AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Where are you going?”
London turned to Ace. “I didn’t hear a knock.”
“The door was open. Samantha thinks you’re not joining us for dinner. Where are you going?”
London bit back a caustic response and decided on a more sensible route. “Max is in town. He’s invited me to a dinner party.”
“London, you know I can’t let you go to that.”
The statement pushed sensible out of the room. “Let me go? Did I really just hear that? You can’t let me go? Who do you think you are, Ace Montgomery?”
“The man who promised your father he’d protect you.”
“The problem with that conversation that happened between you and my father is that I wasn’t in it. I don’t need your protection, okay? I can take care of myself.”
“Oh, yeah? Like you did in Milan?”
Bam. That jab pierced the cocky protective armor and nipped her heart.
“Forget you, Ace.” She reached for her jeweled clutch and tried to sweep past him.
He grabbed her arm. “You’re actually going to walk out that door and defy me? Aren’t you even a little concerned for your life?”
London looked from Ace’s eyes to his fingers clutching her bare arm. Her stilettos allowed her to look him dead in his eye. With the daggers shot from her livid glance, it’s a wonder Ace didn’t go blind. Her tone, low and deadly, was pushed through gritted teeth. “Get. Your. Hands. Off. Me.”
Ace dropped it immediately. “I’m sorry, London. I didn’t mean to grab you like that. The reaction came out of how worried I am about your safety, about how much I care.”
“Ace.” London sighed. “What happened happened. What could have been worse wasn’t. Either way, it’s in the past. I can’t do anything about that or about what might take place tomorrow. I can only control what happens right now. And I’m not going to stop living my life just because some wacko is spending too much time focusing on me while living his.
“Besides, Max knows everything that’s been going on. He’s just as concerned about my safety as you are.”
Ace snorted. “I just bet he is.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know exactly what it means. Max isn’t concerned about your safety. He’s concerned about his ego and appearances and feeling bad that he got dumped. But you’re too much like him to see you’re being played.”
“Oh, is that so?” She took another step.
“Damn right it is.” They stood nose to nose.
London pushed him away. “And who are you? The knight in shining armor trying to rescue the damsel and stroke your massive ego to a size bigger than it already is? Supposedly so concerned about my safety? I’ll tell you what you’re concerned about. Your precious company. OTB’s reputation. Your name. Your brand. At the end of the day, that’s what you’re really protecting. So don’t come at me with that self-righteous attitude, like you have a lock on what I’m all about. You think you can stand there and dictate to me because of a promise? Because you think you know me? Think again.”
If Ace had given any thought to backing down, it was short-lived.
“I may not know everything. But I’ll tell you what I do know. I know you’re a spoiled, selfish brat who grew up in the lap of luxury and ate baby food from a silver spoon. I know you are a fabulous model who’s let success go to your head and jade you into someone who can’t see that on her worst day she lives better than ninety-nine percent of the world’s population on their best. Who has wanted for nothing, hasn’t ever struggled or had to overcome a challenge in a day of her pampered life!”
“I’ve had to overcome plenty!” London raged, argue mode full-blown.
“What? Name one thing.” Ace was just as angry. Their voices grew louder with each retort.
“I don’t have to answer to you!”
“No, you can’t answer because you don’t have an answer!”
“You don’t know what I have or what I’ve gone through.”
“Yes, I do. You’ve gone through nothing! Even survived a kidnapping without so much as a scratch!”
