Kings of Midnight: Book One of The Midnight Saga

by J Q Anderson

  “How do you do that?” he whispered.

  “How do I do what?”

  He shook his head, then took my hands and kissed them. I liked that he kissed my hands so often. It was romantic, endearing. He then turned me around, hugging me from behind as we admired the view. A full body shiver ran through me. “Let’s go back inside. You’re cold,” he said, kissing my hair.

  In the great room, a soft piano melody drifted in the air.

  “Dance with me.” He led me to an open space by an enormous fireplace where a fire crackled fiercely. His arms enveloped me, pressing me to him, while his body moved sensually with mine. It was sexy. Not like dancing with Marcos or any of the other dancers. This was different. Hot. He squeezed me tighter and I felt him harden. Thick, raw desire pulsed in my blood.

  “I love having you here, to learn about your world. You’re my sunshine,” he murmured, threading his fingers in my hair. His eyes blazed into mine. My heart raced. God, I wanted him.

  A soft throat clearing interrupted us from behind. Blushing fiercely, I snapped my head around. His bodyguard—um, Rafa, was it?—stood a few feet behind. Without letting go of me, Sebastián looked over my shoulder.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” Rafa said. “We have a situation.”

  Sebastián gave him a nod.

  “Don’t move.” He kissed my forehead and released me before heading to the terrace where Rafa waited. I dropped onto the couch, catching my breath, my head and my heart spinning. After a couple of minutes, he was back and holding out his hand to help me up.

  “I’m really sorry. There’s something I need to do right now. Rain check?”

  Oh. My heart plummeted. “Sure. Is everything okay?”

  “Yes. Just…business.” He sighed. “Julián is in New York this week, and I told him I would step in if something came up.” His tone was calm, laced with regret.

  “Okay.” Dammit!

  “I’ll take you home.”

  “Oh…No, just call me a cab. It’s fine.”

  He frowned. “Nothing’s more important to me right now than making sure you get home safe.”

  I smiled.

  Outside, Rafa and another guy waited by the black BMW. Rafa got into the driver’s seat while the other bodyguard opened the back door for us. Sebastián sat by my side and took my hand.

  “Camila, this is Tano, and you know Rafa already.”

  Rafa nodded from the rearview mirror. The other guy, Tano—slang for the Italian—turned his head and smiled. Frayed chestnut bangs brushed his forehead over intense brown eyes.

  “Nice to meet you.” He winked, then faced the front.

  Sebastián kissed my knuckles. “Sorry, Cami. Can I make this up to you tomorrow?”

  “It’s okay. And yes, you can.”

  We rode back in comfortable silence. We were about to pull over by my apartment when both Rafa and Tano visibly tensed. Rafa glanced at Sebastián through the rearview mirror. Sebastián’s jaw locked.

  “Dammit,” he whispered through clenched teeth.

  “What’s wrong?” I searched the street outside. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The night was quiet. Only a familiar gray car parked a few steps away.

  “Nothing,” said Sebastián. “Just a complication.” He glanced up at Rafa. “She’ll come with us.”

  Rafa nodded and switched gears, then with a screech of the tires, did a U-turn in front of the silver car. As he did, I caught a quick glance of Alexei sitting on the passenger side. I stuck my tongue at him, knowing he couldn’t see me through the tinted window. Sebastián’s grip on my hand tightened.

  “Do you know them?”

  I shrugged. “Yeah. Well, sort of. They’re friends of Nata’s brother. Her family is über-protective. Those guys are always hovering around. Why are we leaving?”

  “How well do you know Natascha?”

  “She’s my best friend…and also my roommate. Why?”

  Sebastián closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring.

  “Fuck.”

  Chapter 12

  “Sebastián, what’s wrong?” I asked. Nata knew of Sebastián, but did he know who she was? Tano turned around and looked from Sebastián to me, then faced the front again.

  Sebastián glanced out the window.

  “Hey,” I whispered, reaching for his hand. “What’s going on?”

  He gave me a stern look. “Russians are not good company, Camila.”

  “What? What are you talking about? Nata is my best friend. Those other guys are her brother’s friends. They’re bit weird, but they’re cool.” I searched his eyes, but his expression didn't ease.

  “What did Natascha say yesterday after she saw you with me?”

  Shit. I pursed my lips.

  “Tell me.” He frowned.

  I looked down at my lap and shrugged. “She just said to be careful. You know…because of your family. She recognized you, I guess.”

  “Anything else?”

  “No. What’s this about?”

  He let a few seconds pass, then kissed the back of my wrist. “Nothing you should worry about. Our families have some common business interests, and sometimes there can be animosity, but I’m not involved in any of it. Neither should you.”

  I nodded, unconvinced, but I wanted to get off the subject. He was right. Whatever went on between the two families was not my business.

  Rafa parked by an unmarked building, the brick façade painted flat black. Two men in sharp, dark suits stood on each side of a double door. To the left, a line of people dressed for a night out waited to get in. A handful of photographers hovered, snapping pictures at the lucky ones who made it in. Rafa and Tano got out first and let us out of the car. As we approached, the photographers recognized Sebastián and began firing photos of the two of us. Sebastián clasped my hand and we hurried through, ignoring their interrogation about his mystery date. I had never had a stranger wanting to take my photo before, and I felt like a movie star. I grinned under a shower of flashes as we rushed to the entrance, flanked by Rafa and Tano. My pulse was flying. Was it always like this for him? How fun! But he seemed oblivious. The two bouncers opened the doors in unison and exchanged a brief nod with Sebastián.

  “Good evening, Sebastián. Good to see you, sir.”

  Sebastián gave them a curt nod and ushered me through the door. Inside, Billy Idol’s “Hot in the City” pulsed through the walls. Two couples handed their coats to a valet at a dedicated area close by. The men were dressed in expensive suits, and I recognized one of the women, a supermodel.

  “Sebastián, that is Savannah, the model. She’s gorgeous and wearing an Inés Fernandez dress. Lucky girl…”

  Sebastián glanced at her, then leaned down to speak into my ear.

  “I would choose you over her every day for the rest of my life.”

  I smiled at him, but my stomach twisted into a knot. I was way out of my league here.

  The music grew louder as Sebastián led me down a long hallway lit by concealed lights from underneath a glass floor. We followed it to an open area of what I knew was one of Buenos Aires’s most exclusive nightclubs. Holy shit. I was in Amsterdam. I had only heard about it, but I immediately recognized the features: Barbie waitresses in the trademark minuscule leather dresses and four-inch heels. All brunette, scarlet lipstick, long hair, and perfect curves. I looked down at my jeans and fitted sweater. Thank God I had given my Converse the night off and wore boots. Still, I knew I didn’t fit in.

  “Sebastián, I’m not dressed to be here,” I shouted through the music.

  He pulled me into his arms. “You’re perfect,” he said into my ear. His mouth found mine, and a shiver ran up my back. He withdrew slightly and pressed a brief kiss on my lips, taking my hand.

  We took a side hallway to a private area with an elevator. Rafa and Tano got in after us, turning to face the door.

  “This is just a meeting. It won’t take long. Some new clients for the studio. Julián usually takes care of the entertain
ing.” He smirked. “Not really my thing.”

  The elevator doors opened to a VIP area. I held my breath, taking it all in. An illuminated bar curved along the entire back of the room, and a thick glass wall isolated the area from the club below. The atmosphere here was relaxed, even more exclusive. I scanned the room where no more than thirty people lounged on plush couches, having drinks. A velvety female voice crooned a sensual melody that filled the air. In the dim light of the room, I recognized two top supermodels and a popular, hotter-than-hell polo player. I bit my lip and smiled, knowing Nata and Marcos would flip out when I told them I had been here. Principals were all about the show of being seen in the right places.

  A girl about my age in that jaw-dropping leather uniform approached. She smiled broadly at Sebastián, showcasing her perfect teeth.

  “Sebastián, what a pleasure. It’s been a while, sir. Welcome.” Her eyes quickly assessed me from head to toe, then returned to Sebastián, seizing every second to devour him.

  Sebastián smiled curtly and asked her to give us a minute. She nodded and sashayed away. Tano’s eyes were trained on her ass, his lips curving in a smug smile.

  Sebastián pulled me to him so he could speak into my ear. Goose bumps everywhere.

  “I’ll be right back, baby. Tano will stay with you. Have a drink.”

  “Um, that’s okay. I can wait for you over there.” I gestured to a small lounge area by the glass wall with a few low tables hugged by couches. “Don’t need babysitting.” I smiled sweetly.

  “I won't leave you alone. It would be rude. Besides, I’m responsible for delivering you back to your house in one piece.” He kissed my forehead.

  “Sebastián, I’m a big girl.”

  He brought me close until our lips were touching. “My girl tonight. No arguing.” He pressed a chaste kiss on my lips and winked. With a slight nod at Tano, he left for the bar with Rafa at his side. My girl, the words bewitched me.

  I looked up at Tano. Even though I was five eight, he towered over me by a good head. He gestured to the lounge area where people relaxed on couches and had drinks. I found a good spot by the glass wall overlooking the club. Tano shrugged off his leather jacket. An intricate tattoo of a dragon covered the length of each arm from under his fitted, black T-shirt.

  Gesturing to Miss Barbie Legs, he ordered a vodka tonic for me, and a mineral water for him. He then sat on a couch across from me, surveying the crowd. His eyes paused on Sebastián and Rafa at the bar. He, too, probably wished he didn’t have to babysit me. He smiled when he caught me yawning.

  “Sorry we’re keeping you up. Won’t take long,” he said over the music.

  “It’s okay. I’ll be right back. I need to use the restroom.” I stood, and he was instantly on his feet.

  “Oh, no, no. Just point the way. You don’t need to—”

  “I like my job. I want to keep it.”

  I raised my palms in defeat.

  When we came back, my drink was waiting. I took a sip and coughed. It was stiff.

  “Something wrong?” Tano asked.

  “Um, no. Super strong drink.”

  He reached for my glass. “I’ll get you another one. Same?”

  “Actually, just water, but—”

  “Stay put,” he said, and left abruptly. The waitress appeared and asked if I needed a refill. I explained Tano had gone to the bar already, but when I glanced, he wasn’t there.

  Through the window wall, I watched the crowd underneath. Then a steady string of camera flashes startled me. I turned to find a young reporter behind me.

  “You’re with Sebastián Palacios, right?” he said, firing a few more shots of me.

  “Um…yes.”

  “I saw him kissing you.” He smiled. “You his girlfriend?” Click, click, click.

  “What?”

  “You’re so young,” he said, finally lowering the camera. “You’re not intimidated by the Palacioses? I mean, after what happened to his last girlfriend, Carolina?”

  “I’m sorry, I—”

  Tano gripped the man by the collar. “Get the fuck out.”

  The guy scurried away and quickly disappeared.

  “What’d he say to you?” Tano’s intense brown eyes locked with mine.

  “Oh.” I blinked. “Um, nothing. Something about… Carolina? Who’s she?”

  Tano’s jaw clenched. “No one. Sebastián’s ex. The press loves making up shit about that.”

  “About what?”

  “Mmh,” he growled, looking away. “The kind of bullshit the press feeds on, those fuckers are like flies. Don’t mind’em.” He unscrewed the bottle cap and handed the water to me. I forced a smile as he plopped down on a couch beside me.

  “Thanks for the drink,” I said to lighten the mood. “The waitress came right after you left, but you weren’t at the bar.”

  “Oh,” he said, and his expression stilled for a quick second. “Bathroom.”

  I nodded and sipped on the water while my brain went back to the reporter, racing to decipher his words. Who was Carolina? And what in the hell had happened to her? I would have to find out somehow. Maybe Nata would know? Dammit. I took a long swig of water. What was I doing here? Maybe Nata was right, and this whole date thing with Sebastián had been a mistake. I had let my neglected hormones and Marcos’s rejection override my common sense. But Sebastián…I wanted to know everything about him. I craved the way he made me feel, the way he looked at me, touched me. And all this… I looked around and couldn’t help the giddy sense of glamour I felt sitting among Buenos Aires’s elite, even if it was accidental and short-lived. I relaxed into the seat and finished my drink, letting my mind and my paranoia drift.

  Sebastián and Rafa returned a few minutes later. Rafa and Tano left to station themselves at a group of couches in the periphery. The lighting was hazy, making the secluded sitting areas even more private. All around us, couples sat having drinks, chatting, some making out.

  Sebastián wrapped his hands around my waist and slid me onto his lap.

  “You are light as a feather.” His lips found my neck and kissed it, sending shivers down to my toes. I circled my arms around his neck. My heart raced at the close contact with his. “You smell so good,” he said, burying his face in my neck and kissing me in a slow, sensual tempo.

  It was sexy as fuck.

  “Do you have to work tomorrow?” he asked.

  “Mmmm. Yes.”

  His fingers caressed my hair at the nape while his lips peppered me with weightless kisses. “God, Camila. I can’t get enough of you. I can’t stop thinking about all the things I want to do to you.” His mouth continued its torturous assault on my neck. It was heavenly. The reporter’s words circled in my mind, but I shut them out and closed my eyes, giving in to the sensation.

  “Sebastián…”

  “Do you think about me? Tell me,” he whispered against my neck.

  “Yes,” I breathed. His mouth slowly moved to my jaw where it trailed open-mouth kisses. I felt them everywhere.

  “Tell me,” he repeated without breaking contact. Damn. His arm pressing me against his granite chest, his mouth, his amazing scent. It was all lethal.

  “I…” I let out a shallow breath. He pulled away enough to look into my eyes. The corners of his mouth curved up in a playful smile.

  “Are you shy?” He took my face in his hand, and I bit my lip. His thumb pulled gently to release it. “Tell me.” His eyes were hooded.

  “I…” I looked away, and he held my chin to coerce me into meeting his eyes.

  “Am I being too forward? I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not that. I just…” I shook my head.

  “What?” he said, his mouth so close, our breaths mixing.

  I looked down to avoid his eyes. “I’ve always been busy dancing. I…I haven’t…” Shit. I looked up, and he was watching me with a deep frown. Then his eyes widened fractionally.

  “You’ve never…been with anyone? Babe, you are a virgin?” He c
ocked his head to the side as if I had suddenly grown another head.

  “No, no. Well, not technically. I’m not… I’m not very experienced,” I said. Shit. Why was it so hard to talk about this? I kept my eyes down. Wrapping my fingers around his wrist, I released his hold on my chin. I felt his eyes burning on me, but I met them straight on. His expression was etched in disbelief. To hell with it. Here goes nothing.

  “I always felt self-conscious and kind of…I don’t know…turned off when things got…heated with someone, so I always stopped before we got to that part.”

  He frowned. “But how? I saw how half the men here looked at you when we walked in. You must have guys all over you.”

  I blushed. “No. My life is ballet. I don’t really let people in. But I’ve never felt the way I feel when I’m with you.” I held his gaze, bracing for whatever came next. Guys were usually freaked out by inexperienced girls. He shook his head and sighed heavily.

  “Holy fuck,” he said. “I think I just fell in love.”

  Relief washed through me. “You're not disappointed then?”

  His answering smile was smoldering. “Hands down, the best part of the night.”

  “Yeah? Why?”

  “Because.” He kissed me softly. “That makes you the most beautiful, most perfect woman in the planet. And it makes me a very lucky bastard.” He squeezed his arms around me. I closed my eyes, basking in the safety of being in his arms and, as my body relaxed, I couldn’t repress a yawn.

  “Let me take you home,” he said. “You need to rest.”

  “But I’m so happy right here.”

  “If you stay here another minute, I may not let you go.”

  I groaned softly. “I do need to be up early. Madame’s been on my case lately. I guess I am a bit…distracted.”