Page 28 of Silk Shadow

"Yes."

His gaze flickered over her dress, but he didn't comment.

They went downstairs to the hotel bar. Him first, surveying the corridor, the elevator, and the lobby, before she stepped into it. He looked sexy as hell bursting out of that black suit, with a matching black shirt underneath exposing just a glimpse of his tanned chest, but she knew the Kevlar vest was beneath it, and that he was armed.

Women turned to stare.

She couldn’t help but feel smug that this Adonis of a man was with her. In her slinky silver dress, they made quite a pair, and she almost took his arm like she would any of her other male admirers, only just stopping herself in time. Holy hell, that was close. She must get a hold of herself.

"There you are!" Emily rushed over. "Look who I found."

Izzy broke into a practiced smile. "Hello, Robert."

"Darling!" He embraced her, kissing her on both cheeks. "I hope you don't mind me turning up early. It was the only time I could get away."

Viper bristled beside her.

"No, of course not. It's lovely to see you."

"Who is this?" Robert eyed Viper, and not in a good way. Oh, he kept his cool—of course he would, it was Robert—but she didn’t miss the flash of jealousy in his gaze.

"This is my bodyguard, Viper. Viper, this is Robert Hampton-Barnes, CEO of Omega Enterprises." She used Robert's full title to give his ego a boost. Standing next to the towering Viper, he needed all the help she could give him.

As expected, Robert puffed out his chest, although it still fell pathetically short of Viper’s, who wasn’t even trying. The differences didn't end there. While Robert was lithe and slender, cutting a fine figure in a tailored suit, Viper was broad and muscular, exuding a powerful energy that was hard to ignore. Robert was all dignified calm, while Viper simmered with a dangerous, but controlled aggression.

"Bodyguard? Surely you don't need him tonight. We'll be on Casper's yacht. Give him the night off."

"I'm afraid that's out of the question, sir," Viper said.

Robert put his arm around her. "She'll be fine, she's with me."

"It's okay, Robert," Izzy cut in. The two men were glaring at each other. "He can come."

Robert's mouth straightened into a thin line. "As you wish, darling."

Izzy wished he wouldn't call her darling, although it was almost worth it to see the way Viper's lips compressed into a thin line when he did. Was her personal protection officer jealous? Was she finally getting a reaction out of him?

Robert bought them a drink, while Viper stood a few feet away. She stood side-on to him, so she couldn't see his expression, but by the way Emily kept glancing nervously at him, she knew he was glaring daggers at her.

"What have you done to piss him off?" her friend whispered, when Robert moved away a little to greet someone else. "He looks like he’s about to explode."

"He's not happy about this party," Izzy confided, although that was only half the truth. Robert had encroached on his territory by insisting she give him the night off. He hadn't liked that.

"Too bad," sang Emily. "It'll be fun. You could do with letting your hair down a bit. He'll just have to deal with it."

Robert came back and slipped an arm around her waist. She was used to it. Ever since her father had died, he'd treated her like a little girl who needed protection. Used to the attention, it had never occurred to her to mind, but when she turned around and saw Viper's blazing gaze, she swallowed and took a step back.

"What's wrong?" Robert asked her.

"Nothing." She forced a smile. "It’s warm in here, isn’t it?"

He shrugged and carried on talking.

When she glanced back at Viper, he was staring over her head at the wall behind her.

CHAPTER 12

Viper was seething, but he fought hard not to show it. Adaptability was his middle name, but he preferred knowing the plans in advance. It made it easier to anticipate the risks.

---