Page 8 of Beautiful Dangerous

“I believe in speaking out, when I need to.”

He leaves another, slightly shorter pause. “I knew there was something about you the moment I saw you.”

He’s charming, that’s for sure, but he’s still a stranger. And I still shouldn’t have come here. It’s time to cut this evening short and get back to the safety of the hotel. The hotel that, as I continue to remind myself, this man owns.

“I should go, I’m sorry…” I lay my napkin down next to my barely-touched plate of food and push my chair back.

“If that’s what you want.”

He’s not putting up a fight, and I don’t know whether I’m relieved about that, or slightly disappointed.

“I’ll get Lucca to drive you back to the hotel.”

Another stranger. I’ve really done a bang-up job of putting myself in unnecessary danger tonight.

He gets up and comes over to me, his hand resting lightly on the small of my back as we head inside, and out into the atrium.

“Thank you for coming. Even if you don’t think you should have. I’ve enjoyed your company, very much.”

I look at him, and his eyes – they really are kind eyes. I’m not getting any indication that I should be scared of this man, but at the same time, I really shouldn’t have come here alone. It was a stupid, dangerous risk, and I don’t usually take those. I’m not really going to feel completely safe until I’m back in my hotel room.

“I’m sorry, again, for running out on you like this, I just…”

“There’s no need to explain. I understand.”

He looks over at Lucca as he appears from a room just off the atrium. Is this tall, intimidating man Javier’s bodyguard? His protector? From what, exactly? But that thought is only going to serve to feed my nerves, so I push it away.

“Lucca, I need you to drive Olivia back to the hotel.”

“Now?”

“Yes. Now.” He places a hand on my upper arm and leans in to plant two, feather-light kisses on either cheek. “Buenas noches, Olivia. I really hope I get to see you again, before you return home.”

I’m not sure I want that. But something tells me that, if it’s whathewants, it’s more than likely going to happen…

~~~

“I’m so pleased you could make it, Senator.”

Senator Richard Haines takes my hand and lifts it to his lips, dropping a brief kiss on it before I discreetly pull it away, trying hard to ignore the inner shudder that kiss caused.

“How could I turn down an invitation to Olivia Delgado’s fortieth birthday party? And, may I say, you don’t look anywhere close to forty. Life must be treating you well.”

I smile, but I have every intention of cutting this conversation short. I don’t much like this man, but I need him on side. I’m a businesswoman, first and foremost, and important contacts – friends in high places – they’re necessary, even if they aren’t people I particularly like being around for long periods of time. And whilst some out there – including Senator Haines – might think they know who I am, not everyone here tonight knows the truth. Few do. Some suspect, of course, but without anything concrete to prove their suspicions they have no evidence to pin anything on me, or the cartel. But I know they’re watching. Waiting. That’s why I had to learn quickly how to make shit look legitimate; how to gain leverage against anyone who could, one day, come after me; use me to further their own gains, and one of those people could quite possibly be Senator Haines. But while he thinks he knows who I am, he has no idea just how much I know abouthim. Secrets that, if shared, could bring him down in a heartbeat. Leverage is important in my world. And I have a lot of it, mostly connected to people in this room.

“I hear building work on the new hotel begins shortly,” Senator Haines continues. “You must be very excited.”

“Every new venture is exciting.”

“I’m sure Javier would be very proud of you, seeing what you’ve achieved since his death. He was a very astute businessman. you must have learnt a lot from him.”

My smile is fixed, and trying to keep it there is verging on painful, but I won’t let him see how irritated I am by that remark; won’t let him see that I know he’s saying these things deliberately, to get a reaction. After all, I’m just a woman who stepped into her dead husband’s shoes, I didn’t earn this. In their eyes – these powerful, wealthy, self-obsessed men – that’s all I’ll ever be, they don’t think I run anything. They’ll assume I have people who do all the work while I’m nothing more than a figurehead, but they’re wrong. Very wrong.

“Have a lovely evening, Senator. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should go and mingle.”

“Of course. Maybe we could have dinner some time? I’m sure there are things we could discuss that could be beneficial to both of us?”

“Maybe. And dinner would be lovely.”

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