In His Eyes

Chapter 1

Reese Price

☕︎☕︎☕︎

"Miss. Price, is it true Mr. Baxston proposed? Are you guys getting married?" A female reporter screams. I keep my head down and walk in the direction my guards take me.

"Is the Price Empire signing a deal with Tesla?"

"Everleigh Rivers released a public apology yesterday, do you have any comments on that?"

"Move," Maxis, or Max is what I usually call him, my main bodyguard pushes through the paparazzi as they bombard me with more questions. Huddled under his large frame, I feel safe and fix the sunglasses on my eyes as we near our car.

"Is it true what Everleigh said?"

"What happened between the two of you?"

"It's been seven years and there hasn't been a single statement about the incident that occurred. Why is that?"

"Miss Price, the public wants answers!"

We finally reach our car and Max opens the door allowing me to climb in. He closes the door behind me and I watch as he walks over to take the driver's seat fighting through the mob of people as the rest of the guards take the car behind us.

I keep my sunglasses on and pull out my phone taking a large breath. The sound of the crowd is louder when Max opens the door, but is muffled when he closes it again and starts the car. Camera's continue to flash around us as they try getting pictures of us inside and I can't help but clench my jaw at such invasion.

"Are you okay?" Max questions looking back at me with concern. I nod displaying a small smile and he bobs his head understanding. People continue banging on the car door and taking pictures as he drives foward forcing them apart for a path out.

All this isn't new to me, but it's usually not this bad. It's been seven years since everything happened with Everleigh. She was sentenced to only two years and was released early on parole, but it's now, after seven years, that she made the decision to issue a public apology to me and my family for her actions.

I haven't read her apology yet, mostly because I woke up and have been stuck in meetings all day. I knew what had happened though because I've been getting messages and calls about it all day. I just chose to ignore them.

I was at my publishing house, which is still under construction, when the paparazzi was somehow notified and they decided to implode on any privacy I had. Not like I have much in the first place.

"Max, do you know if King is done with his meeting yet?" I question taking my glasses off and look at him through the rearview mirror.

Max is my main bodyguard and I've known him for six years now. We're more like friends and I rant to him about everything, but I think that's just a bonus. He tells people I'm a pain in the ass, which I can be, but we all know he loves me like he would his own daughter.

He towers over me at over six feet, much like the rest of the men in my life, but his bigger built and resting mean mug makes him even more intimidating. He served as a Navy SEAL officer for about ten years and then retired to become a bodyguard instead. I love his stories and unique perspective on life as being a black man in America and serving in the Navy, so hiring him when I first started out in the business with my brothers, was one of the greatest decisions I made.

"Last time I talked to Victor, he said King has meetings all day," he shares as his eyes spare me a glance through the rearview mirror.

"Mmh," I reply as I look down at my phone. My acrylic nails click on the screen as I open King's calendar only to find that Max is correct.