Chapter 14
fourteen
MAGS
Mags met Eze in the flat’s foyer. His formal attire left her all but speechless. He was wearing a black bespoke suit that fit his large frame to perfection and custom-made leather loafers. That wasn’t the head-turning moment of his look, though.
He chose to wear a large, and by large, she meant the size of his broad chest, coral and gold beaded necklace, and a black silk traditional cap with black beads sewn in a stunningly beautiful pattern.
“Oh, Eze, wow,” she announced as she entered the foyer. “Your necklace and cap are works of art. Let me study the beadwork on your cap later. Christ, that had to have taken hours upon hours. Does the necklace represent anything special?”
Eze began to shake his head ‘no’ when Jol joined them. “It denotes his royal status.” Eze frowned at his house servant and obvious longtime friend.
“I feel woefully ordinary,” Mags laughed.
“Hardly, Margaret,” Eze said with his usual solemnity. “There won’t be a more beautiful woman at the event tonight.”
Mags linked their arms. “We’ll make a good showing of it unless the guests look too closely at my ribs. Too bad I had to bruise them up the day before showing so much skin,” she clicked her tongue in irritation.
Eze cleared his throat. “I doubt the gentlemen will be looking at your ribs, Margaret.”
The slight censor in his voice made her throw her head back and giggle. “Pretend your royal beads are pearls and clutch them whenever a man ogles the girls,” she teased.
Abeo drove them to Gray Eyes, but Mags noticed another car following them closely. “Why is that car following us?”
“Eze’s security detail, Miss Margaret,” Abeo answered from the front seat.
“Security?”
Eze huffed out an irritated sigh. “My father insists.”
Eze was always the quiet, stoic type, but under his usual unexcitable demeanor, Mags sensed he was stressed.
“Eze,” she started, placing a hand on his arm.
“If you regret being my date, I’d understand.
It was childish of me to want to make Jonathan jealous, and your friendship sure as hell means more to me than being petty.
We can turn around now, and I’ll tell my friends that I didn’t feel up to it after all. ”
He placed his hand over hers and patted. “I’m sorry, Margaret. I would never disappoint you by changing my mind. It’s only—” he cut himself off and shook his head.
“I won’t step a foot out of this car until you tell me what’s got you so upset.” Mags should have noticed the strain bracketing his eyes before now.
“You won’t accuse me of dramatics?” he asked, and a small smile even peeked over his full beard.
“I would never. Spill it, Your Highness,” she teased.
“Part of my security is a man I was in a relationship with for three years before leaving for university. I don’t know if my father is testing me or if my mother believes she is giving me a gift.
I do not understand why Nasir would subject himself to my security detail.
He could have gotten out of the assignment. ”
“Who broke it off between you two?”
“I did, but we weren’t exclusive. Well, he wasn’t, but my life was going in a different direction anyway. He was a distraction to my true life’s pursuit.”
“Oh God, Eze, you’re speaking about math, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
God save her, but men were unquestionably obtuse. “Are you sure he wasn’t as committed to you? I mean, did you talk to him about a future before you tossed him over?”
He looked confused. Patience, Mags. “Do you miss him?
“Yes.”
And there it was. “Perhaps while I’m proving to Jon that I’ve moved on from my crush, we might also gauge a certain guard’s reaction to me being by your side. If he didn’t have regrets, he may have them after he sees how glorious we look together,” she cackled.
His eyes widened. “I like this plan.” When he grinned, Mags couldn’t help but match his smile.
“Stage one. Be extra attentive while you help me out of the car. Stare into my eyes periodically as if no one else exists. I will smile at you, and you’ll be mesmerized. You’ll mesmerize me, too, of course.”
The first part of the plan went off perfectly. Eze didn’t have to point out which of the three guards was his ex. When Eze pulled her from the car, he held her tight and pressed his lips to her neck. Hiding her surprise, she held one of his hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles.
Nasir’s glare scorched.
As they followed the host to their reserved seats, Mags asked Eze how he was doing and if he thought they’d made an impression on his ex.
“To be honest, Margaret, I could never have faced him without you by my side.” He grinned devilishly, then adding, “But perhaps you were right, and he carries some regret after all.”
“He’s watching us now from the left side of the room. Perhaps another peck on the cheek will encourage future dialogue.” She waggled her eyebrows and grinned.
Eze stopped the flow of traffic to bend down and kiss her softly on the lips. She may have swooned. Following the host once more, Mags whispered, “Christ, Eze, but you handle a woman well for a gay man.”
“Oh, I like women too.” And then he winked. Well, okay.