Chapter 18
VICKY'S POV
For a second, everything just… shrank. Like the whole damn world folded in on itself and left just me and him standin’ there.
The restaurant, the people, David, the noise… all of it just disappeared. Gone.
Like nothin’ else existed but him.
And God help me, every filthy memory we ever had came rushin’ back all at once, hittin’ me so hard it almost knocked the air outta me.
Heat curled low in my stomach, spread slow and settlin’ somewhere it had no business bein’.
Shameless. Absolutely shameless.
My gaze dipped without permission, draggin’ over his chest, the way it moved under his shirt, steady, controlled, like he wasn’t feelin’ this at all.
He didn’t say a word. Just stood there starin’ with that same prideful, unreadable look on his face like he already knew exactly what he was doin’ to me.
And for a second, I almost gave in to that stupid voice in my head whisperin’, kiss him, V.
Yeah. That’s exactly what I needed. More bad decisions.
“V, you okay?” Alaric’s voice cut right through it, snappin’ me clean outta whatever the hell that was.
Shit.
I’d damn near forgotten he was even there.
I jerked back quick, puttin’ space between me and Leo so fast I almost tripped over my kittens. My balance wobbled for a second, heart still racin’, head all over the place.
And then—
“How’s that, still tight?”
Oh, you’ve gotta be kiddin’ me.
David.
I caught movement from the corner of my eye, saw him straightenin’ up from where he’d been crouched, and yeah, that was my cue.
Nope. Not dealin’ with this. Not tonight.
I turned and bolted.
My heels click fast against the floor as I followed the direction the waiter pointed earlier. I cut a sharp corner into the hallway he’d mentioned, the noise of the restaurant dull just enough to feel like I’d stepped outta the spotlight.
A long stretch of hallway with warm light led further in, but if I leaned over just a little, I could still see the restaurant.
I stopped there, pressin’ my back against the wall, breath comin’ a little too fast like I’d just run a damn marathon.
My heart hammered so loud I could hear it in my ears.
Hot damn… what mess did I just walk into?
And why does Leo have to be here now? I mean, yeah, it’s his hotel. He’s got every right to be here… but now? Seriously?
What am I even supposed to do?
At this point, I might as well just spend the rest of this date hidin’ in the restroom.
Yeah.
Restroom date. Perfect.
I stayed tucked in my little corner, peekin’ out just enough to see what was goin’ on without bein’ seen.
Leo adjusted his shirt, smoothin’ it down like nothin’ just happened.
Yeah… probably dustin’ me off. My face scrunched up at the thought.
Then he started walkin’, and at first I thought he was headin’ toward Alaric, which already had my brows pullin’ together.
I leaned out a bit more from my spot, squint like that was somehow gonna help me make sense of any of this, but then he didn’t stop at our table.
He kept goin’ then stopped right at David’s.
My heart damn near stalled in my chest.
Wait… what?