Chapter 28

After an extended time in the bathroom and missing a lot of that infernal noise out there, I smooth down my dress, touch up my face and make my way back out into the narrow empty hall of the theatre. The corridor is deserted while the performance carries on and I take a moment to catch my breath and linger, not quite ready to go back to playing nice and thrusting my boobs at Mr Mayor just yet while fending off his wandering hands. I just need a few moments to regroup and plaster on that seductive face and fake smile.

Alexi has no idea how hard this act is to keep up long term when the object of your fake desire turns your stomach inside out. I catch sight of the man himself walking towards me and sigh heavily, turn on my heel and walk back into the ladies’ room, hoping he hasn’t seen me. He was looking sideways and not down this way as though trying to figure out where the bathroom was, and I hope I didn’t draw attention by sliding back in here.

I intend to hide and wait for him to go into the men’s room further down the corridor before I go back out and high tail it back to Alexi. Maybe a quiet word and chair switch will be on the cards until he has his little man chat and underhanded agreements sorted out.

This isn’t fun at all. I have no desire to be walking alongside him, cosily back to Alexi. Even though he brought me here for this I know it should be done under his watchful eye. He’s anal about that shit after all. Mr Control and suspicion, he trusts no one. If I walked back there, arm in arm with the creep, Alexi would probably throw me off the balcony.

I drop my clutch bag back on the counter and look at my reflection while letting out a breath, aiming to count to fifty before walking back out, trying to return to serene and calm. I hope I miss him and get back to my seat first.

I’m tired already and this game isn’t enjoyable; It’s only fun when it is men of my choosing, my goal, my control and the consequences are completely down to me. Alexi makes this stifling and knowing he has boundaries on how far these men can go makes me antsy. He just adds so much weight to my nerves and having the factor of a psychotic man about to erupt should someone cross one of his rules makes me wish I could just leave.

A month in his presence has taught me that you do not fuck with him. For all his calm and cool control and sometimes charming demeanour, there’s an underlying vibe that Alexi is not someone who would think twice about ending someone’s life in a slow and painful way. He doesn’t seem to just go making orders to pop anyone off, but it is there, in the depths that you know he does sometimes.

It’s inevitable in this business that he oversees distasteful decisions like that and I have no doubt he is a man who has taken care of a few things with his own hands. He’s a killer for sure.

I jump when the door swings open and giggle at my stupidity as someone walks in to use the bathroom, forgetting where I was for a moment. I halt with frozen surprise though, breath catching in my throat as I catch Demagio’s reflection in front of me, grinning like a Cheshire cat at me from the doorway and realise it was me he was looking for after all and this just went from awkward to serious very quickly. ‘‘Surprise. See, I took your little signal and came out to have a little fun.’’ He slurs crazily, swaying on his feet, and I just gawp at him, swallowing hard in complete panic and disbelief as my insides drop to my feet. This man is clearly a sandwich short of a picnic and has no clue how dumb of a decision this is.

I most definitely did not signal him to follow me for a bathroom quickie.

Shit, the idiot is going to get us both killed!

Blood drains from my face, body turning cold as he walks in further and I turn and move away, backing myself against the counter with nowhere else to go. Flirt mode switched off and self-preservation fully enabled. I can read very quickly that is not in his vocabulary, and he thinks I owe this to him. He is in a frenzy of ‘‘I want to get laid’’ and there is no talking him out of that.

Thank you Alexi, for playing the man your way and changing the outcome of how he behaved. This is why I suss them out first.

‘’I don’t know what you thought I was telling you to do, but you’re wrong. Alexi would kill us both. I’m his and he is very clear on things like this.’’ I try for calm and controlled but my voice wobbles and he’s fast to get in my face, running a hand over my breast possessively as he cages me into the corner I have managed to put myself in. I keep calm, even though my insides are crumbling and my heart rate has elevated to epic proportions. Body vibrating with instant adrenaline and I shove his hand away from pawing at me; my skin burning and recoiling from the unwanted touch.

’You have been giving me the come on and a hard-on for the last half hour. I want you and you want me, he’ll never know. Just pull up your dress and I’ll make this memorable.’’ He grabs my throat harshly to hold me still and tries for a kiss but I twist free and manage to slide out from the corner and in turn him, trying to get away with minimal fight. He is too quick though and grabs my wrist hauling me back aggressively.