I offered to help Mika with the dishes, but Davian insisted we proceed with his plans. I wasn’t sure that Mika would have accepted my offer anyway. Taking my hand, I rose from my chair and followed Davian as he led me from the kitchen to the front door. When he opened the door, just as I thought, it was a beautiful day. There was a warm breeze and not a single cloud in the sky. The warmth of the sun kissed my skin, replacing the coolness from the air-conditioning with heat.
Markus stood next to the back-passenger door, waiting to assist us inside. Instead of wearing a suit, unlike Davian’s jeans and polo shirt, he had dressed casually in black slacks and a white button-down shirt. Marcus tipped his head and said, “Good morning, Mr. Cross, Ms. McCall,” as he opened the back-passenger door.
The car was running, and the air cooled my skin as I slid inside. Instead of hugging the door like I had when we arrived, I sat close to Davian. His hand encircled mine as he met Marcus’s eyes in the review mirror. “Take us to Lincoln Park, Marcus, and make sure to alertThe Societythat we will be there.”
A smile crossed my face knowing we were actually leaving. Our destination would be Lincoln Park Zoo. I couldn’t remember ever visiting one. I was excited, to say the least. Squeezing Davian’s arm, I leaned my head against his shoulder. “Thank you.”
When I lifted my head, I could see a smile on his gorgeous face. “You’re welcome, princess.”
Chicago was much different during the day than at night. The excitement of the city lights was no longer there. Instead, people in business attire packed the sidewalks, hurrying to their destinations. I wondered if that would be me someday after I graduated from Georgia State. My father said there was no place for me at his firm, but it didn’t matter, I would find the perfect job and be just as successful as him. Besides, if he allowed me to work at his firm, I wasn’t sure helping various companies with their staffing needs was the best use of my business degree. McCall Agency was the number one company for employment in Atlanta. My father’s dedication was evident with the long hours he put in and the many traveling ventures he had taken. Sometimes I felt sorry for my mom, being alone for days at a time, with me away to college, and my father away somewhere closing another contract with some high to-do company. It had to have been hard on her.
Thinking about what Davian said about my parents knowing what was going on, I could only imagine how worried they were. I hadn’t spoken to them since the fundraiser. I wasn’t sure how they fit into all of this. Did they know my mother and father?The little bit thatDavian told me about my father still left me confused as to why this was happening. I needed more answers than the ones Davian gave me. As soon as we got back to the estate, I would get the answers I needed. Rui Salko was my father, and I deserved to know exactly what kind of man he was. Pushing those thoughts aside, I focused on my surroundings and enjoyed the drive to Lincoln Park.
Marcus pulled in front of the zoo and assisted us out of the car. As we headed toward the entrance, two men greeted us, who were equally the size of Marcus. They blended in with the crowd, but I was sure they were part of the so-called society that Davian had mentioned. I wasn’t sure exactly whatThe Societywas, but one thing I knew for sure, the men worked out and were just as intimidating as Davian.
Holding Davian’s hand, we stepped up to the two men and exchanged greetings. I learned the blonde man went by the name of Sean, and the other went by the name Axe. So far, I had met five of his men, Patton, Marcus, Calvin, and now these two. All “society” men, I presumed.
As we headed through the entrance, Sean and Axe followed a safe distance behind us. No one would have known they were only there to protect me. In a way, it was comforting to know they were there. I had never had a bodyguard before, let alone five of them. We continued our walk inside the park, stopping every so often to see the animals at play. Vendors were walking around the park, either selling souvenirs with the park’s logo on them or a refreshing lemonade to quench your thirst.
It couldn’t have been a better day, and by the time we left, not only had Davian bought me two t-shirts, but I also left the zoo with a tumbler and a visor with the park’s logo on them. Sean and Axe stood outside the entrance with us while we waited for Marcus to bring the car around. As we slid inside, I didn’t want this day to end. Facing Davian, I placed my hand in his. “I don’t want to go to the estate just yet. Can we drive around for a bit before we head back?”
Davian kissed my hand and looked at Marcus, meeting his eyes in the rearview mirror. “Take us to the pier.”
“With all due respect, Mr. Cross, I’m not sure if that is a good idea.” Marcus tilted his head to the right as he voiced his opinion.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion.”
“Yes, sir.”
As much as I would have loved to go to the pier, I had to agree with Marcus. I wasn’t sure it was the safest place to go. I didn’t know Chicago nor where the pier was, but if Marcus felt concerned about it being unsafe, I didn’t want to put either of us in harm's way. “Maybe it would be better if we went to the art museum. I heard it is very impressive.”
“Change of plans, Marcus.” Davian squeezed my hand.
“Yes, sir.”
Making a left turn, Marcus drove in the opposite direction. It was a relief that Davian accepted my request. The pier would have been amazing, but I didn’t want to jeopardize our safety, especially since we would be out in the open and an easy target.
Ten minutes later, Marcus pulled up to the Museum of Contemporary Art and allowed Davian and I to exit the car while he found a place to park. The museum didn’t appear too busy, at least not from the outside. Looking up the steps to the grand entrance, which was constructed mostly of glass, I couldn’t wait to step inside. I was ready to fill my mind with everything there was to know about the history of the building and the art displayed inside.
Davian took hold of my hand as we made it up the two sets of steps. As we began walking up the steps, Davian took pride in his explanation of how the building came to be. “Construction on the building began in 1993. There were a lot of mixed reactions from critics and neighboring businesses when the construction was completed in 1996. Since then, some recognize it as a lasting addition to Chicago’s history.”
Davian left me in awe at how much he knew about the museum. On several occasions, I had been to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, but if someone were to ask me about how it came to be, I wouldn’t be able to tell them. My interest was in what was inside.
Before Davian could pay for our entrance inside the museum, Marcus was at his side. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but as they continued to converse back and forth, I knew something was up. Their quiet chatter was getting very old, very quickly. Ever since I met Davian Cross, my life had been nothing but one shit storm after another.
I was about to tell him just how annoyed I was getting when his cell rang. I could only hear Davian’s part of the conversation. It was enough to know exactly what was going on. The minute his eyes met mine, my wonderful day ended. “Reyna, I’m afraid we have to leave.”
“What? We just got here, and I haven’t seen a single exhibit.” It didn’t make any difference. Davian grabbed my hand and began pulling me toward the entrance. “Stop, Davian. I am not going with you; I want to see the museum.”
“This is not the time to argue with me, Reyna. We need to leave. Now!”
The Davian I hated was back. His eyes were like ice, and I could feel them penetrate me like cold shards of glass.How could one of the best days I’ve ever had turn into one of the worst?
~12~
Davian
What had I been thinking? Spending the day with Reyna had clouded my judgment. Marcus was right. Going to the pier was a bad idea. Even taking her to the museum was a risk. I needed to stop letting my cock do the thinking and focus on her safety. When Patton called warning me that Rui Salko had been located and he was in Chicago, I had to get Reyna to Cross Estate as quickly as possible. Somehow Salko found out we were at the museum, and it concerned me he had his men watching us.