Senator Green and his actress put their clothes back on and left the office.
“We’re clear,” I announced once the lights had been turned off and the door closed.
“I told the boys to return to the party a while ago,” Dylan advised us. “All five of us missing for that long was going to raise suspicions.”
“Good thinking,” Beck replied then frowned at the two of us. “You two go ahead, I’ll erase the footage of you leaving.”
“Well then how will you get out?” I countered, letting Dylan help me up from the floor.
Beck gave me a smug smirk and winked. “Don’t underestimate my skills, Butterfly.”
Rolling my eyes, I decided not to argue any further and followed Dylan out of the hidden room and through the dark office. It smelled of sex and sweat, and I couldn’t totally decide if I was thoroughly disgusted or a little bit turned on. Both? Maybe.
“Come on.” Dylan tugged on my hand after checking down the hall in both directions. We had no look outs now that Jasper and Evan had gone back to the party, so we needed to haul ass out of the restricted area.
We made it all the way down the darkened corridor and had just stepped over the “no access” rope and rounded the corner when we heard voices coming our way.
Panicked, I grabbed Dylan and did the first thing I could think of.
I kissed him.
19
“Hey! You two!” The sharp voice of the smartly suited security guard saw me jumping out of Dylan’s embrace like I’d been electrocuted. “What are you two doing up here, this is off limits to guests.”
“Oh, uh, sorry,” I stammered, feeling my cheeks blazing. “We were just, uh...”
“Yeah, we’re well aware of what you were doing.” One of the guards smirked. “Go and make out in a bathroom like everyone else, this is a restricted access area.”
I flicked my gaze to Dylan, but he was just gaping at me like I’d hit his reset button, so I turned my very best contrite smile to the guards. “Yes, sorry, we didn’t mean to ... uh ... we were just looking for...”
As I stumbled over my words, playing the part of a drunk girl caught making out with some guy, the guard’s attention shifted over my shoulder just a second before Beck’s hands slipped around my waist.
“There you are, baby,” he said, turning me in his grip and crushing his lips to mine. For a second, time stopped and all that mattered was the way Beck moved his mouth, the way he forced his way past my teeth and claimed my damn soul. That was, until someone cleared their throat and I squeaked in fright.
Beck—of course—was much slower to release me than Dylan had been, and when he did it was only to glare at the guards. His hands still clasped my waist tightly, and when I spun around to face our company, I could feel his hard length pressed against my back.
“Can we help you, gentlemen?” he demanded of the guards in an ice cold voice.
The one who’d scolded me was just gaping in confusion, so the other one cleared his throat. “Uh, you’re in a restricted area, Mr. Beckett. Would you mind taking this party elsewhere?”
There was a long, crazy awkward pause, then Beck huffed a sound of irritation. “Maybe you should signpost these things better. Come on.” He shifted me so I was tucked into his side with his arm around my shoulders then brushed past the guards with Dylan tight on his other side.
When we were well clear of the office wing—and the guards—Beck stopped abruptly and whirled around, pinning me to the wall.
“Beck—” Dylan started to say, but cut short when Beck’s death glare landed on him.
“Go back to the party, Dylan,” he said with no outward showing of emotion, but it was very clearly a command and there was zero room for arguments in his tone. “Here, take this.” He held out the flash drive, which Dylan took with a reluctant glance in my direction. “Now fuck off. Riley and I need to chat.”
Beck’s steely glare turned back to me, and I caught Dylan mouthing “sorry” at me from over his broad shoulder.
I tightened my jaw and raised my chin to meet Beck’s glare. He was trying to intimidate me, and I’d be damned if I let him.
“Did you have something to say?” I asked him in what was supposed to be a sassy, sarcastic way. Instead it came out as a provocative