Page 18 of Playing with Trouble

I nodded.That I could do.I steered the man toward the back exit so the mayor’s guests wouldn’t be disturbed.Personally, I thought a guy who didn’t understand the meaning of consent deserved a little public humiliation, but the mayor wouldn’t appreciate a scene and he was our client.

After leaving the guy with two of our men at the security post outside to deal with him, I circled back to check on the woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties.An older man had his arm around her and was comforting her, and for a second I wondered if I had another issue on my hand before I realized they had very similar features—he was most likely her father, not another threat.

“Oh, Dad, this is the man that stepped in and helped me,” she said as soon as she saw me approach.

Her father gave me a hard, measuring look before extending his hand.“Thank you for handling the situation.Charles Hayward,” he said, introducing himself.“This is my daughter, Stella, and I appreciate you intervening.”

The name clicked immediately.Charles Hayward was a well-known powerhouse prosecutor in Vegas.Not someone a man like that creep wanted to cross.

“Ford Perish,” I said, then added, “I’m part of the security for this event.I’m just doing my job, sir.”

“Regardless, plenty of men wouldn’t have shown that kind of integrity or would have looked the other way.”Charles reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a business card, passing it to me.“If I can return the favor in any way, you just let me know.”

I accepted the card out of sheer politeness, and the two of them returned to the festivities.

“What was that all about?”Chase asked, joining me once I was alone again.

“Some guy wouldn’t take no for an answer, so I stepped in,” I told him.

Chase smacked me on the back, a smirk on his lips.“Better you than me because I’m not sure I would have had the self-control not to shove his balls up into his throat.”

I chuckled, and we parted ways to attend to the gala again until the night finally wound down.Over our earpieces came the signal to start ushering people out and sweep the empty rooms.I moved through the motions, but the situation with Violet, and the woman herself, still gnawed at the back of my mind.

Once we were done, Chase and I walked toward the exit together.“Andrea and I are heading to the club tonight.Are you going to be there?”

I shook my head.“Not tonight.”

“Something wrong with your dick?”he asked, his eyes flickering with humor.“You haven’t been to the club since, well, that night Andrea and I took Violet there.”

I wasn’t sure if he was insinuating something, or not, but refused to say anything incriminating.“I’ve been busy.”

Usually I frequented the club a few times a week, and definitely on a Saturday evening, like tonight.So yeah, I knew my absence might be noticed.

The truth was, after Violet, I didn’t want anyone else and going to the club would just be setting myself up for disappointment.I wasn’t about to shortchange some other sub with my mind still focused on Violet.

“I was surprised to see you at the hospital yesterday, and more specifically, alone with Violet in her room,” Chase said, almost too casually.

I shrugged.“Andrea asked me to talk to Violet after what happened to her.”

“Right.”His gaze cut sideways, assessing me.“So, you wouldn’t happen to be the guy Violet scened with the night at the club, would you?”

Busted.“Might be,” I admitted.

Chase shook his head.“Don’t mess with her, Ford.You won’t come out on top and things won’t end well with someone like Violet.”

God, didn’t I already know that.“I’m not messing with her.She made her boundaries clear that night and I’ve respected them.But she was in a car accident.What was I supposed to do?Pretend I didn’t give a damn?”I realized that I cared too much, probably more than was wise with someone like her.

Surprise flicked in his eyes.“Just be careful.I’ve learned enough about my future sister-in-law to know she’ll cut and run the second she feels cornered.”

My jaw clenched.“Then I’ll make sure she never feels cornered.But I’m not the type of guy not to give a shit.”

“Yeah, I know, which makes you a good guy,” he said as we walked outside.He stopped before we parted ways to our separate cars, and so did I.“Look, I know how I’m about to sound—”

“Oh, boy,” I muttered.

“—but maybe it wouldn’t hurt for you to consider something more serious with a woman.Andrea thinks—”

“And there it is,” I interrupted Chase, giving him an incredulous look.“The relationship glow has officially gone to your fucking head and made you a sap.You’re doing that thing where you’re so blissfully happy in a relationship that you want your friends to be in relationships, too.”