Curiosity laced Marcus’s voice as he asked, “What’s that?”
“It’s somewhat twofold,” I replied, my thoughts intertwining. “On one hand, your boss’s refusal to spank me pissed me off, and now I have to dissect that revelation, or I’ll go crazy. I mean, he clearly didn’t have a problem shoving his face into Jenna’s pussy, but giving me a light spanking was pushing the envelope. Anyway, all that to say I’ll need to work it out. It’s how my mind works. I have to have a full-picture view in order to process it. It’s opened a can of worms now.”
His hands danced over the steering wheel as he turned the car. “And the other?”
After pausing for a moment to collect my thoughts, I continued. “I’m out of my league. Never hike the hardest trail without tackling the easier ones first. The world your bosses live in is like The Maze—that’s a hiking trail. It’s one of the hardest to hike in the United States. I’m not cut out for their world.”
Marcus’s next question was laced with a mix of understanding and concern. “And just so I’m clear, what world would that be?”
A wave of confusion washed over me as I peered to the side and studied his profile. “The one I seemed to want to jump headlong into, for nothing other than to prove a point.”
“To whom were you trying to prove a point?”
Embarrassed, I admitted, “Pathetically, Jenna. We had this whole exchange at the spa. She’s known the Kings for a while. If she’s still around, then that means something.”
“I see,” he murmured, looking concerned.
“So, with no real thought, and in true Kinsley fashion, I impulsively chose to jump the high-dive board. But I should have stuck to the kiddie pool.”
“And are you normally impulsive?”
“It’s a character flaw—one that is as deeply ingrained in me as my DNA. Beauty and grace without a lick of sense. But in my defense, I never claimed to be a smart girl. What’s Jenna’s deal with Alek, anyway?”
“You’ll have to ask him that,” he responded as my phone rang. I sent it to voicemail.
It rang twice more, and I turned the damn thing off. Apparently, Ivan was right. Alek wasn’t going to leave me alone.
“He has boundary issues, big time, you know.” I shook my head. “Tell him something else for me.” I paused as he glanced at me and then back at the road.
“What’s that?”
“He had his chance last night. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and that boat has sailed.” I mimicked a boat on the water drifting away.
A knowing smile played on Marcus’s lips as he considered my words. “He won’t like hearing that, I’m sure. But I’ll pass it along,” he assured me before adding, “I should warn you, though, it may make him more determined.”
“Snooze, you lose. He had one shot, and he let it slip through his fingers. His loss, someone else’s gain.” I shrugged my shoulders and winked at him. “Bet you never thought your day job with Alek would include passing messages like we were in grade school, huh?”
“My job with the Kings has had some odd moments, I won’t lie, but I’ll admit this is truly a first for me. Now, Marcel…he would be amazing at it.”
“Marcel?” I scoffed. “You’ve got to be joking. No, that is how I found myself in this mess to begin with. He was the fool who said, ‘go on one date. It’ll be fun, and he’ll lose interest after.’ I’m afraid he may have lost his touch. Not sure if he ever had one, but Alek sings his praises, so there is that. Friends can be biased, though, so it’s understandable.” My voice carried a hint of amusement.
Marcus shook his head, but the grin on his face told me we were okay. As the road stretched out before us, carrying us closer to the airport, I allowed the heaviness to ease.
Another classic ’80s song came on, and I let the conversation go. We rode the rest of the way in silence. He dropped me off, and I stared at the taillights as he drove away. Becca, the flight attendant, waited for me at the top of the stairs.
“Ms. Taylor, Alek has asked that we hold the plane until he can get here. He’d like to fly home with you.”
Pulling out my phone, I turned it back on and called an Uber. I was in luck, as there was someone five minutes out. I walked away from her without a single word. The last person I wanted to talk to was Aleksandr King.
Chapter 39
Aleksandr
None of Your Business
Three Days Later
The time ticked over as I looked at my watch. I knew her shift was ending soon, so I waited until she was almost done. After hearing what she and Marcus talked about, I spoke to Marcel.
