Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Zeke’s hand closes round my knee. “No.”
“I need to pee.”
“I’ll take them,” Jericho says, standing.
Zeke finally nods, although he’s reluctant. I get up and Isabelle and I walk side-by-side, Jericho at our back. Jericho waits outside of the lady’s room, and we enter.
“What’s going on?” Isabelle asks me as soon as we’re alone.
I wonder how much she knows. How much her husband has told her. I don’t want to lie to her but am not sure how much I can say.
“I’m pretty sure you’re picking up the same vibe I am from them. Did you notice no one at the table said more than two words to us?” she asks.
“Zeke is charming like that,” I say with an eye roll.
Isabelle smiles, takes out her lipstick. “I know what brought Zeke back,” she says, keeping her eyes on her reflection in the mirror until she’s done, then turning to face me. An older woman walks into the powder room and Isabelle says hello to her, then takes me aside. “Jericho doesn’t want to upset me, given the baby and all, but I’d feel better knowing.”
I nod. She has a right to know. “I think one of the men guarding the Councilors may be connected to my father. I’m not sure how much you know about that, but basically, it’s bad news if he is.”
She studies me, a wrinkle forming between her eyebrows. “How bad?”
“Bad.”
There’s a knock on the door and we both turn when someone pushes it open and clears his throat.
A man.
I grab Isabelle’s wrist and push her behind me. If it’s him, if it’s Wyatt Hoxton, I won’t let him hurt her.
But I exhale a sigh of relief when Jericho’s head comes into view. He sees us, takes in my hand around his wife’s wrist. Isabelle steps around me.
“You’re leaving. Dex is outside. He’ll take you to the car,” he says.
“What about you?” Isabelle asks.
He glances at me. “I’m going to get Zeke.”
“Where is he?” I ask.
Jericho’s jaw tightens and he shakes his head once.
“Did he go—”
“I don’t know,” Jericho cuts me off, glancing at his wife.
I look at her, then him. My heart races. Did he go after Wyatt?
“Let’s go.” Jericho says and holds the door open.
Isabelle steps out and I follow her. Dex is standing nearby. The gong chimes and people begin to pile back into the banquet room.
“I left my wrap,” I say.
“I’ll get it,” Jericho says. “Dex.”
Dex nods, and gestures to us to walk ahead of him.
Jericho wraps a hand around the back of Isabelle’s neck and draws her close. They look at each other, forehead to forehead, and it’s so intimate a moment, I feel like I should look away. “Zeke and I will take my car,” Jericho tells her. “Don’t worry. I’ll be home soon.”
“Okay,” she says, and I can hear that she is worried.
I look around for Zeke, trying to find him in the crowd as the gong goes again.
“Come on, Blue,” Isabelle says weaving her arm through mine and leaving me no choice but to leave with her, Dex following close behind us.
29
Ezekiel
I slip out of the ballroom after the Councilors do. The three men head toward a private room at the end of the corridor where another of their guard stands waiting at the door.
“Are you back for good?” a woman asks, stepping into my line of vision.
I turn toward the sound to find Vivien whatever the fuck her last name is. At least she’s on her own. Her minions aren’t flanking her.
“Excuse me?” I ask.
“Are you back home for good?” she asks, trying to sound flirtatious but clearly irritated likely at my earlier dismissal of her.
“Why?” I ask, shifting my gaze around her when the door opens to glimpse the backs of two men. The Councilors disappear inside. Hoxton and another of the men stand guard outside.
She takes a step to the right, placing herself squarely between me and my line of vision to the door.
“Just wanted to know if you were back so we could pick up where we left off.”
I furrow my brows. “I didn’t realize we’d left off anywhere.”
“I mean,” she starts, tilting her head to one side, pushing her hip out in the opposite. She licks her lips suggestively and I have a vague memory of her kneeling before me, but that’s where it ends. Like I told Blue, I was drunk. Very drunk. That or maybe she just wasn’t very good.
Vivien reaches out to adjust my bowtie. I raise an eyebrow.
“You know, Ezekiel, we were getting to know each other and—”
I take her hands and move them off my person. “You’re wasting your time, Vivien. I’ll be very clear. I’m not interested.”
She seems stunned by this, and I imagine it’s not often she’s turned down. I suppose technically, she’s beautiful but like I told Blue, she’s a viper. I assume most men tuck tail when she approaches.