Relief punched through her despite the latent danger she heard in his voice. Whirling, she looked up into his rigid face. ‘Can we go now?’
He didn’t answer. His gaze remained pinned on Brian, his eyes coldly assessing.
‘Alejandro, please?’
His glance shifted to her. Elise knew her emotions were displayed clearly for him to see, but she just wanted to leave Brian’s unpleasant presence.
After a beat, Alejandro nodded and settled his hand in the small of her back.
The walk through the restaurant and into the back of the limo was conducted in silence. As were the first ten minutes of the journey.
But tacit questions churned through the air. When he finally turned to her, her stomach dipped.
‘Grey was the professional issue you spoke of.’
It was a question disguised as a statement. But she didn’t want to answer. ‘Please, can you let it be?’
‘No.’ He caught her chin between his fingers. ‘Answer me, por favor.’
She grimaced at the politely couched command. When she shook her head, his face hardened. ‘You can tell me or we can return to the restaurant and I can ask him myself.’
‘Alejandro...’ She stopped at the intractable expression on his face.
‘Now, Elise.’
She sucked in a steadying breath. ‘You mentioned him by name so you know who he is and what he does?’
He nodded. ‘He runs nightclubs but recently added a clothes line to his business, is that correct?’
She nodded. ‘Mostly lingerie. He contracted Jameson to help launch his lingerie line last year.’
He released her chin, but his gaze didn’t waver from her face. ‘And?’
‘My father and I worked on the campaign for the first month. Then Brian requested that I take over. I didn’t think anything of it.’
Alejandro’s jaw clenched. ‘Go on.’
She stopped when she realised they’d pulled up in front of her building. Alejandro noticed, too, and made a rough sound of impatience.
‘We’ll continue this inside,’ he snapped.
The walk to her apartment was rushed and silent. He requested her keys and unlocked her door. ‘Invit
e me in,’ he muttered, his low voice tight.
Tension gripped Elise, but, because she didn’t want to conduct the rest of the traumatic tale on her doorstep, she cleared her throat and stepped into her apartment. ‘Come in.’
He followed, kicking the door shut.
Her one-bedroom apartment was compact, decorated with whatever money she could spare after rent and loan payments. The living room held a single faux-velvet sofa, matching armchair and floor rugs. The pale walls were brightened with cheap landscapes, and floor and table lamps softened the starkness of the battered cabinet on which perched her TV and MP3 player.
Alejandro didn’t spare the room a single glance. His gaze remained fixed on her, tweaking her already frazzled nerves.
‘Would you...umm...like a drink?’
‘No.’ He came forward, took her wrap and purse from her nerveless fingers. ‘Sit down, Elise.’
He was ordering her around in her own home. Part of her wanted to stomp on his autocracy. A greater part wanted this over with.