Page 51 of Vetted for Vengeance
“Thank you for tonight,” I cling to his arm as we stumble out of the flashy restaurant, drunk only on joy. Well, I feel drunk despite only having lemonade for the evening. Rhys has changed. He's stiffened. The change is effortless, like normal Rhys transforming under the light of the camera, but this isn't presenter Rhys. This is dark Rhys.
He takes my hand, but there is nothing romantic in the grip.
This isn't love.
It’s protection.
We pick up the pace, walking across the damp floor of the car park, moving from lamppost to lamppost toward the lonely Land Rover at the back of the car park. I glance across at the restaurant, my eyes falling on the window I'd been looking out of only moments ago.
There, half illuminated by the restaurant lights, stands a dark figure.
Too far away to recognize, but definitely positioned so he could watch us. When my eyes meet his, he doesn't look away. He wants to be seen.
Rhys opens my door and holds it as I climb in. Not romantic. Possessive.
Rhys walks around to his door, taking the longer route behind the car, keeping the shadow man in his sights.
This feels dangerous, even if it’s just one man feeling exactly how I expected everyone to. But the danger feels… safe.
Rhys checks the rear-view mirror twice before pulling onto the road.
Rhys drives home without relaxing. He's dangerous, but not to me. This is all because someone dared to look at me. Not him. Me.
We encountered someone who must hate puppy farms more than I do.
When we get back to Rhys's house, he parks right outside the door.
“Stay,” he orders.
He races around the car and grabs my arm, pulling me toward the house with a grip strong enough to promise bruises.
“Can we pop over and ask…”
“No,” he interrupts, locking the door behind us.
“I just want to know if Bobo is…”
“No.”
“Just a quick call about Honey?”
“No.”
“Am I only getting one-word answers?”
“No,” he growls, then forces a little of the tension from his shoulders. “You’re supposed to be having one night off.”
He tries to pull a little of normal Rhys back into the situation, but I'm in no hurry to lose this version.
“I had an amazing night off. You made me feel safe when those people liked me. And you made me feel valuable when that guy…”
I shake my head. “I don't know if he hated me or he was pissed with life, but I felt…”
“He wasn't anyone.”
I'm getting to know Rhys's body language. This is a man who needs space.
“I'm going to bed.” I step closer, too close. I'm drawn to the man with murder in his eyes. I lean closer, pressing my lips to his cheek. “Thank you for everything.”
