Page 55 of Royal Desire

He reaches around me, and his glass lands on the dining table with a thud. His gaze drags over every feature of my face, down my body, pausing heavily on my breasts, and down to my toes before they make it back up to my eyes. “Do you know the man who grabbed you tonight right before I kissed you?”

I white knuckle the table behind me and shake my head. My heart is beating so fast, I can’t form words.

“His name is Ansel Reid. Does that ring a bell?”

“No. Should it?”

He lowers his voice, and there’s something about the way he’s looking at me that makes me think he wants to reach out and touch me, but he’s doing everything he can not to. “For the first time tonight, I believe you.”

I think back to the incident in The Speakeasy right before Payne kissed me. “Why would I know him?”

“You shouldn’t. He’s my client. He was referred to me by someone else, so I don’t know much about him. At least, I didn’t until tonight.”

“Why are you being so elusive?”

He pulls in a deep breath. “Ansel Reid works for Enzo Caruso.”

I gasp.

He nods slowly. “I see that name rings a bell.”

No. It can’t be.

My heart pounds in my chest so heavy, I can hear my blood thrumming in my ears.

“How do you know that name?” I whisper.

His tone remains strong and clear. “It doesn’t matter now. The only thing that matters is that I do. You came back to Winslet to hide.”

I’d take a step back, but there’s nowhere to go. I do the only thing I can do since I’m plum out of choices—I lie. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He doesn’t touch me, but he does move so close I feel the heat from his body. “Neither one of us has time to bullshit, Ruby. You think you’re safe here in Winslet, but I don’t think you are. Not now at least. The sooner you tell me everything, the safer you’ll be. I can make sure of it.”

I shake my head and feel the threat of tears. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

It’s like he can’t take it another moment, because he lifts his hand and claims my chin between his thumb and forefinger. “I do. And if I were a betting man, which I am not, I would guess Caruso knows exactly where you are, thanks to Ansel Reid. Which means, if you think you’re hiding from Enzo in Winslet, your time is up. I can help you, but I need to know what I’m dealing with.”

I can’t control my pounding heart or my emotions any longer. My breaths come quicker, and my tears spill over.

Payne’s hold on me changes.

His thumb drags across my bottom lip. I think he’s going to kiss me again, but he doesn’t. His patience for me to spill all my secrets perseveres, but he does bring his other hand up to brush my tears away with the backs of his fingers.

Gentle.

Caring.

Protective.

My heart craves more of it.

I swallow hard. There’s no denying it. If Payne is right, then I’m in trouble. I have nowhere else to go. And if the next words that come out of my mouth mean anything, I’m in trouble in more ways than one.

“I think I’m going to need that tequila after all.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

RAMBLING RUBY