Free The Bad Boy's Dance by Vera Calloway Page A

maintained eye contact with me as he lowered the firearm, a warning that he wasn’t afraid to use it.
                  Asher stalked over to me and grabbed my elbow, pulling me out of earshot from Bal-Trevor. I shrunk from his obvious rage. He released his grip and towered over me. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? I told you to go home!”
                  Don’t be a wimp Ivy. You’re not the one on trial here.
                  Mustering my courage, I straightened my spine. “I was worried,” I hissed.  “Did you really think I’d leave you in this craphole? What kind of person do you think I am?!”
                  My curse had taken him by surprise, but he covered it up. His brows drew together. “Why would you be worried about me? You don’t even know me.”
                  Glancing pointedly at the impatient Trevor behind him, I bit my lip. “That much is obvious. But it doesn’t matter how much I know you. Would you desert me in a place like this, alone at night, with no way to return home?”
                  He scrutinized me for so long I worried he’d try to stuff me in one of the crates because I’d seen too much. Trevor cleared his throat, and Asher broke his stare. “Wait here,” he ordered.
                  Returning to Trevor, I watched them whisper heatedly. Hmm. This place reminded me of the prison in the movie Face-Off with Nicholas Cage. It was shiny and long, but there was a stamp of fear and danger in it.
                  My phone buzzed with another text- Mom, probably- but I ignored it. Didn’t want to give them the idea that I was calling the cops or something.
                  But shouldn’t I? Here they were, in the middle of nowhere at night, and one of them had a gun. Could they be conducting a drug deal? Oh no. What if Asher was in the mafia? What if I’d unwittingly disrupted a mafia exchange?
                  But there weren’t enough people here. In the books I’d read, the mafia leaders usually had tons of guards with them. If that was the case, then that begged the question- what in the name of Tinkerbell’s fairy dust was Asher doing?
                  After another few minutes of waiting, Asher gestured for me to start walking down the tunnel. Haha, no. I wasn’t leaving this place unless his sullen butt was following me.
                  Go, he mouthed. Behind him, Trevor sighed loudly. “It’s obvious she’s not gonna leave you behind, Grayson. This isn’t over. Take your girl home. I’ll be in touch.” He began walking backwards, and just before he disappeared into a side door, he winked at me.
                  Gross.
                  Taking my hand, Asher dragged me down the tunnel again, knowing his way in the blackness. I, on the other hand, was fumbling like a blind wombat. That lovely effect was exacerbated by the feel of his fingers wrapped around mine. It was impossible not to respond to him. No matter how much I tried, he was a force to be reckoned with.
                  I almost kissed the ground when we got outside. Oh beautiful sky! Heavenly earth! How I’ve missed you! Asher released my hand like it was on fire while I stretched my arms upwards, gulping lungful after lungful of the night air.
                  “Are you high?” Asher asked as I continued acting like I was indeed high.
                  I ignored him and flounced to my car, giving the hood a smooch. “Get in,” I told him curtly. He raised an eyebrow at my tone but complied nonetheless.
                  The carefree atmosphere melted into tension. I wanted desperately to question to Asher, but I could sense his resistance. He wouldn’t tell me anything if I interrogated him. But what could I do? Whatever he was doing seemed like it was