“I’m sorry, Arabelle, but I must cut our dinner short. Business has come up.”
“Oh!” I wipe my mouth with the table napkin and toss it on the plate. “It’s no problem. I have a photo shoot tomorrow, anyway, so I need to get some sleep.”
“I want to get some things straight about our engagement and any other concerns you may have. But we can talk about those another time,” he says, standing. “I would like for us to get married as soon as possible.”
He takes his wallet out of his back pocket, counts out several bills, and then casually tosses them onto the table.
“Wait. What’s the rush?”
He pulls my chair out, and I stand.
“I would like us to get to know each other first. This is a big step for both of us.”
“How about we discuss this more over dinner in the next few days? Do you think you can work me into your schedule?”
I release a breath. I’m glad he’s open to talking about our arrangement more instead of jumping right into a marriage.
“I’ll make the time.”
“Great. Hugo will take you home.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can call a rideshare. It’s no problem.”
He shakes his head. “From now on, Hugo will take you wherever you need to go. Now that you’re my fiancée, my men will always be around you.”
“That’s not necessary, Florian. No one other than my father even knows about this. I really think you are overreacting.”
When we exit the private dining room and walk through the restaurant, I don’t miss the curious glances from patrons. More than likely, they recognize Florian. We return to the hostess station. I retrieve my cashmere wrap, which Florian helps place around my shoulders, and my clutch.
We stop on the sidewalk in front of a blacked-out Range Rover. Standing by the rear door of the vehicle is a tall man wearing a black button-down shirt and dark gray slacks, with a scar running down the left side of his face.
“You can’t argue with me on this, Beauty,” he says. “I have enemies. This is for your safety and my peace of mind.”
I look at the man with the scar, who I assume is Hugo, then back to Florian and sigh. “Okay.”
I’m used to doing things on my own, but if he feels safer with someone driving me, then I’ll let Hugo drive me around. At least, for now.
The man unlocks the door, and I slip into the back seat.
“Hugo will take you wherever you need to go.”
“Thank you, Florian.”
As he edges closer, I entertain the thought that he might actually kiss me. The eagerness to feel his lips on mine shocks me. I lean in, but instead of his lips touching mine, he kisses my forehead. Disappointment washes over me.
“Now isn’t the time for that,” he says, reading the disappointed look on my face. “But soon. I’ll call you.”
He takes a step back and firmly closes the door. Perhaps this marriage won’t be as terrible as I thought. At least, in the charming and handsome department, Florian checks all theboxes, but something lurks just beneath the surface of that calm exterior. Something dangerous. I’m not so sure my heart will survive it.
15
Florian
It only takes me half an hour to reach the warehouse in Hell’s Kitchen. When I arrive, both Asva and Alrick are already waiting. When I received the call from Alrick while I was with Arabelle, I was beyond livid. I can’t stand interruptions, and that was the first time we were alone together like a normal couple. I wanted to get to know her outside of what I’ve had my men dig up on her or what Hugo can tell me by following her every move. I’m interested in getting to know her. The real her.
But duty calls.
“What do we have?” I ask as soon as I step out of the car.
