Page 219 of Dirty Rival
She kicks me again and Carrie is suddenly beside us. “Reid,” she says urgently. “Let her go.”
“She attacked me, baby. Get a security guard.”
“He’s lying,” Tabitha says. “He asked me to meet him here.”
“What?!” Carrie demands. “He asked you to meet him for a tour of our wedding location? You’re kidding, right?”
Tabitha goes pale. “Wedding location?”
“Yes,” Carrie says. “This is our wedding location. I highly doubt anyone would believe he had you meet him here.” She looks at me. “I’ll get security.”
“I’ll tell them you threatened me,” Tabitha snaps. “And I don’t think you want that right now with all that press you have, Reid. It’s not going to please your stockholders.”
I tighten my grip on her shoulders. “What do you want, Tabitha?”
“Money. He’s taking my money so you get to pay me.”
“Money,” Carrie repeat. “You’re really blackmailing us?”
“How much?” I ask, baiting her to finish the threat. I have a witness in Carrie.
“A million,” she says fearlessly. “That will get me started.”
Carrie holds up her phone and hits a button and the conversation we just had with Tabitha begins to replay.
“Let her go.”
I look left to find Elijah standing there in a three-piece blue suit, no coat, his dark hair fluttering in the cold wind. “You sure you want me to do that? She might kick you like she did me.”
His eyes meet Tabitha’s. “She doesn’t seem to understand that you won’t ever give her money, while I might.”
At the mention of his money, I’m certain I’m safe to release her and I do. I step back and Carrie is instantly at my side, her arms around me, one of mine around her shoulders. Elijah grabs Tabitha and pulls her to him, his eyes meeting mine. “She won’t be a problem.” He looks at Carrie. “Forgive the intrusion, Carrie.” He gives her a nod and turns Tabitha toward the sidewalk.
I pull Carrie in front of me to process the white hat with a ball on top of her head. “Are you okay?” I ask, stroking a strand of hair from her mouth.
“Of course I’m okay. I didn’t get kicked. How’s the leg?”
“She’s a bitch and she kicks like a bitch. He’ll take care of her. She won’t be back.”
“Elijah the hero,” she says. “Who’d have thought?” She grabs the lapels of my trench coat. “You ready to see our spot?”
“That’s it? You have nothing else to say about what just happened?”
“I’m over them and immune to the drama. Our spot. I want to go to our wedding spot and think about us.”
God how this woman makes me fall in love with her over and over and over again. “Our spot,” I say. “Yes. Let’s go to our spot, baby.” I wrap my arm around her shoulder and we start walking. “What happened to Mia and Cat?”
She stops walking. “Oh God. They’re at a restaurant. I left my phone at the location and went to get it. I need to call them.”
“Why don’t we just go meet them and we can go to the wedding location afterward.”
“I’ll call them. They’ll be excited that you’re here to see it. I’m excited for you to see it.”
She lights up with those words, happiness in her eyes, and I want that joy in her for the rest of our lives. She snags my hand and we start walking. By the time we’re in the building, she’s off the phone and we’re meeting Cat and Mia after we finish here. We sign in at security and once we’re in the elevator, Carrie turns to me, her hands sliding under my coat. “I never asked you where you wanted to get married.”
“Yes, you did.”
“But you just went with what I wanted.”