C5 Chapter 5

It was Romano Anderson, standing proud with his hand reaching for mine. It was prepared to swoop in and take me for a dance one I surely was prepared for, and it was clear he wasn't going to take a no for an answer. I hesitated for a long, unobstructed minute and was still uncertain when every nerve in my body forced my hand to move over his. How could I not?

Fingers twisted around one and another. I pushed myself off the seat and stood up. Our eyes connected and there was zip as if my heart had just taken a leap toward an unknown territory, one I never wanted to go into again. I lowered my gaze to his hand and his thick fingers curling around mine.

"There are many other women you could have chosen to dance with," I said, returning to reality. Raising my free hand, I gently placed it over his shoulder while his arm snaked around my waist, and he pulled me onto the wooden dancefloor.

Eyes hovered over him, a few of them were full of jealousy and a few of them were full of surprise. I didn't give much thought.

"Other women don't interest me." He replied in a few seconds, wasting no time.

I got a closer look at his beautiful, well-structured face. was certainly molded by sacred hands.

Everything about him was perfect, from his eyes to the way his jaw muscles moved when he smiled was simply and utterly perfect. I admired him closely like every other girl.

"So, I interest you?" I raised my brow while dancing along to the loud melody spread across the mayor's house. It was slow dancing, something I had done a lot of times and enjoyed it.

"You do."

I looked at him for another long minute before letting out a burst of loud laughter and throwing my head back in disbelief. Either he was trying to get between my legs, or he was simply wronged by his own intuition. "I don't interest myself. How could I possibly seem interesting to you?" It had to be a joke.

This all had to be.

His lips lined straight, slowly turning into a frown at my response. He peered over my shoulders and sighed before returning his glance at me. "I take you are not fond of compliments?" He asked. His body moved closer to mine. Our flesh almost mingled but the risk was too much. I scolded myself for thinking about another man while I had just gotten out of a miserable relationship. It was too quick. And the last thing I wanted was another heartbreak. But what if I didn't put my heart into it?

"I am. Just not from a man like you." I replied while setting myself a little looser. It wasn't a terrible idea just to mingle and do whatever life sent at me. Last night, a wolf's mouth was over my body, and maybe tonight, a man's mouth could be over my body.

Who knew?

"Why?"

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"I didn't catch your name." He changed the topic almost immediately, showing more interest. What was it about me? I grew uncertain at Mr Romano's sudden approaches. "And I'm assuming you're not originally from here, are you?"

"Too many questions..." I squeezed his shoulder and he returned with the same energy on my waist. It was sure he wanted to take me back into the limousine he had arrived in and show me the stars. But did I want that? Yes.

"And you're not going to answer?" He whispered and his magnificent eyes dulled.

"Valerie." I replied, giving him my name.

"That's a beautiful name." He pulled me closer at the same time the rhythm of the music dropped.

Everyone was occupied into themselves and their dance partners, but a few eyes were on the both of us.

After all, it's an unusual scene.

"I came here shortly after my parents passed away. My Aunt has been living here for a very long time and I live with her." I spilled open without a single thought. Romano was a stranger, but I found myself opening without any fear. Maybe it was just the fact I was finally single now.

It was exactly six years ago when mny parents were murdered at my old house. I was at the tender age of fourteen then and their death left a great trauma that I knew I had to deal with for the rest of my life. Soon, I came to Dartford where my aunt lived, and ever since then, she had been taking care of me in every way possible. She enrolled me in a high school and gave me all the love and care as my parents would've given me.

Yet it wasn't enough.

I missed them.

"I assumed. Well, I hope you love being here. It's a nice town but sometimes, things can get dirty around here." He said, giving me sort of a warning.

The only thing dirty around here was the mass number of drugs being passed out without any control. Anyone could get their hands on it, and it was completely normal to find someone on the street dead with a drug overdose. A lot of deaths occurred and most of them were ruled suicides and overdoses when clearly, they were planned out murders.

The town had something dark but even after living here for six years, I couldn't understand what it was.

"Is that the reason why you left this town?" I questioned.

"No," Romano shook his head. "There is a whole world out there, waiting to be explored and seen. This is barely anything." He gestured at the mayor's house and the people around us that were common faces I would see every day. "You just need to have the will to live." The corners of

his mouth curled into a smile, and he continued.

Before I could respond to Romano, the golden lights switched on and the dark silent dancing hour was over. The music inside the house changed and people laughed and chattered on their way to the drinks and dinner. I stopped dancing and slipped my hands away from Romano's body, but he grabbed my wrist and took me toward the bar.

It was clear he was looking for a fling so was I. It was the greatest opportunity I had to move on from my breakup and mend my heart a little.

Ryan was also going to get a taste of his own medicine when he was going to learn who's bed I had made.

Perfect.

A smile hovered over my face as we reached the bar and grabbed a drink.

"Cheers!" My glass clicked with his before I took a sip of the bitter drink mixed with a juice. The taste died down after taking a few more gulps and my eyes then returned toRomano as I leaned over the bar. "So, what are you really doing here? I've heard a rumor or two and it appears to me that you don't like being here."

"This place " His head swirled as he looked around. "It makes me lose control of myself, it brings the worst out of me but I needed to come back. I'm required to look for something and once it's found, I should be on my way back to the city."

Romano responded while sipping on his drink. There was a mystery in his eyes, and I had the urge to know what he was that was.

"Maybe I can help you look for it?" I offered in a Sweet gesture.

"You can't. It's something I have to seek by myself for myself."