Ayden’s got a wicked pissed but triumphant look on his face. “I told you that you were being stupid gunning across the city with a man you don’t know anything about. Well guess what, Heidi, he sold you out. There’s three paps pulling into the carpark now.”
“What?” I scoff. “There’s no way Kairo did that.”
“How do you explain the media showing up now then?” He laughs, like a prick.
“I don’t know, but it wasn’t him,” I snap back, my anger making me throw my hands around.
He takes a step forward, like he’s going to nab me, but I take a purposeful step away. Ayden lost the right to touch me a long time ago. Unintentionally in the process, I take a step in the direction Kairo went. But maybe it was intentional.
Bradley barks something at Ayden, calling him to heel, and it surprisingly works. Bradley approaches in a more passive, softer way, though it’s still full of an expectation that I heel. “An emergency board meeting has been called for the morning, Heidi. And, Ayden was right, there are three cars pulling into the carpark full of photographers and journalists. It would be better for all of us if we leave now.”
“Why has a meeting been called?” I demand, barely stopping a screech as a flash of anger coats me. I roll my shoulders, trying to release the growing pressure.
“Well, I’m sure we will find out. Let’s go,” he says, the challenge in his eyes and posture leaves me little wiggle room.
“I want to know why a meeting has been called first, Bradley,” I insist.
I hate the way they treat me like a child, but I am well beyond admonishing them for it, because they never fucking listen.
Unsurprisingly, Ayden snaps another mocking laugh before he glares at me. “Because you getting sold at an auction by a pack we don’t have intel on is a bit of an issue, Heidi.” The sarcasm he uses is as sharp as a blade of glass. “What is with you? You’re usually slightly more astute than you have been tonight. Honestly, the way you’re acting up is a bigger concern than you being seen in public in what you are currently wearing. Do you remember you are a Verdune?”
His words are purposely aggressive. And hurtful, but I’m not surprised. The man hurt me more than any person alive. He clearly forgets that I survived him then, meaning I can easily soldier through his continual and targeted verbal attacks. I just can’t figure out why they continue.
Still, I look to Bradley to make sure he also caught Ayden’s disrespect, but he won’t look at me which confirms he did. The damage is done, and even though I don’t want to leave I know the way my security will continue to bitch and badger, until I relent.
Brushing my hair back, I flick the hoodie up over my hair before I turn away from them. These two can legitimately fuck off. Instead, I jog over to Kairo who’s already on his way back to me, looking as pissed off as I feel inside.
His whole demeanour changes. And this time he doesn’t even pretend to hide how angry he is. Even his scent is telling, his maple scent is like burnt caramel and the press of his Alpha presence is hard and heavy.
“Can we go? It looks like someone called the paps, and I can’t afford to have photos taken of me.”
Wordlessly, he drops his hand on my lower back, while stepping slightly in front of me like a walking wall. He’s still visibly upset, his eyes are squinting in the distance watching everything, but his hand on me is sweet. Best of all, he’s not handing me off to them because without even talking about it, he naturally assumed I wasn’t quitting on him or our date, just the location.
As we get nearer his car, he talks softly, ensuring no one else can hear. “The cook was telling me something weird is going on. He heard an anonymous tip you were down here on his police scanner.”
My feet lift off the ground as we near the car, and he deposits me in the passenger seat, standing in front of me and blocking me from view.
“Sit tight, pretty girl, I got you,” he says quietly.
In a simple but considered move, he makes it impossible for anyone to get a photo without his back being in it. Reaching past, he turns on the ignition of his Wrangler, before hitting the button to make the electric roof rise again.
“Lean back, seat belt on and stay down,” he says without looking at me, but it doesn’t feel like I’m being railroaded, it feels like I’m being protected.
He flicks his eyebrows up suggestively as I’m lying flat in the passenger seat. “Not quite how I thought our night would end, but you look good lying there waiting for me to climb on top of you. Sadly, not here. But one day, Heidi… on the sand under the moon, just you and me are getting down and dirty.”
“I’m in,” I splutter out ungraciously, feeling all tingly at just imagining him doing what he promised.
I’ve never even held hands outside in public, but all of a sudden, I’m hoping there is beach sex with him in my future. Lots of it too. I rub my legs together.
“Stop,” he barks. But it doesn’t come from a bad place, so it doesn’t feel wrong. “Don’t be naughty and get me in trouble on our first date.”
Without another word, he clicks my seatbelt in place before putting on a cap and a pair of sunglasses himself. And then we’re driving away. It happens fast too. One minute we’re at the beach and I’m thinking of him on the sand, the next we’re peeling out of the carpark, leaving the paps and my security team scrambling.
The further we get from the beach, the more reality sets in and I dig my phone out of my bag to check my messages and emails and there’s nothing from Verdune advising me of the meeting. Which only feeds my growing suspicion Ayden initiated the board meeting and called the paps.
I shoot off a text to Troy as Chairman asking for confirmation a meeting has been called, and then I send a text to Douglas letting him know someone is playing me.
Barely a second later, Douglas lets me know he will meet me at my office before the meeting. Kairo has us already far away from the paps, driving at a speed that makes it impossible for them to catch us.
