Page 35 of Controlled
Jonas followed my line of sight and sighed. “You honestly think he’s following you?”
“I’m certain of it. Or maybe it’s Gregor.”
“What?”
“Did you see Gregor when you came in?”
“No. Why?”
“I don’t know. He was at the ballet company having another argument with Marcia.”
He snorted. “Well, the man is a hothead. Did you ask her about it?”
“She wasn’t going to say anything. What it is with the two men, their dangerous backgrounds?”
“You think Gregor and Creed know each other.”
“Both rumored to be mafia? Maybe?”
He reached over, grabbing my hand. “You know I adore you but don’t assume anything other than it’s best you stay away from both of them. So how far with the boyfriend/girlfriend thing do you want to go?” He was grinning, back to not being but so concerned.
“We can just hold hands walking back to my place, maybe kissing on the doorstep. If he is watching, he’ll get the idea.” At least I could hope.
“Well, I guess I owe you that for being such a fabulous dance partner. I hate that it might be the last time we get to dance together.”
“Don’t do that, partner and bestie of mine. Talk to your mother. Have a heart to heart with your father.”
“I’d like to,” he said. “But it’s funny how weird he is, how strange he was acting last night. Something was bothering him, his arrogance off. You’d have to spend time with him to understand. We’ve never been close, the man as emotional as a stick, but I’d been right about his hidden agenda. He even was incensed I was so excited about dancing with you.”
“What?”
He laughed. “Please. Don’t take it to mean anything. My father obviously had something on his mind. Whatever emails he was getting were making him angry. By the time his chauffeur finally dropped me off at the hotel, he and Mother were arguing.”
“What did he say about me?” I’d only met the man once, but it hadn’t been the most pleasant experience. That much I did remember.
“Just that you were a bad seed.” Before I had a chance to snap, he threw out his hand. “Don’t go there. I told you. My father is an asshole. Come on. Why don’t we learn to become lovers.” He winked, trying to make me laugh, but why did his father say that out of the blue? I remained unnerved as we tossed our trash and walked out.
When he took my hand into his, it felt strange, driving me back to the events from the night before. As we walked hand in hand, he jabbered on about something that I wasn’t paying any attention to. It was difficult not to glance around me, but I did my best to smile and pretend. His grip was firm and I knew he’d made a wonderful beau to some handsome guy one day. I truly hoped he wouldn’t succumb to his father’s wishes, but I had a feeling he would.
As we turned down the street toward my secured brownstone, I acted as if I needed to tie my shoe, crouching down on the sidewalk and glancing around me.
“Is he there?”
“Not that I can see but he could be hiding anywhere.”
“Maybe you were wrong before. Are you sure nothing happened between the two of you last night?”
“What if I told you a hot kiss?”
He stared down at me, his mouth gaping open. “Well, honey. I would say I didn’t know you had it in you.”
Cringing as I stood, I realized how much I adored being around him. Jonas had a way of making me feel as if nothing bad would ever happen. Or if it did that laughter could fix it. He threw out his hand, waiting to help me stand. As soon as he did, he jerked me into his arms, grinning like the big kid he was.
“You are one bad girl. I told you to stay away from that man.”
“You don’t want me with any men. Face it, lover boy.” It was fun to tease him. It was good to feel a little more lighthearted. Things would work out for both of us.
“Well, darling,” he said as he started to egg on our little charade, “you’re right in that you are all mine.” As he pulled me closer to the front stoop of my secured building, I had a flashback from the night before, Creed telling me I belonged to him. I was suddenly tense, the stranger stalker type series of sensations coursing through me all over again.