Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 53081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
The elusive man picked up after the first ring. “Caesar. How’s Isla?”
“Freaked out. We did some diving today, where her map indicated. Nothing jumped out at us labeled with the word treasure, but we did have some observers. My assistant, Jack, signaled us to come up early. Two men on a boat were watching us with binoculars.”
“That’s concerning,” Kingsley murmured.
“Can you tell me what alerted you? Why did you think Isla was in danger?”
“Years ago, a very particular map was stolen from the family of an explorer. That map was sold for an exorbitant amount and disappeared before the new owner could take possession of it. It wasn’t seen again until a young woman showed it to someone. Her picture was broadcast as a joke over a treasure hunters’ group online.”
“Isla.” Caesar’s chest felt tight as he struggled to breathe. “So, they’ve been watching her since then.”
“Yes. Whoever ‘they’ are. I’m sure had she not come to New Zealand, someone would have stolen that map somehow,” Kingsley said. “I had others safe-guarding her in the States before she flew to you.”
“Another Daddy?” Caesar couldn’t stop the words that growled from his mouth.
“No.”
That single word deflated his anger. “Sorry.”
“Completely understandable. Is she yours?” Kingsley asked.
“Yes.”
“Protect her. Things will get worse.”
The phone clicked, and Caesar knew Kingsley was no longer on the line. He shook his head. Talking to Kingsley was like talking to someone from the future who always knew what lurked around the next corner. Caesar couldn’t help but wonder if they would ever know more than they knew about Kinglsey now. If Magnus hadn’t been able to find everything out about him, no one could. His mind boggled at the expertise and financial resources Kingsley had employed to disguise himself so thoroughly in the present. To have concealed a lifetime of facts and events from everyone was impossible to believe.
Shaking his thoughts about Kingsley from his mind, Caesar focused on Isla. How could he keep her safe? Refusing to help her with the map wouldn’t work. She’d find a way to explore without him. That could lead to disastrous events. He needed to keep her with him where she would be safe.
He returned to the bedroom to find her still curled in the same position. Caesar silently set his computer on the nightstand before easing himself back into place.
As he wrapped his arm back around her, Isla whispered, “What did Kingsley say?”
He smiled. Of course, she knew exactly what was going on. Caesar patted that tempting cute bottom before answering, “That I need to keep you safe.”
“I’ll do what you say, Daddy. I want you to be safe, too.”
“Thank you, Little girl. How about if we both nap a bit longer?”
“You’ll stay here this time?” she double-checked.
“I won’t move without you,” he promised.
Chapter Eleven
“Daddy? Someone just knocked on the door.”
“Let me go see what’s happening,” Caesar mumbled as he pulled himself from sleep.
She watched him roll onto his feet. He rubbed a hand over his face and seemed to magically erase his grogginess. As he walked out of the bedroom, Isla kind of missed the sleepy look that had softened the hard lines of his face. This side that he didn’t show the rest of the world made her feel more connected to him. He let her in closer than anyone else. When she heard Sadie’s voice, Isla rushed to join him at the door, tugging his oversized T-shirt down to cover her body.
“Hi!” she said, peeking around his massive form.
“Hi, Isla.” Sadie returned the greeting with a smile. “We’re going down to dinner. Want to ride with us?”
“I’m starving,” Isla admitted.
“Give us a minute to put on a few things, and we’ll join you,” Caesar said.
“Okay! Yay!” Sadie said and turned to rejoin her Daddy, who stood a short distance from their door.
Not wanting her friend to wait, Isla ran down the hall to grab her shoes and something to wear beside his large shirt.
“No running, Little girl.”
His strict tone immediately made her slow down. “Sorry.”
“I don’t want you to get hurt, Isla. Let me help you with your clothes and shoes,” he said as he followed. His long legs ate up the distance in a few steps.
“I can do it.”
“I know you can, but it’s more fun for Daddy to help.”
“More fun for me or you?” she asked, pushing back.
“Both of us, I hope.”
“I want to put my own shoes on,” she protested crankily. She didn’t know why she was being so obstinate.
“That’s one, Little girl. Don’t talk to your Daddy like that. You can definitely put on your own shoes. However, if you’re rude or speak in a mean tone two more times, I will spank your bottom, and it will be vastly different from a good-girl spanking.”
“Sure. Like you’ll ever spank me. I think that’s just part of the Daddy vocabulary.”