Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 423

He Knows How To Play Dirty

'What?' Kira looked up.

'Get out of the car,' Austyn said simply.

Kira climbed out of the backseat with some difficulty, gathering her dress carefully.

'Where are we going?"

"To the hotel. There's a party tonight-'

Before he could finish, Kira had shrunk back into the car.

Austyn stared at her. 'What are you doing?'

Kira gnashed her teeth. 'You never told me we were coming to a party in a public venue!

She caught a glimpse of the hotel's grand-looking front entrance.

Whatever event this was, Kira was pretty sure it wasn't the kind of pizza parties her classmates used to throw.

Austyn ground out the cigarette butt with his heel. 'Now you know. Get out of the car.

'No!' Kira said to Kai, 'Drive me home, please.'

Kai kept staring straight ahead and pretended he didn't hear a thing.

'Kira Hewitt! Don't make me drag you out.

'No. I don't want to go to a party in a hotel, and you can't make me! The place must be crawling with reporters. I don't want my face splashed across the front page of Stamford Daily. You can go ahead if you want, but I'm going home. Kira held onto the grab handle and was determined to put up a fight if Austyn tried to drag her out.

'Who told you there are reporters here?'

'No one. It's an educated guess.'

As someone who once traded the president's personal info for money, Kira knew the tabloids were offering big bucks for any scoop on Austyn McCarthy.

How could they not be out in droves if they knew Austyn was going to show up here?

'It's a stupid guess,' Austyn shot back. 'It's an invitation-only party. The organiser's the Chamber of Commerce. They'd never invite the media here.' 'Really?' Kira was sceptical. 'I don't believe it.'

It sounded like a high-profile event, definitely newsworthy.

The media might not be on the guest list, but it didn't mean reporters couldn't find some other ways to get in.

'Fine.' Austyn crossed his arms. 'If you don't want to go in, you can go home.'

'Really?' Kira's eyes lit up.

Austyn nodded.

Then he turned to the assistant, 'Kai, drive her home. Schedule a press conference for ten am tomorrow. It's time the public knows the identity of Mrs McCarthy.'

Kira pushed the car door open, sprang out, linked arnis with Austyn and beamed at him. 'Honey, I was just kidding. Of course I want to go to the party with you. I'm already here. Might as well go in, right?' Austyn watched her askance. 'Are you sure?'

Kira nodded. 'Yes, absolutely sure. I'm all dressed up and I've somewhere to go. Just to confirm, though-are you sure there are no reporters inside?'

Kira kept the smile on her face and the complaints to herself.

Austyn had her over a barrel, knowing how averse she was to publicity.

The man knew how to play dirty.

'I'll meet you inside,' Austyn said to Kai.

Then he said to Kira, 'Let's go, Mrs McCarthy,"

Kira had no choice but to follow.

She silently cursed the architect who designed the hotel's front entrance.

Why were there so many steps?

Guests who came here were looking for accommodation and relaxation, not for a mountaineering exercise.

If not for Austyn, she might have tripped in her long dress and tumbled down the stairs.

Then she would have definitely made the newspaper headlines tomorrow.

Luckily, she got into the lobby without incident.

When Kira and Austyn were stepping into the glass lift, another car pulled up in front of the hotel.

Martin put the limo in park, got out, jogged to the back and opened the door. 'Young Master, we're here.' Gideon opened his eyes.

He glanced at the woman seated next to him with a scowl on his face.

Martin looked away sheepishly.

The invitation said guests were encouraged to bring a plus-one.