Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49393 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49393 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
If I gave it ten seconds of thought, I’d conclude that he was a garden variety bully, bound to fail miserably. The jerk was trying to creep up on her and scare her, thinking her friendless and hundreds of miles from home. He was incorrect and would learn swiftly that he could not gain access to her in any way. He was no match for even one Burns boy, much less all four of us. And he had no idea what he was up against.
However, I didn’t stop for even two seconds much less ten. I told my date, Allie or Addi or something like that, I had to go. Then I just left. I paused at the hostess station long enough to point back at the table and put down a hundred-dollar bill. Then I was gone, breaking traffic laws and running lights, making it to the office in six minutes instead of ten.
Jasmine was afraid. She was there alone. Every nerve in my body fired at once and a shot of adrenaline ripped through my bloodstream. I would yank the door off the hinges to get to her.
I used my security fob to open the door after I messaged Jasmine to let her know I’d arrived and was about to enter the building. When I opened the door, she gave a small cry and I took a step toward her. She sat at her desk, clicked the mouse on her computer a couple of times. She was trying to act normally, but I saw the shine of tears in her eyes before she looked away.
I wanted to go to her, fold her into my arms and promise her that I wouldn’t let anything happen to her. But nothing about her body language showed me that she was ready to accept comfort like that. She had a desk between us, and it would stay that way until she decided to come out from behind it.
If she wanted to act casual and minimize the situation, I’d let her do what she needed to do. Even as I kept a tight leash on myself, a chokehold on the protective rage that roared inside me, the surge of alpha male possessiveness I felt toward her was unlike me.
“I’ve got some time if you want me to look through applications,” I said, taking a seat in one of her guest chairs. I leaned back and propped my ankle on my opposite knee, the picture of ease. “I know that Jake told you to come, but you can leave. I’m okay now. It just rattled me at first.”
“I’m Elijah Garrett Burns. I was a pilot in the Navy. I’m thirty-two and I have a twin brother. I graduated two years ahead of him because I skipped a couple of grades. Now I work security and fly select clients on their private jets. I like butter pecan ice cream and I’ve been thinking about getting a dog. Clearly, we haven’t met so I thought I’d introduce myself. Because you don’t seem to realize I would not leave you alone at a time like this. Not because I think you’re weak and not because you’re a woman. Because I’m in the business of keeping people safe, and you are not safe here on your own now. If I were being stalked or harassed by a former lover whose mental stability was in question I wouldn’t insist on manning the office by myself. Because there’s strength in numbers.”
“That’s kind of you to say, but we both know you wouldn’t need someone to protect you from an ex.”
“Not necessarily accurate. It depends on the situation. I may be ex-military and I may work security, but I’m just as vulnerable to a threat as the next person if it’s the right sort of threat. For example, I was thinking on the way over here, I’m a pretty smart guy. Drew calls me the brainiac, but I always took it as a compliment. I consider things rationally. I’m a problem solver. I have no problem making rapid fire, level-headed decisions when I’m flying or guarding someone. But when it was you, I wanted to rip down the fucking door. I’m serious, don’t laugh. I’ve been out of my head about this. Because you’re family. The people closest to me, I guess if they’re in danger, I get crazy. I won’t apologize for it, even though it’s uncomfortable for me in a way, sort of giving in to baser instincts…” I trailed off, saw the way she was looking at me.
Her lips were parted, her eyes bright and hot on mine. I felt it, practically smelled it in the air. Something had shifted between us. The soft flush on her cheeks, the way she was breathing hard, the rise and fall of her chest rapid and her breasts straining at the buttons of her blouse.