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She swallows, her eyes way too big and her mouth opening and closing.
“Five seconds, or I walk.”
“Look, you—”
“Danny,” she says, her gaze flitting to the guy, her hand going for his arm again. But she only gave it a quick squeeze before she dropped it back to her side. “Don’t.”
“Scarlett,” the guy with a death wish says, “what’s going on?” His gaze cut to Hudson and I finally look at him.
Blonde, shorter than me, but good looking enough, I suppose. Dressed up, but in a suit that came right off the rack. Not like some of those who I allow to finagle their way in that I swear shop at some bargain basement, but off the rack. I normally don’t tend to judge because talent is talent, and I’m willing to take on rough diamonds here and there. But this one?
I don’t like him.
Don’t trust him.
There’s something familiar about him I can’t put my finger on and that irks me. So do the light brown eyes I suspect usually sparkle with friendliness, but now look at me in suspicion.
He starts to reach out his hand and Scarlett jumps in front of me, tugging me away.
I’m so surprised she’s doing such a thing I let her.
We don’t get far before I sweep her up against me, fingers biting down on the soft warmth of her arm. “Who the fuck is that?”
She swallows.
“You know, Scarlett, I can be nice if I choose and I can also be a complete callous bastard. Don’t bring that out in me. You won’t enjoy it.”
I stop, struggling to get hold of the strange heavy thing that twists inside me.
“Hudson.” Her voice is soft and sweet and beguiling and I narrow my eyes.
She can’t find the words. That’s obviously because she has someone here. No…she wouldn’t dare. This guy, this Danny, has just turned up.
“We have a contract.” I want to tell her she can fuck whomever she wants behind closed doors, but I can’t seem to say those words. Hypocritical maybe, considering that’s my plan and has been since we launched into this a few days ago, but while I’m horny, it’s not for anyone else. “Your public little get-togethers with love interests are a no go, understood?”
She breathes out and her shoulders slump down a little like the tension vibrating has gone.
“I’m sorry,” she said, dipping her head down along with her gaze in a picture of demure innocence I don’t quite believe. “I didn’t know he’d be here. I’ll talk to him—”
“No.” My tone barks a little louder than I’d like and her head jerks up, spots of color lighting her cheeks. She’s enough to steal my breath.
“No,” I repeat, a little cooler and calmer. “Just get rid of him. We have to be careful, that’s all.” I flick a glance at the Rolex. “You have a minute to tell him to get lost. I’ve got people I want you to meet. And, you’re working.”
Satisfied, I pull out my phone and send a text to myself about something that’s come to me. Work soothes. And time is money.
She’s back at my side in less than a minute and that heavy twisting thing abates and I’ve a horrible feeling as I lead her away that it just might be jealousy.
Which is ridiculous.
“It’s all fine,” she says, way too cheerily in that way that almost verges on hysteria.
Someone nearly bumps into her in their haste to get to me—one reason why when I have these things I usually only send my top people. I’m here because I do need to be seen occasionally, and it’s a good opportunity to be seen with her without being seen in a splashy or overt way—and I pull her out of the way.
I leave my hand on her lower back, just to make sure she stays out of the way of others and to let her know when I need to end this conversation, and it’s the only reason.
I chat to the man, and she’s warm and her scent wafts around me. A subtle thing that makes me want to sniff it out, find the source. Maybe she applied perfume on that sweet spot right behind her earlobe. Or perhaps it’s at the base of her throat, or even in between her softly rounded breasts—
Calmly, I shift my mind to the conversation, which is so damn boring it kills any ideas my dick might have of spontaneously growing a boner.
