by Nina Singh
Ani tried to shake off the memories. How stunningly, cringingly cliché. She’d embarrassingly had the hots for her older brother’s friend. He’d been so out of her league. Unlike most of Brant’s neighborhood friends, Adam had always seemed distant and unapproachable with an aura she’d be hard-pressed to describe, much rougher around the edges than the others. The perfect swoon bait for an awkward teenage girl who had no real female influence around her.
No wonder he had been her very first crush. Clearly, she hadn’t outgrown it. And she’d just made a complete fool of herself upon seeing him again.
* * *
He had to wonder if she was playing some kind of game. She couldn’t really be that much of an ingenue. That description certainly might have fit Anikita Terrance all those years ago. But she’d done some growing up in the meantime. It chafed his ego a bit that she hadn’t guessed who he was. And didn’t that make him all sorts of foolish?
She’d thought he was here for her autograph!
In all fairness, he’d had an advantage over her, knowing who she was and why they were all here in her father’s office. He had to admit, he might have very well been unable to recognize her if their roles had been reversed.
Anikita was no longer the bespectacled, gangly, awkward teenager she’d been when he’d last laid eyes on her. Just how often had he good-naturedly teased her about those thick glasses and tight ponytail?
He had nothing to tease her about now. The thick glasses were gone. Her thick, satiny red hair hung in soft waves around her face and over her shoulders. Gone were the frizzy, tight curls. And the shade was so much richer. She had inherited the most striking looks from both sides of her heritage. Dark, almond-shaped eyes from her Singaporean mother and fiery red hair from her American father. It made for a stunningly striking combination. Adam cursed internally. He was so not the type to wax poetic about the color of a woman’s hair. Not normally, anyway.
He’d felt inexplicably drawn to her all those years ago. Probably because she had never questioned his background or asked where he came from. And also probably because she was one of the handful of people in this town who didn’t manage to make him feel completely out of place in their well-heeled circle of friends. She and Brant had been the only ones who hadn’t, in fact.
He’d also managed to see beneath Brant’s little sister’s geeky exterior to the attractive young woman hovering underneath. And man, had he been right. Anikita Terrance was a stunner all grown-up.
A stunner who was currently staring at him with confusion. Focus.
Brant suddenly approached to stand between the two of them. He looked nervous. “Adam, sorry. We haven’t really had a chance to discuss all this with Ani just yet. Her schedule has just been so busy.” He glanced down at his much shorter sister. “Also, she’s been a little resistant to the idea.”
“What idea?” Ani asked.
Adam pinched the bridge of his nose. Great. Just great. She really had no idea why he was here. Hadn’t been expecting him at all. What had Brant and his father been thinking?
His friend must have sensed the frustration humming through him. “You have to understand, Adam. We weren’t even sure you were on board. Then by the time Ani found some time to come in, Dad and I never got a chance to actually tell her.”
“Tell me what?” Ani demanded once more.
Brant inhaled deeply before addressing his sister. “Adam owns a private security firm now.”
Adam watched her facial features harden as she put two and two together. “Do you mean to tell me you’re trying to keep me secure with a bodyguard?” Saying she was resistant to the idea certainly seemed to be the case, judging by the murderous look she threw at her brother. She turned just long enough to shoot the same glare at her father, who merely shrugged.
“Adam’s the best there is,” Brant insisted. “I’d trust him with my life, sis. And yours.”
“You didn’t even discuss it with me, Brant. You had no right to make such a decision.” Ani didn’t give her brother a chance to respond before turning back to face Adam. “I’m sorry you had to waste a trip out here, Mr. Steele. My brother and father seem to have exaggerated my predicament. I have no need for personal security.”
So formal... She wasn’t using his first name. For some reason, that rubbed him the wrong way. It had been bad enough when she hadn’t even remembered who he was.
“You’ve been receiving anonymous messages from a stranger,” Brant argued.
She glared at her sibling. “They’ve hardly been threatening.”
“Not yet, anyway.” Adam felt compelled to jump in.
“He’s got a point, Ani. Just listen—”
Adam cut Brant off before he could continue. “I’ll leave if you like, Ms. Terrance.” Two could play the formal game. “But would you mind if I asked you a couple of questions first?”
She released a deep sigh and leaned back against her father’s wide mahogany desk. “I suppose. It’s the least we can do given how we’ve wasted your time today.”
Her tone gave every indication that she was merely indulging him. How generous of her. It shouldn’t have irked him, but it did. He was used to dealing with some of the wealthiest, most privileged individuals on the planet. He’d seen more than his share of spoiled, entitled behavior. But coming from her, it sent prickles of irritation along his skin. He’d thought he knew her better.
“Do you have any idea who the sender might be?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “I get correspondence all the time.”
“Has anyone else been as regular with their contacts as this admirer?”
She paused before answering. “No. He is the only one who emails regularly.”
“How often would you say he does?”
“At least three times a week. He uses different addresses. But the sign-off is always the same. He calls himself Ani’s Admirer.”
“I see. When this all started, did you receive these messages with the same frequency?” When he’d first walked in, Adam had been convinced he wanted nothing to do with this assignment. That he was only here to indulge the request of a friend. So why was he now actually trying to convince Ani to hear him out?
He knew the answer, though he loathed to admit it. The moment he’d seen her, his protective instincts had kicked into high gear. The thought that she might actually be in some kind of danger wasn’t sitting well, though he’d sworn to himself he wouldn’t return to fieldwork. He didn’t miss it at all. And the people who worked for him were more than capable without him.
But Ani was acting as if she were doing him the favor. He was downright foolish to continue standing here rather than accept the out she was giving him and simply walk away.
“No. At first he only sent them once a week or so,” Ani answered.
“So things have escalated.”
She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I would hardly call a few emails an escalation.”
“Have you at least changed your email address?” He couldn’t seem to help the accusatory mocking in his tone.
This time, her irritation was obvious in the tight gritting of her teeth. “Of course I have. He seems to have somehow discovered what it was changed to.”
“So he’s determined and skilled.”
The other two men in the room gasped with alarm. But Ani wasn’t moved.
“Have you answered any of these emails?” Adam continued.
“Of course not.”
“And what happens if he grows impatient?”
“Impatient?”
He nodded. “If he gets frustrated at your lack of response?”
“I guess we’ll have to cross that bridge if we come to it.” Adam didn’t miss the emphasis on the if.
“Unless it’s too late.”
She defiantly lifted her chin. “Regardless, I do not nee
d a personal bodyguard at the present.” But her statement this time sounded a bit less certain, her voice wavering ever so slightly. “I simply don’t see a need at this point.”
He really didn’t need this. So why wasn’t he walking away already?
Ani stood glaring at him. Adam half expected her to stomp her foot before he gave her a small, affirmative nod. “If you say so, Ms. Terrance.”
* * *
Ani had to resist the urge to stomp her foot. She most certainly didn’t need a bodyguard. And she definitely didn’t need him to be the overbearing, overly smug man that was Adam Steele. What nerve, to ask her if she’d taken the most basic precautions. What exactly did he take her for?
Brant and her father had really gone too far this time.
“Ani, please hear us out,” her father pleaded. She hated that strain in his voice, hated that he was so worried about her. He overworried. He always had. Ever since the loss of her mother.
Adam turned to the other men. “Could we have a moment? Anikita and me. Alone?”
Ani started to protest but couldn’t seem to summon any words. No way she wanted to be alone with him; her insides were quaking just being this close to him in the same room. She was likely to blither like an idiot if he got her alone. How could she not have gotten over a silly schoolgirl crush after all these years? Adam Steele may have changed in appearance, but he was still treating her like a pesky, ignorant child.
But her father and Brant didn’t even hesitate. They swiftly walked out the door, shutting it quietly behind them.
“Your father and brother are very worried about you,” Adam began as soon as they were alone.
She’d thought often over the years what it might be like to run into him. The scenario currently before her had never once crossed her mind.
“They tend to worry excessively.”
“Maybe so. But I know your brother well enough to sense that it’s different this time. He’s very concerned.”
“That’s because he’s used to having me near home. Where he or my father can keep an eye on me. I didn’t even go away for university, I stayed in Dallas. They’re both out of sorts because I’ll be traveling to perform. That’s all there is to it.”
He shrugged. “You might be right. But I’m not the type who can live with myself if Brant’s concern turns out to be warranted and I just walked away.”
“Even if I’m the one asking you to?”
“I’m afraid so. And then there’s your father.”
Sweet honey on a cracker. Why did he have to go there? “So Brant told you?”
“Only that Edward had a health scare a couple months ago.”
“His heart. He’s being monitored very closely. By the finest cardiothoracic specialists in Dallas.”
“Still, the last thing he needs is the added worry and stress about the safety of his only daughter.”
Ani felt her resolve deflate like a pinned balloon. Of course she’d thought of all that. Had almost entertained the idea of canceling her mini performance tour. But ultimately, she’d decided against canceling. If she knew her father, the thought that he’d held her back from her dream would be no less traumatizing for him than his actual concern about her traveling.
She stood and rubbed a hand down her face. “Does it...? I mean, can we...?”
He merely quirked an eyebrow at her.
Better to just say it outright. “What I’m saying is, does it have to be you?” There. She’d just gone ahead and blurted it out.
A muscle twitched along his jaw. She’d hit a nerve. No doubt he was insulted by her question. Ani had a sudden urge to cry. What must Adam think of her? He probably took her as a spoiled, rich dilettante used to getting her own way, with how she was behaving. She’d actually signed an autograph for him thinking he was a fan, for heaven’s sake. Adam no doubt thought her a snob with a superiority complex.
It was so far from reality.
The truth was, her sanity would be sorely tested if Adam Steele was the one guarding her. The two of them together as she traveled for her two performance dates. In close quarters. How in the world would she even be able to concentrate on her playing? He had no idea the affect he would have on her. The havoc he might wreak on her equilibrium. As much as she wanted to deny it, and as much as she wished it weren’t so, he still had an effect on her. Just as he had when they were kids.
She’d only laid eyes on him again about thirty minutes ago and already she was behaving uncharacteristically—less like the accomplished musician she was and more like the silly schoolgirl who’d been shooed away at every turn.
Adam’s answer was abrupt, and hardness rang in his voice. “You’ll have a full detail. A team of professionals. But I’m the one in charge.” Clearly, there’d be no arguing that. “As competent and highly trained as they are, all of those professionals work for me.”
“I see.”
“I’m the best there is.” There was no bragging or conceit in his voice. Simply a matter of truth he had no qualms stating. “Trust me, I’m the man you want at the helm.”
That was it. She had no response. But she wasn’t about to fold completely either. “In that case, I’ll agree to a trial run.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You have to realize this was all thrown at me unexpectedly. I have to wrap my head around it somehow.”
“What do you suggest?”
“You accompany me to the first venue. The Le Trianon theater in Paris. After that trip, I need to have a heart-to-heart with my brother and father. Perhaps bring the Dallas authorities in, see what they have to say.”
He studied her. “I know what they’re going to say. Would you like me to tell you?”
She simply shrugged.
“They’re going to say they’ll put their cybersecurity guys on it. But your case will be low priority. As you said yourself, so far you’re only dealing with a couple complimentary emails. After that, they’ll tell you that without any specific threats or any kind of leads to go on, there isn’t much they can do for you.”
Ani had to fight the urge to bristle at his smug tone. “Nevertheless, it’s all I can agree to at this point. You and your team accompany me to the first performance. After that, the four of us will revisit this whole matter.”
He gave her an exaggerated nod that bordered on a slight bow. He was mocking her. “As you wish, Ms. Terrance.”
She managed to stammer out a resigned thank-you, despite her annoyance. The man bothered her on so many levels.
I’m the man you want...
Little did he know, that was what scared her the most.
* * *
“Is this really necessary?” Ani asked in a defiant tone as she begrudgingly let Adam into her apartment.
“I’m just going to take a look around. Get a feel for your surroundings.” He stepped past her through the doorway. “I’ll study the outdoors on my way out when I leave.”
He’d been satisfied enough by the footman at the high-rise building’s entrance and the solid lock on her apartment door.
Her place wasn’t quite what he would have expected. A grand piano sat in the corner. Music books were strewn about all over the floor. A book sat open on its face on the cream-colored couch that was the centerpiece of the room. Behind the piano was an open doorway that led to a small kitchen. There was a pet bed next to a water dish, and a feed bowl against the wall on the opposite side.
“You have a dog?”
She nodded. “He’s at doggy day care for a few more hours.”
“Good. It’s good to have a pet around, under the circumstances.”
She released a small laugh and her eyes lit up with amusement. For an insane moment, Adam wished things could have been different between them. That he was somehow here to pick her up for a date and they were merely getting acquainted,
learning about each other.
Maybe in a different universe.
He squashed the useless pining. Meaningful relationships with women weren’t in his cards.
“He’s hardly a guard dog,” Ani said. “He’s about twelve pounds.”
Adam returned her smile. “Still, any dog is useful for alerting their owner to unexpected visitors.”
She laughed again. “Right. You might change your mind about that when you see Snowball. He’s more likely to lick any visitors with boundless affection.”
A twelve-pound dog named Snowball. Clearly, they weren’t speaking about a German shepherd or a Doberman.
He made his way to the window. Her blinds were open. Anyone in the building across the street would have an easy view into her apartment with the right eye gear. He would have to address that further with her at some point. Once they got past this trip to Paris.
He pulled his notebook out from his back pocket. “Does anyone else have a key to the apartment?”
“Just the building manager.”
“No one else? A friend? The person who waters your plants?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“A boyfriend?” Why was he holding his breath after asking that?
“No. I’m not seeing anyone seriously. Certainly not serious enough to share my key.”
The unknotting at the base of his gut was not due to some sort of relief at her answer.
“Are you seeing anyone at all? On any dating sites? I’ll need names if so.”
She visibly bristled. “Is that really necessary? We seem to be getting into some personal areas here.”
“It’s my job to get this personal, Ani.”
“Not yet, it isn’t. Your assignment hasn’t even begun.”
“I beg to differ,” he countered.
She planted her hands on her hips. “And I beg to argue.”
Adam blew out a deep sigh. He wasn’t going to debate the point with her. The time would come soon enough when she could no longer deny his involvement. And whether she liked it or not, he’d considered himself on the clock as soon as she’d walked into her father’s office earlier.
