“What’s wrong?”she asked.
He glanced at the driver.“Not here.”
“All right.Do you still want to go out and eat?”
“Of course.”
The rest of the trip was in silence, and not too long later, they were dropped off at a very expensive restaurant.The valet opened her door but before he could help her exit the car, James was there.He took hold of her hand and then placed it in the crook of his elbow as they entered the intimate bistro.
Her fiancé looked devastatingly handsome in his dark blue suit.He didn’t wear a tie.Instead, the two buttons at his throat were undone.They didn’t even need to say their names.The hostess immediately bid them to follow her.Gazes followed them, recognition dawning on their faces, and she knew this would be her life going forward.Kleya had no doubt that James would ascend to lead the Coalition, and she would be standing right beside him.
They were escorted to a private room.A chandelier softly illuminated the area in warm light, contrasting with dark Wainscotting on the wall.Delicate Flora Danica dinnerware lay on the table.The hostess handed them gold embossed menus.
“A bottle ofDomaine Leflaive Les Folatieresplease.2022.”
“Very good, sir.”The server nodded her head and then left them alone.
Kleya leaned closer.“What happened this evening?”
“Someone took a pot shot at me in the garage.”
Her eyes widened.“What?”
“Coward thew a flashbang at me,” he continued.“I injured him, but the bastard got away.I figured I should err on the side of caution and have my car checked for a bomb.”
“A bomb!”Fear for him filled her.“Oh, my God.”
The server came back so they stopped talking long enough for her to pour each a glass.They placed their order for dinner, and then the server collected the menus and left them once again.
“Do you want to break the engagement?”
She blinked.“What?No.Why would you ask that?”
“I just told you someone wants me dead,” he replied.“Thought you might get scared.”
“You thought I’d abandon you because I might be scared?”
“It is a logical assessment.”
She didn’t say anything for a long moment, but she looked him directly in the eye, to make sure he saw her resolve.“I won’t abandon you.You wanted a partnership, as do I, so I will be by your side through thick and thin.”
Despite what had happened, he seemed cool, calm and collected, and it made her realize he was a man who always held himself together.Panic wasn’t in his vocabulary.Something like a bomb in his car or someone shooting at him, wasn’t going to crack that veneer of strength and character.
He leaned forward on his elbows.“I want to make it perfectly clear that our future together will be based on respect and loyalty.Not romance and not love.Those are fantasy emotions.”
Part of her was disappointed by his words, but she understood the bigger picture.Acknowledged that this was not a love match.
“Respect is important to me,” she stated, choosing her words carefully.“My loyalty is without hesitation.Many marriages have been based on less, so I agree with what you’ve said.”
He nodded his head once, sealing their destiny.
Kleya sat back and studied him.A hint of a tattoo teased the edges of his shirt, and she wondered what the rest of him looked like.Did he have tattoos everywhere?The couple of men she had briefly dated had been stuffy clones of her father, so they never had anything marring their pasty-white skin.Nor did they possess one ounce of personality.
“You’re staring,” he said, even while focusing his own gaze on her.
“Just trying to figure you out,” she replied.“You seem unfazed by what happened tonight.”
“I expected this.”
