Chapter 31

Christina's POV Niall, shocker, actually took the hint and left. Silence dropped over the room like a heavy curtain. I knew Hudson had just gone full protector mode for me. Which was... weirdly touching, considering we were basically strangers who just happened to have a fake engagement contract and three awkward encounters under our belts. "Thanks for that," I mumbled. Hudson shrugged, his broad shoulders moving beneath his tailored suit. "Don't thank me. He was pissing me off." He stood up, his gaze flicking to my wrist where Niall's Neanderthal grip had left faint marks. His eyes darkened dangerously. My phone started screaming. Franklin's name lit up the screen like a warning siren. Yeah, no thanks. I hit decline without blinking. Five seconds later, the phone started ringing again. Persistent as a debt collector. Sighing, I stabbed the answer button and held it to my ear. "What?" I barely got the word out before a full-on Alpha roar exploded from the speaker. "Christina! How dare