Just proves money can’t buy you everything, huh, Brian?’
Arctic-blue eyes that gleamed a little too brightly snapped pure hatred at her. ‘I see you still haven’t learnt your lesson. Maybe I should’ve put more effort into teaching it to you last year.’
Anger and pain fought for supremacy within her. Cold anger won. ‘And I should’ve delivered two knee-to-groin responses instead of one?’
His face reddened. His shadow loomed larger as he reached for her.
Fighting panic, she stepped back. Into strong, solid arms.
‘Everything okay, Elise?’ Alejandro drawled.
Relief punched through her despite the latent danger she heard in his voice. Whirling, she looked up into his rigid face. ‘Can we go now?’
He didn’t answer. His gaze remained pinned on Brian, his eyes coldly assessing.
‘Alejandro, please?’
His glance shifted to her. Elise knew her emotions were displayed clearly for him to see, but she just wanted to leave Brian’s unpleasant presence.
After a beat, Alejandro nodded and settled his hand in the small of her back.
The walk through the restaurant and into the back of the limo was conducted in silence. As were the first ten minutes of the journey.
But tacit questions churned through the air. When he finally turned to her, her stomach dipped.
‘Grey was the professional issue you spoke of.’
It was a question disguised as a statement. But she didn’t want to answer. ‘Please, can you let it be?’
‘No.’ He caught her chin between his fingers. ‘Answer me, por favor.’
She grimaced at the politely couched command. When she shook her head, his face hardened. ‘You can tell me or we can return to the restaurant and I can ask him myself.’
‘Alejandro...’ She stopped at the intractable expression on his face.
‘Now, Elise.’
She sucked in a steadying breath. ‘You mentioned him by name so you know who he is and what he does?’
He nodded. ‘He runs nightclubs but recently added a clothes line to his business, is that correct?’
She nodded. ‘Mostly lingerie. He contracted Jameson to help launch his lingerie line last year.’
He released her chin, but his gaze didn’t waver from her face. ‘And?’
‘My father and I worked on the campaign for the first month. Then Brian requested that I take over. I didn’t think anything of it.’
Alejandro’s jaw clenched. ‘Go on.’
She stopped when she realised they’d pulled up in front of her building. Alejandro noticed, too, and made a rough sound of impatience.
‘We’ll continue this inside,’ he snapped.
The walk to her apartment was rushed and silent. He requested her keys and unlocked her door. ‘Invite me in,’ he muttered, his low voice tight.
Tension gripped Elise, but, because she didn’t want to conduct the rest of the traumatic tale on her doorstep, she cleared her throat and stepped into her apartment. ‘Come in.’
He followed, kicking the door shut.
Her one-bedroom apartment was compact, decorated with whatever money she could spare after rent and loan payments. The living room held a single faux-velvet sofa, matching armchair and floor rugs. The pale walls were brightened with cheap landscapes, and floor and table lamps softened the starkness of the battered cabinet on which perched her TV and MP3 player.
Alejandro didn’t spare the room a single glance. His gaze remained fixed on her, tweaking her already frazzled nerves.
‘Would you...umm...like a drink?’
‘No.’ He came forward, took her wrap and purse from her nerveless fingers. ‘Sit down, Elise.’
He was ordering her around in her own home. Part of her wanted to stomp on his autocracy. A greater part wanted this over with.
She sat. He shrugged off his coat, draped it over the armchair, leaving on the bespoke dinner suit. She dragged her gaze from his intrinsically masculine form as he sat down next to her. ‘Finish.’
A knot twisted inside her as unpleasant memories flooded her. ‘He wanted to hold the launch at one of his nightclubs. I went there to take pictures for the press packets. He suggested I’d get a better sense of his style if I tried on some of his lingerie. I refused.’
She ventured a glance at Alejandro.
His face was a rigid mask of fury. ‘And?’
‘He...insisted.’
‘How?’ he rasped.
Elise shivered. ‘He...restrained me. Said he wouldn’t let me leave until I gave him what he wanted.’
Alejandro surged to his feet. ‘Madre de Dios!’ He paced her living room in a tight circle, one hand slashing through his hair. Mid-pace, he jolted to a stop. ‘Did he...?’
Elise shook her head. ‘I... It didn’t get that far.’
‘Did you report him to the authorities?’ he jerked out.
Pain lanced her. ‘Yes. But he wasn’t charged.’
Darkness clouded his eyes. ‘Why the hell not?’
‘He had cameras in his nightclub, but he knew how to position himself so his actions seemed benign. And the parts where I fought back were out of shot. Also...’ She stopped.
‘What?’
‘He encouraged my parents it would be in Jameson’s interest if they convinced me to drop the allegations.’
‘Your parents? And did they?’
‘They didn’t have to. The case fell apart on its own.’
‘Dios mio,’ he breathed.
Elise had no idea tears had slipped free until he sat back down and cradled her face in his hands.
His thumbs dried her tears as he regarded her. ‘You’re strong and intelligent. You will not let this damage you,’ he declared.
She sniffed. ‘Aren’t we all damaged in some way?’
A solemn look entered his eyes. ‘Sí, we are. But yours shouldn’t centre on this. The bastard shouldn’t even cross your thoughts, never mind reduce you to tears.’
She blinked rapidly, unwilling to show how his words
