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I let him help me out of the car, walking into the building and shielding my eyes from the glare of the camera flashes. I hate being in the public eye.

“This way,” Dean says, his voice low and his eyes alert as we walk through the grand entrance. Once you’ve been to one of these hotels and seen the marble floors, elaborate paintings and chandeliers, you’ve been to them all.

His hand rests at the bottom of my back, steering me where I need to go.

As soon as we walk into the ballroom, my eyes widen. There has to be at least five hundred people here, is this what they call a small gathering?

Dean chuckles at my expression and turns me to face him, his light blue eyes boring into mine. “I’ll be right over there.” He tilts his head to a spot in the right-hand corner. “You know the signal?”

“Yep.” I smirk, holding up my hand in a Spock sign. “Either this or to shout ice cream.”

“That’s my girl.” He winks and walks away, leaving me to fend for myself.

I stand awkwardly for several seconds, watching Dean’s back and smiling at how people move out of the way for him. He towers above everyone I know. His arms are as big as his head, decorated with tattoos that I know he has but keeps covered due to working for my father, but they still peek out of his sleeves, on his hands and on his neck. I’ve seen them all plenty of times when I’ve been at his place.

He has a small apartment that attaches onto the main house where I’ve stayed quite a few times; me getting his big king-size bed while he sleeps on the sofa.

Most people would think it was weird, but he really is the big brother that I never had.

A clearing of a throat behind me makes me realize that I’m blocking the door so I move over to the tables where food is laid out. Looking at all the tiny hors d’oeuvres that are sitting on silver trays, I frown and shake my head. How the hell do they expect me to not come out of here starving after eating those things?

“Katherine?” The deep booming voice of my father has me spinning around. My eyes widen when I see someone standing next to him, dressed in a black tuxedo and a small smile on his face. “This is Christopher.” He raises his brow and widens his eyes. “Christopher this is my daughter who I was telling you and your father about.”

I flick my eyes to Christopher, taking note of his dark green eyes and his perfectly styled hair, not a strand out of place.

“Nice to meet you,” I whisper.

“Talk louder, Katherine,” my father admonishes.

“It is rather loud in here,” Christopher says, extending his hand to me. “Maybe we could talk somewhere quieter, the gardens maybe?”

A smile breaks out on my face at the thought of seeing the gardens, but then my stomach drops when I realize that I’ll be alone with him.

“Go,” my father says, waving his arm and mouthing, “don’t mess this up,” before we turn around and head out of the ballroom.

He’s the perfect gentleman as he guides me to the gardens with his hand at the small of my back, greeting everyone politely as we walk past them. He opens the door to the patio, walking slightly ahead of me and telling me to hurry up.

He stops when he’s right at the edge of the gardens, grabbing my hand and pulling me to him.

“So, Katherine, tell me about yourself.”

“I… erm… I…” I swallow at the look in his eyes, his pupils dilating as he stares at my legs and backs me up against a wall.

I look down at my hands, not knowing what to say. I need to not mess this up.

“Jesus, they’re right about you, eh?”

“W-what?” I stammer, looking around and realizing that it’s only me and him out here.

“They say you’re untouchable.” He raises a brow and slides his hand down my waist and to my leg, lifting it off the ground and around his hip as he pushes his groin against me. “I’ll show them they’re wrong, I’m gonna touch you all over and there ain’t a thing that anyone can do to stop me.”

His face contorts into an evil grin and before I know it, he’s diving for my chest, burying his head there as his hand works its way up my leg, trying to pull my panties aside.

“No,” I say, my voice soft. “No!” I try louder but it doesn’t work, he’s nearly touching me there now and I can’t stand him touching me. This can’t be happening, not here.

“Get off on saying no, eh?” He chuckles and it has goose bumps breaking out all over my skin.

I close my eyes and open my mouth wide, screaming, “Ice cream!”