Scandalous - Michael B Jordan

chapter 8

he silently stares at the elevator display flashing the floors as we descended. "not saying anything?" he didn't respond. that's what i thought.

i was stupid enough to think back in his place he'd felt something for me past the bodyguard slash client thing when he stood up for me with cortez. i hadn't even cared if it was purely lust, or an itch that needed scratching, i was feeling the same thing.

i was so feeling it. but now that i knew he could've gotten my clothes last night and purposely hadn't? then he'd handcuffed me? he was no better than the rest of them.

he was a stupid bodyguard, for god's sake. fuck him and his muscles and his bullshit about pretending to care if i had control over anything in my life or not. fuck his little food game and his ridiculous statement about putting weight on and everyone would be happy. fuck all of his bullshit. fuck him. period. the elevator doors opened, and quicker than i could protest, he scooped me up.

"hey!" i snapped. "i can walk."

"not in bare feet across the garage you can't."

i hated him now. i hated how he smelled like soap, spice and musk. i hated how he picked me up like it was nothing, and i hated the way he looked at me upstairs. i hated that especially, because i was feeling shit i shouldn't, and i've been stupid enough to think he was into me.

i wasn't gonna make that mistake again. i was going to focus on my plan, not the stupid bodyguard carrying me to an suv that looked exactly like the one the previous bodyguard had driven.

dumping me in the front passenger seat without ceremony, the bodyguard started to close the door, but i held my hand out. "i need your phone, and i need two minutes of privacy."

a muscle ticked in his jaw, but he pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it over. i took it and reached for the door handle, half expecting him to stop me, but he didn't. his expression somewhere between pissed off and professional disinterest, he rounded the front of the vehicle and stood in front of the driver's door with his back to me and his hands clasped in front.

his working bodyguard stance was something i've been seeing since my first big movie break, reminding me the tank of a man standing there was nothing but a paid employee. i punched in the code he'd given me earlier, then dialed a number i knew by heart. on the fourth ring, my lawyer picked up.

"stanislas."

"ryan, it's me. penny."

ryan exhales. "i saw the footage. are you okay?"

"i'm fine, but that's why i'm calling. i need to up my timeline."

"first, as your lawyer, i need to ask if you are of sound mind to make this decision right now."

i refrained from telling him to go fuck himself. "i said i'm fine, but just so you know, i was drugged last night. monty admitted to it in front of witnesses. i'm on my way to the hospital to get some tests done, so i have proof. the security company i have watching me here is working on getting footage from the club to back up my story."

"what security company?" he asked, suddenly all business.

"azul and associates."

"who hired them?"

"tez, i'm sure." he hired all my security. he did everything, actually.

ryan quietly cursed. "okay. first, you need to get them on your personal payroll immediately. i don't want them under cortez's influence. second, i need a contact at azul and associates. i'll follow up with them. from here on out, i'll take the lead on this. list me as the contact at the hospital and make sure a copy of everything gets forwarded to me. you know the drill, don't say anything to anyone. the press least of all."