4
RAVEN
“Are you okay?”Kai asks me, his eyes moving quickly to the people in the background.
“Yes, yes… I’m fine,” I say in a strangled voice, prompting him to grab my arm and study my face.
Worry reads in his eyes, and his jaw is tense as he moves his stare to the people on the terrace and, most likely, Ted Sloane.
“Did he say something to you?” he asks.
The thick concern lining his voice makes me even more nervous, confirming that my bad feelings are justified.
Something about Theodore Sloane doesn’t feel right.
“No, he didn’t,” I say.
“Stay here with me, all right?” he drawls, and I freeze in place.
I have nowhere to go anyway and feel much safer here with him than by myself on the terrace.
For the life of me, I can’t figure out why of all women, I have caught that man’s eye.
He looked at me like he knew about Kai, his friends, and me.
Maybe I imagine things, but he’s constantly harassed me with his knowing smiles as if he’s been aware of what was happening right from the beginning.
I spend the rest of the evening with Kai, trying to forget about Ted Sloane.
Throughout the night, I catch Kai shooting his eyes at his father and Ted Sloane; every time he does that, his gaze glints with anger.
The party is no longer fun for me, and I’m relieved when Kai signals to us he is ready to leave.
We’re probably the first guests to walk out so early.
We climb into Kai’s ride, and he undoes his bowtie as soon as he slides into the driver’s seat. I occupy the seat next to him while Alejandro and Francisco slip into their seats in the back.
Kai glances at me.
“Feeling better?” he asks.
We lock eyes.
It’s been more than an hour since the incident, and despite my pretending that things have been all right, he knows they aren’t.
“Yeah… I’m fine,” I say softly.
“What happened?” Alejandro asks.
Without answering, Kai swerves the car away.
“Nothing,” I say.
“Do you want to go straight to the hotel?” Kai asks.
I study his profile. He doesn’t look at me.
We haven’t discussed our plans for the evening. It’s still early, and I’m not sure I want to go back already.