Page 80 of BillionHeir
I reach for her hand, praying that she doesn’t pull away. Blessedly, she takes it. I squeeze her fingers and she squeezes back. We might not be perfect right now, but I am confident that I am slowly winning her over.
“If you will excuse me,” Liam says. “I have to go make the rounds, kiss the ring and the lot.”
“Good luck,” Chloe says as he turns to walk away.
“Care for a dance?”
I gesture toward the center of the room where some guests are already dancing.
Just as we step out onto the floor, the music changes to a slow song.
“Perfect,” I whisper as I take her into my arms and lead her gracefully around the room. “I love having you in my arms.”
“We need to talk,” she says quietly.
I can feel the muscles in her back tense as we sway back and forth to the music. Her guard is back up, despite the reassuring gesture earlier.
I take one of my hands and smooth it up and down her back. “I am sorry that I didn’t tell you how big this event was going to be. I was just worried that you wouldn’t come with me, but I can see how wrong that was now. I should have told you the truth, and I promise that I will be completely honest with you going forward. It is just that now that I have you back, I am scared something is going to happen. That I am going to somehow lose you again.”
Chloe pulls away from me just enough so that she can look into my eyes as we continue to dance. “Maxwell, I—” she pauses for so long that I worry that this might be it. This might be the moment she actually walks away.
“I understand that you are used to controlling everyone and everything around you,” she eventually continues. “But you aregoing to have to learn how to let go of some of that when it comes to me if you want this to work between us.”
I nod, solemnly. “Yes, of course I do.”
“Did you really mean what you said to those photographers?” she asks after relaxing a little in my arms.
I suddenly realize that coming here tonight was a mistake. I can’t answer her the way I want to here in a crowd of people. We should have stayed in so that we could talk the way we needed to.
“Come with me.” I take her hand and lead her off the dance floor. With my other hand, I pull out my phone and text my driver to bring the car around. We haven’t been here long, but this can’t wait.
I will make sure the king gets my check.
“Did I say something wrong?” Chloe asks as we briskly walk toward the door, and I pointedly ignore all the questioning eyes. I can only imagine how the tongues will be wagging as soon as we are out of earshot. I can’t really say that I care all that much.
“No,” I breathe, hating that I have made her doubt herself. “I just – can’t be here anymore.”
“Okay . . .” she says, struggling to keep up with my brisk pace in her gorgeous strappy heels.
When we reach the front doors, my driver is just pulling up to the curb.
I help Chloe into the car and then climb in after her.
“Max, what is going on?” she asks as soon as the door shuts.
She has taken to sitting in the middle next to me, which is where she is now and exactly where I want her. I prefer to have her as close as possible to me.
“I just don’t want to share you anymore,” I say simply as our driver pulls out in the direction of the hotel.
“But they hadn’t even served dinner yet.”
“Are you hungry? We can order room service when we get to the hotel. Anything you want.” Food was the last thing on my mind when I decided to leave.
“Okay, I suppose that is alright. This is just all very odd.”
“I realized there are some things that we should talk about, and I don’t really want an audience for what I am about to say.”
I thread my fingers through hers and run my thumb along the back of her hand reassuringly.
