My jaw drops. The lady squeals at her victory and everyone claps, except me. I’m horrified. I feel like she just hired him for services, which kind of makes this event seem dirty. Ugh.
The DJ takes over and the music starts and everyone goes back to mingling, drinking and dancing.
“Sweetie, come meet my boss.”
“I will in a moment, I promise,” I say and reach up and kiss his cheek to lessen the blow. “I just have to speak with Alex.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want him to feel obligated to go on a date with that woman,” I explain. “He wasn’t for sale.”
Victor scoffs and gives my back a condescending little rub. “Honey, it’s not like he’s some innocent virgin. The man is a professional athlete.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means he has done worse than put out in the name of charity,” Victor replies and kisses the top of my head. “I’m going to offer my boss a cigar. I’ve got the expensive Cuban kind he likes.”
I nod but he doesn’t see it. He’s already walking away. I make my way into the house because Alex is no longer standing in the corner looking broody with his scotch. I find Len in the dining room. She grabs my arm. “That was the woman who said she’d do anything for the Barons package, but in the end it’s Alex who will have to do anything.”
She laughs. I don’t. My stomach twists. “Speaking of, have you seen him?”
She points down the long hall toward the front door. “He went that way.”
“Thanks.” I turn and leave even though I know she’s about to say something else. I need to find him.
He’s standing in the hall, beside the staircase, talking to Luc. I walk over and try to give them both an easy smile, but it must look as tight as it feels because Luc asks, “Everything all right?”
“Yes, but do you mind if I steal Alex for a minute?”
He nods. “Sure thing. I’m going to go find Rose anyway.”
Luc walks into the living room and I turn and look up at Alex. His expression is relaxed, but I know mine isn’t. “I just wanted to let you know I don’t expect you to go out with that woman.”
He looks perplexed. “But she won.”
I nod and smooth my hair. “Yes, but you weren’t on the auctioning block. I’m not comfortable with this.”
He laughs. It’s this deep, somehow cocky sound. “Brie, I’m a big boy. I have been used for sex more than once in my life. I’m okay with it. In fact, I prefer it.”
“Sex?” I blurt out the word way too loudly. Panicked, I glance around. No one seems to have noticed. I lower my voice. “No one is saying you have to have sex with her!”
His laugh gets deeper and louder. An older couple holding martinis at the end of the hall look up. So does the waiter walking by. This is so not a conversation we should continue in public. Not knowing what else to do I open the door to the powder room, grab his wrist and pull him inside. I grope for the light as soon as the door is shut and flip it on. I’m startled to find a stricken look on his rugged face. Not startled, or confused by my actions but…anguished. Like he’s about to have a panic attack.
“Alex?”
“Let me out,” he demands in a voice so deep and choked I don’t even recognize it. I take a step back.
He turns away from me and fumbles for the door handle. I feel this overwhelming need to comfort him so I reach out and touch his shoulder. “Alex. What’s wrong?”
He jerks away from my touch and flings the door open, stumbling out into the hall. Now people are really staring. He doesn’t seem to notice as he storms off. I stand in the open door watching his retreating back and I realize “storm” isn’t the right word. Flee. He’s fleeing.
Dear God, what happened to him?
Chapter 8
Alex
Imove like lightning through the house, onto the deck and then I keep going. It’s an oceanfront house, thank God, because I don’t even think the expansiveness of their driveway or street would be open enough to quell this hard, cold fear clogging my veins and filling my lungs. I find the stairs to the sand and run down them. My feet sink into the sand and I stumble. I close my eyes and force a deep breath into my lungs.
