Page 35 of Red

“What did he mean other girls?” Her green eyes searched him.

“We can talk about that when we get home,” he said softly. And they would. If he was going to get her to cooperate with the judge, to say her vows, and go through with the marriage, he would have to come clean. If it meant keeping her safe, and getting the rest of the inheritance, he’d tell her everything.

“Then let’s go home,” she said.

He straightened to his full height and dragged in a breath. “It wouldn’t look right to meet the host and then leave. We need to stay for a bit more,” he explained.

“You aren’t afraid I’ll do like he suggested?” She pointed to one of the men standing guard at an entry point. “I could just walk right over there and be free of you. Or you’d be free of me, as it were.”

“Yes, you could.”

“You weren’t mad at him for suggesting it?” Her head tilted slightly. Her ignorance of the disgusting world his uncle had forced him to play in shone a light into the darkness for him. Reminding him there was another side to all of this, there was an ending.

“He was right. I already knew he would give you an option of staying back without me. Ash is a good man—well, mostly good.”

“So, working here really would be a safe alternative to marrying you?” She surveyed the room again.

“I didn’t say that.” His voice dipped at the idea of her walking around the room, trying to attach herself to a man for the night.

She sighed. She was learning his tones and his mannerisms. He’d never let her work at the Annex. And from the unsettled way she watched the conversation between him and Ash, Erik had plenty of confidence that she wouldn’t be walking over to any of the guards.

“If you aren’t here to get a girl, then why bother coming? It seems my future is pretty well laid out for me now. All those choices you said I’d have. They’re off the table, aren’t they?” she pressed.

His phone buzzed in his inside jacket. pocket, and he plucked it out. The distraction came at the perfect time.

Found an airline ticket in Melinda’s grandmother’s name

Erik tapped a response to Ian.Where to? When? Alone?

The answer came quick.Not used. She wasn’t on the passenger list. She didn’t board.

Erik glanced up from the phone at Melinda. Her attention had been caught by a woman bent over a table in the far corner of the room. Not every man was a gentleman at the Annex. Some of them liked to test drive the women in public before making an offer for a longer contract.

He stepped closer to her, pressing his chest against her back. “Is that the road you want to choose?”

Her body went rigid.

His phone buzzed again, but he slipped it into his pocket without checking it. There’d be time for investigating in the morning.

“You need to make your decision.” He trailed his fingertips down her neck. She’d piled her hair on top of her head, and curls cascaded from where she bound them, but her neck, her creamy, sensual neck was bare to his touch.

She turned around, tilting her head back to glare up at him. “I want my questions answered first.”

He scanned the crowd for Bertucci. Rejecting the offer in a public setting might keep him from blowing his top, but Erik couldn’t count on it. Nor did he want Melinda anywhere near the man.

Erik cupped her elbow. “Let’s head to the car. You can ask your questions on the way home.”

“But the host—” She threw a sarcastic hand toward the room.

“We’ve stayed long enough. It won’t be noticed.” And even if it was, Erik couldn’t give a fuck. The Titons might rule their portion of the underworld with their own set of moralities, but Erik didn’t dance to their drummer. He had his own damn rhythm.

“You just wanted me to see what I face if I don’t take your offer.” The accusation lingered between them as Erik escorted her to the coat room.

He helped her into her coat, zipping it to her chin—and enjoying the flash of annoyance in her eyes when he did it—then put on his own. “In part,” he said, grabbing her hand again. Feeling her fingers twitch inside his palm settled him. She was safe; she was with him; she was right where he wanted her to be. The whys of all of that could wait.

“In part what?” she asked as she stepped into the garden. She checked out the statues as they walked down the path to the exit, and he made a mental note to find similar pieces for the house. He’d noticed her admiring them earlier when they arrived as well.

“My reasons for bringing you tonight.” He smiled down at her. His car pulled up, and he opened the back door, waving off the driver. “I did want you to see this as an option.” He also wanted to question Ash about Bertucci’s offer, but he didn’t bring that up yet.

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