What Is Mine!!

(KAIRA'S POV)

I noticed the smirk that Van threw at Slade as we walked away. It made me feel sick to my stomach but I shoved it down and acted like a big girl on the dance floor.

My seat was right in front and so at that, I could see Slade very well. He had his eyes fixed on me like two beads, never losing focus.

Each time we locked gazes, my throat went dry, I forgot how to move my feet and I kept on telling myself each time, that I would never look again. I always looked.

Dancing with Van didn't feel good. His hands were in the appropriate places but there was something about the way he raised his shoulders high and wore an egoistic expression on his face that annoyed me.

But when I remembered I was doing this to piss off Slade, I got a little sense of victory.

"You lied about not knowing how to dance." Van said with an impressed grin on his face after the music ended and we stepped apart.

I did lie about being a bad dancer but I didn't tell him that.

"You're a good dancer." I said, starting to walk back to my chair.

"The best of the best." He boasted as he followed me closely behind.

I said nothing and simply nodded my head in response. I wanted to walk to my seat without him following me. Or maybe he was just being a gentleman? Escorting me back? I really hoped so.

"I think that now that you are part of the family, you can come for dance lessons if you want. I have a private teacher, he's exceptional." He said, leaning forward so that I could hear him clearer.

But the phrase 'part of the family' echoed in my head.

Part of the Horton Family.

"Kay." I managed to say, relieved at the sight of my empty seat and dreading to look beside it. But I couldn't hold back. I checked and not Slade, Erica was seated on his chair, legs crossed, hand in the air while the other held a glass of champagne elegantly. She was clearly doing a lot of talking but she stopped when she saw me and a smile lit her features.

"Well, there she is." She welcomed, dropping the glass on the table as she held her hand out to mine.

I noticed Slade then, like a statue standing behind her chair in a fixed position except his eyes which followed every movement I made and made it hard to breathe.

"Ugh! You look amazing." She smacked and then urged me to sit down.

"You look so beautiful too." I said wistfully.

She looked like a doll, a perfect doll. Her deep brown hair was shimmering into a pretty ponytail.

"Thanks, baby." She said, giving my shoulder a gentle rub. "Anyway, you need to leave now."

I frowned. "I'm sorry. What?" I looked from her to Slade, his expression gave nothing away.

I turned back to her.

"What's going on?"

"Yeah, what's going on?" Van said with a shaky voice from behind.

Erica looked up at him with a thunderous pair of eyes.

"Don't you dare fuck with me, Van." She warned, her voice controlled and her finger pointing at him.

"Erica—"

"Shut up." She hissed. Her voice was very low but audible enough and as sharp as her gaze. "I told you to tell Slade to take Kaira to the dance floor and you ended up taking her to dance yourself."

I turned to Van, he had his palm spread on his chest. "I thought—"

"I had my reasons, now please get lost." She warned at him, her friendly personality was suddenly nonexistent.

Van was hesitant, staring at me. Then he looked up at Erica and threw a glare at Slade before he walked away.

Erica cleared her throat. "I am so sorry about that, Kaira." She said sweetly. "That's Van, my first cousin, and he is… annoying."

I let my eyes briefly rest on Slade. He wasn't looking at me. My fingers grasped one another. He had his eyes glued on me on the dance floor but now, he was acting like I wasn't present.

"Slade is going to have to take you and then you'll both leave the wedding." She stated like it was the next on the agenda.

I gave Slade another glance, he looked unfazed. It was definitely not the first time he was hearing this.

I shifted in my seat. "I don't understand at all. Why do I have to dance with him? And why am I leaving the wedding?"

"Because our family is a huge piece of shit. Your step-uncles and a few other relatives aren't pleased with the wedding." She said with a guilty look on her face. "They want to invite you to their table after the toast. An aunt of ours, Natasha, heard about it and has asked that you be taken away."

I sighed. Day one and I was already having to deal with unfriendly relatives.

"Wow." The word escaped my lips.

"Don't worry about them, Kaira. They don't like anyone." Erica tried to make me feel better. "Besides, I can't wait to make a report to Uncle Tom. He's going to be so mad at everyone who had a hand in this."

She was rubbing my shoulder calmly.

"It's okay." I told her with a smile even though I didn't feel so great.

She nodded her head at me. "Slade's friends didn't come for the reception, they have been at the tree house after the wedding. So you'll hang out with them for just some time and then I'll come to get you." Erica tried peering at me.

"Sure." I said.

She rubbed my arm gently and walked away. I had been staring at my lap but then I saw a big palm in front of my eyes. I looked up.

It belonged to Slade.

His expression was unreadable, almost sculpted into place.

"We must dance. Now."

I said nothing even though I wished I could speak. I placed my hand on his and shivered slightly. It wasn’t from cold but it was from the weight of his palm against mine and from the way my skin remembered his hands from yesterday. Last night, at the lake house…

I couldn't look at him. Not even as he led me to the dance floor.

When we got to a good space, he bowed, while I curtsied.

Then, he took my hand again. His other hand went around my waist, slowly settling on the small of my back.

I felt my breath seizing with every slight movement.

He leaned forward and his hot breath fanned my neck, spreading heat to my cheeks while I melted away in his hands.

"Don't ever let anyone else take what's mine."

He pulled me in to his chest and I gasped in a shocked response.

Did he just say his?