“You look good,” he murmured as his hands worked, linking the rope with the holes at the back of the dress. “I love the dress. It is sure a hustle to take off, but I don’t mind that seeing as I can go the easy route.”
Rina took in a shaky breath, closing her eyes as she felt his fingers on her over and over again. It was hard to concentrate on the words he was saying, no matter how hard she tried focusing on that. The combination of his hands and his scent made her heady, so much so that she was considering turning around abruptly in his arms.
“What?”
He chuckled, the bass of his tone sending shivers down her spine. “The dress. It accentuates your curves. And the color. It is…Damn! It makes me think of a number of things I can do with and to you.”
Rina’s body tensed up in his hands, and another chuckle escaped his lips. “Don’t worry. I told you before. I will not do anything you wouldn’t want me to. Trust me.”
She nodded, even though there was no need for that, and held her breath the rest of the way until he was done lacing her up. Rina put some distance between them as soon as he let his hands drop to his side. He knew what she was doing, but Zayn didn’t put up a fight.
“A date?” he asked casually, even though every bit of him waited for her response, hoping it wasn’t that.
Rina shook her head, and Zayn found himself able to breathe properly again. “It’s something I have to do before I focus on my career with Claire.”
“Something you have to do,” he murmured.
“Regina. I told you I was going to handle her.”
“Do you really have to dress like this to go see her?”
“It’s part of the plan, Zayn.”
“I know.” It sounded like a moan, but he moved past it before either of them could consciously recognize it. “It’s just…you better leave now.”
“What?”
“I told you, Rina. Seeing you this way…” He swallowed and smiled. “Have fun tonight. I’ll stay up waiting for you.”
Nodding, she grabbed her purse and walked past him out of the room. When Zayn caught a whiff of her scent, it took all the energy in him to stop himself from pulling her back.
Rina wondered what that was about as she walked down the stairs and headed out through the doors. She met William out by the steps, with her car already brought out of the garage, packed in front of the building.
“Mr. Graham wanted me to accompany you,” he explained when she raised her eyes in confusion. Rina’s brows scrunched up in even further confusion. She had only just left him not up to a minute ago. How had he already thought about William accompanying her to see Regina?
“I don’t want to bother you,” Rina said. “I can get myself there in one piece if that’s what you and Zayn are worried about.”
“I don’t think it has anything to do with your driving prowess,” he offered as he walked to the car and held the back door open for her. Rina waited there for the rest of his sentence, but it never came. Instead, he kept watching her, waiting for her to come down the steps and get into the car.
“What is it with people in this house and not completing their sentences,” she muttered to herself as she got moving, the click of her heels resounding. William waited until she was settled in before closing the door firmly and walking around the car, getting behind the wheel.
“How did you even get the keys?”
“We kept a spare,” was his only response as he pulled out of the driveway and onto the street. Rina gave him directions to the diner she was meeting Regina at, leaning back into the leather of the couch as he expertly navigated the traffic. It was located at the other end of the city, strategically picked out so there were no allies of hers in the way. Rina wanted her blocked on all ends, without the liberty of thinking anyone could help her out of it.
William drove through the gates and stopped in front of the small door leading inside. “I’m afraid I can’t get the door for you,” he said, looking back at her. “Anyone would be able to recognize me here, and you said you don’t want that. I, for one, don’t really care.”
“I can take it from here,” Rina replied with a sweet smile on her face. She pushed the door open and got down, her silver heels hitting the ground before pulling herself out of the car. Waiting until William continued on his way down to the parking lot, Rina took a deep breath and sauntered into the diner, nodding politely at the doorman who offered to take her coat. She watched him hang it on the rack before someone else in a uniform approached.
The recognition on her face was instant, but quite unexpectedly, she flashed Rina a shy smile before returning her gaze to the floor. “Welcome to The Heights,” she said in a chirpy tone. “Do you have a reservation?”
“Yes.” Rina thought it was a nice thing that some people still believed in her after everything they had been practically forced to believe. “It should be under the name George Stone.”
The lady looked through a list and nodded. “I’m sorry for keeping you waiting. It’s this way. Your guest is already inside.”
“Perfect!” Rina beamed as she followed her through the seats, walking further into the room until they got to the more private area. Her seat was right in the center of that part, surrounded by other private diners who didn’t want the distraction from going in and out of guests.
Sighting Regina’s blonde hair from afar, Rina turned to tell the girl she could make her way from there.
“Okay ma’am,” she murmured. “I will be back shortly to take your order. Kindly make yourself comfortable.”
The girl walked out of sight just as Rina turned around with a smug look on her face and strolled over to the table. Regina’s head was buried in her phone as she chuckled at something she was looking at.
“Hello, Regina.”
She looked up at once, her eyes widening in surprise. “What are you doing here? I was supposed to meet…”
“You weren’t so foolish to believe George would actually betray me, were you?”