Everything for Her(100)

“Oh, that’s so sad,” I say, putting the card back.

Oz runs his nose along the column of my neck. “Why is that sad? Sounds sweet to me.”

“I don’t know. He loved her so much. The ring should find the same kind of love again. Not be up in some auction. But I guess the money will do a lot of good though.” I turn, looking up at him. He brings me more into his body, and I wish we were home. Alone. Not so many eyes on us. They all seem to be lingering.

“Everyone is staring at you,” I tell him.

“No, they’re staring at you,” he corrects, and I can hear his underlying irritation.

“Take me home then? Where only you can look at me.”

“Fuck yes.” He grabs my hand, pulling us through the ballroom, and I can’t help but laugh. He uses his other hand to pull out his cell phone, telling his driver to pull around. I’ve wanted to leave almost from the moment we got here, and not because I felt a little out of place. But because Oz’s whole territorial act seems to get me worked up. In every way. I really can’t let him know that little piece of information, but I think he might already suspect it.

We come to a dead stop, and I nearly run into Oz’s back when we enter the lobby of the ballroom. Oz’s hand clasps mine tighter, and I follow his line of sight to see Paige talking to an older man with short dark hair. As if stopping in the middle of his sentence, he turns a little and his eyes land on us. The same eyes I’d recognize anywhere now. Sapphire blue.

My stomach tightens. The man walks toward us, leaving Paige standing alone. She stares at his back, her face pale and unreadable.

“Look at our little family reunion  ,” the man says.

Paige takes a few more steps toward us, but still hangs back. Watching everything. Her eyes look a little wild.

“I was wondering if I’d see you tonight.” Oz’s voice is cold and calculated.

“Not even going to introduce me?” The man, who I assume is Alexander, Oz’s dad, ignores Oz to stare at me. Oz pulls my arm back and steps in front of me, blocking me from the man’s view making it clear he won’t be doing that. I have to poke my head out to even see what’s going on.

“I assume you received the paperwork today. How does it feel to have everything bought out from under you and taken apart?”

Alexander takes a step closer to Oz, until they’re only inches apart. “I warned you, Miles, don’t fuck with me. I’ll make sure this one doesn’t wake up.”

A chill runs down my spine at his insinuation, and before I can process what this all means, Oz is on him. He’s got Alexander by the throat, pinned up against the wall with his feet dangling inches off the ground. Alexander’s hands are trying to pull at his wrist, but Oz only squeezes tighter. His face is turning a deep red, and he’s gasping for air as he struggles to breathe.

“You threaten what’s mine, and I’ll fucking end you. Do you hear me?” Alexander’s feet kicking against the wall are the only sound in the room. “We’re done. I’ve taken all your businesses and put them under. I’ve got piles of dirt on you a mile high, and if you so much as step foot in my town again, I’ll do more than fuck with your money. Do. You. Understand. Me.”

Oz clips out each word at the end, but all Alexander can do is nod. His breath is coming out in choking gasps, and he’s turned from red to purple.

Walking over, I place my hands on Oz’s back. “I want to go home,” I tell him, and I feel him release a deep breath. It takes a solid minute before he relaxes, but he finally releases him, letting Alexander crumple to the ground.

Oz turns to look down at me, grabbing my hand once again. I look over at Paige, who’s looking at her father like he’s a pile of trash on the floor. After a beat she turns to us, and I see something flash in her eyes, but it’s gone so quickly I’m not sure if I even saw it.

“Your driver’s out front, sir.” Captain’s words break the silence that’s fallen over us.

I glance around, not knowing what to do, but Captain walks over to Paige and takes her hand. He looks back to us and he and Oz share a look, and I feel that there’s so much passing between them that I still don’t know. But there’s not time to explain, because Oz wants to get me as far from here, and as far from Alexander as possible.

He wraps his arm around my waist and we walk out to the street and quickly climb into the back of the limo. I don’t fight him, wanting to put distance between that situation as much as he does. Oz wastes no time in pulling me into his lap.

“You okay?” I ask, worried about what the confrontation might have done to him.