A Billionaire's Revenge and Redemption

waited for valets. Elena stood near the entrance, feeling the night breeze cool her flushed cheeks. She was about to call for a

ered, his voice calm but lea

felt dancing with him still fresh in her mind. Was he... interested? she wondered, suddenly aware of the way her heart beat a

d to say something, to ask him why he'd chosen her to dance with, or maybe thank him for the evening, but every time she opened her mouth, her words caught in her thro

over Ethan's face, highlighting the firm line of his jaw, the slight frown between his br

her end began speaking quickly, their words too low for Elena to hear, but she could see the slight narrowing of Ethan's eyes as

yielding. His eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, then

d, feeling as though she were intruding on something she shouldn't have. Then, wi

oked over at him, confusion etched acr

his face closed off,

er stomach twi

repeated, his tone leav

dred thoughts flashed through her mind, each more painful than the l

" she managed, her v

ard line. But there was something dark in his eyes, something she could

treet. The night air was cold, prickling against her skin as she stood there, feeling utterly alone and humiliated. She wanted

ay from the curb and disappearing down the road. The taillights faded into the

re, small and abandoned, standing beneath the dim streetlight. A faint, amused smile

, speaking softly. "Follow her.

he call, a sense of satisfaction settling over him a

ustration, then hurt, the sting of rejection mingling with a gnawing sense of confusion. She'd let herself believe, for a brief moment, that maybe he saw s

erself tightly, feeling her eyes burn with unshed

shake the feeling that someone was following her. The night seemed to stretch endlessly, and each step grew heavier as her mind spun with confusion and

r appeared, slowly pulling up behind her. Her heart leapt into her throat as she picked up her pace, kicking off her h

nger door opened, but Elena, panicking, only ran

craping her hands against the gravel. Wincing, she sat up, her heart racing even faste

g the car door behind him as he app

g. "What?" she managed, her voic

l. "I work for Mr. Cole. He asked me to make sure you g

shock, allowing him to help her to her feet. "So... he just sent you t

d at her with a patient, s

her mind racing as she settled into the passenger seat.

t on the side of the road and then

from the dark street. It felt ridiculous-like a scene from a bad roma

unted in the dashboard of the bodyguard's car. His dark eyes stayed focused on her face, reading each flicker of

e of the weirdest things I've seen you do, and I've seen you do a lot," he remarked, a grin tugging at his lips as

th tilting into a faint smile. "I'm just ensuri

nconvinced. "Come on, E