“Wait… Why is she with Warren King? Didn’t her father and he have a falling-out?”

“Are they together? No, no way. This has to be some type of stunt.”

“Kiss her! Give us a front-page photo!”

There it is.

The evidence of why I stayed low-key. They were like fucking rabid dogs foaming at the mouth and biting the bars of their enclosure as they tried to get the perfect picture.

But this wasn’t that type of function. Maybe if we had just been out walking on the street, but this was a charity event, and while rich people might love the attention of the paparazzi, they wouldn’t hesitate to put them in their place like a misbehaving dog.

Security had the man who yelled at us in a vise grip and was dragging him away in the time it took for me to adjust my dress for the pictures.

“No need to be afraid, Addi,” Warren murmured and pulled us to the stairs. “Isn’t this your favorite part? Everyone thirsting for your attention? Craving the chance to be in your presence?”

The hostility in his voice had my skin heating. He knew me too well. Almost alarmingly well.

Or he did. Once.

Here I was, thinking my obsession with Warren went a bit too far, but it was becoming obvious that he had been watching me a little too closely. Even back then.

But I wouldn’t let him bring me down.

I squared my shoulders and shifted so I could escape his arm and hold his hand instead. It was warm and calloused and swallowed mine whole.

He wants to make a show of this? Then that’s what he’ll get.

More flashes came as I pulled him up the stairs. I made sure to give them my most dazzling smile. I even paused and looked over my shoulder at some of the ones off to the end. My hair fell over my shoulders, and for once I agreed with Warren. I could see the pictures now. Him staring back at me with a hard look, me smiling with my hair framing my face and a dazzling smile.

My hair did look better down.

As soon as I was done, I took a few steps up the stairs to get in front of him, but he gave my hand a tug, forcing me to look at him. Even a few steps below me, I was still just barely at his height.

He used it to his advantage to pull me to him, and my heart launched in my chest as I went falling forward, sure I’d fall on my face.

Then he was there, his hands coming around my waist.

The worst thing, though? The little smirk he gave me just as he was about to plant his lips on mine before moving just a bit to the right at the last second and kissing the corner of my mouth instead.