“Never again,” she said, holding his stare.
An emotion-packed beat passed between them.
No matter how hard Rowan tried to stay focused, he got caught up in her. And for one second, Rowan saw the side of Alex that he doubted most saw. The vulnerable side of her. The one that made Rowan only want to draw her closer, refusing to let go, no matter that he knew she didn’t need him.
But that soft, emotional woman was quickly gone, replaced by the hard woman determined to help him find Mia. “What’s Lennox doing now?” she asked.
Rowan began dancing again, keeping Alex close. His stomach roiled at what she’d been through. He couldn’t quite figure out how she’d come out of all that without bitterness and resentment, but damn, did she amaze him. He casually turned in their dance then caught sight of Lennox at the bar, his gaze burning with challenge and directed right at Rowan. “The cat caught the mouse.”
“I really hate that metaphor,” she muttered. “So, what now?”
Rowan began sliding his hand down her back sensually. “I’m going to grab your ass, and then you’re going to slap me.” He barely got a handful of her ass before she walloped him across the face, nearly making him see stars. His eyes began to water, and his cheek burned red-hot. “Fuck.” He hadn’t meant that hard.
“You pig!” Alex shouted in a fearful way that Rowan never would have thought she could pull off. “Security,” she called, hugging herself. “Security.”
Lennox was there in a second. “What’s going on here?” he demanded, with his chest puffed out.
“He assaulted me!” Alex exclaimed, fake tears in her eyes as she inched her way closer to Lennox, playing the damsel-in-destress perfectly.
Damn, she’d make a fine CIA agent.
Security suddenly swarmed the area and had Rowan by the arms. Everything went according to plan. Lennox swooped in to console Alex. Security was escorting Rowan out of the ballroom. But the one thing that Rowan hadn’t been expecting was his reaction to watching Lennox wrapping an arm around Alex’s shoulders and turning her away.
The fury that engulfed him was entirely unplanned. And so was the rage tightening his fists.
CHAPTER 8
ALEX HAD TO give it to Rowan. His plan worked seamlessly. The security had swept Rowan out of the ballroom efficiently, and Lennox had taken Alex into the hotel’s Presidential Suite.
“Just breathe.” Rowan’s voice was a smooth reassurance in her ear. “I’m close.”
It occurred to her then that the earpiece must have had a GPS tracker too, considering how fast Rowan located her whereabouts.
The suite’s door shut behind her, and as she followed Lennox into the two-story living room, she found panoramic views of the skyline through the floor-to-ceiling windows. In the corner of the suite was a baby grand piano, but Lennox moved in the other direction toward the small bar. The space was furnished with grand pieces and gold accents. Taking it all in, she moved to the double French doors, finding a wraparound balcony. Awestruck by the view, she exited the already-opened doors, greeted by a warm breeze.
“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?”
Lennox’s rumbly voice brushed against her ear. Alex purposely gasped a little, hoping he liked hearing her surprised by his nearness. She also reached into her clutch to take out the auto-injector before she turned around. He stood behind her, leaving very little room between them, and it crossed her mind that she might have placed herself directly in the line of a serial killer. “Everything about tonight has been incredible. You rescuing me from that handsy man, the ball, this, it’s all so magical.” God, kill me now! She swallowed back the bile in her throat.
He flashed her a charming smile then offered her a glass of whiskey on ice. “A little strong, but it’ll take the edge off after dealing with that unpleasantness earlier.”
She took the drink, not taking a sip, in case Lennox was their killer and he planned on drugging her. Keeping the auto-injector in her other hand, tucked behind her clutch, she said, “I really appreciate you stepping in for me like that.” Gag! “I don’t even know what came over that guy. All he wanted was a dance.” Remembering to play her part, she averted her gaze, and said meekly, “I just…”
Lennox’s finger came under her chin, and he brought her gaze back to his heated eyes. “…Should never have to deal with a man like that.”
“You’re right.” She purposely breathed heavily. “No one should.” And that, she actually meant.
Lennox slowly dragged his finger along her jawline. The oddness about it all was that under different circumstances, she’d probably be attracted to Lennox. She liked alpha guys. Sure, she was most definitely the wrong type of woman for him, but she couldn’t help feeling a little flattered that this powerful billionaire seemed totally invested in her. Until she firmly reminded herself that he was also a possible killer. “You’re a surprise I didn’t intend for tonight,” he finally said, releasing his hand to stuff it into his pocket.
“You’re not the only one surprised,” she said with a sweet smile.
He stayed exactly where he was, incredibly close, staring her down like she was some riddle he needed to solve. “You’re not from around here?”
“How did you know that?” she asked playfully.
He dropped his gaze to her eye level. “Because I know everyone in my city, and you’re not from my city.”
She hesitated a moment, searching his eyes for any hint that he was about to push her off this balcony. “I’m actually from New York City,” she said, moving around him and heading back into the living room, carefully keeping the auto-injector behind her clutch, not trusting that balcony anymore now that the thought had run through her mind.