Chapter Eight
Yasmin reached for the doorknob to Carver’s apartment, but Jake beat her to the punch. Given he didn’t listen when she repeatedly insisted she could open doors herself, she let him do it.
“Thanks,” she told Jake, who gave her a nod before closing the door.
Carver’s apartment. She still couldn’t bring herself to call it theirs yet. Carver had insisted numerous times that she could do whatever she wanted with it, redecorate the whole place if she chose. Yasmin had been looking at some colorful furniture online to spruce it up. In the bedroom, she discovered a white box and a note attached to it with her name scribbled on top. She recognized Carver’s messy handwriting.
Curiosity made her flip it open. Its contents spilled out, taking her breath away. Why would Carver buy her a dress? She took it out, laid it across the bed, and sighed. Yasmin had never owned anything so fancy. She didn’t even attend her own prom, because she had to pick Larry up from the bar that night.
The dress would bare her shoulders and had a plunging neckline. She’d look like she was dipped in red ink. Yasmin didn’t doubt Carver had all her measurements down, that she’d look amazing in that dress. She always felt self-conscious about her body as an awkward teenager and even as an adult. Lately, that started to change the more time she spent with Carver in the bedroom. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her, teaching her that he loved her body just fine. Thinking of him made her curve her lips to a smile.
Who was she kidding? This past week with him had been wonderful, and the passion between them only continued to be explosive. Sex didn’t define their growing relationship. Yasmin also loved the quiet moments, like how they spent evenings on the couch, binge-watching TV shows, or an afternoon at the park.
Large hands squeezed her shoulders from behind, and she immediately knew who it was. She leaned against him, loving the possessive way he automatically tugged her close. Their bodies always seemed to be a perfect fit. He bit her earlobe and pressed a kiss to her quickening pulse.
“What do you think?” he whispered in her ear, his breath warm.
“I’ve never worn anything like this. Are we going somewhere?” she asked.
“There’s a charity gala hosted by the governor tonight.”
She opened her mouth and closed it. “Carver, I’ve never been to one of those either.”
Carver turned her gently by the shoulder so they now looked at each other. “Angel, I don’t want you to be a secret. I want the entire world to see you on my arm and know you’re my woman.”
She shivered at those words and bit her bottom lip. Yasmin had never really done well in social situations. Carver started rubbing her back, his touch calming, addictive. “What if I end up disappointing you? Important people will be there, right?”
“That will never happen. Most of them are too scared of me.”
It took her a second to realize he made a joke. With a huff, she gave his shoulder a punch. “Don’t tease. I’m serious. I always screw things up in social situations.”
Not that she’d had any semblance of a social life before she started living with the kingpin.
He kissed the top of her head, then her nose. She lifted her head to receive his next one on her mouth. Yasmin shut her eyes, letting herself be swept away as she forgot where she was. He took her lips, all bite and heat, and she wanted to rake her hands down his expensive tailored suit and hear all the buttons pop. Carver had unearthed this wild and secret side of her she never knew about, but Yasmin kind of liked this new her.
“You’ll do fine. I need you there, as support, or I’ll end up tearing someone to shreds.”
It struck her that was the first time he said he needed her. Yasmin looked at the gorgeous dress on the bed, imagining herself wearing it and on the arm of her sexy kingpin.
“We’ll make an appearance, then make an excuse to leave so I can fuck you in the car with that dress on,” he said.
“Oh, now that’s definitely incentive,” she said. Then she nodded. “I’ll do my best.”
****
The moment Jake opened the doors for them, cameras starting going off like mad. She squinted against the bright flashing lights, relieved when Carver offered her a hand and helped her out of the car. The silken red fabric pooled to her ankles, and she self-consciously closed her legs. When Carver planted a proprietary hand around her waist, she became even more aware of the fact she had no underwear on, because he demanded it. The thrill of discovery sent a shudder down her spine although she knew he’d never let anything happen to her.
“Smile, angel,” he whispered in her ear, sliding a hand over her bare shoulders.
Feeling the heat of his solid body eased the tension in hers as she smiled for the photographers.
“Carver, who’s the sweet lady on your arm?” one of the paparazzi yelled out.
“Is she anyone famous?” another called out.
More questions were hurled at them, but Carver ignored them, wolfish smile still plastered on his face. She recognized that look. He was getting impatient. Mercifully, Jake and two other guards carved a path for them.
Carver spirited her away from the red carpet and into the doors of the art museum. She barely recognized some of the people in the room and felt a little out of place. Some of the politicians, actors and actresses, she knew from the TV or from the magazines she read. There were murmurs at their arrival, and she didn’t miss the curious gazes on them, on her.
A waiter offered them champagne, and she took one to calm her nerves. On second thought, getting hammered might not be such a good idea. Yasmin seldom drank alcohol, so her tolerance was low. She set the glass down on the nearest table, her fingers trembling. Shit.
Oh, she was aware she and Carver came from two very different worlds, but standing here made her more aware of it. Her heart beat against her chest, and she had a little trouble breathing. Sweat rolled down her back. She felt like a fraud, wearing this expensive dress and the diamond necklace and earrings Carver gave to her before they got into the car. What if she had some kind of panic attack here?
A squeeze on the back of her neck made her look at her man. He leaned in close to her ear.
“Breathe in and out, angel. I’m here.”
His firm voice soothed her, and for a second, she forgot about everything else—the servers, the men and women in suits and gowns that probably cost more than her old monthly rent. Carver seemed confident she wouldn’t screw this up. She relaxed a little, her anxiety fading bit by bit as she reached for his hand. He curled his big, inked ones over hers and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Yasmin felt better already.
She smiled at the right moments, made polite conversations as Carver talked to a few individuals. He always made the introductions, never making her feel left out, even once.
“Just endure this a little more, and we’ll head back to our place,” Carver whispered to her ear after they said goodbye to the governor and his wife.
Our place. That really did have a good ring to it. Navigating the waters of his world might be occasionally daunting, but she’d held her own pretty well tonight.
“Fuck you, Carver,” a man yelled, shattering the mood.
The entire hall fell silent, and she searched for the source of the disturbance. A huge man with a shaved head and old scars across his face, dressed in a black suit, shoved his way past a couple and put his hand into the pocket of his suit. Carver automatically planted himself in front of her. Everything happened far too fast for her to process. Gunshots rang out, followed by screams as people started for the nearest exits.
“Carver,” she whispered, fearing for her man. Carver let out a grunt, then yelled, “Jake, get her out of here.”
“Wait,” she blurted, feeling Jake close his hand over his wrist and begin pulling her to the doors. “Damn it, Jake. What about Carver? God. I think he’s been shot.”
“The boss will be fine. We have our guys on it,” he said cryptically. She sucked in a breath, noticing he pulled his revolver out and kept looking at his surroundings. Finally, they emerged into the cool night. Plenty of people started rushing for their cars. It was a complete panic but nothing compared to her thumping heart. Fear sank its claws into her, and she had trouble breathing. Her dress felt plastered to her skin, and her feet started hurting in her heels.
“Stop dragging me, I can walk,” she said.
Jake paused and loosened his grip on her. She took off her heels and grabbed them. The concrete felt cool under her. A black Jaguar stopped in front of them and Jake opened the door.
“Please.” She grabbed his arm. “I want to wait for Carver.”
Jake shook his head. “The boss ordered me to take you to a safe location in case of an emergency.”
“Who is that guy? You’re not lying to make me feel better right? He’s fine?”
“He is. Carver’s wearing a bulletproof vest underneath. Please, get in the car and let Mario take you back to the apartment so I can see to him.”
Realizing she could do nothing, she got inside the car. The entire time her hands shook, and she kept looking at her phone.
Please, God, I hope he isn’t badly hurt, because I’m really falling fast and hard for my man.