Black Romance Chapter 17

"Are we feeling better today?" His voice skipped through my chest, twisting my heart .

"You're back again," I said, doing my best to keep my voice steady . The tension I felt melted away as soon as I knew it was Salt .

The room felt lighter, the air cleaner and fresh as if his presence made the difference . He was like the shining star in a black world . For the first time in my life, I was happy to be in that room .

"Did I get you into trouble?" Salt asked as he approached me in the dark . "Or are we on good terms today?"

When he stopped a foot away, I realized just how big he was . He was towering over me, at least six feet tall . His shoulders spanned the length of my arms if I stretched them out, his chest was puffed up and firm behind the fitted button-up shirt .

I half expected the buttons to pop off and shoot me in the face as he curled his arms around his ribs, resting his chin on the edge of his fist .

AdvertisementShaking my head, I focused on his face as the shadowed room turned into actual objects . "No, I did what you told me to . "

"Good girl," he said, his voice a whisper as he smirked . "I'm glad you listened . "

I felt my lips curl up into a soft smile, the movement so out of place and forgotten I wasn't sure it was real . All of my smiles had been fake for as long as I could remember, but not then, not with him .

Why am I happy he's pleased with me?

Shaking the smile off my face, I focused on what I was actually doing and not how happy it made me to please him . "Are you here for another dance?" I asked .

Lifting his hand to my face, he brushed his thumb across my jaw . "You're too pretty for this, you know that?"

My body went up in flames, instantly trembling from his touch . I felt my cheeks blush, my skin so hot I was certain he could see the bright fire on my face .

No Berlin! Stop this now!

Taking a step backwards, I dropped my eyes to the floor . "Don't do that . "

"Do what?"

"Don't tell me I'm pretty . "

"You don't like a compliment?" he asked, his eyes piercing the top of my head as I refused to look up .

I could feel him watching me, I could feel the intensity in his gaze as he tried to read what was going through my mind . He could never understand me, no matter how much he tried .

"I don't like it, it's not real, not in a place like this . " Braiding my fingers together, I started picking at the beds of my nails nervously . "Look, I don't know what your plan is here, but whatever it is, you should reconsider . "

"Reconsider?" Taking a firm step in, Salt pinched my chin with his thumb and forefinger, forcing me to look up at him . "Reconsider what?"

Searching his face, I wanted him to see the concern I felt for him . He was playing with fire . Virgo didn't like being messed with, he didn't like men who thought they were above him .

And this man, he thought he was above everybody . I could see it in his clothes, in the way he held himself, in his fierce, unforgiving stare .

"I don't think you understand what you're doing . Every time you come in here like this—"

Cutting me off, his jaw crooked . "Like what? What am I coming in here like?"

"Like you own the place, like you have rights to do whatever the hell you want . "

"You're the one who said no one will tell me no . Did the rules change suddenly overnight?"

Veering my stare, I spoke clear and firm . "Games in this place will get you killed . Do you understand that? Can't you see what I'm trying to telling you?"

"I'm not afraid—" His voice turned dark, his tone deep and stern . "I create the games, my flower, no one else . "

Sucking in a quick gasp, my brain went wild . He had called me his flower, no one but my mother had ever called me that . I hadn't heard that word in years . When he said it, it hit me, making my heart stop in my chest and my mother's voice skip through my head .

My flower . . . I'm not a flower anymore .

There was no color left in me . I was wilted, dying slowly without sun and air .

Chapter end