She was at Kenzo’s table, with the old man and his grandsons surrounding her. Alejandro watched as Jason Ishikawa leaned over and whispered in her ear. She laughed, her face so beautiful. His breath caught.
‘Nothing. Forget it,’ Gael murmured.
Alejandro barely heard him leave. Jealousy pounded, strong and hot through him as he watched her interact with the younger Ishikawa brother.
As if sensing his regard, she lifted her head. Her expression dimmed, escalating his suspicion that something was wrong.
Something he’d said to her in the car had upset her. But what?
Go to her. Find out. Claim her.
No. She needed to be handled with care. If she was as innocent as he was beginning to believe she was, the way he was feeling right now would cause more harm than good. She wasn’t a fragile creature by any means, but neither was she equipped to handle the riotous emotions surging through his veins. She’d already borne the brunt of his jealousy on more than one occasion.
He needed to calm down a little...or a lot, before he tackled anything further with her.
He mingled. He sipped vintage champagne. He forced himself not to react each time Jason whispered in her ear.
Alejandro turned away, knowing he was one heartbeat from ripping Jason Ishikawa from her side. He swallowed his ire, torturously reined in his fraying control, and mingled for an hour until the traditional dinner gong sounded.
‘Alejandro?’
Her voice lanced through him, touched him places he couldn’t quite name. Turning from the female acquaintance who’d sought him out under the pretext of discussing business only to shoot him interest-filled looks the moment they were alone, he glanced at Elise.
‘Are you ready to be seated?’ she asked.
‘Sí. Are you?’ he enquired, refusing to glance in Jason Ishikawa’s direction.
Her eyes skated away from him, but her smile stayed in place. ‘Yes.’
‘Then come.’ Dismissing the acquaintance with a stiff smile, he held out his arm.
She hesitated. Dread snapped up his spine.
‘Something wrong?’ he asked as they neared their table.
‘Is there any reason it should be?’ she tossed back.
‘You’re answering my questions with questions. Is this a prelude to an argument, guapa?’
She swallowed. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking—’
‘Mr Aguilar, my grandfather would be honoured if you and Elise would consider joining us at our table.’
Alejandro faced Jason Ishikawa, every nerve in his body yearning to refuse the invitation. In fact, right then, he wanted to call a halt to everything: the merger that had dominated his life up to only a handful of days ago but was now a load he wanted to shed. The brother whose weighted gaze he could even now feel upon him... Everything, just so he could walk out of the party with Elise.
But leaving would be a gross insult not just to her and her grandmother, but also to their hosts. So he gritted his teeth and nodded his acceptance.
A few feet from the table, he noticed Gael had also been relocated. And Elise was placed beside Kenzo, with his grandsons on either side of them.
The old man had an agenda of his own, one Alejandro wasn’t certain of yet. But he would play along. For now.
He’d come to Kyoto with the intention of saving the merger, but no deal was worth mind games or further interminable delays if they meant not having Elise in his bed. He would leave here tonight with the merger agreed. Or he would not.
It was that simple.
Decision made, he allowed himself to enjoy the food, the drink, and his immediate companions. For his own state of mind, he chose to ignore the overt gestures Jason made towards Elise. She would be leaving here with him, not Jason. And after tonight, there would be no doubt in her mind that she was his. He would make sure she understood that attention from other men wouldn’t be tolerated.
Once dinner was over, he sat back as Gael invited a female guest to the dance floor. Elise excused herself to the bathroom and the Ishikawa brothers went off to fulfil their hosting duties.