Page 60 of The Protégé

I gripped her hand, placing it back onto her thigh. “We should concentrate on the auction.”

She pouted, and a slow smile crept onto her lips. “If you want to concentrate on other things later, I’ve got a room in this hotel for the evening.”

“I’m busy tonight.”

She was an attractive woman, and a lot of men would want the enticing offer. She had a perfect body, the right curves, a pretty face, and plump lips that promised an exciting evening.

Despite that, my body didn’t react to her. Not in the slightest.

Another woman held my interest. This woman not only commanded my body, she also reached into my psyche, shoving away the darkness like no one had done.

A woman dressed in a gold ballgown approached the podium, gave the audience instructions for the bidding process, and announced the beginning of the show. The band in the corner increased their volume, and the waitresses emerged with platters of more hors d’oeuvres.

Chantel slipped a piece of paper with her phone number into the chest pocket of my jacket. Then she placed her palm on my thigh. I’d met a lot of brazen women in my life, but this one was beyond that. Was this how she conducted all her interviews? Or was she testing to see how far she could go?

I gripped her wrist, moving it aside. “You’re a very aggressive woman.”

“You seem like a guy who prefers a woman who knows what she wants.” She licked her bottom lip.

There were several ways a woman could show her desires and confidence. But not any of these ways were admirable to me.

From under the table, Ralph kicked me lightly. I looked at him, but he pretended he was busy eating.

“These are delicious,” he said to Sabrina, who nodded in agreement.

Wasn’t Chantel covering the banquet for Channel 7 News? Did she choose this table on purpose? Had she targetedmetonight? I kicked Ralph back, and he knew what to do.

“So what kind of men do you like to report on?”

Chantel’s face beamed as though she’d been waiting for someone to ask her that question. If that question had come from me, it would’ve given the wrong impression. I’d experienced this kind of situation several times and Ralph had helped me maneuver out of each unscathed.

Though I ran a successful empire, women were a different topic altogether. Some required too much energy from me.

And some women—like Elena—introduced me to a fascinating uncharted terrain. Everywhere I looked, something new intrigued me. She filled in the parts of me I had assumed were already full. I was discovering a lot about myself recently, and it was all because of her.

I wished she were here with me.

As the models emerged from the back, the waitress placed two plates of hors d’oeuvres filled with stuffed mushrooms, smoked trout croquettes, goat cheese and salami stuffed dates, and other delicacies.

A woman wearing a black gown with a section of the dress twisted into a flower shape walked between the tables. She stopped and chatted with potential buyers.

I glanced at the tablet and saw the dress had already had a few bids.

Sabrina kept Chantel busy as she swiped to see more dresses.

My gaze remained on Sam at the far-right table. The young girl walked off with a woman. He chatted with another man, eating and laughing.

Something red caught the corner of my eye, pulling my attention away from Sam. My heart galloped when Elena walked down the carpeted aisle like a powerful goddess who didn’t need to say a word or make a single gesture.

Her mere presence demanded all the attention from everyone.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

ELENA

I feltOrion’s eyes on me the moment I stepped into the room. I tried my best to compose myself as I made my way to the tables, showing off the red dress as best I could. Though I tried not to be bothered that Chantel sat with him, disappointment and jealousy surged. Was she the reason he had pushed me away?

How long had they known each other? I had assumed Chantel was dating Alvin.

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