Page 12 of Ruthless Touch
At this moment, I can’t decide who’s made me angrier, Aria or Sasha. Or that fuck who’s got his hands on what’s mine. The problem is he’s the relative of one of my hotel’s best patrons, which means I can’t have my men toss him out on his ass.
“I want you to have security remove him before I do. Understand?”
My assistant nods and asks, “And Aria? Should I take care of her too?”
“No. I’ll take care of her. You just get that fucking man away from her.”
Knowing I have to handle this far more delicately than I’ve just instructed Sasha to do, I grab her arm as she turns to leave and add, “Don’t have them make a scene. Tell security they need to check something for him because there’s been some kind of threat. Make up something believable. Just get him the hell away from her now.”
Sasha smiles and gives my hand a squeeze. “Of course. Consider it done. Maybe you should go dance with her. She seems to enjoy it.”
Seething, I watch Aria and the American sway to the music and hate him without knowing another detail about him. It doesn’t matter. He shouldn’t be anywhere near Aria. As for her, she obviously can’t behave herself and this was a mistake tonight. I should have attended with Sasha, like I usually do for these things. It allows me to fulfill my obligations without having to worry about dealing with some female.
A minute later, security politely escorts Cordelia’s great nephew or whoever the fuck he is off the dance floor, leaving Aria alone like she should have been the entire fucking time I was gone. Five minutes I was absent from this room. Five fucking minutes and she ends up dancing with some guy.
I storm over to where she stands and wrap my hand around her arm. “Time to go. Come with me.”
By the time we reach the elevator in the lobby, she’s in tears, but I don’t care. She’s lucky I’m succeeding at controlling my temper right now. If I wasn’t, she’d have something to cry about.
Nearly jamming my finger through the button for the penthouse, I watch the doors close before the elevator begins to ascend to the top floor. Beside me, Aria complains about something, but I’m lost in my own thoughts about how seeing her with that man made me feel.
“Are you hearing me? Why did you do that? You aren’t going to hurt him, are you? He did nothing wrong. Either did I, by the way.”
“Enough, Aria,” I bite out, working harder than I ever have in my life to keep my cool.
“Just tell me you didn’t hurt him, Gideon. He didn’t hurt me. He was nice and sweet.”
I snap my head to the left to glare at her. Damnit, I’m sick of hearing how fucking sweet this guy is. Good for him. He’s like a goddamned dessert. Sweet can go fuck itself, though, for all I care.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said enough.”
When the elevator stops, she bolts out the doors toward the penthouse, catching Raphael off guard. He hurriedly rushes toward the door to open it, and as I march by after her, I give him a tepid smile, the most I can muster for him or anyone at this moment.
Christ, why am I feeling like this? I’m never jealous. I don’t get that way with anything. If I want something, I have it. If I have to take it, then so be it. I can have anything I desire, so jealousy isn’t an issue.
So what the fuck is wrong with me when it comes to Aria?
She stomps over to the couch and throws herself onto it before jumping up again to come toward me, her hands flailing in front of her. “I can’t believe you, Gideon Rule! Why are you like this? What do you care if I dance with some nice American who was sweet and did nothing to hurt me? You weren’t around. You were off like you always are.”
My gaze skims over her body in that green gown that highlights every beautiful inch of her as I try to come up with an answer to her question. I don’t know why I’m like this when it comes to her, and until tonight, I wouldn’t have thought I’d give a single fuck about any woman I’m with innocently dancing with some guest of my hotel.
“You need to stay here. It’s clear you can’t behave, so no more ball.”
Aria’s green eyes open wide as they fill with tears. “Behave? You dress me like someone for sale, and then you leave me to go off with your favorite girl. Then you get angry when I simply agree to dance with one of your guests? Fuck you, Gideon!”
She turns away so I can’t see her cry, but the sound of her sobs is enough to make me want to change my mind, so I turn to leave before I make a mistake. Aria needs to stay here. I have too much going on tonight to be able to watch her like I need to.
A few minutes later, I find Sasha waiting for me in the ballroom, but disappointment is written all over her face. “Where is your pretty plaything?”
“Where she belongs,” I snap as I scan the room and the orgy still going on at center stage.
Beside me, Sasha pouts, “I wish you’d let her come out and play. I like her.”
Feeling my rage begin to build again, I turn to look at her and angrily ask, “What do you think you’re doing? Aria is mine to do as I choose. Not yours. Do not question me about how I handle her.”
My assistant stares into my eyes in that ice cold way she can and then smiles as she slides her palms over my tux jacket lapels. “You don’t handle her at all, Gideon. If you want to do that, fine, but don’t get angry when other men and I want to be around her.”
I shake my head as my anger subsides. “You wouldn’t like her if you got to know her. She’s high maintenance.”