Ian Basti slipped into the passenger seat of his car.
"Did you tell Harlow what I said?" he asked.
Killian, sitting at the wheel, nodded. "He knows what to do. He's already keeping an eye on Ms. Sorin." He hesitated before asking, "But…why, sir?"
"Why what?"
"She's just serving divorce papers to Stefanos Rassi, what is the security for? I think she'll be fine without Harlow."
"No." Ian shook his head slowly.
"I don't know what it is, but…I have a bad feeling. Maybe it's just my wolf being paranoid. Still, I'm not taking chances."
Killian shot him a look through the rearview mirror. "Well, I know it's for her safety, but I don't think she's going to be happy if she finds out you have someone watching out for her without telling her."
"That's fine," Ian shrugged, folding his arms and resting his chin against his hand, his gaze distant out the window. "As long as she's safe, that's all that matters. Whether she likes it or not, I'll protect her and in my own way, since she doesn't exactly like to comply with me."
Killian gave a small nod. "Starting the car, sir—"
Suddenly, the door was yanked open and someone jumped in, slamming it shut. Ian turned his head, only to find himself face-to-face with Diana, dressed finely in one of the suits he'd bought her.
"Drop me off on the way," she said to him.
Ian furrowed his brows. He didn't think she would want to come with him.
Diana rolled her eyes. "It's more convenient to go with you. My card's still frozen, thank you very much."
He said nothing.
"Well?" She folded her arms. "Are we going or not?"
Killian cleared his throat. "Setting off now."
The car rolled through the gate and onto the road, speeding off into the cold morning.
The ride was in complete silence. Though it'd only rained the night before, the early morning air was sharp and freezing.
Ian glanced at Diana.
Her hair was combed, but a few stubborn strands stuck out as if she had hurried with everything just to catch a ride with him.
He didn't know why, but it amused him. He reached out his hand and gently smoothed down the protruding strands.
Diana looked up at him, but before she could say anything, Killian pulled the car off the road.
"This is where you're stopping, Ms?" he asked.
She glanced outside. Stefanos's building loomed right ahead. It was indeed her stop and a minute walk wouldn't hurt.
"Thank you," she said brightly, flashing a smile that stretched ear to ear and stepped out.
The cold breeze slammed into her instantly and she shivered, clutching the lapels of her suit jacket. She was going to catch a cold at this point.
"Wait."
She stopped at the sound of the voice only to be grabbed by Ian.
"What are you—"
He threw his coat over her shoulders and wrapped his scarf snugly around her neck.
"You're shivering like a stray cat," he said. "Wear this. I don't want you catching a cold."
How warm. She blinked up at him, relaxing into the sudden warmth.
"Uh…" Her pupils softened. "Oh…w-well, thank you."
She could feel that soothing scent of him sipping into her body—a scent she'd never smelt on anyone before. It was hard to describe, but it came with the sense of comfort that even at that moment was somehow getting rid of the nerves rising all over her.
She clutched the coat tighter around herself.
"I'll give it back when I see you tonight," she said.
Ian smiled and cupped her cheek. "About your bank and your building, I know someone who can help you. But we'll talk about that later tonight, alright?"
His palms slid down to her neck, his thumb rubbing over her mating gland.
"T-thank you…" The gesture made her tingle. Has she ever been sensitive behind her ear? She didn't think so.
She grabbed his hand— "I'll be going now" —And turned away, leaving.
Ian watched her go, hands tucked in his pockets.
"She looks cute with my coat on, don't you think so?" He glanced at Kilian who had come to stand beside him.
Killian gave a noncommittal shrug. "I suppose so. If you weren't so tall."
"The fuck you—" Ian cleared his throat. "What do you mean by that?"
Did he just… Killian eyed him suspiciously. "The coat is almost touching her feet, sir."
"Still cute," Ian scoffed.
Meanwhile, Diana, who'd already made it to the front gate of Stefanos's mansion, paused. She glanced backward toward the street where Ian had parked.
But he was gone.
His car was not there either.
He was gone, and for some reason, it made this strange heaviness settle in her chest like this was the last time she might see him again.
It made no sense.
Still, part of her didn't want to walk into the compound. She wanted Ian back, and to return with him. As ridiculous as it seemed, she realized—
The safest she'd ever felt was with him and he was a man she barely even knew. A man who was no more than a business acquaintance to her.
Drawing in a deep breath, Diana stepped through opened by the security.
Everywhere was awfully quiet, not that it always wasn't, but it made her skin crawl.
The security let her into the main house and at the foyer, she came to a stop, freezing. The atmosphere here was weird.
Something felt wrong.
"Honestly, I doubted you were going to come."
Her gaze to the loveseat in the foyer. And there, Stefanos was casually seated.
But that wasn't what threw her off. It was that he had his men inside that foyer. And not just his men, but her father…as well…
Her stomach twisted.
What in the world was her father doing here?
What the hell was going on?