by M. Malone
“What’s going on with you?” Matthias finally said. “And don’t say nothing because I’ve seen you with this girl and it’s definitely something.”
I shook my head. “She's my charge, and she just got hurt in a car accident that I should have been able to prevent. That’s something.”
He closed his laptop, and the video feed he’d projected onto the wall disappeared. “It’s more than that. But you don’t have to tell me anything. Just be careful.”
“Careful of what?”
He laughed. “Don’t you see who she’s talking to out there?”
“She was talking to Lucia.” I turned around, my eyes immediately going to Hailey.
No matter where we were or how many other people were around, she always drew my attention first, like she was the only star in my sky. Under different circumstances, maybe I’d want to investigate what that meant, but right now the only thing that mattered was keeping her safe.
Lucia moved slightly and then I saw who was sitting next to her. I cursed under my breath.
“Yeah, JJ is probably out there spilling all your dirty secrets right now.” Matthias looked like he was enjoying that idea way too much.
“I doubt she’s spilling any secrets, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t going to embarrass the hell out of me anyway.”
He shrugged. “That’s generally JJ’s goal in life.”
We both turned to watch the women again. Hailey fit in with the other two as if she belonged. Maybe this was a good thing. If she had friends here, then it would be easier to convince her to spend more time at headquarters. At least here, I could guarantee her safety. Surrounded by a team of trained former assassins and a former cop, there was nowhere safer in New York City.
And in that moment, I knew what I needed to do.
“I need to bring her here. That’s the only way to keep her safe.”
Matthias snorted. “Good luck getting her to agree to that.”
“Yeah, no kidding.”
It was no secret around the office that Hailey hadn’t wanted security. And she’d given the guys even more material to use against me when she’d requested a replacement bodyguard the next day. Since I hadn’t said anything to her about it, she probably thought Noah hadn’t told me about her request. I chuckled. She clearly didn’t know how guys thought. Noah had not only told me but the rest of the team as well, who’d taken great delight in messing with me.
Especially since she’d had no problem with Dylan on his shifts.
“I don’t like how many blank holes there are in this case. This guy is good, and he seems able to pop up out of nowhere. This is the only place she’ll be completely safe until we figure this shit out.”
Matthias nodded. “Not disagreeing with you. But are you ready for the fight you’re about to have on your hands when you ask her to move here?”
Although I winced a little at the thought—Hailey was a bit of a hellcat when she didn’t get her way—I was already formulating a plan of attack.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve got this covered. I know exactly how to handle Hailey.”
Matthias looked skeptical. “Really? How’s that?”
I shrugged. “I’m not going to give her a choice.”
9
Hailey
Why had I agreed to this again?
Because somebody tried to run you off the road. That’s three times now. First, your apartment, then the boutique, and now this. Maybe it’s time to stop being stubborn.
I wasn’t being stubborn. I just needed my life to work right. And honestly, I wasn’t that interesting. I had no idea why someone would want to hurt me. But there I was, sitting in my apartment with a mild headache while Oskar packed clothes for me.
The last thing on earth that I wanted to do was go back to a penthouse full of people.
Relax. The place is so big you’ll probably never even see anyone.
Yes, that was a good point, but still. I liked my privacy. I liked things just so. With that many people milling about, someone would surely notice my OCD tendencies.
I glanced up. One of the young guys was at the door. His posture was relaxed, but his gaze was watchful.
When he saw I was assessing him, he gave me a wide smile. “Do you need anything?”
I shook my head. “Um, no, thank you.”
This was my house. Shouldn’t I be offering him something? “I mean, I guess I live here, so do you want a drink or something?”
His grin was easy. “No, I’m good. Don’t worry. Relax. You’ll be okay.”
Like Oskar, his smile completely changed his face. When he smiled he could easily have been a cover model for a magazine. Who was I kidding? Most of those guys could be cover models. With their easy swagger and well, let’s face it, chiseled jawlines, I wasn’t immune. I did have working female parts, and those parts noticed exactly how handsome every single one of those men from Blake Security was.
Seriously, did Noah Blake run some kind of hot-model bodyguard agency? Even the women were gorgeous. It was slightly intimidating to be completely honest.
Oskar came out of the bedroom with a couple of bags and the pink zippered pouch I used for my toiletries.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even think. How had this become my life?
It wasn’t until an hour later when we were in the car on our way to Blake Security that I even bothered to look inside the duffel Oskar had packed for me. I reached in and felt something silky. I frowned. Was that a—
“You packed lingerie?”
Heat sneaked up my neck as I looked around to see who was in the backseat. No one. Where had Dylan gone? I’d been so out of it, I hadn’t even paid attention.
“Relax. I packed the essentials.”
He missed nothing though, and added softly, “Dylan is in the follow car. You’re okay. We have you.”
Having people look over my shoulder all the time was wearing on my nerves in a way I hadn’t even known was possible.
“Are you insane? That’s the problem, isn’t it? All this time I’ve been responding as if dealing with a sane person. I should have modified my behavior for someone completely bonkers.”
“You think I’m crazy?”
“Oh, undoubtedly. That would also explain how and why you vanished on me back then. Someone locked you in an insane asylum.”
Oskar snickered. “Not exactly. And you can relax. I brought extra clothes. Even though you do look better in my shirts. Your ‘less fun’ clothes are in the trunk.”
I flushed again, remembering that day in the hotel when he had finally let me get dressed so we could eat on the balcony. I wore one of his shirts and a pair of long socks so my feet didn’t get cold, even though it was the dead of summer. Due to my poor circulation, I was always chilled. Something he’d learned very quickly.
“You’re impossible.”
“Weirdly enough, you’re not the first person to ever tell me that.”
“How long am I going to be trapped at Blake Security?”
His gaze went serious then. In moments like that when his expression was grim, he looked more like the pillaging marauder I’d expected when I first met him.
“Until we catch the motherfucker trying to kill you. Until then, you’ll be kept safe.”
I gave him a wan smile. “Yup, in my gilded tower. This is going to be a long stretch, isn’t it?”
“Well, look at it this way. At least the scenery is going to be hot.”
Oskar
So far, she hadn’t smiled, but she hadn’t scowled either… so I’d take that as a win. “Okay, this is your room.”
When I realized she was going to be staying, I’d asked Lucia to help me add some flowers and change out the blinds and curtains. The room was already well decorated just like she liked, contemporary and stuff, I guess. But I wanted to make it… prettier somehow. Softer. God, I hoped she’d like it.
You are such a sap. It doesn’t matter if she likes it. She’s not here to critique your inter
ior design.
No, she wasn’t. She was here so we could protect her. That was all that really mattered, but I still wanted her to be comfortable.
“Bathroom is over here. It’s got a soaking tub, you know, if you want to take a bath or something.”
“This is more like a swimming pool.”
I grinned. “Well, I’m a big guy.”
“You take baths?” Her brows lifted, and her lips twisted into a sardonic smirk.
“I find them very relaxing. Enough with the judgy eyes. Grab a shower. It’s got a rainwater shower, but you can adjust it here.” I showed her where to change from the rain shower into a regular shower. “Then you can take a regular shower with the nozzle. I remember you telling me that rain showers are the enemy of every curly-haired woman in the world.”
She blinked rapidly. “You remember that?”
I swallowed as the heat rushed up my neck and, I was pretty certain, into my face. “Yeah, no big deal. I remember lots of stuff.”
“That’s um… thoughtful.”
I nodded. “Yeah, so I know you brought your own stuff, but these toiletries are pretty good, too. Noah sources from the same place that some hotel in Dubai uses. Especially that lotion. It makes your skin soft.”
Why did you say that? Stop talking. Stop talking right now.
“I will keep that in mind, I guess.”
She followed me back out into the bedroom. “The closet is over there. It’s a walk-in. We didn’t bring much, but we’ll send someone to get the rest of your stuff.”
“Just how long do you think I’ll be staying?”
I shrugged. “A while… I don’t know honestly.”
“Well, I won’t be staying that long.”
“Great. Then you won’t need the closet. But just in case you do, it’s here and there is more than enough room.”
She swallowed hard, a line of worry creasing her forehead. I wanted to kiss it away.
What is wrong with you?
I cleared my throat. “Obviously, this is the bed.”
“Yeah, obviously. It’s huge.”
I refrained from making any more well, I’m a huge guy kind of comments. That really wasn’t going to help.
Look at you, showing restraint.
The door was open, and I could hear Jonas and JJ hanging out in the living room. I hoped they didn’t keep her up at night. Those two were loud, especially JJ.
“This is amazing. Thank you. I appreciate it. The room is nice.”
“Of course, this is the nicest room. No other suitable guest rooms were available anyway.” Liar. In reality, I just wanted her in my space.
Jonas’s voice was loud and clear. “What are you talking about? There are like five other open guest rooms in here.”
Fucking hell.
“Um, what I meant was—"
JJ, of course, had to chime in. “Sorry to cock block!”
Honestly, I was going to kill them.
Hailey blinked. “This is your room?”
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s mine, but the other rooms aren’t as comfortable. There are no modifications for the shower and the tub, so I figured you’d like it better in here.”
Like the sad sap you are, you just wanted her in your space.
Yeah, that too.
“So where are you sleeping?” Hailey asked.
My inner asshole laughed. Yeah big guy, where are you sleeping?
“I’m actually already in the guest room next door. If you need anything, just knock on the door and I’ll get it for you.”
“Now I feel bad that I’ve put you out of your room.”
“Don’t feel bad. Like I said, the guest rooms don’t have any nice amenities.”
She shifted on her feet and tugged on the hem of her blouse. “I—I don’t know what to say. Thank you hardly seems like enough.”
“It’s enough. And you don’t need to thank us. Your father, your company, hired us to do a job, and we’re going to do it. We’ll keep you safe. Forget about the threat for now, okay? You don’t have to be afraid of anything here.”
She nodded. “Okay, then in that case, thank you for doing such a great job.”
“Don’t mention it.”
A few moments passed with us staring at each other uncertainly. I don’t know how I found the strength to stay still because all I wanted to do was march straight to her, gather her in my arms and tell her I would kill anything that tried to hurt her.
Instead, I pushed away from the dresser. “Right, I guess I should go. Unless you need anything else?”
She glanced over at the bed and I struggled to keep my eyes straight ahead. Hailey probably wasn’t even aware of how much she telegraphed with her face. But everything she was thinking was all there in her eyes. The want, the longing and the fear.
If she said she needed me, walking away would be damn near impossible and the hardest thing I’d had to do in years.
10
Hailey
Being alone in a room with Oskar was a recipe for trouble, so I decided it was time to explore the rest of my new living space. Hopefully a little distance would help me to stop imagining him spread out across that king size bed.
I could feel Oskar following me as I walked down the hall and back to the waiting area where I’d spent the most time. The living room to the right of that looked comfortable and inviting. It had clearly once been an industrial space but I could tell someone had put a lot of time and effort into making it a home.
The thought of Noah Blake picking out pillows and knickknacks made me laugh a little. What I was seeing was no doubt his wife’s influence. I was sure all the men who lived there couldn’t care less if they had comfortable furniture and throw pillows.
“We can hang out and watch a movie later if you want.” Oskar pointed out the television hanging on the wall. Below it was a console table and I could see a game system and controllers on top.
“Sure. That sounds fun. I’m a little hungry right now though.”
Oskar blinked. “Right. I need to feed you.” He took my elbow and led me around the corner to the kitchen.
It was a little strange that he was treating me like an exotic pet that he was responsible for. I didn’t like it. He didn’t need to feed me; I was more than capable of doing that myself.
Not lately, you aren’t.
My annoying inner voice reminded me that my efforts to take care of myself lately had been massive fails. All I had to show for my efforts was a big, empty penthouse and waning friendships. My best friend, Priya, kept telling me that I was going to grow cobwebs between my legs if I didn’t put myself out there more.
Suddenly I missed her. A lot.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Oskar stopped his march toward the kitchen, peering at me with concern.
“Is everything okay?” Lucia’s voice came from behind us.
I spun around and took a small step back. Oskar had me so distracted I hadn’t realized that we were right on the edge of the kitchen. JJ and Lucia were at the huge island collecting plates and wiping down the counter.
“Oh, hi. I was just coming to get something to eat.”
Lucia dropped the dishrag she was holding. “Oh no! If I’d known you guys were coming, we would have waited for you.”
JJ rolled her eyes. “I don’t think she wants any chicken surprise casserole, Lu.”
I glanced over at Oskar. “And what is chicken surprise casserole?”
He shrugged sheepishly. “It’s what Noah makes when it’s his turn to cook. He throws in chicken, vegetables and cheese. The surprise is whether or not he burns the fucking place down.”
His deadpan humor was exactly what I needed just then. Everything was changing in my life, and it was starting to make me feel like I was on some rollercoaster, two shakes away from losing my lunch. But this was familiar, joking around with Oskar and allowing him to distract me from my problems.
It was a pattern with the two of us, going back to when we’d met. I’d been lonel
y and depressed, celebrating my twenty-first birthday alone. He’d made me feel better then, too.
I could only hope I’d learned my lesson and wouldn’t allow my heart to get involved this time.
“It actually came out pretty tasty this time. Probably because he dumped a whole bag of cheese in there. We would have saved you some, but Dylan ate all the leftovers!” JJ gave the man in question a playful shove.
“Hey, I’m a growing boy.”
I peeked over at him, amused. Dylan was nowhere near a boy. He might not be as buff as Oskar or as intense as Rafe and Noah, but he had an earnest, good-guy kind of appeal that reminded me of the actor who played Captain America.
The kind of guy you could take home to your parents but who would secretly do dirty things to you under the table when no one was looking.
“Well, I was going to make something, but I don’t want to mess up the kitchen after you’ve already cleaned it.”
Lucia waved that away. “Don’t worry about that. Make yourself at home. If you want to cook, feel free.”
“If you need a taste tester, I’m available.” Dylan grinned over at me.
Oskar suddenly pushed past, blocking my view of the others. “Keep your tongue in your mouth. She doesn’t need you tasting anything of hers.”
The others hooted at that, and I could feel my cheeks burning. I ignored Oskar’s knowing look and turned to survey what I had to use. The kitchen was a chef’s dream with a double range and a massive island to work on. I was excited to have people to cook for, even if it was just me and Oskar and Dylan begging for scraps. Usually I had to heat up whatever my chef had left for me and eat alone.
Having a private chef was an amazing luxury, for sure, but there was something special about preparing food with your own hands for people to enjoy. It was definitely something I’d missed once I moved into the penthouse on my own.
My parents drove me crazy, but it had been fun to try different recipes when I was at home and know that there would always be someone around to share it with.
After careful consideration, I decided to make a quick frittata using some eggs and ham I’d found. It was quick and easy and would be done in about twenty minutes. Oskar perched on one of the bar stools, watching me as I puttered around the kitchen. I whisked the eggs and then added sour cream and cheese. A low grumble from Oskar made me drop the whisk.
