Page 40 of Inside the Maelstrom: Part One
“Aviva!”
“Fucking hell, Sampson. I’m coming.” I stepped into the hall and found Hendrick leaning across from the door.
“Not yet, Viva, but it can be arranged.”
I rolled my eyes at him and strode down the hallway. Stopping in front of Sampson, I gave him a jaunty salute. “I’m ready, sir.”
His eyes hooded with lust and he growled low in his throat. Whoops. Should’ve thought that one through. It wasn’t quite the effect I’d intended, but apparently I’d unlocked a kink I didn’t realize I had until right now.
Hendrick was laughing behind me. “You’re in trouble now, Viva. I’d run if I was you.”
Sampson flicked his eyes at Hendrick. “You are both lucky we have an appointment right now.” Turning on his heel, he walked toward the door.
Otto came up behind me, looking between us all with amusement. He held out his elbow and I slipped my hand into the crook. No one spoke as we left the hotel and climbed into the car. Evan appeared from nowhere, sliding into the driver’s seat.
I leaned between the seats. “Morning, Evan.”
He looked at me, his face giving away nothing. “Morning, miss.”
“Call me Aviva.” If we were going to be on a round the world tour together, he should call me by my name.
I could feel the tension in the car again, and I looked back over my shoulder. All the guys were watching the interaction with wary expressions. For fuck’s sake.
“Put your seatbelt on, Aviva.”
Did I imagine the emphasis Sampson put on my name? Probably. But like the good girl he always taunted me for being, I belted myself in. “So, how’d you track down the former owner?”
“My assistant is adequate at finding public records.”
“And how did you get him to agree to open the store for us?”
Sampson looked out the window. “I bought the store.”
There was a giant tire screech in my brain. “Youwhat?”
He slid his eyes back to mine, his chin tilted stubbornly. “I bought it.”
“Pull over,” I said to Evan. When he didn’t move, I got slightly more hysterical. “Pull the fuck over!” I screeched.
“Aviva,” Otto started, but when the car slowed to a stop, I climbed out.
“Do not follow me. Any of you.”
I slammed the door. I could hear Sampson yelling, but ignored him as I ran down the sidewalk. A door slammed, and there was the pounding of feet behind, letting me know someone was chasing me. Finally, a hand reached out and grabbed mine.
“Fuck off, Sam, I told you I didn’t want any…” It wasn’t Sampson, but Evan. I frowned because I guess they’d followed my wishes, kind of. “What are you doing here?”
Evan’s jaw tensed. He was younger than I thought, but still easily in his thirties. He was average looking, but not in an unattractive way. The perfect kind of bodyguard. He’d blend into the crowd unless you were looking for him. But the lines at the corners of his eyes said he smiled often, and I had a feeling that when he did, it lit up his whole face.
“I was ordered to be here.”
I shook my head. “You’re Sampson’s bodyguard. Go back and do your job.”
He raised a single eyebrow. “You definitely aren’t my boss, so no.” He looked around, and still holding my arm, dragged me across the road and into a pub. The inside was dark and smelled of old cigarettes, but Evan herded me to the bar.
“Two scotches. The good stuff. Neat,” he told the bartender, who had the most impressive sideburns I’d seen since Elvis. The guy didn’t say anything about us drinking before lunch, just pouring us both a couple of fingers of scotch. Didn’t ask to see my ID or anything.
Evan threw a bill on the bar, and looked pointedly at the glass in front of me. “Drink.” I frowned at him but being drunk did seem like a pretty good idea right now. I threw it back, and then he pushed the second one in front of me. “This one too.”
