Page 46 of His White Moonlight (Dominant CEO Shifter Romance #1)

“Pretty sure your mom would have killed him first.”

I hummed an indecisive response, no longer sure who had more of Mom’s loyalty.

Over the speakers, someone asked everyone to find their seats for dinner.

I glanced at Bennett and Lindi again. She didn’t look like she was letting up on her conversation.

She even had her phone out and was showing it to him.

Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good, based on his fisted hands in his pockets and slowly reddening face.

“Are you a betting person, Konni?” I asked softly, not looking away.

“Depends on the odds.”

“I’m betting Bennett’s considering wrapping his hands around Lindi’s neck right now, and she’s completely clueless about it. Sucks being human. We don’t have the noses you shifters do to smell other people’s emotions. If we did, I bet she wouldn’t still be talking to him.”

“You’re probably right on all of it, so I’ll pass on betting.”

“That wasn’t the bet. This is—something bad will happen to me before the end of the night.”

I faced Konni and caught his shocked expression.

“Do you think Bennett’s going to hurt you?”

Flashing my most innocent smile, I shook my head. “I already know he’d never intentionally hurt me.”

“But you think he’ll do something that’ll unintentionally hurt you?”

I shrugged. “It’s happened before. So do you want to take the bet?”

“What are we betting?”

“A bigger favor.”

“What’s the favor?”

“I think that’ll depend on how badly I’m hurt.”

He glanced at Bennett again.

“Are you going to hurt yourself, Wrenly?” he asked. “Bennett said you’ve already threatened it.”

“No, I said I hated my life and didn’t want to live it anymore. That wasn’t a threat, and I don’t intend to hurt myself. Ever.”

He leaned back in his chair, considering me in silence as other people joined our table.

“You have a deal,” he said finally.

The woman on his left leaned forward, curiosity in her gaze.

“Deal? What deals are we making?”

Konni artfully deflected the question and steered the conversation.

Bennett joined us again. I glanced at Lindi, who was smirking at me from her table, like she’d gotten one over on me.

But there was no win for her when it came to Bennett.

If she admitted she’d been the ringleader of my abuse, she was as good as dead.

And no matter what she’d said, it would never distract him from learning more about me, like she wanted.

With a smirk of my own, I looked at Bennett. Whatever she’d told him hadn’t been good. He was struggling hard, hiding his tremors with quick, angry movements.

As he sat, I leaned toward him.

“What do you need from me to stay calm?”

His surprised gaze flew to mine.

“You.”

I smiled for everyone who might be watching, like Lindi, and stood. With a hand on his shoulder, I turned around and perched on his knee to whisper in his ear. The position meant I was facing Lindi as I spoke.

“Please note my exceptionally cooperative behavior despite the embarrassment I’m feeling by drawing attention to myself.” And I was drawing attention. Lindi’s gaze narrowed. Nearby, men were chuckling and nudging one another, and women were glancing at me with distaste.

“If we have to leave because you lose control, that’s not me breaking our deal. That’s on you.”

He captured my face when I pulled back from his ear. The brush of his lips against mine was there and gone before I even realized his intent, then he kissed my forehead.

“Thank you,” he said loudly enough to be heard by anyone close enough. “You’re wise to remind me.”

I rose to return to my chair, which he stood to push in for me.

Konni watched everything closely with a question in his gaze, but he didn’t ask. He continued to steer the conversation as course after course was served.

Bennett was calmer, but not calm. He didn’t talk much and barely ate his food. I stared longingly at the servers who passed with fluted drinks, but knew better than to take one. I was already feeling tipsy, which was why I’d willingly sat on Bennett’s knee.

Once everyone finished their meals, the servers set dessert tiers on the tables and moved the picture of the items to the side.

The auctioneer walked to the front of the room along with several suited men and a well-dressed woman.

She was holding a velvet bust with a necklace that had more precious gems than gold.

The auctioneer explained that it was a necklace from the Zellon collection and stated the opening bid.

Bennett glanced at me. I realized why and wanted to kick him under the table. Instead, I leaned toward him. He obliged by leaning toward me.

“If you think buying something here will help your cause, you’re a delusional idiot.”

Konni started choking behind me as I pretended to straighten Bennett’s tie.

He glowered at me but didn’t pull away until I was done.

The necklace sold for almost five million.

The auctioneer announced the next item while the first one was escorted out.

I was bored to tears until a pair of gemmed high heels was brought to the front.

The women were staring at them rabidly. Even Lindi.

The corner of my mouth tilted. Bennett caught it and looked confused. I took out my phone rather than whisper.

Me: Rich people are masochists. Heels are bad enough. Why add to it?

Bennett: A show of wealth, I guess. Is there really nothing here that interests you?

Me: The bathroom. Is there an intermission to this thing, or do I just sneak out?

Bennett was still reading my message when the auctioneer announced a short break. The servers converged on the tables, refilling wine glasses as event goers stood.

“Be right back,” I said.

I knew what this mass exodus would mean—a long line. So I tried to hustle, but there was no hustle with the number of people present. Out in the welcome area, a line had already formed. Women chatted with the people they knew as they waited. I took my place in line.

Several minutes passed with barely any movement.

“There’s another restroom down the east hallway,” one of the staff said to the people behind me.

I watched them mass-exodus that way and debated staying or going.

A man with a serving tray caught me staring after them and approached.

“Would you care for?—”

I snagged the champagne. “Thanks.”

He smiled then leaned in to quietly say, “There’s a staff restroom farther down this hallway if you need it.”

“Thanks.”

I headed in the direction he’d indicated as I downed the champagne. It was sweeter than the kind Bennett had gotten me and had an odd aftertaste.

Swearing under my breath, I let myself into the staff bathroom and quickly checked the stalls. After verifying they were empty, I sent Bennett a quick text to find me and placed the garbage can in front of the door so I could hear when someone entered.

A wave of dizziness washed over me as I fumbled with my dress and sat.

Fucking Lindi. I was going to kill her.

The garbage can clattered to its side just as I finished.

“No scolding me,” I said, sounding slurred to my own ears.

I struggled with the door lock and almost knocked myself over when it finally swung open.

Bennett wasn’t waiting for me on the other side. Some random guy dressed in street clothes was.

“Did she pay for rape or murder?” I asked, stumbling toward him.

He grinned, catching me. “It’s not rape if you’re willing.”

“Not willing.”

“You will be. Give it a few minutes.”

I laughed. “He’ll be here before that.”

“But you won’t.”

The guy slapped me hard, bent low, and threw me over his shoulder as my world spun and my cheek throbbed.

I laughed. He spanked my ass hard.

“Shut up.”

I did, but not because he told me to. The sting from his hand on my ass wasn’t right. It was heating. Spreading. Starting to throb, but not just my butt where he hit me. Everywhere, especially between my legs.

What in the hell was in that drink?

The guy left the bathroom and turned down the hall away from the main welcome area. I lifted my head to look behind him. The dizziness was getting worse as I struggled to see the empty hall.

“I win,” I slurred.

“Quiet.” He slapped my ass again, turned down another hallway, and opened a door.

When he righted me, I stumbled back against a table. He followed, pushing me so I lost my balance. I fell hard onto the surface, knocking the wind from myself and hitting my head.

“I don’t know what you did to piss her off, but you should learn your lesson after this,” he said, his hand pushing my slit skirt to the side.

“Pain is a good teacher,” I slurred, not fighting him.

He smiled and leaned back to reach for his pants. My shoes were pointed—I’d thank Miranda for that later—and the target was perfect. I kicked hard. He grunted and grabbed himself as he folded forward. I kicked his face. My foot throbbed, but not as badly as other places.

The man fell to the ground, and I pushed myself upright, wobbled on my feet, and stepped over him to get to the door.

He caught my ankle. I fell hard, clipping my chin on the floor.

“Wrenly!”

I laughed at the sound of Bennett’s voice. Blood dribbled from my mouth.

The man pulled me toward him and rolled us so that he could pin me underneath him.

“Bitch,” he breathed as he gripped my jaw forcefully.

His mouth crashed against mine painfully as the door opened.

“Maybe we shouldn’t?—”

Bennett’s snarl drowned out the rest of what Lindi said. He pulled the man off of me and planted his fist in the guy’s face three times in rapid succession.

“Bennett, stop,” Lindi said. “You saw the pictures. People like different things.”

Pictures? What pictures?

Lifting my head, I saw Konni standing next to Lindi in the hallway. Konni looked worried. Lindi’s expression was calculating as she watched Bennett.

What is she trying to do? What did she give me? My skin felt too hot, but from the inside out.

I sat up with a grimace. “Bennett.”

At the sound of my voice, Bennett dropped the man and crouched next to me. His hand drifted to my face like he wanted to touch me, but he hesitated.

“Wrenly,” Lindi said from behind him. “Is there someone we can call for your boyfriend? It looks like he might need to go to the hospital.”

My gaze didn’t waver from Bennett’s anguished expression as I understood what she was trying to do.

“My chin hurts,” I said to him. Tipping my head back, I pointed to the spot that felt both wet and bruised. “Will you kiss it?”

His gaze locked with mine for several seconds before he gently did as I asked.

“My tongue hurts, too. I think I bit it.” I gave him my best sad face.

He swore under his breath, and his mouth was on mine a second later.

The heat flared inside of me, and the rush of need I didn’t understand had me parting my lips to taste him. His tongue touched mine, and if I hadn’t been sitting already, my knees would have given out.

With a whimper, I gripped his shoulders.

He jerked back and swore under his breath.

“Wrenly, have some decorum,” Lindi said. “You were just making out with someone else.”

If I weren’t so busy trying to pull Bennett back to me, I would have flipped her off.

“Will it hurt if I pick you up?” Bennett asked, ignoring her.

I shook my head and was in his arms and crushed to his chest a second later. I pressed closer, feeling relief in his nearness.

“Wrenly’s been drugged,” Bennett said.

“Drugged or took drugs?” Lindi asked.

Bennett looked down at me for a second then at Konni.

“Take him. We’re going to the hospital and getting answers.”

“On it,” Konni said, already bending down to pick the guy up.