Grounded (Up in the Air, #3)(65)

A hand descended to cup the nape of my neck, oh so gently. That hand left me almost instantly, as though James had recoiled. That did nothing good for my peace of mind. My heart felt like it was trying to pound right out of my chest.

“Stand up, Bianca,” Mr. Cavendish said quietly. His voice was no less menacing for me. The Dom was driving him at that moment, no hint of his other side present.

I stood up, my body obeying that dangerous tone without hesitation.

James gripped my arm very lightly, that spot just above my elbow, and led me from the café without another word.

I saw that our security was there in force as we passed them. My usual detail was there, sans Johnny, and Clark was at the car. He nodded politely, his face blank, as he opened the door for us.

James handed me into the car. I scooted across the seat but he didn’t crowd me, staying as far away from me as possible on the long seat.

Clark started driving the second the doors closed, leaving the rest of the bodyguards at the café.

I turned my head to watch them as we drove away. Apparently, they’d be walking back.

I took a deep breath. “James—“

He held up a hand. “Not. Right. Now.”

That shut me up. And if his words hadn’t, the look he shot me before he turned away again would have.

His face was a stoic mask, but his eyes…they were uncivilized.

When we reached the underground garage entrance into the apartment, he handed me out of the car without a word, his touch light and brief.

He only took my arm again once we reached our apartment, pulling me out of the elevator and directly to the stairs.

We hadn’t taken the first step up the stairs when a commotion from the direction of the kitchen caught my attention.

Stephan spilled around the corner, looking frantic. “Bee! Thank God! James had just about sent a search party out!”

He moved towards us and James held up a hand.

“Not now,” James told him, sparing him a single glance.

That look must have held something that alarmed Stephan, because he strode to us, looking resolute.

“I think you need to take a breather, James. You aren’t in any state to—“

“Don’t you dare,” James said in a dangerous voice, moving to meet the other man, dropping my arm in the process.

The two men were nose to nose, the very air in the room turning hostile between one breath and the next.

“You will not come between us. It is not your place to step in here, Stephan. I let that happen once, but I will be damned if it happens again. No one stands between me and Bianca, and that includes you.”

“That’s not up to you. I’ll be here for Bianca whenever she needs me.” Stephan looked at me, having to crane his neck to do so. “You okay, Bee?”

I nodded, hoping that would be enough to defuse the situation. It wasn’t.

“Walk away, Stephan.”

Stephan shook his head. “No. I can’t do that. I don’t feel comfortable with this. You look like you’re ready to kill somebody, James. I’ve never seen you like this, and I’m not leaving my girl alone with you until you’ve calmed down.”

“Your girl?” James growled, gripping the other man’s shirt in his fists.

I saw that things were going to quickly get out of hand. I laid a hand on Mr. Cavendish’s back. It wasn’t comforting that a tremor ran through him at my touch.

“James. Take me upstairs. Please.”

It did the trick, thank God. James released the other man, taking a step back.

I looked at Stephan. “We’re okay, Stephan. He’s upset, but he has impeccable self-control. You never have to worry about me with James, and he and I have some issues that we need to work out on our own.”

Stephan studied me carefully, trying to figure me out, but he took my words in and finally just nodded. “I’m here for you if you need me. Always.”

I nodded. “I know it.”

James hooked a finger into my collar, gripped the back of my neck lightly and began to lead me upstairs without a word. He was in a state, and every obstacle between us and privacy was just antagonizing it.

He shut and locked the bedroom door behind us with a sharp and very definitive click.

I watched him loosening his tie as he strode directly to the elevator. He pressed the button and it opened instantly.

“Get in,” he said brusquely.

I slipped out of my shoes and walked inside. He followed me in, and we descended to the fourth floor.





[page]CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Mr. Reticent





He hooked a finger into my collar when the car opened, leading me down that long hallway. He stopped short of the playground, instead opening a door just before it on the right.

Even feeling nervous and anxious, I was beyond curious to see what was in there. It didn’t bode well though, that he was only taking me there now that he was in this mood.

It was a rather small and nondescript room, holding nothing but one twin bed.

“Get on the bed,” he said in that worrisome voice. “On your stomach.”

I did it, turning my head to look up at him as he approached my prone figure.

“Don’t look at me,” he said.

I turned my head away quickly, feeling stung.