Vulnerable: (McIntyre Security Bodyguard Series - Book 1) (36 page)

A young woman in a housekeeping uniform entered the restroom just as Beth pushed Shane toward the door. The attendant, whose long black hair was pulled back in a pony tail, gaped at him.

“I was just leaving,” he said in a low voice. Then, to Beth, he said, “I’ll be right outside. Holler if you need me.”

“I think I can manage,” she said wryly, pushing him through the doorway.

Shane paused beside the restroom attendant and spoke quietly in her ear. The girl stared up at him in surprise and nodded. And then he was gone.

It was nice to have a brief moment of solitude. After nearly an hour of mingling in such a large crowd, she was reaching her limit. She just hoped that the meal would be served soon, so that the program could get underway.

She claimed a vacant stall and took care of business, using the break to rest for a moment and recharge her batteries. She tried to block out everything around her and concentrate on slowing her heart rate and taking deep, even breaths. After hearing a couple of women come and go, she figured she’d dallied long enough. She wouldn’t put it past Shane to come checking up on her.

When Beth finished washing her hands and turned off the faucet, the bathroom attendant handed her a towel.

“Thank you,” Beth said. She was halfway to the door when a voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Well, if it isn’t the jailbait,” a woman said in an acerbic voice.

Beth turned, recognizing the woman from Sylvia’s boutique. The woman Shane admitted he’d slept with. The woman’s expression was openly hostile. “Luciana.”

She’s a vain, shallow bitch
.

Luciana sneered at Beth. “You’re a fucking genius, you know that?”

Immediately, Beth’s internal alarm bells started ringing, and her pulse rate skyrocketed as a wave of heat flashed through her. Her chest tightened painfully. Surely she’d misheard the woman. Beth glanced at the attendant, surprised to see her gaping at Luciana. Apparently, she hadn’t misheard the woman.

Luciana Morelli was dressed in a short, skin-tight, red sequined dress that barely covered her thighs. Her rich, dark hair was styled in a sophisticated chignon, and her wickedly long fingernails were painted a rich red, as were her pouty lips. The woman’s face was flawless, with artfully made up eyes, impossibly long lashes, and perfectly sculpted brows. On her feet were four-inch spiked heels.

Beth decided the prudent thing to do was simply ignore the woman, so she turned toward the door and resumed walking.

“I have to give you credit, though,” Luciana continued. “The whole virginal act is brilliant.”

Beth turned back. “Excuse me?”

“What man could resist this?” Luciana gestured at Beth. “How old are you anyway? Shane’s too smart to fall for jailbait; but sweetie, you’re about as close as a man can come to robbing the cradle without ending up in jail.”

Beth looked away from Luciana, partly to mask her embarrassment, and partly hoping that someone else would come along and Luciana would stop talking. But there was no one else in the room, except for the attendant who hung back silently, her dark eyes huge as she listened to the exchange.

The attendant glanced apologetically at Beth and muttered something under her breath before scurrying out of the restroom.

“You’ve got the high-and-mighty Shane McIntyre so twisted around your little finger he can’t see straight,” Luciana said. “What’s your secret?”

The woman’s tone was so blatantly bitter that Beth couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. Whatever had happened between Luciana and Shane must have been unpleasant.

“That’s enough, Luciana!”

Beth jumped at the sound of Shane’s voice. She glanced back and found him standing just inside the restroom, his furious gaze locked on Luciana.

“Shane!” Luciana said, brightening instantly as she pasted a beatific smile on her face. At least she had the grace to blush.

“Get out, Luciana,” Shane said, his voice brittle.

This wasn’t his master-of-the-universe tone, Beth realized. He saved that tone for people he cared about. This was something completely different; this tone said “
I’ll give you five seconds to do what I said, or  you’ll wish to hell you had
.”

Apparently, Luciana was familiar with that particular tone, because she stalked right past Beth without another word and left the restroom.

Shane released a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “I had no idea she was in here, or I wouldn’t have left you. Luciana dislikes me, in case you hadn’t noticed, and that’s putting it mildly.”

“I think she dislikes me even more,” Beth said, melting into his embrace.

He scoffed. “We dated for a couple of months, about a year ago. She wanted more, I didn’t. She hasn’t forgiven me.”

“I can tell.” Beth looked up at him askance. “Have you dated every woman in Chicago?”

He chuckled. “Not hardly. Besides, it’s my net worth they’re interested in, not me personally.”

“I don’t believe that for one second.” Beth’s hands came up to smooth the lapels of his tuxedo. “It’s not your money women are interested in, Shane.”

The restroom door opened, and three women walked in, chatting excitedly. They stopped dead in their tracks when they noticed Shane.

“If you’ll excuse us, ladies,” Shane said, taking Beth’s hand and leading her out of the restroom.

Out in the hallway, the attendant stood wringing her hands.

“Thank you,” Shane said to her.

The young woman blushed, a smile completely transforming her anxious face. “You’re welcome, sir,” she whispered, and then she headed back into the restroom.

“Did she come out here to get you?” Beth said.

He nodded. “I asked her to watch out for you.”

Beth smiled, rising up on her toes to kiss him. “It’s not your money, Shane. It’s you.”

When they reentered the ballroom, a young woman in a black skirt and white blouse seated herself at the grand piano and began playing a waltz by Mozart. The dance floor was still crowded with eager – if not entirely skilled – couples showing off the fruits of their expensive dance lessons.

“I think I’ll get another drink,” Shane said. “Do you want anything?”

“No, thanks,” Beth said. “You go. I’ll wait here and watch the dancing.”

Shane joined the long line of black tuxedos at the bar, and Beth moved back out of the main flow of traffic.

“Beth!”

She turned, surprised to hear someone calling her name. She was even more surprised to see Andrew Morton eagerly striding toward her. “Andrew? What are you doing here?”

“I came with my dad,” he said. “My mom’s out of town, so he dragged me along with him. He’s around here somewhere.”

Like every other male at the benefit, Andrew Morton was wearing a black tuxedo. With his artfully disheveled blond hair, he was undeniably a very good looking guy.

“What are you doing here?” Andrew asked, a tad breathless.

“I’m here with my... boyfriend.” It was the first time she’d publically referred to Shane as such.

“Boyfriend?” Andrew frowned.

Beth saw disappointment on Andrew’s face, followed by a flash of anger.

“Who? Where is he?” Andrew demanded, grabbing her wrist. “Point him out!”

“Andrew, that hurts!” Beth cried, and she yanked her wrist free from Andrew’s tight grip. The identity of her boyfriend wasn’t any of his business, and she was about to tell him that when she felt Shane’s presence at her back.

He hadn’t said a word. He hadn’t made the slightest noise, but Beth knew he was there. When Andrew’s gaze went past her and turned stony, it only confirmed her suspicions. Shane’s hands landed proprietarily on her bare shoulders.

“Introduce me, sweetheart,” Shane said in a deceptively mild tone.

“This is Andrew Morton,” she said. “Andrew, this is Shane McIntyre.”

A myriad of emotions flashed across Andrew’s face – astonishment, anger, resentment.

“You’re Richard Morton’s kid,” Shane said. He pulled Beth back against him. “How do you know Beth?”

Andrew bristled at Shane’s condescending manner. “From school. I’m a student at Kingston Medical. Beth works in the library.”

“I know where Beth works,” Shane said, his voice cold. That quickly, the pieces fell into place. This was probably the kid who’d accosted Beth outside the medical school library earlier in the week. Miguel had given him a detailed description of the kid – it fit Andrew Morton perfectly.

Shane turned Beth around to face him, dismissing Andrew. “How about that dance now?”

“What about your drink?” Beth said, seeing that Shane’s hands were empty. He hadn’t had enough time to make it up to the bar to order.

“Something more important came up,” he said. “Like dancing with you.”

Andrew stepped forward. “I was going to ask her to dance.”

Shane glanced at Andrew, his expression hard. “Go find your own dance partner, kid. She’s mine.”

Shane offered his arm to Beth, and she took it. “You okay?” Shane said, as he led her to the dance floor.

She sighed. “I’m fine. I was just surprised to see him here.”

“Richard Morton is the hospital’s chief of staff and a big donor to the Foundation. He has a big ego and, apparently, it’s hereditary.”

They reached the dance floor, and Shane swept Beth into his arms. “Just relax and follow me,” he said, when he felt her tense up.

Beth took her first halting steps with Shane, her heart beating triple time. She stumbled a couple of times, and once she stepped on his toes. “I’m sorry!”

“You’re doing great. Just relax,” he murmured into her ear. “And don’t worry, the toes of these shoes are reinforced with steel.”

Beth laughed, not sure if he was joking or not.

They were off and moving, flowing through the throng of dancers as if it were second nature. Shane made it seem effortless. His arm around her waist kept her steady, and his other hand guided their moves like a divining rod. She was eventually able to relax a bit in his arms, trusting him to keep her upright and on the right path.

They finished the waltz without mishap – no more stumbling, no careening into other couples, no more stepping on anyone’s toes. Shane easily talked her into a second dance, and Beth laughed when Shane suggested she take over and lead
him
in the next waltz.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” she said, chuckling. “We may end up in the coat closet or something.”

They were well into their third dance, and Beth was actually having fun, when Shane came to an abrupt halt, catching Beth as she stumbled.

“I’m cutting in,” Andrew said, coming out from behind Shane to reach for Beth.

At the sound of Andrew’s voice, Beth face blanched, her expression suddenly wary.

The muscles in Shane’s jaw clenched tightly, but his voice remained calm. “Go away, Andrew.”

“I said, I’m cutting in.” Andrew’s hands went to her waist.

Shane made to pull Beth away from Andrew, but Andrew tightened his grip on her waist, and for a moment they were playing tug of war over Beth.

Shane abruptly released Beth, and she stumbled for a moment before regaining her balance. In a deft move, Shane grabbed hold of Andrew’s arm, twisted it up behind the boy’s back, and marched him off the dance floor. Beth hastened after, following them into a service corridor.

Once in the hallway, Shane shoved Andrew face first into the wall, the boy’s arm still pinned behind his back.

Beth gasped at the tightly controlled expression on Shane’s face. He looked like he wanted to kill Andrew. “Shane?”

“I told you to stay away from her,” Shane grated into Andrew’s ear. “Don’t talk to her; don’t look at her.”

Shane kicked Andrew’s feet apart and quickly frisked the boy’s pockets with his free hand. “Stay the fuck away from her, kid. If you bother her again, I will personally make you regret it.”

Shane released Andrew, and Andrew pushed away from the wall, his chest heaving as he turned toward Shane and glared at him, his hands fisted at his sides.

“Consider this a friendly warning, kid,” Shane said. “I don’t want to see your face anywhere near Beth again. Is that clear?”

Shane and Beth returned to the ballroom, and he led her to their assigned table. He sat her in her seat, and then he turned his seat to face hers and sat down, leaning forward and taking her hands in his. “You’re white as a sheet,” he said, squeezing her hands. “Are you okay?”

Beth nodded, shaking from adrenalin. “I’m fine.”

“Tell me about Andrew Morton.”

She blinked at him and found herself shaking. “He’s a first-year student at Kingston,” she said, gazing at Shane. She’d never seen him look so angry.

“Does he come to the library?”

“Yes.”

“Does he come to your office?”

“Yes.”

“Has he been harassing you? Causing you any problems at work?”

Beth looked at Shane, surprised by his questions. She nodded. “He comes to the Special Collections room a lot, oftentimes on flimsy excuses. Mary thinks he might be coming there to see me.”

“So do I,” Shane said, nodding as if she had confirmed something he already knew. “Andrew Morton is a narcissist,” Shane said. “He’s a spoiled rich kid who thinks he can have whatever he wants.”

A woman’s voice came over the ballroom sound system at that moment, asking all of the guests to take their seats. The servers would be bringing out the first course of the meal shortly.

Beth was still shaking; her heart was beating too fast and her breath was labored. She could feel her anxiety edging up. She closed her eyes and slowly took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, she noticed that the tables were filling up quickly with guests, and that Shane’s eyes were glued on her.

“Are you all right?” he said.

She nodded. “I’m okay.” But she couldn’t stop shaking.

Shane removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

Dottie and Gene Patterson arrived at their table then and took their seats, delighted to see that they were seated with Beth and Shane.

Shane caught Dottie’s eye. “Dottie, I need to take care of something. Will you stay with Beth, please?”