Page 74 of Savage Prince
She shakes her head. “No. He’s not. Something came up. He called and asked if I’d give you his regrets. He’ll be in touch.”
What could have come up? Is he okay? Did something happen with the guy at the café?Did it have something to do with the five hundred grand someone paid him that Ariel tracked on the dark web?
A dozen possibilities pop into my brain, and I have no idea what’s right or wrong. None of them are good possibilities.
“I have to go,” I tell Magnolia. “This was a mistake.”
I turn on my heel and head for the door. However, instead of executing a graceful exit, I run smack into the chest of a man—and it’s not the man I want to see. It’s another stranger, and this one I don’t care to know.
“Who is this delightful little creature, Magnolia? And where have you been hiding her? You afraid of some competition?” His voice is smooth and cultured, and immediately puts me on edge with its smug, condescending tone.
“She’s just leaving,” Magnolia tells him, her voice coming from right behind me.
“Not until I get a chance to talk with her.”
“So sorry, sir. She’s intent on leaving, so I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t stand in her way.”
He holds out his hand to me, completely ignoring Magnolia. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance ...” He pauses, clearly expecting me to give him my name, but this isn’t my first time here and I’m not about to offer it.
“I have to go.”
I take another step but his hand closes around my arm, just above my elbow.
“But the night is young, and I’ve been out of town for months. Who knows when I’ll have a chance to get back here. My work so often keeps me away.” His gaze drifts back to Magnolia. “Much to my regret.”
Magnolia’s eyes narrow on him. “Giles, let her go.”
“Sorry,sir,” I tell him. “I’m not a member. Good luck with the rest of your night.”
I really want to tell him that acting so overbearing makes me assume he has a tiny dick, but I don’t. Maybe it’s his overbearing nature that makes Magnolia look like she wants to slice and dice him, but I truly have no idea. The guy could just be another person out looking for a thrill, like me. But then again, he wouldn’t carry the creeper vibe so strongly if he wasn’t one. For the first time, I truly feel uncomfortable in a way that makes me feel unsafe here.
This is why Rafe told me not to come here.I should have listened to my brother.
When I tug free of Giles, I hurry out of the room, leaving Magnolia behind to do damage control. Maybe it’s rude, but I don’t know him and she does.
That’s when it occurs to me—she said his name.
I pause at the top step, taking in the shiny wooden banister that leads down the stairs to the front door. The front door I’ve run out like the devil was on my heels once before.
I’m tempted to do it again right now, but instead, I walk out calmly.
I shouldn’t care that I finally decided to come and he’s not here, but some creepy guy was and Magnolia broke the rules. I shouldn’t care that I don’t have any way to track down my stranger to get my answers to a hell of a lot of questions I have.
I shouldn’t care about any of it ...
But I do.
Chapter 31
Temperance
The blindingly bright sunlight cuts through my curtains, waking me up from a restless night.
It’s my birthday.
Others might wake to a phone call from a parent, but not me. Not this year. And really, not ever.
Rafe has always been the best big brother he could manage to be, given his unconventional lifestyle, but even that can’t make up for having parents who don’t give a damn about you.
