My throat burns, and I untangle myself from his arm.
Lex frowns. “Something wrong?”
“No. The photographer got his pictures.” I fidget with the long sleeves of my sweater dress.
He doesn’t say anything for a while, both hands sinking into his pockets as we move in tandem. “Okay.”
I watch the sun plunge deeper into the horizon, like a blazing ship breaching the ocean depths. The sky’s warmth fades to blue and silver. For a moment, I forget where I am, who I am, and who I’m with. A surreal feeling washes over me, tugging at the corners of my mind. A little dog distracts me as it sniffs patches of grass and wildflowers. A bug crawls along the toe of my knee-high boot. Not an ant but a funny-looking thing; lime green with oversize wings. Someone bumps my shoulder on the right.
My head pops up, and I go to apologize, but—
“Dumb whore!”
Ice-cold liquid splashes across my face.
I freeze, careening to a startled stop, my breath snagging in the back of my throat. Everything’s a blur, a shell-shocked stream of motion and noise as I raise my hands in defense.
A dark-haired woman’s angry face whizzes by as she chucks an empty cup at my feet. “Go back to your barn. He’ll be done with you in a week’s time.”
Lex’s arms circle around me, drawing me back.
Castle appears, reaching for the woman as she snarls, “Get off me!”
Dragging me away, Lex calls over his shoulder at his bodyguard. “Take care of her.”
Everyone stops and stares.
Shock digs into me.
I can’t catch my breath as iced coffee and half-melted ice cubes dribble down my skin and drench my dress. Wet strands of hair whip back and forth in front of my eyes as Lex uses his whole body to shield me as we speed walk back to the limo.
“Fuck,” he murmurs against my ear, grip on me tightening. “You okay?”
“I’m…” I have no idea what I am. A stranger just threw her drink in my face and called me a whore. Tears cloud my vision as I stumble forward, trying not to trip over his Yves Saint Laurent sneakers. I grab his hand and hold it tight. “Who…who was that?”
“An unhinged person. Castle is handling it.”
“Why would she…” My voice collapses, acidic grit clogging my throat.
“Tell me you’re okay.”
Photographs snap on all sides of us. Cell phones, professional cameras with wide lenses. I keep my head low, watching as the ground streaks underneath my feet. Our pace quickens. “I’m okay,” I choke out. “I’ll be fine.”
I’m a sopping mess when we jump into the limo and Adrian hurries to close us in. I manage to sit down on my barely touched cheeseburger, only adding to my humiliation and misery.
Lex reaches for a carton of antiseptic handwipes, handing me a few as he leans over to dab the mocha latte off my cheeks. I inch off the burger, wincing as ketchup and secret sauce attach themselves to my backside.
“I’m sorry.” His voice is low, breath quivering in warm spurts across my face. With a gentle touch, he carefully swipes at my cheeks and forehead, swallowing through a tense jaw.
My hands curl around the wipes, my heartbeats pummeling my rib cage. “It’s not your fault.”
His jaw tightens even more. “Fucking assholes.”
“I’m fine, Lex.” My tears are tiny daggers poking at the backs of my eyes. I pin my bottom lip between my teeth, trying to center myself, focusing on the soft strokes of the wipes as they graze my skin. His hand lifts, cupping my cheek and angling my jaw to the side. My lungs tighten at the contact, my thighs squeezing together. “I’m okay,” I whisper, our faces an inch apart.
He’s all hard lines and barely suppressed rage.
The limo hits a pothole, and his balance teeters, yanking him closer as he catches himself on the back of the seat. Our lips almost touch, and my eyes slam shut.
