“Hell yeah, I need a drink right about now. You know what I like.”
He’s right. I do. It’s really amazing how well I know a man I don’t know at all. “I do,” I say. “I’ll be right back.”
“Take Alejandro with you.”
My brows dip. “Is there some threat I don’t know about?”
“Of course not, but you’re the future of our country. I was advised that a woman as beautiful as you might end up with some unsavory attention.”
“I don’t want an escort to the bathroom. When you win the office, I’ll lose my freedom. Don’t take it now.”
He studies me a moment and then kisses my hand. “You’re right. Go. Just be careful.”
“Always.” And then I push my luck by adding, “Take me with you to New York and you can look out for me.”
“I wish I could. You know I do.”
“Right. I know. I just hate it. I’ll be right back.” I rotate away from him and I don’t waste any time walking toward the door. I’m stopped three times by random people asking how my father is and excited for Gabriel’s campaign. The questions about my father cut me because I know at any moment he could finally be safe, but he could also end up dead. The idea of that being the reason why Rick would so boldly try to connect with me here has me walking a little faster.
Finally, I clear the room and step into the hallway. Cutting left, I walk down a long hallway and follow a temporary sign that points to the ladies’ room. I rush in that direction and enter the restroom. There is a woman at the sink, fixing her hair and six closed stalls. She turns to leave and I quickly walk to the back stall and enter. Rick is there waiting, and I am instantly in his safe, strong arms. Relief, love, heat all collide and I wrap my arms around him. “My father—” I whisper.
His hands close down on my head, and he’s already kissing me, a long, deep stroke of tongue sending shivers down my spine before his lips press to my ear. “Alejandro is trouble. He will kill you before Adrian can save you if things go south. If you can escape, do it, but if you have to go with him, don’t panic. I will come for you. I promise.”
I swallow hard, and he pulls back to look at me, holding a finger to my lip and nodding. I nod my confirmation. He molds me close and kisses me again and for a moment or two there is nothing but us. Too soon the world explodes around us. Voices sound and Rick tears his lips from mine, wiping lipstick from my mouth before he leans in and whispers, “I’ll see you soon. Adrian is here and close. I love you, baby.” He turns me to the door.
I turn back around and push to my toes to whisper. “I love you, too, and Rick, I trust you. I trust us again.” When I settle onto my feet again and meet his stare, his eyes are filled with love and tenderness. He kisses me hard and fast and turns me to the door. This time, I open it and exit the stall. I exit the bathroom and stop dead in my tracks when I find Alejandro waiting on me, his cold eyes landing hard on my face. It’s not until that moment that the reality of what Rick just said to me hits home. I may end up this man’s prisoner tonight and all I can think is no. No, that is not going to happen. I won’t let that happen. I am not leaving this party with this man.
I tilt my chin up and start walking.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Savage
What happens next isn’t a pre-planned strategy.
I exit the bathroom stall, walk right past a woman at the sink, and exit to the hallway and never stop walking. Determined to get eyes on Candace one last time before I leave, I re-enter the ballroom and weave through the crowd to come up behind her and Gabriel at the very moment the Pencil Dick grabs her ass. She whirls on him and points in his face. Anger comes at me hard and fast, as does my strategy. Tag has someone watching. He needs to know how serious I am about killing Pencil Dick, which would be really fucking serious. What better way than to boldly go where most men would not? I start walking toward Candace, and Asher, who has electronic surveillance set-up inside the event, clearly does not like where I’m headed. He bellows in my ear. “What the fuck are you doing?” I keep walking. He curses and then says, “You have five minutes to get over your fifty shades of stupid and out of the door.”