Gone with the Wolf - By Kristin Miller Page 0,32
his shoulder. “You either lied to me, or you’re the most gorgeous elderly guy I know. Serephina died in the thirties.”
“I’ll explain everything,” Drake said, as chills scampered down his neck, “but my introductory speech comes first.”
She shot him a scowl, her eyes narrowing to slits. “What reason would you have to lie about something like that?”
The words were a hammer to the heart. Drake couldn’t stand it anymore. When they hadn’t yet ironed out the deed issue, Emelia thought Drake was a scoundrel. Now that he’d finally hurdled that obstacle, Emelia thought he was liar. He should’ve kept her upstairs until the host called his name. He could’ve pressed her against one of those pillars and kissed her until the only thing she could hear was the fevered rush of blood in her ears.
But no. Just when he got Emelia to trust him, he faced a disbelieving frown. Seemed they were destined to dance the one-step-forward, two-step-back tango.
“And now, may I introduce our man of the hour…”
“I didn’t lie,” Drake said, placing a hand on her knee. The urge to tell Emelia about what he really was, about the role she played in his life and his heart as his Luminary, struck him hard and true. That’s it…he’d tell her everything tonight. Once they were alone. “I told you that I’d explain what’s going on, and I will…after my speech. We’ll go somewhere quiet where we can talk, and I’ll tell you things I should’ve told you when we first met.”
“…the man who is responsible for putting this evening together, the philanthropist who has donated more money to the Vanguard Foundation than all of our other supporters combined…”
“What kind of things?” Emelia asked, ducking as a spotlight swept over them. “What should you have told me?”
“Mr. Russell D. Wilder!”
Applause swarmed like bees as blinding spotlights homed in on Drake. In that instant, he became the burning ant beneath a sun-scorched magnifying glass. Every move he made was analyzed, every word dissected.
He smiled and waved. Like he’d been trained. “Promise that you’ll stay right here,” he said into Emelia’s ear. “Stay here until I come back for you.”
Taking his notecards from his pocket, Drake marched on stage and tried to focus on what he was doing this for…instead of the woman glaring at him from table five.
Chapter Ten
Why was she prone to canoodling with liars? The entire length of Drake’s speech, Emelia thought back over everything he’d said. She believed him when he talked about Serephina Vanguard on the balcony. He’d looked sincere, almost pained, when he talked about her passing and how much he’d done for the project.
She needed fresh air. She needed a chance to think without thousands of eyes staring at her, wondering who she was and why she deserved to be here with Drake, the world’s most eligible bachelor.
Emelia bolted the first chance she got, and that chance came thanks to Drake’s bodyguards. When Drake’s speech ended, a group of burly men grabbed him by the elbows and escorted him behind the stage. His bodyguards were the largest Emelia had ever seen, and easily the most handsome. Each of the men had razor-short hair, strong features, and surprisingly gentle eyes. Did he only hire former Abercrombie models or something?
Emelia hurried out the hall, down the outside steps, and around the rectangular patch of grass that stretched before her as long and wide as a football field. Buzzing with life, the noise of the city blended into one constant roar, drowning out the thoughts screeching through her head.
She slowed as she reached the trees lining the grass and shivered with awareness.
Someone was watching her.
Was it one of Drake’s guards? They seemed to be everywhere tonight. Always watching. Like they were waiting for something in particular. Something that had to do with her.
Keeping her pace slow, so that she wouldn’t wander too far from the hall, Emelia became hyperaware that someone was closing in. A rogue draft of crisp night air hit the back of her neck, launching a goose bump assault over her entire body.
“Hello?” Emelia asked, slowly spinning, peering through the dark between the trees that lined the opposite end of the grass. “If you’re looking for Drake, he’s still inside.”
Out of the shadows beside her, Drake appeared. Emelia jumped, clutching her heart.
“You scared the hell out of me,” she said, fighting the urge to smack him.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Drake’s gait was slow and deliberate. Almost a stalk. “Enjoying the night?”
The tone of