“Gavin,” she snapped, her voice slicing through the air, “just because we’re friends doesn’t give you the right to insult my husband.” She glared down at him. “Don’t badmouth Alexander!”
Gavin stood up too, hands raised placatingly. “I’m saying this because I care about you. Don’t trust people so easily.”
Mia went very still.
Then she spoke, her voice controlled but cold. “Thank you, Gavin. But from now on, we should keep our distance.” She took a step back. “Meeting like this isn’t appropriate. And I don’t want my husband to misunderstand me.”
She turned and strode toward the exit, her shoulders stiff.
Just before reaching the door, she stopped.
Her fingers curled into fists. Then she spun around, fury blazing in her eyes.
“And my husband isn’t some old man!” she snapped, eyebrows pinched together, her chest heaving. “He’s super rich! Super handsome! Andvery muchin love with me! Hah!”
She let out a sharp, scoffing laugh, tossed her head back, then huffed loudly. Turning on her heel, she stormed out.
“Mia! That’s not what I meant!” Gavin shouted, shoving his chair back as he rushed after her. His foot caught on the leg of the chair—he stumbled, crashing to the floor before scrambling back up in embarrassment. “Mia! Wait for me!”
But Mia didn’t slow down. She pushed through the doors and marched outside, her steps fast, arms folded tightly across her chest.
“Who the hell are you to talk bad about my husband?” she muttered under her breath, teeth clenched. “Old, rich, bad man? Have you even looked at yourself in the mirror, pig face? My husband is a thousand times better looking! How dare you badmouth him in front of me?”
An irritated laugh burst from her lips as she stepped onto the street—
—and froze.
Alexander stood right in front of her, his broad frame cutting off her path like an iron wall. The city lights slid over his sharp features, but there was nothing warm in his expression.
Chapter 7 Hide
Mia startled, halting so abruptly she nearly collided with his chest. Her breath hitched as she took a reflexive step back.
“Mr. Graves? What are you doing here?” she gasped, fingers curling at her sides.
Before she could gather herself, Gavin’s voice rang out from behind her, rushed and strained. “Mia! Just listen to me once—I didn’t mean it like that!”
Alexander’s gaze flicked past her shoulder for half a second, then returned to her. His eyes darkened, the air around him turning cold and oppressive.
In the next heartbeat, his hand shot out. He caught Mia’s wrist and yanked her toward the car parked at the curb. The sudden force made her stumble, her pulse spiking as she struggled to keep up.
Allen reacted instantly, jumping out when he saw them approaching.
Alexander opened the passenger door, guided Mia inside with a firm hand at her waist, then slid into the driver’s seat himself. The lock clicked loudly as he hit the button.
Mia turned toward the window, chest tight, watching the street with wide, anxious eyes.
Outside, Gavin burst out of the restaurant, his steps hurried and unsteady as he scanned the area. “Mia?” he shouted, pacing back and forth, running a hand through his hair. “Mia!”
But the street swallowed his voice.
Inside the car, Alexander’s face hardened—dangerously so. His jaw clenched, muscles in his cheek jumping as he stared straight ahead.
Gavin pulled out his phone. Seconds later, Mia’s phone vibrated in her hand.
She looked down—Gavin’s name flashed on the screen.
Before she could even react, Alexander snatched the phone from her grasp, swiped to accept the call, and hit speaker.
