A Familiar Dance, A New Danger

VANESSA

I reluctantly placed my hand in Roman's, immediately regretting it as electricity shot up my arm. The crowd cheered, completely oblivious to the storm raging inside me.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I whispered through clenched teeth.

Roman's eyes darkened. "Not particularly."

The photographer positioned us in the center of the dance floor. A chair appeared, and I was instructed to sit while Roman knelt before me, holding the garter.

My cheeks burned as he took my foot in his hand. The touch was formal, clinical almost, but my body betrayed me with a shiver. Roman noticed. Of course he did. He slid the garter just above my ankle, fingers skimming my skin.

"Higher!" someone called from the crowd.

"No thanks," I muttered.