His world narrowed to the woman before him. All he saw was her. His heart thumped and blood pumped like thunder through his veins. His skin burned with a tingling heat.
His wolf bounced inside, jubilant. Pushing, pushing Damon to get closer.
It’s her. It’s her. Our mate!
The woman pulled back, planted her hands on her hips, and pierced Damon with an accusatory stare. “Do you always barge your way into crowds and growl at strangers?”
Sophie
The music was so loud, almost drowning out conversation, but that sound was unmistakable. The massive man was impressive, no doubt. But that didn’t excuse his odd behavior.
She hadn’t paid much attention to the people around her as she danced with her roommate Tara, but she’d felt someone staring at her. When she’d glanced out, she’d caught the gaze of a man off the dance floor. He had dark, wavy hair that extended past his chin and dark eyes. His face appeared chiseled, yet that strong jawline gave him a more rugged appearance. A slight bump on his nose indicated he may have been in a fight or two. His intense stare added to the dangerous edge. As he approached her, he stood a head above those he passed. His shoulders were massive, as if he’d been carved out of limestone.
His dark eyes appeared to glow with a golden hue. That wasn’t possible. Her heart thumped, and she swallowed. She blinked twice and focused on him once again. The glow was gone.
She laughed to herself. It had to have been a trick of the lights. Still, she held her breath as he approached. But then some guy stepped right into her personal space and attempted to dance with her. Seconds later, the guy with huge shoulders growled.
Growled?
Who did that? That rumbling sound broke through whatever spell he’d cast with his intense stare from across the dance floor.
She glanced over to Tara, her tall and willowy, blond roommate. Two guys were now dancing with her. That was expected. Guys were drawn to her model looks. Tara didn’t seem to mind. She caught Sophie’s eye, appraised the guy towering beside her, and gave her a nod of approval.
Sophie huffed with exasperation, not that Tara would hear her over the music. She returned her attention to Shoulders.
When he still hadn’t said a word, she said, “Well?” loud enough to be heard over the music. “Do you always growl like that?”
A grin spread across his face, breaking that intimidating look. He leaned closer to her ear. “Only when I see an unworthy guy pushing his way into a beautiful woman’s personal space.”
His warm breath tickled her ear and a delicious shudder rippled over her skin. This gorgeous man calling her beautiful sent a flicker of heat unfurling inside her core. After her recent breakup with her lying, cheating boyfriend, that compliment softened the blow. Tara had convinced Sophie to come out tonight to move on from the betrayal—“You can shake off that scumbag with some wild and free dancing on 80s night!” At this gothic club, that meant the more unusual remixes, including the current Duran Duran version of A View to a Kill.
Sophie arched a brow at Shoulders. “Like you just did?”
Shoulders motioned between them. “Am I invading your personal space?”
She shrugged. It wasn’t that. He stood a respectable few feet away from her, not like the shorter guy who moved dangerously close to dry humping her leg. “No. It was still an odd move.”
Shoulders placed his hand on his impressive chest. “My apologies. I’m not a club guy and I’m out of my comfort zone.”
She could understand that since she was more of a Netflix or hanging in with a hot drink and a good book kind of gal.
“What’s your name?” He assessed her with a long appraising glance—and one that seemed to caress all her curves without touching her.
“Sophie.” She returned the bold stare, assessing his impressive torso, but stopping just before wandering into dangerous territory between his legs. “Yours?”
“Damon.”
She nodded and repeated his name in her head.
“What brought you here tonight, Sophie?”
The image of two naked bodies pulsed in her head as intrusive as the spotlights shining down. That rhythmic slap of flesh on flesh with each of his repeated thrusts from behind, repeating the piercing truth—they betrayed you.
How long had her boyfriend and cousin been sleeping together behind her back? Sophie didn’t want to know. No matter what they told her, it was sure to be a lie.
Enough.
Sophie exhaled and glanced again at this hot stranger. “Escaping reality.”
Damon’s eyes twinkled. “That sounds like an excellent reason to me.” He bent closer and murmured, “I’d like to escape with you.” His voice lowered with dark, velvety promise.
She bit her lip. “Do you consider yourself ‘worthier’ than him?” Her voice had taken on a full-on flirtatious tone, which was so unlike her. She nodded in the direction to where the shorter guy had skittered through the crowd and disappeared.
Damon’s eyes brightened with that amber glow again. “I hope you’ll give me a chance to prove it to you.” He offered his hand. “Dance with me.”
That intense look and seductive voice ignited a fierce reaction inside her she almost didn’t recognize—desire. Her heart thumped with one hard beat after another.
Rendered mute, she merely nodded. She cleared her throat. “Yes.”
She took his hand and heat simmered beneath her skin. His touch seared her with a magnetic, almost magical sensation. Did he feel it, too?
Judging by his rapt expression, the answer was yes. His mouth parted and eyes widened as if in awe.
In the next second, he’d wiped that look
