Chapter 5 An Offer He Can't Refuse

Ambers.

It was the man from the banister on the top floor!

"Are you alright?"

"I-I..." I could not speak.

From a distance I could not see all his features but up close... the man was devastatingly gorgeous. I spun around to face him fully since I only craned my neck.

He was tall with a strong and broad structure. He had long dark hair that passed his shoulders. He had two scars on his face, one on his left brow and the other on the right curve of his chin cutting through his perfectly groomed beard to the bottom of his jaw. He wore a black button down with the top two buttons undone and his sleeves expertly rolled up to his elbows. The skin of his exposed arms and chest were blessed with beautifully intricate tattoos.

The way he stared down at me, in all his glory, sent shivers down my spine. It reminded me of the striking gaze of a wild wolf on the prowl. There are only two words I would use to sum up and describe this man. Sexy and dangerous. And the two words I would use to describe what I feel currently...

Pure attraction.

"Miss?"

"I-I'm fine... thanks to you."

"I'm glad I could be of assistance."

"But why?

"Pardon?"

And here I thought I was sober. Nope. Here is the drunken stupor, now! Didn't Mel say to just accept good things with a smile? Why am I trying to ruin this?

"Why did you help me?"

His gaze seemed to focus on me harder as he narrowed his eyes. He tilted his head back and eyed me beneath his nose. It looked to be demeaning but for some reason I did not take it that way. It is just because I am drunk but... I thought it was hot in a power move way.

"Would you have preferred that I let him strike you?"

"No."

"Then why question it?"

I blinked at that. This was a very valid question.

"I think it is because I may be a bit drunk."

"Hmm," he hummed out. He held his hand out to me. It was an extremely large hand that wore an expensive-looking watch on the wrist and a black band on the middle finger.

So, he is not married...

"Why don't we leave the dance floor, yes?"

I nodded and took his hand. He gently pulled me closer to his side and placed his other hand on the small of my back. I flinched at first and we both paused. I sent a reassuring smile to him, and his eyes dragged away. I did not flinch because I was startled. No, it was because of how warm and gentle this colossal man was being. Also, with how much I was liking it.

He led me to the VIP section in which I was sitting before and helped me into the booth. I scooted over and motioned for him to join me. He looked at the seat beside me and frowned.

I rolled my eyes. "It is not going to hurt you to sit, will it? I do not bite. I promise."

"I do not believe you. You are very intoxicated."

"Okay," I said nodding at his logic. "So, I may bite, but only if you ask me nicely."

"And if I were to ask you to," he questioned.

I arched a brow at his forwardness. On a normal day, I would blush and stutter a bit. To be honest, on a normal day, those word would have never left my lips! But... today was not a normal day. With my system full of alcohol, I was not as flustered as usual. Okay, I was a little. But that is only because this man had my stomach in a fit of knots and my panties drenched.

"Well," he pushed.

"Well..." I began. "That can be decided upon further discussion if you want. But that is only if you sit down."

He sighed deeply, released a large puff of air out through his nostrils. All the while, he rotated and cracked a few things in his back and sat down opposite of me in the booth. I should have been more specific even though I know he knew what I meant. He released a hum as he situated himself in the seat. It amazed me how well I hear it in such a loud atmosphere, but I did. And that is honestly pushing it. I do not think I should even call it a hum when it was more like a growl.

He placed one hand on the table and the other on the back of the booth's seat. I moved to look at his hands and could see that they were bruised and busted.

"What happened to your hands," I asked. "Are you okay?"

His eyes fell to his hand which flexed under attention. Sighing again he rolled his eyes. "You were almost assaulted in my club, and you're worried about whether or not my hands are okay?"

I blinked at him, mouth agape. "You own this place?"

No wonder he was on the top floor... He owned it! He gave me a curt nod and I sighed. Well, that still does not explain your hands."

"Does it matter?"

"Do you still want the offer of biting on the table?"

He tilted his head up, again eying me beneath his nose. I almost gave in within that second until he smirked at me. His gaze hungrily rolled overr my body, and everywhere his eyes landed went up in flames.

"You are amusing."

"Thanks," I said as cool as a cucumber. The wonders of liquid courage. I would never have been able to pull off any of this shit if I had not drank. "I believe the best way to get through life is through laughter."

"Interesting outlook."

"I know. And you are stalling. Your hands, what happened to them?"

He inspected the back of his hands before balling them into fists.

"I busted them while working."

"What were you working on?"

A project for a hobby of mine."

"What kind of hobby?"

His eyes landed on me, hard and a bit annoyed. Though there was music blaring and people living loudly amongst us, there was silence between us. I could tell that he was not used to the interrogation I was performing on him. He tilted his head to the side and sat back in his seat.

"Murder."