He wrapped his arm around her and urged her to lean against him where she would have a better view. Her stomach dropped and her heart fluttered when he touched her, but she did as he wanted. She didn’t know when or if she would have the opportunity to visit London again.

As if reading her thoughts, Volkan murmured in her ear, “We’ll be back. I do a lot of business here and I want you at my side when I travel.”

His reminder of their future together had her moving back into her seat and stiffening against his arm, which he kept at her back. Volkan leaned against her, his lips seeking her neck where he placed feather light kisses. When she tried to shift away, he anchored her in place and continued his exploration.

“I’m not going to stop touching you, Yasmin,” he said against her throat. “So you may as well relax and enjoy.”

She hated that a small part of her did enjoy his touch. She blamed it on biology, though. Everything about her hated his guts, but her damn hormones were totally fine with the hulking jerk.

She was grateful when the car pulled up outside a building. The driver got out and opened Volkan’s door. Volkan took her hand and pulled her with him as he climbed out. When she was standing on the sidewalk next to him, he ran a hand down her length, brushing the creases from her dress.

Yasmin glanced around, hopeful of finding an avenue of escape, but Henry and another man who was wearing the same dark suit and sunglasses were standing on the pavement, making it difficult for anyone to get near the couple.

The two men hadn’t travelled in the car with them and, when she looked around, Yasmin spotted another black car with tinted windows parked directly in front of theirs. She wondered why Volkan needed so much protection. Did he have enemies?

“Ready?” Volkan asked, guiding her from the sidewalk toward the building in front them.

It was smaller than the other buildings around it. Maybe twelve stories tall. It seemed older and its walls were made with stone instead of concrete and metal. A sign over the restaurant said “Rouge”. As they walked toward the entrance, the doors opened and a woman stood to the side as they entered.

She followed them in, saying, “Right this way, Mr. Kartel, Ms. Mahdi.”

So the staff knew to expect them.

The woman studiously avoided eye contact and escorted them past a set of French doors leading into the restaurant and onto an elevator where she hit the top button, then stepped back.

Bemused, Yasmin watched the doors closed. “What have you told people about me? Why are they so willing to look the other way?”