screen. “Want a photo with a celebrity?”
“Sure, do you know any?”
He kissed her at the same moment he clicked the icon. The image displayed, her grinning against his full lips, both their eyes closed and her fingers brushing against his stubble.
It was a great photo.
Which Ethan promptly posted to his Twitter account under the caption Evening out with a beautiful lady.
Not my beautiful lady, but Sam wasn’t going to pick nits.
He’d just told the entire Internet he was with her.
At least for tonight.
They moved towards the exit, but before they reached the double doors, another group stepped up to stop them. They didn’t seem like the same type of fans, though, and Sam’s Spidey-sense went into high gear.
“Ethan…?”
There were three beefy men with close-cropped haircuts and faces so nondescript Sam would have been hard-pressed to recount any details at a later time. In the middle of the three giants was a middle-aged man in a crisply pressed, shiny black suit. Sam wasn’t familiar with any mafia thugs, but if she had to imagine one in existence, it would have been the guy in the suit.
“Leaving so soon, Mr. Silver?”
Ethan came to a full stop, his gaze darting from Sam to the four men. His fingers spasmed painfully on her arm, and though he relaxed his hand almost immediately, the response had been sudden enough she knew the situation couldn’t be good.
“I have plans, Julian.”
“Yes. Antoine and I are expecting you upstairs.” The man, Julian, inclined his head towards the elevators across the lobby. “I’m sure your lady friend will understand.” His cold eyes shifted to Sam, and he added, “Unless she wants to pay.”
Ethan pulled Sam backwards and stood half in front of her.
He was protecting her.
This situation was definitely bad.
“Ethan, what’s going on?”
“I’m sorry, my dear. I’m sure you thought you’d be spending a gratifying evening with your legs wrapped around Mr. Silver’s head, but you’ll need to lift your skirt for someone else tonight.”
“ Excuse me? ” Sam snapped, unable to keep herself from responding. She wasn’t a big fan of being colored as an easy slut by anyone, especially not a greasy scumbag in an ugly suit.
“This doesn’t concern you,” Julian replied coolly, ignoring her venomous tone. “You can leave now.”
“No.” Sam wasn’t sure where this new backbone had come from, but she knew it was more stupid than brave. More than that, though, she had no intention of leaving Ethan alone with these guys.
The big guys shared some smug looks, and Julian let out an impatient sigh. “My dear,” he began, his tone more heated than before and his focus now all for her. “I strongly suggest you get out of here. Now.”
“I’m not going anywhere without—”
“Sam, it’s okay,” Ethan cut her off, probably keeping her from saying something she’d regret on multiple levels. He turned back to the men. “I can’t come.”
“Then certainly you are prepared to make good on your end of the arrangement.”
“I have another day.”
“Deadlines are a funny thing. I want some assurances. If you come up and attend Antoine’s party, I’ll consider myself assured.”
“Julian, be reasonable.”
“We can continue this discussion privately. I think you’ll find me a very reasonable man.”
Sam watched the whole exchange, biting her tongue when all she wanted to do was scream for security.
“Sam, you should go back to the hotel.”
She shook her head, but he was already disengaging himself from her, pulling his arm free and pushing her farther away from them.
“Go.”
“No.”
“Sam, I’ll be fine. Just go.”
She wanted to argue, but Ethan was surrounded by the men, and they drifted away from her, vanishing into one of the elevators.
Well, shit.
Chapter Fourteen
Julian didn’t like to hear no.
He didn’t take Ethan to the party. The elevator descended to the basement, and Ethan saw the floors tick away
“Sure, do you know any?”
He kissed her at the same moment he clicked the icon. The image displayed, her grinning against his full lips, both their eyes closed and her fingers brushing against his stubble.
It was a great photo.
Which Ethan promptly posted to his Twitter account under the caption Evening out with a beautiful lady.
Not my beautiful lady, but Sam wasn’t going to pick nits.
He’d just told the entire Internet he was with her.
At least for tonight.
They moved towards the exit, but before they reached the double doors, another group stepped up to stop them. They didn’t seem like the same type of fans, though, and Sam’s Spidey-sense went into high gear.
“Ethan…?”
There were three beefy men with close-cropped haircuts and faces so nondescript Sam would have been hard-pressed to recount any details at a later time. In the middle of the three giants was a middle-aged man in a crisply pressed, shiny black suit. Sam wasn’t familiar with any mafia thugs, but if she had to imagine one in existence, it would have been the guy in the suit.
“Leaving so soon, Mr. Silver?”
Ethan came to a full stop, his gaze darting from Sam to the four men. His fingers spasmed painfully on her arm, and though he relaxed his hand almost immediately, the response had been sudden enough she knew the situation couldn’t be good.
“I have plans, Julian.”
“Yes. Antoine and I are expecting you upstairs.” The man, Julian, inclined his head towards the elevators across the lobby. “I’m sure your lady friend will understand.” His cold eyes shifted to Sam, and he added, “Unless she wants to pay.”
Ethan pulled Sam backwards and stood half in front of her.
He was protecting her.
This situation was definitely bad.
“Ethan, what’s going on?”
“I’m sorry, my dear. I’m sure you thought you’d be spending a gratifying evening with your legs wrapped around Mr. Silver’s head, but you’ll need to lift your skirt for someone else tonight.”
“ Excuse me? ” Sam snapped, unable to keep herself from responding. She wasn’t a big fan of being colored as an easy slut by anyone, especially not a greasy scumbag in an ugly suit.
“This doesn’t concern you,” Julian replied coolly, ignoring her venomous tone. “You can leave now.”
“No.” Sam wasn’t sure where this new backbone had come from, but she knew it was more stupid than brave. More than that, though, she had no intention of leaving Ethan alone with these guys.
The big guys shared some smug looks, and Julian let out an impatient sigh. “My dear,” he began, his tone more heated than before and his focus now all for her. “I strongly suggest you get out of here. Now.”
“I’m not going anywhere without—”
“Sam, it’s okay,” Ethan cut her off, probably keeping her from saying something she’d regret on multiple levels. He turned back to the men. “I can’t come.”
“Then certainly you are prepared to make good on your end of the arrangement.”
“I have another day.”
“Deadlines are a funny thing. I want some assurances. If you come up and attend Antoine’s party, I’ll consider myself assured.”
“Julian, be reasonable.”
“We can continue this discussion privately. I think you’ll find me a very reasonable man.”
Sam watched the whole exchange, biting her tongue when all she wanted to do was scream for security.
“Sam, you should go back to the hotel.”
She shook her head, but he was already disengaging himself from her, pulling his arm free and pushing her farther away from them.
“Go.”
“No.”
“Sam, I’ll be fine. Just go.”
She wanted to argue, but Ethan was surrounded by the men, and they drifted away from her, vanishing into one of the elevators.
Well, shit.
Chapter Fourteen
Julian didn’t like to hear no.
He didn’t take Ethan to the party. The elevator descended to the basement, and Ethan saw the floors tick away
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