Page 34 of A Game of Deception
“Xander!”
I turned to see Leo pushing through the crowd leaving the club, his face a mask of concern.
“If you’re here to say ‘I told you so,’ save it,” I snapped.
Leo ignored me, grabbing the valet ticket from my numb fingers. “I’m driving,” he said. He handed the ticket to the valet and stood beside me, the silence between us heavy.
When the Audi was brought around, Leo opened the passenger door for me. “Get in.”
I hesitated, then slumped into the seat, the familiar scent of the leather doing nothing to soothe me. Leo got behind the wheel, the engine purring to life as he pulled away from the curb and merged into the steady flow of Miami nightlife traffic.
We drove in silence for several blocks. I stared out the window, watching the blur of South Beach slide past. I expected a lecture. A reminder of all the ways I’d fucked up. A rundown of the damage control we’d need to do. The contracts we’d need to review. The lawyers we’d need to call.
Instead, Leo reached over and turned up the radio. A pop song I didn’t recognize filled the car.
“Well,” he finally said, glancing at me with a hint of his usual sardonic humor, “that’s one way to make an impression on your new teammates.”
I let out a surprised bark of laughter. “Yeah. Not exactly the first impression I was going for.”
“I don’t know. That kid Ben looked pretty impressed. I think you just became his hero.”
I snorted. “Great. The only person in my corner is the one guy on the team who’s too young to know better.”
Leo navigated through a yellow light, his profile illuminated briefly by the passing streetlamps. “Not the only one.”
The simple statement lingered. I glanced at him, but his eyes were fixed on the road ahead, his expression unreadable.
We drove the rest of the way to the penthouse in companionable silence. Leo handed the keys to the valet and followed me into the lobby, his presence steady and grounding at my side. In the elevator, he leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.
“You want to talk about it?” he asked as we ascended.
I stared at my reflection in the polished doors. The red mark on my cheek had faded, but I could still feel the ghost of her touch. “Not really.”
“Fair enough.”
The elevator dinged, and we stepped out into the private foyer of the penthouse. I fumbled with the keys, suddenly exhausted, the adrenaline crash hitting me all at once. Leo took them from my hand without comment and unlocked the door, pushing it open. Slinging an arm around my shoulders, he steered me inside like he’d done a hundred times before.
I headed straight for the bar, but Leo intercepted me, steering me toward the kitchen instead.
“Water first,” he said. “You can drink yourself stupid after you’re hydrated.”
I slumped onto a barstool at the kitchen island, watching as Leo filled a glass from the filtered tap and set it in front of me. I drained it in one long swallow, not realizing until that moment how thirsty I was.
Leo refilled it without being asked, then leaned against the counter, studying me. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re going to get fired.”
I raised an eyebrow. “No? You got a direct line to Hank Swanson I don’t know about?”
“No, but I’ve got eyes. And a brain.” Leo crossed his arms. “If he wanted you gone, he wouldn’t have brought you here in the first place. Whatever game he’s playing, it’s not over yet.”
“Maybe not,” I conceded. “But he warned me off Tara specifically. Said there was a morality clause in my contract that could get me sacked if I crossed any lines with any of the staff.” I laughed bitterly. “Pretty sure making out with her in a club counts as crossing a line.”
“She kissed you back,” Leo pointed out. “Before the slap, I mean. I saw it. Half the fuckin’ club saw it.”
I rubbed a hand over my face, remembering the feel of her lips, soft and yielding, before they turned hard and unyielding. “Doesn’t matter. She made her position pretty clear afterward.”
Leo was quiet for a moment, his expression thoughtful before he pushed away from the counter. “You should get some sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”
I nodded, suddenly too tired to argue. Leo was right. Whatever fallout was coming, I’d face it better with a clear head.
