow wet at that idea. Fuck, I want that man so bad it hurts.
I finish the song out, dancing for only him, never taking my eyes off his. Through my dance, I tell him how bad I want him, and when the song ends, I walk slowly toward him, out of breath.
When I’m standing in front of him, he takes my hand and starts to lead us out the door at a quick pace. But Brittany and her new husband block the way. Ice Man doesn’t halt, but he does slow down a little, only stopping when we’re all face to face.
When we were walking up, I glanced at the groom and saw a look of hatred on his face, but as soon as we were face to face, and Ice Man towered over him, his cut more visible, a look of fear overtook him. I want to smile, so I do. These fuckers really have no idea what they were getting into when they invited him. But they do now, and I’m loving every second of it. First with the doorman, then with the bride’s father and mother, and now with her.
&nb
sp; “I must say, I never thought you’d show yourself here,” Brittany says, pissing me off more with her snooty attitude. Fuck, I hated her before, but I really do now seeing her in person and hearing her talk.
“I don’t know why. You did send me an invite after all.”
A bitter laugh breaks through her lips. “Yes, I did, but that was more to show you I was serious about what I said when I broke up with you. I’m with Ryan now and he makes me very happy.” She winds her arm through his, staring lovingly up at him, but it’s all fake. Even I can see that.
“Yeah, you sure showed me, didn’t you? But what you fail to understand is I no longer want someone like you in my bed, let alone in my life. You were way too bland for my liking. I like my women wilder, both in and out of the bed,” he says, then turns to the new husband. “So you enjoy your new wife, man. And good luck, you’re going to need it.”
Taking the drink out of the husband’s hand, Ice Man downs the remaining liquid in one gulp, then gives the empty glass back to him.
Looking back at Brittany, he smiles. “Have a good life, Britt. And good fuckin’ riddance.”
We move to walk around them and out the door, but she stops us with her words. “Yeah, I can see how much you like it on the wild side. So much so that you had to hire a stripper to accompany you. If you were trying to make me jealous, it didn’t work.”
This time, I answer her. “Honey, he wasn’t trying to make you jealous. He knew a long time ago that you were not the one for him because you weren’t good enough in bed for a man like him. You couldn’t handle what he’s rockin’ below his belt, but don’t worry, I can more than handle him and give him exactly what he needs. I am a stripper, as you pointed out, which just means I know how to move to really blow his mind. But if you ask politely, I’m sure I could show you a few things to keep your husband interested in you, instead of bending his secretary over his desk and fucking her instead.”
Her face grows red, and her hands twitch at her side. I think she wants to slap me, but I dare her. I may not be a fighter, but I’ll take this bitch down, wedding day or not. Actually, I hope she does, because I really want to hit her.
The Biker's Religion (Rough Riders MC Book 2) Page 11