Page 27 of Billionaire's Promise
"Is she okay?" I purse my lips. "Maybe it’s the flu; everyone’s been getting it."
Damian flushes. I blink. Uh, strange... Didn’t think these men could look uncomfortable if they tried. Apparently, I was wrong.
"Yeah, she’s good." Damian coughs. "All good."
"You won’t be if you stare at her for much longer," Baron mutters.
"Whoa." I turn my head to scowl at him. "That wasn’t very nice. You should apologize."
"Yeah," Damian smirks, "apologize, asshole."
Baron’s jaw hardens. I frown at him, and he blows out a breath. "I apologize," he finally says.
"See, that wasn’t so bad." I blink my eyelids at him. He lowers his chin, and his lips twist. My stomach jumps in response. Shit, that’s hot. That mean look he has going there... It’s potent and sexy and dangerous. My panties dampen. I twist my fingers into the material of my bag, hold his gaze.
Weston swoops up the soiled cotton, and the bandages. He thrusts them into a plastic bag. Then pulls off his gloves and deposits those too. He rises to his feet, grabs that bag in one hand, his doctor’s bag with the other. "Right-o. I’ll see you folks later." He walks toward the door, closing one eye as he passes me.
Damian nods at Baron, smiles at me. Baron frowns and Damian gives him the bird before sauntering out.
"Guess I’d better get going too." Arpad glances between us, then places his glass down on the table. He comes toward me, grabs my shoulders and kisses me on both cheeks.
Baron makes that growling noise again, deep in his throat. Arpad chuckles. "You take care, Ava."
He steps back, touches a finger to his forehead. "See you, Lieutenant."
I whip my head around in his direction. "Lieutenant?" I frown. "Did you serve in the army?"
Baron stares at Arpad. "How did you know?" he finally asks.
"You didn’t think we’d have let you go without finding a way of keeping tabs on you." Arpad half smiles. "We lost your trail after you were discharged."
"Discharged?" I glance between them. "When were you discharged?"
"Two years ago," Baron mutters. "I was wounded in battle, then captured by the enemy."
"Wounded? Captured?" I feel the blood drain from my face. "How long were you—?"
"Six months." He murmurs.
The blood drains from my face, "You were a POW for six months?"
His features harden.
Behind me, Arpad walks to the exit. "I’ll let you two catch up." I hear him leave, and the door closes behind him.
In the silence that descends, I am suddenly aware that we are alone. I glance around the room, at the view outside the window, then down at my feet. Anywhere, but at the man glowering at me from the chair.
I shuffle over to the chair Arpad just vacated… It happens to be the chair farthest from Baron. I sink into it, place my bag on the floor, then link my fingers together. Why had I come? Why did I feel compelled to get here? I should have gone home… Nah, I’d have never been able to do that. Not after how he’s become a constant in my life. In just one week, he’s become a stabilizing influence. Like Edward had been? Same, but different. Ed had been a strike to the heart…but Baron… He is chipping away at the barriers I’ve built around myself since I was a child.
I’d been overweight and way too conscious about it. I’d always felt like I stood out. It’s why I’d retreated into myself, found solace in music and books. It’s why dancing is so important to me —a way to embrace myself, my imperfections, to be free of judgment. When I dance, there is no me… There is only the rhythm and the ability to get lost in it. To forget about the world and all of my worries, to transcend to a space and time where there is only the now.
The hair on the back of my neck prickles. I glance up to find his gaze trained on me. Those cold blue eyes seem to have lightened in color until they resemble chips of ice. A frost that could creep into my blood, cut through the bone and change me forever.
I shiver.
"Are you cold?" He frowns.
"N…no."
