Behind me is a young man, all black with a headset and a very red face. That makes two of us.
He clears his throat again. "My apologies for interrupting, but Mr. Karim needs to leave and he'd like a word before he goes."
Carter's thumb moves once against my wrist before he answers. "Tell him I'll be there in thirty seconds."
Steve practically salutes, turns on his heel and goes away.
Carter looks at me and sighs. "I’m sorry, I really need to speak with this man. We are thinking of a new project in Morocco. I need five minutes."
"Go," I say. "I'll be here."
He kisses me once more, brief and certain, and then he goes.
I lean back against the bar and press my champagne flute to my cheek, trying to cool down. I can still feel my body thrum with emotions.
To distract myself I watch the party. Now it’s in full flow, with people gathering, laughing andswaying to the music.
A hand closes around my wrist and I feel a pull.
When I look to see who it is I find William looking at me with a strange intensity.
"You're coming with me.” He demands. “Now!".
29
SIENNA
His grip is not hurting as he pulls me through the crowd
Not tight enough to bruise, not rough enough to make me stumble. Just certain. He is ahead of me, pulling, and I am trying to keep up in the heels, focused on not falling, on not making a scene out of this in front of all these people who would love to have something to talk about tomorrow.
People look at us as we pass. A man in a dark suit glances over, glances away. A woman near the bar tracks us with her eyes. I force my face into something smooth and keep moving. Nothing to see. We are fine. I am not going to be the girl who causes a scene at the Vanta anniversary party.
I don't know where he is taking me.
We exit the main floor through a side door and the party noise drops behind us. A hallway, low light. Then a short flight of stairs going up. I miscalculate the first step and my heel catches and I pitch forward.
William stops. He turns and in one motion he has both hands on my arms, steadying me. The look I see in his eyes is hot and intent.
"William—"
He doesn’t let me finish. He turns back around, takes my wrist and we keep moving.
Up the stairs. A short corridor. A door.
He opens it, pulls me through after him.
The room is small and dark except for the screens. A whole wall of them, security footage cycling through on maybe a dozen monitors. Two men at desks, both looking up when we come in. On the opposite wall, a large window takes up the entire length of it. And through it I can see the party below.
"Get out," William says, not raising his voice.
Both men stand. One of them looks quickly at me on his way past, and then they are gone. The door closes and we are alone.
I pull my wrist free.
William lets go without resistance.
I take two steps back putting some space between us and I can feel myself getting angry. Genuinely angry.
