Scandalous - Michael B Jordan

chapter 9

she hung up and handed my phone back to me with a muttered, "thanks."

tipping my chin once, i forced myself to look away from her and the change in her body language as i started the car and checked the rearview mirrors. the last thing i wanna deal with right now was the fucking paparazzi.

she crossed her arms. "you're not saying anything."

i spun the suv around and headed up the exit ramp. "what do you want me to say?" the anger and determination in her expression before the call to her lawyer had morphed into something i couldn't decipher.

"you're not working for tez anymore."

i never worked for that prick. i worked for azul first, myself second. everything after that was fucking relative. "your point?" i checked the street for any asshole with a camera before i pulled out.

"do you have a problem working for me?"

besides the fact she was up to something and i bet my fucking harley it was trouble? "said i didn't."
she stares straight ahead for a moment.

"you're attracted to me."

bold as fuck, i'll give her that. "what gave you that impression?"

dropping her guarded expression, she turned halfway in her seat. "oh, come on. mr. kinky dominant handcuff, now you're gonna pretend to be professional?"

i turned down the street the azul and associates offices were on. "never claimed i was professional." i glanced at her. "but i'm good at what i do." there was a difference.

she did the half snort, half smirk thing. "he says humbly."

i drove into the underground parking at azul and associates and pulled into a spot. keeping the engine running, i turned to her and gave her the fucking truth of the matter. "there's a reason it's called close protection. if i was your detail last night, you wouldn't be in this situation. castigate my methods all you want, but the simple truth is you wouldn't have been out of my sight for two fucking seconds." not at the club and not in public anywhere.

"what, you would've danced with me at the club?" she asked, incredulous.

i stared at her. hard. "you wouldn't have needed to go to the club."

"what's that supposed to mean?" her tone was all attitude, but she'd leaned back in her seat as she asked the question, putting more distance between us.

"exactly what i said." catching movement out of the corner of my eye, i peer in the rearview mirror as steelo pulled into the garage behind us. "wait here." i got out of the suv and walked to the back.

steelo pulled up behind us, got out and grinned. "how's the zoo impersonator?"

i wanted to forget those fucking animal sounds. "you got everything?"

"yeah, all four suitcases and her giant purse." he walks to the back of his car. "three of the suitcases weren't even opened."

i tipped my chin toward my suv and gave him fair warning before opening the back. "she's inside."

"yeah, figured. she seen the videos yet?"

"not that i know of." i opened the lift gate and we transferred her shit from his suv to mine. aspen turned to watch us, but she didn't say anything.

"take care, ms. montgomery." steelo smiles his pretty boy smile at her after loading her last suitcase. "hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in miami."

to my utter shock, she apologized to him. "i'm sorry for the trouble i caused you last night, steelo."

"all in a day's work, ma'am." steelo smiled again. "no worries."