TEN

At exactly one o'clock, I came downstairs to find Elijah waiting. He had changed into dark jeans and a black button-up, the sleeves rolled to his elbows. 

He looked good. Too good.

"Ready?" he asked. It seemed he wanted to say something but he stopped himself which I felt relieved by. Whatever he wanted to say, I didn't want to hear it. 

I nodded as we made our way out the house and into his luxury car. 

Elijah hadn't said a word since we left the penthouse, his hands gripped the steering wheel like it had personally offended him.

Taking advantage of the silence, I pulled out my phone and checked the texts from the hospital. The surgery had been successful and dad was doing really well and recovering faster than expected.

I glanced at Elijah who looked tense. His shoulders were quite rigid like he was holding in his breath. There was something definitely bothering him, but I didn't know him well enough to ask what.

‎ We pulled into the hospital parking lot, but before I could even unbuckle my seatbelt.  ‎A crowd of people with cameras descended. 

"You've got to be kidding.” Elijah murmured.  He didn't seem surprised at what was happening, just very annoyed. 

Camera flashes were all around us and people swarmed the car, pressing against the windows and shouting questions I couldn't make out because of the noise.

‎"Stay close to me," He said.

‎

‎He got out first, coming around to open my door. The second I stepped out, they descended like vultures. 

I felt very confused in the moment. Who are these people and what do they want? "What's happening?"

He held me closer by the waist. "Paparazzi," he responded.

"Mr. Washington! Is it true you got married in secret?"

"Elijah! Who's the woman?"

"How long have you been together?"

‎ Camera flashes exploded in my face practically blinding me. I stumbled back and Elijah's arm immediately wrapped around my waist, pulling me against his side.

"Oh my god," I breathed also enjoying the comfort of his strong body. This was insane.

"Don't look at them," He murmured softly. “Don't react."

Kind of hard when they've literally surrounded us and we couldn't move two steps without being stopped.

"Is this your mystery wife?!” Someone shoved a camera directly in my face making me flinch in surprise. 

‎"Get that fucking camera out of my wife's face. You pigs are making her uncomfortable," Elijah snarled.

‎

‎ The photographer barely backed up.

‎

‎"We just want a photo—"

‎

‎"I said back up." Elijah said calmly, which somehow made it worse. "Or I'll make sure you never work in this city again."

‎

‎"Elijah, it's fine—" I started. 

‎

‎"No, it's not." His grip on my waist tightened protectively. "These vultures have no respect."

‎

‎"Mr. Washington , the public has a right to know—"

‎

‎"The public has a right to nothing," Elijah cut in coldly. "Especially not when you're harassing my wife outside a hospital. What kind of pathetic excuse for journalism is this?”

"We're just doing our jobs!"

‎

‎"Your job is to act like animals?" He pulled me closer, shielding me with his body as more cameras flashed. “Have you no decency?"

‎

‎ A woman with a microphone spoke up. "Just one question, Mr. Washington. How did you two meet?"

‎

‎"None of your goddamn business," Elijah spat. 

‎

‎"The public wants to know about the woman who captured your heart—"

‎

‎"The public can want all they like, it doesn't mean they're entitled to it." He started moving forward, forcing the crowd to part. "Now move, before I have security remove every single one of you."

‎

‎"You can't threaten us—"

‎

‎"That wasn't a threat. That was a promise." He pulled out his phone with his free hand. "In fact, I'm calling hospital security right now. I'm sure they'd love to know there's a mob harassing the richest and most important man in this city."

I almost rolled my eyes at his last words.

‎"Mr. Washington , please—"

‎

‎"We just want one photo—"

‎

‎"Then you should have thought about that before you ambushed us," Elijah said coldly. "I don't reward bad behavior."

‎

‎We were almost to the entrance when a young photographer stepped in front of us, his camera raised.

‎"Just one shot of you two together. Please. My editor will kill me if I don't get something."

‎

‎ Elijah stopped, and I felt his body tense beside me.

‎

‎"Fine," he said quietly. "One photo. Then you all leave. Understood?"

They all agreed.

‎

Elijah turned to me, his hand coming up to cup my face. His thumb traced my cheekbone and I stared into his gorgeous eyes.

‎ Then he kissed me.

His kissed me gently and my knees felt wobbly. His hand slid from my face to the back of my neck and his fingers tangled in my hair while his other arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me against him.

I forgot about the paparazzi at that moment. 

I gripped his shirt for balance as he deepened the kiss and I heard myself make a small sound that should have been embarrassing but I was too far gone to care.

When he finally pulled back, we were both breathing hard. 

His forehead rested against mine. "That should satisfy them," his voice is roughly. 

I pulled away from him. 

The paparazzi were still shouting and taking pictures but it felt like we were in a bubble. Just the two of us.

"We should go," he said finally, but he didn't move.

"Yeah," I agreed. But I didn't let go of his shirt.

‎"You've got your photo," Elijah said.  "Now leave, all of you."

‎

‎"Mr. Washington , just one more—"

‎

‎"I said leave." He said coldly."Or I start filing harassment charges. Your choice."

‎

The crowd hesitated, then slowly began to disappear still snapping photos as they backed away.

‎

‎ Elijah kept his arm around me as we walked toward the entrance, his body tense like he was ready to fight off anyone who came too close.

"They got their photo and the story will spread. It's good for us."

I nodded. The kiss was after all just for show.

I pulled away from him. I needed to get myself together. I didn't know why I was acting or feeling this way. After all this is all fake.

"Are you alright?" He said.

I nodded and gestured towards the entrance.

I had to think of how to tell my Dad about Elijah without telling him too much.