Page 70 of Protect Your Queen

“I think we’re okay to go now, since we’ve danced for our supper.” He smiled down at me, and I couldn’t help but smile back at him. Our heads tilted close together, close enough that they almost touched. “Before your bodyguard rips my arms out of their sockets and clobbers me to death with them.”

Chris caught my eye and I held my breath, seeing the heat in his gaze. It was a mix of anger and… hate? I wasn’t sure. His scowl unnerved me. Chris was the kind of man who always had a secret smile, like he had just thought of a joke that he couldn’t share with anyone.

But he definitely wasn’t smiling now.

Chapter twenty-six

Yes Ma’am

Chris

The drive home was fucking unbearable. Phoenix and his guard, who wasstillon his fucking phone, were dropped off in a private garage underneath his penthouse, and I drove Jestiny back to Malibu.

“Did you have a nice day off, Chris?”

I didn’t look back at her. I fucking couldn’t. I was too pissed off. I could feel the tension all over my body, and I wanted to beat the ever loving shit out of the steering wheel. She had almost kissed him. Over and over again, they had leaned in, their lips almost touching. I was one wrong move away from turning the car around, and shoving my patent leather shoe so far up Phoenix Asher’s ass that he’d be tasting the Scottish mud I stepped in when I first bought this ridiculous outfit.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said, flatly.

I stole a single glance at her. Not enough for her to see, because I had no clue what would happen if we made eye contact. Either I’d melt into a puddle or fly into a rage. None of that would be good for my driving.

“Where did you go?” Her hands twisted the end of her skirt, right above her knees. Her long limbs were tucked to the side, emphasizing how shapely they were.

“Nowhere interesting, ma’am.”

I didn’t need to look into the mirror to know that her face fell. I could feel it in the air around me. I could sense it in the way her breaths changed. The intimate connection we had was severed, bit by bit, putting me in my place.

That was how it should be. After all, I was just the help.

The hardest part was yet to come. I’d have to park, open her door, and hold it for her as she climbed out. Then I’d escort her the small distance to her front door before I could dismiss myself from her presence.

When I opened the door for her, she looked at me with watery eyes. Fuck.

She reached out her hand, as if she expected me to help her out of the car. Like she was some kind of old timey damsel in need of a gentleman to help her out of her coach. But I didn’t budge. I kept my hand on the car door, and stiffened, letting her know that wasn’t in the cards.

I was being an ass. But if I touched her, it would remind me of everything I didn’t have. Of the fantasy that had existed only in my mind for one glorious fucking day.

I sat there and watched her flirt with a man of her fame, and in her strata. Not some has-been musician.

She shuffled down the seat and climbed out, and I slammed the door shut.

“Chris?” She wanted a conversation, and I wasn’t in the mood.

I turned away, and walked into the house, because I couldn’t bear to look at her.

“Chris!” She rushed after me, closing the door. I realized that she hadn’t locked it, so I stepped around her to do just that.

When she tried to reach out to grab my arm, I almost jumped out of my skin to avoid her.

“Chris, talk to me.” I could see from my peripheral vision that a tear had fallen, and I didn’t want to be the cause of any more. I didn’t want to be the bad guy. “It wasn’t a real date! The label set it up. We were just supposed to be seen together… Chris!”

I had to make our lines clear. If not for her, then for me. I needed to know my place, and it wasn’t with her on that damn table that put her on display with Phoenix Asher.

“Don’t you dare treat me like that!” She punched my chest, but I didn’t budge. I just looked to the side and waited.

She wasn’t hitting to hurt. Hell, she couldn’t hurt me even if she wanted to. It wasn’t in her nature. She was doing it to get my attention. To bring out a reaction that I wouldn’t give her.

I couldn’t. I had been playing fuck-around for too long, and it was time to put a stop to it. I had lost sight of what was important and it wasn’t some troubled little diva that neededher ego massaged after a tough day in her gilded tower. It was my sister. Keeping a roof over her head and keeping her dreams alive because mine were dead.

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