Chapter 136: Flat On His Ass Sterling

Camille’s gaze swept over Naomi again. "Enjoy the glamour while you can," she finished coldly. "You’ll return to the dirt he found you in soon."

There were at least fifteen responses fighting to leave her mouth, and every single one of them had the potential to turn the night into a dramatic one.

Dorian had already endured enough tonight.

So she swallowed it.

Naomi looked at her properly then.

Something wasn’t matching. The woman who smiled for cameras. The charming media personality.

And this woman. Cruel for no reason.

"You are not who you say you are, are you?"

Suddenly, she had questions. A lot of them.

She opened her mouth to ask another—

A collective gasp rose from the crowd near the entrance to the dining hall. Both women turned to see what was happening.

Dorian walked calmly back in their direction.

That was when Naomi noticed the crowd looking past him.

She followed their line of sight and saw Callum on the floor, flat on his ass. Her brows pulled together.

Callum looked furious, his face tight as he glared at Dorian’s retreating back with enough hatred to burn through fabric.

"What happened?" Camille asked.

"He slipped," Dorian answered without missing a step.

Camille’s eyes widened, but hostess instincts clearly won. She hurried toward Callum immediately, all concern and professionalism. "Oh my God, are you alright?"

Naomi waited until Camille was out of earshot before turning slowly toward her husband. "Did you sweep him off the floor?"

"I will deny that under oath, but yes."

"Why?"

"I gave him a warning he refused to heed."

Naomi’s mouth fell open slightly. "You are so goddamned childish."

Dorian shrugged. "I hate when people test me."

Naomi shook her head.

There was absolutely no point arguing with him.

She slid her hand into the crook of his elbow anyway. "Come on. I want food."

They headed toward the entrance to the adjoining hall. Unfortunately, the reporters were waiting there.

A lot of them.

"Shit," he muttered. "We should ditch this."

Naomi looked horrified. "I’m hungry."

"You just like free food."

"Amen to that!"

They continued forward.

The moment they got close enough, microphones appeared in Dorian’s face.

"Mr. Heathcliffe, following your response during the forum, is it safe to say you were the problem in all of your marriages?"

"No comment." He shifted slightly, placing himself between Naomi and the reporters as they pushed forward.

"Did you sacrifice your marriages for your career?"

"Did you truly repeat the same pattern in your marriages?"

Dorian kept moving.

More questions came. Far more personal than anything Naomi had expected.

"Do you accept responsibility for three failed marriages?"

"Was your ambition the reason your wives left?"

"Do you believe your current marriage will end the same way?"

"Keep moving," he murmured.

She looked at him. His face was unreadable again.

"Mr. Heathcliffe, is your fourth marriage simply another attempt to repair your public image?"

Naomi looked around.

The questions weren’t curious. They were cruel. Someone wanted him rattled. And Dorian was just taking it.

Like he had on stage.

They had almost made it through.

Then Naomi stopped.

Dorian took another step before realizing she was no longer beside him. "Naomi?"

She had already faced the reporters.

Microphones immediately shifted toward her.

She didn’t like that he took this.

It wasn’t fair.

It was as if the entire group of reporters held their breath including Naomi.

She had absolutely no idea why she had turned around. "I’ve been married to Dorian for... not very long, but I know that..."

Naomi paused.

Oh God.

Why did she start talking again?

"I know that a lot of things said about him are not fair. Dorian—or Mr. Heathcliffe, as you all call him—I have learned is a man of service. He expresses himself more through the things he does. The way he quietly helps even when he complains the entire time. The way he is right there when I need him. It’s in the way he listens."

She turned her head and looked at him.

Dorian was staring at her with an expression she couldn’t quite read.

"It’s in making sure Gertrude is fed. It’s in filling hot tubs for me. It’s in making crappy pancakes." Naomi winced. "Oh my God, really crappy pancakes..."

A small ripple of laughter moved through the reporters.

Dorian finally found his voice. "I... I think they got it, Naomi."

"Right." She turned back around.

The reporters were still watching her. Now she had somehow trapped herself in an inspirational speech she had never intended to give.

"And I know those things probably sound small to you," she continued. "Maybe they are small." She shook her head. "But to me, showing up means the world. I wouldn’t tell any of the previous Mrs. Heathcliffes that what they experienced wasn’t real. I wasn’t there. I don’t know what happened in those marriages."

"But I can speak for the man I know now." She glanced back at Dorian. "The man I know shows up. Every goddamn time."

That silence came again.

She had meant every word.

Dorian showed up.

When she was hurt. When she was scared. When she needed help but was too stubborn to ask. When she was bleeding through cramps.

When she needed someone beside her.

He acted irritated.

But he showed up.

And suddenly she became very aware that she had just said all of that in front of reporters.

Naomi cleared her throat. "And now, I’m going to stop talking."

A few reporters laughed softly.

Dorian stepped forward before anyone could speak. "Are you all done with your questions? Because now, I really need to kiss my wife."

"Wh—"

The word died on Naomi’s lips when Dorian pulled her against his chest and kissed her.

He kissed her like he had forgotten there were cameras.

One hand settled firmly at her waist while the other cupped the side of her face, holding her exactly where he wanted her as he kissed her senseless in front of everyone.

A few people laughed. The cameras immediately started clicking again. By the time Dorian finally pulled away, she was breathing harder than she had any right to be.

He stared down at her, jaw tight. "I really need to get you out of here..."