“What reasons? Why can’t I know what the hell is going on around here?” I scream. The guys all shift but Steele? That bastard holds my stare, daring me.
“It’s dangerous,” he says as if it’s nothing.
“You’re dangerous.” That was my reply.
“That’s not untrue. You’re just as dangerous if you are who we think you are,” he responds.
“Who the hell do you think I am? I’m Whisper Jane Sullens! The girl nobody wants. I’m the dancer in the dark, the girl that’s overlooked because she isn’t worth looking at!” Okay maybe the alcohol is doing a little talking here but deep down that’s what I feel.
“What? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Knox says.
“Is it? I was never adopted. What is so wrong with me?” I yell looking between them. They share a glance, but they let me have my meltdown. I don’t want to. I don’t want them to see me lose control but at the same time I’m tired of holding on. Tired of holding it in.
“What? Huh? Was it because I wasn’t the blonde hair blue-eyed baby the other girls were? Is it because I’m used and broken? The fact that I have scars that run deeper than the fucking ocean inside my heart? What is it? What is wrong with me?” Tears spring from my eyes as I drop to the floor crying into my hands. This was a mistake. I shouldn’t be here talking to them.
“Get up.” The demand in his tone does nothing for me. Fuck Steele. I keep sobbing into my hands when he roars louder, “Get. Up.” Lifting my head, I see him playing on his phone. In seconds, Usher and Beyoncé remix of “In This Club” sounds all around us. Steele hardens himself before moving to pull a chair out in the middle of the floor.
“Dance for me,” he demands. I shake my head, but he just raises an eyebrow in challenge. The music, the tempo, slowly makes its way into my body, pumping through my veins. I slowly stand up, letting my body roll with the music. His eyes are glued to my body. The heat in them causes me to shiver. I’ve never been watched the way he’s watching me.
“Dance, Whisper.” Only then do I realize that I stopped and stared back at him. I close my eyes, raise my arms above my head and slowly sway. Once I’m into a good groove, I really start moving. Spinning, dropping to the floor, I crawl toward him before grabbing his knees and pulling myself back up. Tipping my head back, I reach up and pull the tie from my hair and let my hair fall down my back. Shaking my hair out, I flip my head forward and lock eyes with him. I run my fingers through my hair while I straddle his lap. My body arches, twists, and presses into his. I can feel just how hard he is, and it makes me smile slightly. Steele’s hands come up quickly, grabbing my face in his strong hands. Alcohol courses through my veins, begging me to do something I know I shouldn’t be.
“You aren’t nobody. There is nothing wrong with you. You’re… goddamn it, Whisper, you’re perfect!” he growls before crashing his lips against mine. His grip has me gasping for air. His kiss is fierce when I hear the other two laughing. Footsteps sound behind us but I’m lost in Steele. I’m lost in his touch, his warmth, in his darkness.
He lifts me in his arms and I automatically wrap my legs around his waist as the song repeats. Sparks ignite inside of me as he moves to slam my body on the table. I gasp into his mouth as he grinds himself against me. There’s a slight restraint inside of me. I know that if I give in to him right now, things are going to change. I can feel it in the air, the way it crackles and sizzles around us.
“I got you, Whisper,” he says as he sits up and pulls my clothes off in record time. My boots thud to the floor followed by my jeans and shirt. His lips caress my stomach as he kisses and licks my flesh. I arch into him, loving the way my body vibrates when he touches me. I close my eyes as his teeth skim my neck. Then he’s back, kissing me so deeply that my body begs to be taken. His hand shifts down my side before moving between us. His cock is hard and ready as he slowly slips into me. I gasp from the size of him, feeling him inside of me. He’s lucky I’m on birth control or I’d have to halt our fun. Steele doesn’t seem to care either way as he groans into my neck. His tongue swipes out, licking my earlobe.
“What the hell are you doing to me, Whisper?” he murmurs so softly, I almost miss it. His hips slowly rock into me and everything I’ve been holding back, slowly comes to the surface as I ride the high that Steele gives me.
16
Steele
I run my fingers through her dark hair as she traces the lines of my muscles on my stomach. There’s been a strange silence lingering between the two of us since I brought her back up to my room. There’re so many things that I want to say to her but none of them come out. I don’t know what I’m doing with her. I want to hate her, hate what she’s caused yet I don’t think I can.
“I was five. I’ve always wanted to dance; it didn’t matter what kind of dancing either. My foster mom gave me an old ballerina costume,” she says swallowing hard. I don’t stop moving my fingers through her hair. “I remember dancing in the living room. Tony, my foster dad hated it when I’d come in there. He would yell at me, scream until he was hoarse. Then one day, he grabbed me. Drug me to my room and ripped the stained tutu off me. The leggings, I remember how dirty they were when I got them, torn knees. I didn’t care, you know? I just wanted to dance and be free. I cried when he ripped that old tutu to shreds.”
“What did he do, Whisper?”
“He leaned down, covered my mouth with his hand and told me if I ever told anyone or screamed, he would make sure I never danced again. Then he molested me.”
“Fuck,” I growl tightening my hand in her hair.
“Gang-raped. I couldn’t believe how much I actually liked what you guys did to me when that thought has always sat in the back of my mind.”
“How old were you?”
“Thirteen.”
“Dammnit, Whisper!” I’m pissed. No, pissed isn’t what I’m feeling. Murderous. I want to murder anyone that has ever put their hands on her.
“I don’t feel bad for what we did.” It may be a dick move but I don’t care. I don’t regret it even after what she just said to me. She giggles a little and keeps her fingers moving.
“Didn’t want you to be. Nathan, he’s said similar things to me. How he could make it so I couldn’t dance again. That’s the only thing I have left in me, Steele. I can’t let him take that away from me.”
“What’s he want from you?” I’m not so sure that I want the answer to that, but I have to know what I’m up against with her.
“I’m not sure honestly. He’s very cryptic with what he says. He keeps telling me that I belong here and that it will all come to light. He wants me to give him information on you guys.” My hand stills and so does hers. I take a few deep breaths before shifting so she has to move off me.
“What have you told him?” I growl. She watches me, her eyes narrowed as she does. She licks her lips then smiles.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She climbs out of the bed and grabs my shirt, tugging it over her head before heading toward the door.