Page 44 of Emergence and Ascendance

Miles glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "Mr. Devereaux has dinner planned, ma'am."

"Just dinner? Nothing else I should know about?"

"I'm just the driver, Ms. Whitney." I stared at him in the rearview and noticed the amusement in his expression.

"Come on, Miles. Give me something to work with here."

"My job is to get you there safely. That's all I can give you."

"That's all you're going to give me?" I mumbled.

Miles smiled. "That's all I know. My job is to safely drive you to your destination."

"Have you worked for Christian long?"

"Yes."

"Then you know if he regularly invites business associates to his house for dinner and what those dinners consist of."

Miles chuckled. "I'm just the driver, Ms. Whitney."

I leaned back against the leather seat. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Enjoying what?"

"My frustration."

"I wouldn't dare enjoy a beautiful woman's frustration. I'm damn sure smarter than that." His eyes met mine in the mirror again. Yep, definitely amused.

The car turned onto a private road. After a minute, the Devereaux estate came into view. Everything was white aside from the black framing of the massive tinted windows.

Miles pulled up to the entrance, got out, and came around to open my door. He offered his hand, which I knocked away, and I stepped out on my own. He chuckled and I mumbled a thank you.

"My pleasure, Ms. Whitney. Mr. Devereaux is expecting you."

Before I reached the door, it opened. Christian stood in the entrance wearing jeans and a T-shirt that looked cozy and clung to his chest in ways that made my fingers ache to touch him.

"Scotlyn. Right on time."

"My captor made sure of that." I shot an evil look at Miles who grinned.

Christian tossed his chin to Miles. "I'll call when we're done."

Miles returned to the car, and after his big body was settled in the driver's seat, he drove away, leaving me alone with Christian.

"Come in." He stepped aside and I glanced at the back of the Bentley I had just arrived in and debated whether or not he would stop and let me in if I made a run for it. After a short sigh, I decided to get this over with and moved inside.

The interior was beautiful and worked with the exterior. White walls accented with black trim and artwork. The floors in the foyer were striped with black and white marble that transitioned to black distressed wood planks. To the right was a curved staircase that led to a second level encased matte black railing. It was also modern with simple furnishings that were undoubtedly expensive but classy.

"This place is beautiful," I said.

"My mother would love that you appreciate her vision."

"She decorated?"

"She paid a lot of money to have it decorated but also hasn't stepped foot in here since my father needed full-time care and moved to assisted living." I sensed the tension in his voice at the mention of his parents but didn't push. I had my own love-hate relationship with my father. Families were complicated, no matter how much you loved them. Christian gestured toward the open kitchen. "Can I get you something to drink? I have wine but if you want something stronger…"

"Wine is fine."

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