Page 66 of Laila Manning
She snorted and rolled her eyes dismissively, “It’s just lipstick on a pig.” She said nonchalantly and then stopped me as I called her out for degrading herself, “But thank you anyway.”
“Zeke.” A voice called from behind us, silencing anything else I wanted to say to her about her negativity, and we turned to the approaching guest.
“Howard.” I nodded, sliding my hand around Laila’s waist and pulling her against my side. “I didn’t think you were coming tonight.” I said pointedly to the seedy, sniveling, pathetic excuse for a man that was trying his best to act like he fit in with the surrounding crowd.
“Pfft.” He waved his hand dismissively with a shrug, “Clerical error between Ryker’s people and mine, that’s it.” His eyes left mine and slid down to where Laila leaned against me fully, like she was trying to hide within me, but her face gave away no sign of distress. I could tell she just wasn’t comfortable with strangers, but she wasn’t upset. And she was an impeccable judge of character, meaning she probably could pick up on what a snake Howard Sheffield was.
“Interesting.” I drawled, refusing to go further into the fact that the man was not only not invited tonight, but he was also blacklisted from the event completely. Yet there he stood, chatting me up like he belonged.
“Anyway, not the point.” He moved on, “I really just wanted to talk to you about the Hoffman organization—”
I moved fluidly, sliding Laila behind my back, and stepping into Howard’s space, towering over the top of him until his fat, grotesque stomach pressed against my front. “If you want to keep that disgusting piece of fat you call a tongue inside of your mouth where it belongs, then I suggest you stop using it to do anything other than swallow the free food you no doubt already gorged yourself on. Because if you dare to use it to speak to anyone in this room about anything other than the fucking charity we’re here to support tonight, I’ll cut it out in the middle of the dancefloor.” I sneered down at him as his eyes flicked from side to side, as if he’d find a hero amongst my men. “Get the fuckout of here.” I snapped my fingers over the back of his balding head, and two security members from the crew stepped up immediately. “Remove him,” I growled, “and ensure he doesn’t fucking dare to come back.”
“I was invited!” Howard cried as the guards pulled him backward. “I want to talk about the merger!” He yelled desperately, dragging the curious gazes of other partygoers as they watched the drama unfold. “I need in on that merger!”
One of the guards delivered a well-placed punch to his side, knocking the air out of his lungs and effectively silencing him as they pulled him from the ballroom and to a holding room where they would no doubt deliver a few more hits to get the point across.
“Pathetic.” I sneered, trying to shake the mere thought of him from my memory. I turned and froze when I saw the look on Laila’s face as she watched the man being dragged from the room before her doe eyes flicked up to mine. “Dove.” I exhaled as panic set into my spine.
I fucked up.
Again.
She dropped her eyes and licked her lips, feigning an attempt to adjust her skirt as she composed herself, but I couldn’t find the words to fix this.
“It’s fine.” She rushed out but still wouldn’t look at me. “I was just surprised by the—,” she paused and took a deep breath, “Intensity of it.”
“I’m sorry.” I sighed, reaching up to brush her arm again, but stopped short.
“Don’t.” She scowled, and anger filled those brown eyes. “It’s exactly the same thing that happened the other night at the restaurant.” She stopped, widening her eyes. “It excited me. Which always catches me off guard.”
“Zeke.” Another voice called out, and I clenched my teeth, fighting the urge to punch the owner of this voice for interrupting us again, but stopped, because punching my girl’s brother was off limits. Tonight anyway.
“What?” I snapped, twisting around to face Jed as he stopped short with Carly right on his heels.
“You good?” He glanced at Laila, who still stood at my back, as she slid her arm through mine and pressed her body against my side.
“We’re great.” She answered for me. “Doesn’t that type of thing always happen around you, men?”
Carly smirked and shrugged. “Kind of, yeah.”
“Exactly.” Laila nodded curtly before looking up at me. “Nothing to see here.”
“Then let’s sit.” Jed said pointedly, “Before anyone else wants to interrupt our night with business bullshit.”
Chapter 17 – Laila
“Ineed a drink.” Carly said, rolling her eyes as Jed smiled at a middle-aged woman who had been chatting his ear off for no less than fifteen minutes.
He was charming her, sure. But only for her money for the cause. I knew that. Carly knew that. But I could see the jealousy burning in her eyes at losing his attention for so long.
Zeke had been dutiful all night long, staying not only by my side like he promised, but keeping his skin pressed to mine, physically aligning ourselves. And it was working.
As people came and went to our table, pulling the guys into boring business talks, or hushed whispers of shady dealings, I never got worked up or uncomfortable. Maybe it was because Carly and Elora were just as bored as I was, but it felt—normal?
Tedious,sure.
But normal.
