The Mayor stood in front of me. “Are you injured? Do you still want to compete?”
I nodded, the back of my head rubbing against a hard chest. “I want to compete. I’m fine. I want one of those award bags.” I tilted my head forward, and whispered, “Can you tell me if there’s any jewelry in them?” I loved me some sparklies. I had never had them growing up, so when I splurged and bought one, I treasured it.
His cold mien cracked for a heartbeat, and I saw amusement in his eyes before they frosted again. “I believe my wife put some in the first place bags.”
I grinned. “I guess we’ll just have to win then.”
The Mayor nodded, his eyes glancing briefly over my head before he left.
Patting the muscular arm that was around my ribs, holding me in an unbreakable grip, I muttered, “You can let me down now. I’m done fighting the wicked bitch.” I tilted my head to the side, glancing up.
And froze.
Daniil. It was Daniil. Why my shark radar had not gone off, I did not know. He had been a constant blip on my ‘screen’ for the past two days. I always made sure to keep a visual on him when I was at the events, keeping him at least in my peripheral. It was best to know where the danger lies. Or stands, in his case.
I sucked in a breath and stayed very still. He had not bothered me since the restaurant, but one of those bodyguards had been following me around everywhere I went. The guard normally did a fabulous job of making himself invisible, but every once in a while I caught a glimpse of him, Least Ugly. With the guard still following me, it had to mean that Daniil had not calmed down from his earlier threat.
I stared into his face as he watched me, his hair hanging down against his cheeks. The tiki lamps that were lit made his hair shimmer like the dark night sky above us. His expression was bored, but his eyes hid something that I could not see because of the darkness. I wet my lips, and slowly whispered, “Can you let me down, please?”
He breathed in; his chest expanded against my back. “That was a nice punch.”
I blinked. “It should have been familiar. I picked it up from you the other day.”
He stared. “Did she really break your arm before?”
I nodded slowly. This was an odd conversation. Crazy. “Yes. A year ago.”
He jerked his head toward Ben, who was watching us. “What about the first idiot that hit you? What’s the story there?”
I cleared my throat, and was not quite sure what to do with my arms since he still had a hold of me. I ended up just letting them dangle. “I ran a story about him using while he played professional baseball. He blames me for his career’s demise.”
He stared, still. “Hmm…”
I blinked, and muttered again, “Think you can let me down now?”
Guess not. He did not move, instead asking, “How many enemies do you have here?”
I was exasperated. Mrs. Donovan, the Mayor, security, and Chrissy were going to be leaving the area soon. He and I were going to become noticeable shortly. “Honestly? Too many to count.” His eyebrows lowered, which I ignored to pat his arm. “Now. Please.”
Instant. “Did you run that search on the other reporters?”
“Yes. No other whack jobs here.” Other than you.
I squirmed, reminding him I was still physically in his hold.
“You haven’t been wearing your glasses,” he stated, watching me struggle.
I banged the side of my head against his chest. “I put in two week contacts the day I had a hangover. No reason to waste them.”
He stated coolly, “You look better without them. They’re horrid.”
“Yes, you’ve already said that before.”
“It bears repeating,” he spoke softly…right before he dropped me, just as everyone started to move out from in front of us, the masses now back in view.
I stumbled and quickly caught my balance, rubbing my ribs under my breasts. I would probably have a bruise. Moving promptly through the last of the security team, I stood next to Stash, asking him quietly, “Why is Daniil over here?”
He shrugged. “He’s part of our team.” Shit. He grinned. “For someone who hates violence, that was one hell of a hit.”
Ember chuckled. “Don’t forget about her mom. Anti-gun coalition.” She peered across Stash to me. “You do realize that will probably be in the papers with all the photos that were taken.” Her chuckle deepened. “Ironic, that.”
I groaned. “Yeah, my parents are going to love it.” I heard the name Mrs. Donovan called out to fill Chrissy’s place. “Are you shitting me? She has to be doing this on purpose!”
Stash asked dryly, “Don’t tell me, another friend?”
“He wants to be,” I muttered, tilting behind Stash. “He’s my own celebrity stalker.”
“A reporter with a stalker.” Ember laughed outright. “That’s fucking ironic too.” She glanced at me. “You’re just full of ironies, aren’t you?”
“Not by choice,” I answered, watching as Samuel Packard came out from the crowd.
Ember whistled low. “Tell me why you’re not friends with him? He’s gorgeous.”
“Yeah, until he calls you twenty times a day, sends you flowers at least once a day and leaves you little notes on your apartment door in the evening and the morning.” I shook my head. “I wouldn’t screw him if my life depended on it.”
Samuel was ten feet away and heading straight toward me when I felt heat on my left side where the cool night air used to be. I glanced over, and I mean, what the fuck kind of evening was I having because Daniil was standing right next to me and staring at me with a confused and disgusted mien just about the time that Samuel arrived directly in front of me.
“Hello, Beth,” Samuel said quietly, smiling down at me, using a pet name that he had no right to use. “You look beautiful tonight.”
I stated dryly, “Samuel, my face is half green. I have dirt and grass stains all over me. My hair looks like I stuck my finger in a light socket. I’m in no way beautiful right now.”
He placed two fingers on my bruised cheek, and whispered intimately, “You look as gorgeous as you did the first night here when you couldn’t decide between the red dress and the black one.”
I froze. Same as Stash, Ember, and Daniil. How the hell…
“Did you invite him into your room before the ball?” Daniil asked casually.