Last Wish (Highland Magic #4)

The shouts got louder. Byron, glancing around at the crowd, realised that he’d get out of this faster if he just played along. He sagged back, irritation still flickering in the emerald green depths of his eyes. I flicked a hand at the DJ and the music started up again. This tune was much slower than before.

I took three steps backwards and the men formed a circle round me. I wouldn’t have been surprised if the lot of them had started drooling and I’d ended up drowned in puddles of spit. Bleurgh. I played along, however, reaching up and loosening my hair from its tight constraints. I shook out the dark waves that were so unlike my own tresses.

I spotted Jamie in the corner, shrugging to himself then turning away to line up shot glasses. As I started unbuttoning my blouse, he poured vodka, moving up the line until every glass except one was full. I threw back my head and laughed while he surreptitiously sneaked a bottle of water from his pocket and used that to fill the final glass. Now that was interesting.

I spun round, wiggling my arse, all the while unfastening buttons until I reached my waist. It appeared that I was wearing a very lacy bra that left little to the imagination. I swayed in time to the music, backing up until I was almost sitting on Byron’s lap. I started rubbing against him, half wishing I could see the expression on his face and half hoping the ground would swallow me whole.

I pulled the blouse off my shoulders, intending to slide it down my back, but it caught on the bra strap. I tried to tug it free while still looking sexy; maybe this was going to be harder than I’d realised. I wiggled this way and that; when that didn’t work, I tried to yank the blouse away even if it meant ripping the fabric. From the expressions on a few of the watching faces, my contortions were more like those of a beached whale than a sexy stripper.

I turned my face to Byron’s. ‘You’ll have to use your teeth,’ I breathed.

‘Good grief,’ he muttered. He sighed and then I felt the fabric free itself. He must have used his Telekinesis Gift instead of his mouth. Oh well.

I twisted round until I was facing him, then hovered over his hips and raised my hands, lifting my hair and running my fingers through it. His gaze remained stony cold.

‘Here,’ Jamie said, thrusting a shot glass in between us. He held it to Byron’s lips and the princeling downed it in one as everyone cheered. Suspiciously, I leaned forward and nipped at Byron’s bottom lip with my teeth, my tongue darting out to brush across his mouth. He hissed in annoyance. Taking the hint, I leaned forward to his ear instead, using my curtain of hair to conceal my expression. It was Byron who was sneaking water, not Jamie. I hadn’t been able to taste alcohol on his lips at all – which begged the question why he was supposedly getting pissed.

I moved back slightly, trailing kisses along his neck and back up towards his mouth. Byron didn’t relax; his body was stiff and unyielding and there was no doubt he was hating every second of this. I smirked. I could rise to that challenge.

I twined my arms round his neck, swaying slightly. Jamie pushed another shot at Byron and he dutifully drank it before glaring at his friend and muttering, ‘Get me the hell out of here.’

I pretended to push Jamie away, affording him a saucy wink which inflamed the watching crowd. I wondered what Aifric made of all this. But then, as Byron’s eyes narrowed in disgust and I moved my head down, drawing in his musky scent, I forgot to care. My head dipped and my lips brushed against his once more. I deepened the kiss and pressed against him. With his hands still cuffed, there was little he could do to stop me. Even with our audience, I felt my pulse speed up but he was determined not to respond.

I ran my hands down his arms, resting them briefly on his biceps. My mouth was insistent and continued to press against his. I trailed one hand down his body and he groaned suddenly, his lips parting. My tongue darted inside his mouth and the catcalls and whoops faded into background noise. It was just me and Byron. A moment later, he gave in and began kissing me back. He raised his arms, looping them over my head, and pulled me closer to him. Blood roared in my ears. God, he tasted good. I moaned slightly ? and then I was blinking as something wet splattered my face.

Drawing back, I saw Jamie looking overly contrite, holding a glass and apologising. ‘I’m so sorry! I tripped!’

Byron yanked his arms back and stared at me, confusion clouding his gaze. His eyes swept across my features and for a moment I was assailed with panic that the Illusion was fading. Then he shook himself slightly. ‘Get up,’ he muttered.

I paused, unsure whether to obey or not but my body was lifted as his Gift pushed me to my feet. Byron got up as well, swaying from side to side. ‘Thish lovely policewoman wantsh to take me in for questioning,’ he said aloud. I tilted my head. He should be careful, he was overdoing the slurring. And what on earth was he up to? ‘We’re going to go upshtairsh to a more private room.’

His friends’ response was a mixture of disappointed boos and encouraging shouts. Byron jerked his head at Jamie who nodded and led the way. ‘I’ll show you where you can go,’ he said, half smiling. Close up, there was no denying that he was worried.

Jamie led the way as the yells behind us got louder. Someone muttered that they should have hired more than one stripper. I tried not to shudder and allowed myself a sneaky look at Aifric. He wasn’t watching me; he grinned in amusement at his son then turned away to talk to an older man.

The three of us tripped up the stairs and into a room on the left. Jamie closed the door behind us and locked it, while I told myself I wasn’t nervous.

Byron dropped the act immediately. He flicked his magic towards his bound wrists and the handcuffs fell off and clattered to the floor. He ran a hand through his hair. ‘Who are you?’ he hissed.

I smiled. ‘Who would you like me to be?’

He snarled and whirled away. ‘Pay her,’ he snapped at Jamie.

‘We can’t just let her walk away,’ Jamie answered. ‘Not now you’re supposed to be up here and…’

Jeez. Even with everything else that was going on, I really hadn’t thought that Byron was this sleazy. He cursed under his breath.

I found my voice, only just remembering in time to alter it so I didn’t sound like myself. ‘I’m a stripper,’ I said, ‘not a hooker.’

‘Relax. Nothing’s going to happen.’ Byron looked at Jamie. ‘This could work in our favour. She’s the perfect diversion.’ He bunched his fists. He seemed unable to look me directly in the eye. Was that because I’d ignited his desire and he was embarrassed about it? If only I’d not set my own lust alight at the same time. ‘We’ll pay you triple,’ he said, ‘if you stay up here and don’t tell anyone.’

‘I think everyone already knows,’ I said, forcing myself to smirk.