Page 38 of The First Deal

I was reasoning with every word that she had spoken. Fighting them in my head as I looked at her over my shoulder.

The determination in her eyes had me wavering. Confused. Unsure.

She looked so sure of herself, and… shit. I needed some space. Some quiet. I needed to get out of here and think. Work things out for myself.

I couldn’t go back into the dining hall. I needed to go… where? His place? Where I’d find Quinn sprawled on the sofa. I’d love to ask her about all of this, but did I want her to think that I was doubting Shane for even a second? No. No, I didn’t want that.

And he’d likely come with me if I went to his place. Or he’d leave the meal early, before dessert. Would that be long enough to think? I doubted it.

So home. Home was where I needed to be.

Without uttering a single word, I opened the door and ran, avoiding the dining room doors as I backtracked to the foyer, out of the door, and searched for Boris.

He hadn’t left, thank the lord, and the moment I climbed into the back of the car, he was spinning in his seat with wide, confused eyes.

“Home, Bo. I need to go home,” I blurted. “Get me out of here.”

“What has he done?” Bo asked, passing me a tissue.

Why was he passing me a tissue, was I… Oh shit, I was crying. When had that started? After leaving Violet I hoped. Why though? I wasn’t sad. I was confused. My head was running at a million miles per hour. There was no need for tears.

So I sniffed hard, wiped my cheeks, and put a stop to my crying as I told Bo that I’d explain it all on the drive home, and to please,pleasejust go, ideally before Shane worked out that I was leaving.

Bo hesitantly started the engine and pulled away from the hotel, but just as we were about to turn right the passenger door was yanked open. Bo slammed his foot on the brakes, throwing me forward in the back seat.

“Where are you going?” I heard Shane’s voice before his head appeared in the open door. He looked over the passenger seat at me, his eyes glassy yet filled with rage. “Did she say something? Do something?”

I nodded, then dropped my gaze to my lap, twisting my fingers. “I need to think.”

Shane scoffed. “No, you need to talk. Tell me what happened.”

“No,” I snapped, looking up at him, the fire that I’d seen in his eyes now filling mine. “I don’t want to talk yet.”

“Fine,” Shane snapped back, but instead of closing the door like it seemed he would, he climbed in and put on his seatbelt.

“What areyoudoing?” I demanded.

He glanced over his shoulder. “You said yet. I’ll sit here, quiet as a mouse until you say when ‘yet’ is.”

“Where to then?” Bo spoke up when neither Shane nor I said a word. I was too stunned to speak, and Shane was sticking to his word.

A man of his word.

Nausea reared its ugly head, making my stomach lurch and throat constrict. Shane looked at me, an expectant brow that said I was calling the shots here. It instantly soothed me, seeing that expression on his face, and I told Bo that I wanted to go home, back to Dorset.

“Radio?” Bo offered when the silence became a little too uncomfortable.

“Playlist,” I decided, pulling out my phone and linking it to the car’s sound system. I found a calming playlist of acoustic versions of metal songs. Metal wasn’t Shane’s cup of tea, but he didn’t complain. Perhaps due to the sweet sound of their voices when they weren’t screaming, or perhaps because he was trying to stay on my good side. Either way, I was glad that I didn’t need to argue.

I was free to sit and mull over Violet’s cruel words as Shane kept his eyes forward, acting as though he was invisible. It helped, and if I was being honest, having him with me helped too, knowing that he was chasing after me meant a lot.

He was disproving what Violet had said, on the most part. But I still couldn’t help wondering if there had been any truth to what she had said. She was determined to have him, determined enough to corner me in the ladies’ room when I didn’t have any knickers on…

Oh fuck. Were my knickers still hanging on the bathroom door?

Crossing my legs, I adjusted my dress, ensuring that I was well covered. Not that I usually minded Shane seeing my pussy, but now was not the time. In fact, he might never see it again.

It was dark when we pulled up outside my building, and I stepped out of the car, not waiting for Shane to come to my door like the gentleman he was. He did attempt to walk me to my front door though.

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