Chapter 193.

The club was already alive when Kylie and Christian arrived. Music thudded through the walls before they even reached the entrance.

Colored lights swept across the crowd outside.

People were laughing, and talking.

Kylie stood beside Christian, with one hand holding her purse while the other adjusted the strap of her dress.

She looked up at the building Christian had suggested they come to. Then at him.

Christian noticed how she stared at him all round. "Getting creative with an insult?"

She smiled. "I haven’t said anything."

"You were about to."

"I was going to say you look handsome."

He raised an eyebrow. "That’s it?"

"Would you prefer something else?"

"No."

"Good." She started toward the entrance.

Christian followed.

The security at the door recognized him almost immediately.

One of them stepped aside. "Good evening, Mr. Sinclair."

Kylie stopped. She looked at Christian. "Mr. Sinclair?"

He sighed. "What?"

"You’re so fancy."

"I’m not fancy."

"You have people calling you Mr. Sinclair at a nightclub."

The security guard tried not to smile.

Kylie pointed at him. "See? He knows."

Christian shook his head. "Come on, Trouble."

She shoved a middle finger right at his face. Christain gently wrapped his hand around her middle finger, putting it down with a smile.

Kylie rolled her eyes, and slipped her hand through his arm.

"Lead the way, Mr. Sinclair."

He glanced down at her. "You enjoy embarrassing me."

"I enjoy many things."

He smiled.

Inside, the music swallowed them.

Kylie immediately smiled.

The bass moved through the floor. The lights flashed across the crowd. People danced everywhere.

For the first time since the attack, she didn’t feel like she was waiting for something terrible to happen.

She felt alive.

She turned toward Christian. "Drink?"

"One."

She gasped. "One?"

"Responsible."

"You’re boring."

"You’re just recovering."

"I’m not sick."

"I know."

"Then two."

"One."

"Two."

"Kylie."

"Christian."

They stared at each other.

Finally, he sighed. "Two."

She smiled triumphantly. "I knew I liked you."

His expression changed slightly. He couldn’t hide the hope that spread through his chest. It burned through him.

Kylie didn’t notice. Or maybe she did.

She turned toward the bar. "Come on."

Christian followed.

They ordered their drinks.

Kylie lifted hers.

Christian lifted his. "To what?"

She thought about it. "To surviving."

Christian’s smile faded for half a second. Then he lifted his glass. "To surviving."

Their glasses touched.

Kylie withdrew hers, and took a sip.

Christian did the same.

She made a face. "That’s strong."

"You chose it." He reminded her, his expression perfectly normal. "You don’t have to finish it."

She narrowed her eyes. "Are you doubting me?"

"I’m protecting you from yourself."

She took another sip, and then another.

Christian watched her. "Slow down."

"I am drinking slowly."

"You just took three sips at once."

"Three is slow."

"According to who?"

"Me." She smiled at him. "You’re cute when you’re worried."

"I’m not worried." He shrugged, putting on an act.

"You are."

"I’m cautious."

"Same thing."

Christian shook his head.

Kylie smiled into her glass. She leaned toward him. "You know what’s funny?"

"What?"

She shook her head. "I’ve been wanting to kiss you since you walked through my bedroom door but I don’t want to ruin my lip gloss."

Christian rasied both brows at her. He leaned slightly closer. "You.... We can still kiss. I know it’s in your bag. If it isn’t then I go down the street to get one."

Her smile faltered for a second. Then she looked away. "That’s cheesy."

"Still true."

She took another sip. "You’re getting better at this."

"At what?"

"Being annoying."

He raised a brow at her. "Were you teasing me about the kiss?"

She laughed, and said nothing.

The second drink came.

Kylie looked at it. Then she turned to Christian. "Last one."

They clinked glasses again.

Kylie took a sip.

Christian watched her smile widen as the music changed. Her eyes lit up. She turned toward the dance floor.

"Oh."

Christian followed her gaze.

The beat had changed, and the crowd moved with it.

Kylie looked back at him. "Come on."

He didn’t move. "Where?"

She stared at him, in shock. "You’re kidding."

"I’m not."

"You brought me to a club."

"I brought you here because you wanted to come."

"And now you’re standing there like someone’s grandmother."

Christian laughed. "I’m not dancing in a club."

"Yes, you are."

"No."

Kylie put her glass down. She held out her hand. "Come on."

Christian stared at it. "Kylie."

"Christian." She grabbed his hand. "Tonight you dance."

She pulled.

Christian resisted for exactly two seconds, and then he followed.

Kylie smiled. She stepped onto the dance floor, and Christian stayed close.

The music grew louder.

Kylie began moving with it.

At first, Christian simply watched.

He watched her confidence, her smile, and the way she threw herself into the music without caring who was watching.

There was something almost reckless about her tonight. But it wasn’t the reckless kind that came from not caring about herself.

It was different.

It was the kind that came from deciding she was allowed to enjoy being alive.

Christian’s chest tightened.

He had seen Kylie scared. He had seen her exhausted. He had seen her lying in a hospital bed, pale and bruised, pretending she wasn’t frightened.

This was the girl he had wanted to see again. Her laughter, her spark, her bright eyes, and her bangs.

She caught him staring.

Christian stepped closer. "How can you be this gorgeous?"

Kylie blinked.

The question was so simple but it left her without a comeback.

She stepped away from him, snaked her hands around her slender body, moved her hips, and started dancing again.

Christian watched her in awe for another moment. Then he moved closer. His hands settled carefully at her waist from behind.

Kylie took in a sharp breath, and glanced down. Her back rested lightly against his chest.

She lifted her head a bit to meet his eyes. "People are watching." She whispered.

"They very much should." Christian’s hands remained at her waist. "No one here is fit to worship the ground you walk on. I’ll be honoured if they watch."

Kylie swallowed softly. "You speak too highly of me." She turned away from him, and faved forward, moving to the music.

Christain said nothing. Rather, he softly placed a fethering kiss at the back of her head.

No one said anything for the next few minutes. The musics changed from upbeat to blues the moment they moved their bodies.

Christain gave the DJ a light nod, and moved with the music.

Kylie chuckled when he missed a beat. "You really can’t dance."

"I never said I could." He smiled. "Maybe the music is wrong."

She turned her head. "You’re blaming the music?"

"Absolutely."

She laughed, then turned back around. Her hands rested on his shoulders now.

"You know what?" She asked, searching his eyes.

"What?"

"We look good together."

Christian looked down at her. He looked directly into her eyes. "Us?"

Her smile softened. "I was just saying."

Christain exhaled lightly. He shut his eyes for a second, and parted them slowly. "Don’t ’just’ say things like that, Kylie. You know my feelings for you."

For a moment, the noise around them disappeared.

Kylie didn’t know what to say. So she didn’t say anything.

She simply stayed close.

Christian’s hand moved slightly along her waist as they danced.

"Are you happy tonight?" Christain broke the silence.

She lifted her hands from his shoulders, and touched his cheek. She held his gaze for a few second. "I’m happy because I’m here."

Christian covered her hand with his.

"And because you came." She added.

His eyes held hers.

She smiled.

Then the music changed again.

Kylie laughed. "Come on."

"Where?"

"You’re learning." She pulled him deeper into the crowd.

And this time, Christian didn’t complain.

They danced. This time, they really danced.

Kylie spun beneath his arm. Christian caught her hand quickly.

She laughed as he pulled her back toward him. She bumped into his chest.

"Careful." Christain cautioned.

"I’m perfectly careful."

"You almost fell."

"I was testing you." She grinned. "Seeing how fast you could follow the beat."

He shook his head. "You are impossible."

"And you like me anyway."

Christian’s smile faded into something softer. "Yeah."

Kylie shook her head at him.

He didn’t look away. "Yeah," he repeated.

Kylie swallowed. She rested her hands against his chest, and she simply continued dancing.

Around them, the crowd moved.

.......

By the time they left the club, the city had quieted. Not completely.

New York never truly slept, but the streets were calmer.

The air was cooler.

Kylie stepped outside and immediately breathed deeply. "Oh my God."

Christian turned at her. "What is it?"

"It’s cold."

"You wore a dress."

She glared at him. "I noticed."

"You could have brought a jacket."

"I didn’t want one."

Christian glanced toward the curb.

A car was waiting.

Kylie shook her head. "No."

Christian stopped. "What?"

"No car."

"It’s late."

"We’re walking."

"Why?"

"I want to."

"You’ve been dancing for hours."

"And?"

"And your feet."

"My feet are fine."

Christian looked down at her heels, then back at her.

"Kylie."

"What?"

"Those shoes are going to kill you."

"They’re comfortable."

"They’re heels."

"Comfortable heels." She corrected him.

"Then why are you walking like that?"

She stopped. "What do you mean?"

He pointed at her feet. "You’ve been limping for the last five minutes."

"I have not."

"You have."

"No."

"Blue."

She sighed. "Fine." She looked down. "Maybe a little."

"A little?"

"Don’t exaggerate."

Christian looked at the road again. "We’re taking the car."

"No."

"Kylie."

"We need a stroll."

"You’ve had a stroll."

"Not enough."

"We’ve been walking for thirty minutes."

She looked at him.

"Really?"

"Yes."

She smiled. "See? Time flies."

"Your feet don’t agree." He said with concern.

"They’ll recover."

He stared at her quietly. "Why did you wear shoes that hurt?"

She looked genuinely confused by the question. "They don’t hurt."

"They do."

She shrugged. "They’re comfortable standing shoes."

Christian shook his head. "I give up."

Kylie let out a sigh of relief. They kept walking.

Five minutes later, she slowed.

Christian noticed immediately. "Enough."

"I’m fine."

"You’re not."

"I am."

"Kylie."

She waved him off. "I’m fine."

He looked at her.

She took another step, and then she unconciously winced.

Christian didn’t say anything.

Kylie looked at him. "What?"

He simply bent down.

Before she could understand what he was doing, one arm slipped behind her knees and the other around her back.

He lifted her off the ground.

Kylie gasped. "Christian!"

He straightened easily. "What?"

"Put me down."

"No."

"Christian."

"You can walk when your feet stop hurting."

"My feet don’t hurt."

He gave her a look.

She sighed. "Fine."

She wrapped one arm around his neck to steady herself. "This is embarrassing." She mumured.

"Why?"

"Because someone could see."

"So?"

"They’ll think I’m helpless." She said seriously.

Christian looked down at her as he walked on. "I don’t think you’re helpless."

"Then why are you carrying me?"

"Because you don’t have to be helpless for someone to carry you."

That silenced her.

"Okay." She finally nodded.

He glanced at her. "Okay?"

"Okay." She agreed quietly, as she settled more comfortably in his arms.