She was stunning, with long black hair, smooth as glass. Her make-up was done to perfection, her ruby red lips slightly parted.
“Didn’t your mother teach you not to take without asking?” she asked.
Dixon scoffed, tossing up his hands. He turned to look at Alesha. “Can you believe this?”
She shrugged.
He turned back around. “I don’t remember you from my guest list,” he said.
She smiled, but it was almost evil. “Details.”
“You need to go.” He reached out to grab the woman’s arm, but she moved impossibly fast, twisting around and bringing a metallic blade to Dixon’s throat from behind.
She whispered in his ear, loud enough for Alesha to hear. “You have a harem of whores. Cut this one loose.”
The woman slid the blade along the side of his neck, a single bead of crimson blood escaping down into his collar. Then she twirled around, tucking the blade into a wide black garter on her thigh before leaving up the staircase. How could she move so gracefully in those sinfully high heels?
What the hell was going on?
Just before she disappeared from view, she looked down and made eye contact with Alesha. She froze until the woman was out of sight, then gasped for air, not realizing she’d been holding her breath.
Dixon pulled out his cell phone, talking to his security detail, then put it away. “I’m so sorry about that,” he said, blotting his neck with a cloth handkerchief. “The crazies just seem to come out of the woodwork these days.”
“Right,” she said, not sure what to say. Where was Xavier? “Maybe we should go where there are more people. She could have killed you.”
“I’m not afraid of her,” said Dixon. “My security team will have her rounded up within minutes.”
“Will they throw her overboard?” she asked to lighten the mood.
He laughed. “They should, but no, they’ll contact the coast guard and have her arrested.”
She nodded. “Good. Someone like that is definitely dangerous. I was too shocked to move.”
“I can protect you, Alesha.”
She almost scoffed out loud, coughing lightly instead. He couldn’t even protect himself from some socialite. Xavier was the only man capable of truly protecting her. Would he kill for her? Right now, he was too busy to think about her safety, but she was bait after all. Did Xavier expect her to go all the way with Dixon? Did she mean nothing to him?
Her mind raced as Dixon crept closer, coming for round two of his unwanted advance. Apparently, that woman’s warning had no effect on him. Alesha still couldn’t get those dark eyes out of her mind.
“I should check on Xavier.” She backed away.
“He’s a big boy. I’m sure he can handle that weak stomach of his,” he said. “I suggest you keep an open mind. Trust me, one day you’ll realize Xavier will never have the stability I can offer.”
“What do you do for a living exactly, if you don’t mind me asking?” Small talk was better than kissing and touching.
“Imports, exports. I won’t bore you with the details.”
“And the dinner yesterday? That was for a charity, right?”
“A fundraiser. For the manatees.”
She narrowed her eyes. “The manatees?” Alesha walked to the portal windows and peered out, trying to look occupied. Xavier told her the charity dinner was a front for human trafficking. She doubted the manatees benefited from Dixon’s little soiree.
“It’s good to give back once in a while,” he said.
“Sure. Of course.”
“Does Xavier involve himself with any charities? I never thought of him as a philanthropist like myself, but I could be wrong.”