Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Elsa
Summer seems to drag by with visits from Miles becoming more and more frequent to check in on my father.
It irks me as much as it excites me. Not once do we speak about the forbidden, hideous mistake of a kiss, if I can call it that.
My first kiss was a sham. I planted my lips on the man I’ve been crushing on since I can remember, only for him to go stone cold in the middle of the hospital waiting room and my brother to walk in and save him from me.
God, I don’t know what’s worse: the mortifying look on Miles's face, or the conversation with my brother afterwards.
He pulled me aside and asked, “Have you lost your damn mind? Miles is my friend and a huge part of the family. He isn’t the kind of man to love anybody. It would be foolish for you to fall in love with a man who would only hurt you in the end because it would cause a war between us.”
“Why would you say something like that?” I asked him.
“Miles doesn’t date people. He’s all about business and power; you don’t fit anywhere in there. The man is stone cold, and I mean that in the best of ways in other things, but when it comes to love? Well, I don’t want to see you hurt.”
“Thanks, but it was spur of the moment.”
“I hope you don’t go around thinking of people like that.”
“Of course not. I was extremely emotional, and it wouldn’t happen again anyway. Now, will you leave me alone so I can go into a hole and disappear?”
“Relax. It’s no big deal.”
“You’re over here scolding me, so I think it’s a big deal.”
“Trust me, Miles will forget about it. He’s got more important things to worry about.”
“I got it. I know I’m on the bottom of Miles's totem pole list.”
“Good. I don’t want to see you hurt.”
“Thank you. I love you, bro.” He gives me a giant brotherly squeeze.
“I love you, too. You deserve someone special who’s going to treat you great.”
“You don’t think highly of Miles, do you?”
“I do. It’s just that he’s not a man who wants a wife. I’ve never heard him mention it once. If he did, I think he’d make a great husband, but until that day comes…”
I can’t believe how naively stupid I was. Maybe he’s aware of how mortified I was and is taking pity on me, or he’s doing his best to avoid the situation as well. Maybe my brother’s right, and he’s just forgotten the incident entirely. Either way, it’s for the best.
Unfortunately, we’re all going to Steeleville together.
We’re going to be locked in on one massive private jet to visit his family and ours for the annual gathering of all the Steele Riders.
Last year he wasn’t even there, so everyone is going to be excited to see him.
I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes.
All the non-related, unmarried girls will be gushing over him, while I do my best to pretend I hate him.
I’m returning to college next week, and then I’ll be seeing a lot less of Mr. Miles “High and Mighty” Ivanov.
Goodness—Miles Ivanov. What kind of name is that anyway?
Seriously, what were his parents thinking?
As if making his first name gentle was going to help him be less dark and dangerous.
The bastard has to be twice as attractive as he is mysterious.
“Are we ready?” my father asks, passing by my open bedroom door.
“Yes, I am.” I start rolling my suitcase to the door, and then Miles pops up. “What the hell?” I squeak.
“Young lady,” Miles gasps, pressing his hand to his mouth. The humor in his eyes makes me want to kick him in his shins, but my parents would scold me and it’s only another win for him.
“Whatever. You scared me. Why are you stalking me?”
“I’m not stalking, Princess. I offered to carry your suitcase so your father doesn’t have to do it.”
“I can do it myself, you know.” The rush of anger shoots through my body as well as the desire for this man. Why does he have to torment me like this? Always around, always helping while I’m suffering from my crushed heart.
“Your father doesn’t want you to do it, and was about to take it, damn it. Don’t give me an attitude. Just say ‘okay’ and ‘thank you, Miles.’”
“Thank you, Miles,” I sneer.
“Good girl. Was that so hard?” he asks, lightly taking a peek over my head into my messy bedroom.
“Yes, terribly so,” I huff, closing my bedroom door quickly so he can’t see the chaos. I didn’t mean to leave it that way, but I couldn’t figure out what to wear and now it’s like my damn closet exploded.
“Your future husband is definitely going to need to hire a maid.”
“I’d love to see what your bedroom looks like,” I bite out.
“What was that, Elsa?” my mother gasps behind us.
“Mom, it’s not like that.” I can feel the heat flood my face.
“I’ll take that for you now.” He takes my suitcase and then my mother’s and walks away after causing another damn blunder to come tumbling from my mouth.
“Damn it, I really do hate that man.”
“The lady doth protest too much,” my mother utters just above a whisper as she passes by with a light laugh. She has no idea about the kiss and how, even now, he continues to make me feel so confused.
“Ugh, whatever. He better not damage my brand-new suitcase or he’s buying me a new one.”
“Who do you think bought you those?”
“Ugh, why?”
“Ladies, we need to get a move on,” my dad hollers from the bottom of the stairs.
“Come on, or we’re going to be late.” I’m not sure why it matters since it’s our plane, but I’m not going to argue because I’m positive Miles is the reason we’re being rushed. He probably wants to see his family before the party. We’re landing a day early so we have time to relax.
Miles holds the door open for me, as if we don’t have a driver there. “Get in, Princess.”
“Whatever you say, Mr. Ivanov. I don’t want to make us late for our own plane,” I scoff, brushing past him and into the vehicle, trying to ignore the way my body vibrates.
“There is a storm coming,” my father says.
“Oh,” I mutter. Miles smirks as he slides in across from me.
I’m not sure if I want to throat punch or kiss the smug bastard.
Instead, I do neither. Pulling out my phone, I check my emails for the upcoming school year.
There is so much happening next week that I have a lot of planning to do that has nothing to do with Mr. Arrogant.
A text comes in from my bestie, and I smile.
Can’t wait for the fun to begin.
Counting down the minutes, I text back. The minutes are going to feel like forever being in a confined space with this man.
Maybe you can hang out at my dorm sometimes. I’m living at home, unfortunately, but what can I say—it’s pointless to argue with my parents when my safety is a huge concern.
Maybe. We’ll see. I might be nineteen, but that doesn’t mean I get all the space I want. Being extremely wealthy in Vegas makes me a huge target.
Let me know when you get back.
Okay.
“Ouch,” I yelp, lifting my head to glare at Miles.
“Sorry.” He bangs my ankle with his big old heavy computer bag. I stare at his monogrammed leather bag, and I want to roll my eyes. I wonder if he has matching cufflinks.
“Dang, what do you have in there?” I grumble, rubbing my ankle.
“Work. Sorry, but I have some matters to handle.” He effectively dismisses me and continues to open the bag that is now on his lap.
“Whatever,” I mumble under my breath, going back to my phone. It’s a damn short ride to the airport, so I don’t know why he’s bothering with taking anything out.
When our vehicle turns down the road heading toward the casino, my expression twists in confusion. “We have to make two pit stops—one at the hotel, and the other at the casino.” That explains why he has time to work and the urgency.
The trip to the casino is fast, but then we stop at the hotel and Miles meets with two women outside the hotel. Both are gorgeous women, and the one in red laced heels obviously can’t help but touch his arm twice. I can feel my body shift with tension as they speak. It feels like an eternity.
When he finally returns to the limo, I have to hold my tongue because I’m not anything but the bratty godsister, and I have no right to be jealous even though my entire soul is burning.
“Did she think flirting with you would get a better deal on the booking?” my father asks, seeing the same thing I did.
“I don’t know, but I warned her that one more touch and I’d cancel the wedding reception,” he states.
“Wedding? You’re getting married?” I question, nearly dropping my phone.
“Not anytime soon,” my dad answers.
Miles looks at him strangely and then speaks. “The hotel hosts wedding receptions, and the client wants hers there. Although, if that’s the way she behaves, I’m not sure she’ll make it to the altar.”
Unable to come up with a witty response, I nod and sit back with my eyes closed, waiting for the driver to just get us to the airport. It feels like an eternity before we finally arrive and board the plane. Once we are seated, I take a spot far away from him and lay my head back.
“Are you excited to see your cousins?”
“Yes,” I answer my mom. “We have some plans to hang out today and visit a couple of shops before the barbecue tomorrow.”
“Good. Just stay together and safe.”
I roll my eyes. “It’s Steeleville. The place is like a fortress.”
“Yes, but you know how they are.”
“Exactly, and that’s why I’m sure we’ll be more than safe.
Half the town are Riders, and the other half know to keep their hands off of us.
” It’s been easy to stay single even though I’m nineteen when there are beastly guards lurking.
Uncle Blade is just as bad as my dad. My only boyfriend, if you could call him that, was Jacob.
He asked me out two weeks before prom. We went out like five times, but it was always supervised by my father’s loyal spies, and nothing happened.