Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“Shut the fuck up. I’m serious.”
“What’s got you on edge with this one? Is there a legitimate threat?”
“The only threat to her safety is me.” I ground out. “There have been no stalkers, no letters, no demands, nothing. It’s just a babysitting gig.”
Since I’d signed an NDA with the involved families regarding her sister’s mock kidnapping and her brother-in-law’s fiancé’s real kidnapping by his own fucking mother, I didn’t mention it.
Besides, given the twisted circumstances, I didn’t consider those indicative of a possible threat to Charlotte.
And steps were being taken to mitigate the threat of the Irish mob. My sources in the New York Police Department’s Organized Crime unit reported the Irish were laying low and licking their wounds, after attracting the extremely dangerous, full attention of DA Harrison Astrid.
So at the moment, there was no cause for real alarm.
“What do you mean you are the only threat?”
“I mean, she pisses me the fuck off. Those gorgeous big brown eyes and the way she tosses her hair, giving tempting hints of her perfume. The way her lips pout when she wants to object, but she bites her tongue, and she practically begs to be spanked…” I stopped and took a sip of my beer to stop myself from saying anything else.
He nodded as he lifted his glass to his mouth. “Right. Right. But there’s nothing going on.” He then mocked my stern tone as he lowered his brow. “Strictly professional.”
My phone lit up with a call from Lucian Manwarring.
Rising from my bar stool, I tossed out a “Fuck you,” before I walked outside where it was quieter. “Sir?”
“Change of plans, Reid. Assign Charlotte a female from your staff as a bodyguard.”
I gripped the phone harder as I sucked in a breath through my teeth.
Although I had nothing to back it up, I knew there was no way Charlotte had told her father what happened between us earlier.
At least not the intimate details.
But that didn’t mean the little brat hadn’t run to daddy with a sob story to get me reassigned.
Lucian continued, “So it all works out. I’m sure you have better things to do than babysit.”
Everything he was saying was the truth and echoed my own thoughts earlier.
But that was before I’d tasted her…
CHAPTER 11
CHARLOTTE
“Surprised to see me, princess?”
I stopped short in the hallway.
Reid stood at the door, wearing black cargo pants and a black turtleneck sweater under a black leather jacket.
“What… what are you doing here? I thought—”
He stepped close.
I backed up, but he caged me in anyway.
He pulled on a lock of my hair, running his fingers down the length. “Nice try.”
I bit my lip as I turned my head to the side. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Leaning in, he whispered in my ear, “Yes, you do.”
My breath hitched at his nearness.
It was sinister and yet electrifying.
Dangerous.
I swallowed. “My father—”
He stroked the back of my cheek with his knuckles. “Your father agreed with me that only the best should guard his little girl. And as you know from… very personal experience… I’m the best.”
Reid then winked as he took the cello case from my hand.
I followed in his wake. “I don’t understand. I thought you’d be happy to no longer have to babysit me.”
We crossed into the portcullis where his massive truck was parked. He opened the passenger door and put my cello inside. “You thought wrong.”
I placed my hand on my hip while I gestured with the other. “Why can’t one of our drivers take me in the sedan?”
With his hand around my upper arm, he half-dragged me around the back of the truck to the other passenger door. As he swung it open, he said, “Because I like the idea of you riding me.”
My eyes widened as a gasp escaped my lips.
He smirked. “My bad. I meant you riding in my truck.”
“If you are remaining my bodyguard, there will have to be some professional distance. What happened yesterday can’t happen again. Okay? It just can’t.”
He raised an eyebrow as he crossed his strong forearms over his chest. With a decisive nod, he said, “Agreed.”
I shook my head slightly as I frowned. “Agreed?”
So much for the sleepless night I’d spent moving between agitation and fantasy. One second, I was composing a properly regal speech in my head for when I next saw him about obligation and professionalism. The next, I was wondering what it would feel like to have all that heavy, tattooed muscle pressing down on me.
And now… nothing.
Just ‘agreed’.
No argument.
No ‘fuck my job, you’re worth more to me’.
No, ‘sorry princess, but I can’t stay away from you’.
I ran the tip of my tongue over my teeth as I squared my shoulders. “I mean, fine. I’m glad we are in complete agreement.”
Totally fine.
It would have been awkward for both of us moving forward had he declared any such, silly, outrageous, overly attached... super swoon-worthy… sentiments anyway.