Page 191 of Off Limits Mogul

Keira’s body goes rigid on my arm.

My brows crease with concern when my eyes connect with hers.

What the fuck?

She shifts her gaze, returning it to Jedd.

“Chelle’s mom refuses to budge from her erroneous assumptions.” Her tone is icy.

I search the crowd to see if I can catch Joey’s attention. She’s standing by Arianne and Beckett’s side as they grant WNN—Wire News Network’s Enews entertainment program—an interview.

Shit.

I don’t want to ring the alarm, but I have a bad feeling about this guy.

“Fair enough.” Jedd pretends to accept Keira’s answer, then fires off another one. “Care to elaborate on the jealous feud between you and your best friend over British trust fund baby Paxton Foley? What better time than now to share your side of the story.”

What is he talking about?

“There was never a feud between Chelle and me over a guy, so I don’t have anything to say about that,” Keira says.

All this is news to me.

“Is Chelle’s mom lying?”

Keira’s gaze narrows. She’s about to answer Jedd’s question, but I squeeze her hand to silence her.

She squeezes back.

“She answered your question,” I say.

“Oh, you’re her boyfriend, her publicist,andher guard dog?” He smirks. “You wear too many hats, Mr. Hartford.”

I’m about to wrap your tongue around your fucking head if you don’t stop hounding and pestering her.

I take a deep breath, my nostrils flaring. “Tonight is about SCORE Yours. If you have questions relating to Keira representing the brand, we’re all ears. However, if you’re here to cause problems, I have a serious issue with that, so yeah, I’m doubling as her guard dog.”

“Something tells me these guys have the publicity angle for SCORE Yours covered.” The bald guy points a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the mob of reporters.

I stare him down, willing myself to keep my composure.

“No doubt they’re all dying to report on the designer Keira is wearing, or take photos of the diamonds on loan, or request you two lock lips on the red carpet for the perfect photo op old Hollywood style. I’m more interested in digging into the past.Hermurky past, to be precise.” His head jerks to my girl. “That’s real news.” The corner of his lip lifts into a smirk, aprecursor he has no intention of playing nice. “She decamped London like someone who has something to hide. There’s a lot of unfinished business––”

I let go of Keira’s hand and take a step forward so I’m standing toe-to-toe with him on the other side of the red velvet rope. I tower over him by easily ten inches. “Let it go.”

“Or what?”

The defiance in his eyes suggests he won’t back down easily.

I glance to my left then my right.

I can’t chew his head off without having a hundred cameras pointed in my direction.

This could turn ugly—and viral—real fast.

I suck it up and step back, my eyes still shooting daggers at him.

Asshole.