Gage
Leah’s face is pale, her eyes wide and unseeing.She yelps when Dmitri wraps an arm around her waist.
“Hey, it’s us.”Dmitri’s voice is slow and soothing.
I bracket her other side.Our girl is shaking.Anger and worry thrum through me in alternating beats.How could we let this happen?
And what the hell is Beryl Crake doing here?
“Did Nic hurt you?”I tilt Leah’s face up so I can look at her fully.
Leah shakes her head.“No.She just—she just talked.I’m fine.”
I want to stalk down the hall, grab Nic, and make her apologize.But that would involve being near Nic, and making Leah be near Nic.And I don’t want that for either of us.
Dmitri meets my eyes over Leah’s head.He mouths, “Home?”
I nod.But it should be Leah’s choice.
Looking down at Leah, I ask, “What do you want to do?”
“I—” She stops and fists my tux jacket.Her focus has moved past me to someone at the side.
Beryl Crake is still lurking nearby.
Trying not to sound as frustrated as I feel, I whirl around.“Can I help you?”
“A word, if you wouldn’t mind?”Crake grimaces.“I know it isn’t a good time, but I don’t want to bother you later.”
I want to tell her to take my word and shove it somewhere crude.Instead, I count to three in my head.“Sure, you can have a word.”
Leah’s head snaps up in surprise.Perhaps alarm.I keep a soothing hand on her lower back.I can do this.I can speak to the press.My heart might be thundering in my chest.The room might feel like an airlock.But I can do this.
I focus on the slinky gold of Leah’s dress.On her body, warm next to mine.On the sugary scent of her skin.
“My statement.”I face Crake more fully.“My statement is that my ex-girlfriend needs our understanding and kindness more than ever.And my current girlfriend deserves apologies for the ways in which she has been wronged.I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we would appreciate our privacy being respected at this time.”
Leah leans into me while Crake nods.
“Thank you, Mr.Jannik.”Crake taps on her phone.“I will make sure your message is shared.”
It takes all my strength not to slump against the wall after she walks away.Now it’s just Dmitri, Leah, and me in the hall.
“So, little girl.”I squeeze Leah’s hip.“Are we leaving early, or staying for dinner?”
She straightens up.“We’re staying for dinner.”
So, we do.We eat and talk, conversing easily with Sebastian, Kingston, and Ella, who are seated at our table.We mingle with others as well.Leah allows me to lead her to the dance floor during a slow song.I hold her in my arms and sway, breathing in this special moment of being out with her.
Dmitri doesn’t ask her to dance.In fact, I realize that he hasn’t been interacting with her as much as usual.While she’s engrossed in conversation about books with one of her new friends, Samantha, I tilt my head at Dmitri.“What’s going on between you two?”
He gives a short shake of his head.“I was an idiot.”
“I suppose that’s nothing new.”
“Don’t be a dick.”
Winding him up is too amusing.“Whatever you did, I’m sure she’ll forgive you eventually.She loves you.”
