Hard to Handle

by Raven Scott

  “I thought that was clear,” Kaylee interjected. “We need security protection for the next thirteen days, until the official vendor selection for the Paterson City project.”

  “Is that all?” he asked.

  Terry looked at Kaylee, but she tried not to notice.

  “What else is there? We’ve already explained that we’re not prepared to withdraw our bid. And if we win, there’s nothing anyone can do about it.”

  Sam looked between them, as though seeing far more than she’d like him to.

  “Unless we uncover who is making these threats and take them down,” he finally stated simply.

  “I’ve already tried that,” Kaylee told him with a sigh. “But in Paterson, all city proposal submissions are confidential during the bid process, except to a very small selection committee that includes the deputy mayor and other officials. So our only option is to install the right security.”

  “My family has come across these types of unsavory tactics on occasion, Sam,” Terry added with a dismissive tone. “They will bully only those that seem weak, then scurry away at the first sign of strength. If they are watching us, and see your new security detail, I’m certain they will do just that.”

  “You’re certain,” Sam repeated, with obvious condescension.

  Kaylee sat forward to put an end to the direction things were headed. “We’ve explained what we’ve hired you to do here, Sam. So let’s move on to exactly how we make that happen quickly. Do we understand each other?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he replied smoothly. “We understand each other completely.”

  “Good,” she replied, lifting her chin defiantly. “Now, what do you need to get started?”

  “First, I will need to secure all required premises. We’ll start with this apartment, the Antonoli offices, and your house, Kaylee.”

  “I live here,” she clarified. Sam’s nose flared, but he didn’t otherwise react.

  “I will need a few hours to inspect the spaces, plan and install the required security and surveillance equipment,” he continued. “Since the threat is specifically against you, Kaylee, I will provide your personal protection at all times outside of this apartment and the office.”

  “What about Terry?” she asked.

  “We could have a security detail for him, but I don’t think that’s necessary. They need Terry healthy and capable of officially withdrawing from the city bidding process. Threatening someone he cares for is usually an effective way to ensure cooperation. Hurting or killing the head of Antonoli won’t necessarily guarantee that will happen, so it wouldn’t serve their purpose. And assaulting a powerful executive attracts way more attention and scrutiny than a lowly assistant. As long as you’re Kaylee Stone, you’re expendable.”

  Kaylee swallowed, taken aback by how succinctly Sam had summed up everything she already knew and was counting on.

  “Well, that sounds like a good plan,” Terry chimed in, standing up at the table. “And to make your job even more straightforward, I will be flying back to Paris tomorrow morning for several weeks for a family obligation and business meetings. Kaylee can effectively manage everything here while I am away.”

  “I’ll show you around the apartment,” Kaylee told Sam once they were all on their feet. “Then you can get started on your security plan.”

  “Sam,” Terry said with his hand outstretched again. “It was a pleasure to meet you, and I’m sure my Kaylee will be in good hands while I’m away.”

  They shook hands, but Kaylee was certain that Terry winced at the force of Sam’s grip.

  “Now, if you both excuse me, I need to get ready for an appointment,” the Frenchman explained with a bow of his head. Then he walked out of the kitchen, toward the bedrooms.

  Kaylee let out a deep breath, relieved the meeting was finally over.

  “You’re bloody shitting me,” Sam growled with his hands planted on his hips. “You and that smarmy git?”

  “Terry is a great guy,” she replied honestly, having no clue exactly what he had just said but certain it was an insult.

  “Christ, Kaylee! What are you playing at? He’s married and his wife’s pregnant, for bloody sakes!”

  Kaylee flung up her hands to stop his tirade.

  “I’m not doing this with you, Sam. Despite what happened last night, my relationships are not your concern. I don’t appreciate your scrutiny of my life, and I certainly don’t need your consent,” Kaylee told him with icy firmness.

  He stood there for several long seconds staring down at her, but she refused to back down or cower in shame.

  “Now, are we doing this tour of the apartment or not?” she finally asked, folding her arms across her chest with a bit of attitude.

  Sam smiled down at her, and it wasn’t friendly.

  “Lead the way, princess.”

  The penthouse was about twenty-one hundred square feet on one floor. Walking from the kitchen and small breakfast table, Kaylee showed him features of the great room. There was a powder room and a den-slash-library off to the right. To their left, she pointed out the doors to Terry’s bedroom and office; then they walked into her bedroom and private bath. It was spacious, feminine, and comfortably furnished with a queen-sized bed, end tables, and a small antique dresser. The walk-in closet was lined with custom cabinetry and additional drawers. In the white bathroom, there were double sinks, a big, deep freestanding tub, a frameless shower, and a private water closet for the toilet.

  “You don’t share his bedroom?” Sam said as he looked around, checking all the spaces and windows like he’d done everywhere else.

  “I like my space,” she replied simply.

  “Any other areas I should see?” Sam asked as they walked back into the hallway.

  “The laundry room, storage closet, and then the terrace.”

  “After you,” he replied with a polite gesture of his hand.

  His tone was so sickeningly polite. Kaylee rolled her eyes and marched forward, stopping at each space until they were outside of a large rooftop patio area. It ran the width of the apartment and had glass-panel railings around the perimeter. Sam walked to the edge and looked around in all directions, including up at the face of the building.

  “Nice view,” he finally commented, looking out at the clear view of the Hudson River, with the New Jersey shoreline across it and the Statue of Liberty to the right.

  “Yeah, it is.”

  They stood there for a few minutes; enjoying the breezy air and June sunshine.

  “What are you doing here, Kaylee?” he finally asked softly.

  “Sam—”

  “Just tell me,” he demanded. “Why leave your family, your career, everything, to work as an assistant to this arrogant wanker? To allow yourself to be a pawn in dirty business practices? Is he coercing you in some way?”

  “What? Of course not!” she replied, looking away. “It’s complicated.”

  “Are you in love with him?”

  “How can you ask me that, Sam?” she snapped back.

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense,” he growled. “Why else would a woman like you live like this? It’s not for his money or connections, is it?”

  “Look, I don’t expect you to understand this, but Terry and I have an arrangement that works for me,” Kaylee explained honestly. “Like my job. I want it to be successful, even if there are some risks. He gives me lots of authority and I find it challenging and rewarding.”

  “Well, you’re definitely the beauty and the brains of this operation,” he quipped sardonically.

  Kaylee looked over at him, remembering what a great sense of humor he had. She chuckled, and he flashed a brief grin, transforming into a stunningly handsome charmer right before her eyes. Her stomach tingled predictably in response.

  “If we’re going to work together over the next week or so, there needs to be an understanding between us, Sam,” she finally said.

  “Yeah, I know.”

  She took a deep breath.r />
  “So, let’s start over from here,” Kaylee suggested as they both looked out over the river and the Manhattan cityscape. “You do what you do best, and I do my job. And we’ll be civil to each other for the duration. Deal?”

  She stuck out her hand, expectantly. Sam took a few seconds to search her face before he finally accepted her offer.

  “I have to speak with Terry before he leaves. Do you need me for anything else?” she asked, pleased with where they’d ended up.

  “We should go over your schedule for the next two days and establish a routine for communication, but I’m good for now,” Sam told her.

  “And we need to find somewhere for you to sleep,” she mused. “You can sleep in Terry’s room while he’s gone.”

  “That’s not necessary. I can sleep anywhere. It’s a well-known strength of mine.”

  Kaylee grinned, unknowingly flashing her dimples. “Or I can sleep there and you take my room? Or the den? We rarely use it, and I’m pretty sure it has a pullout sofa.”

  “Sure, the den works fine.”

  “Okay, well, just come find me when you need something.”

  He nodded and Kaylee left him out on the deck. She found Terry in his bathroom, dabbing a gel-pomade into his hair with absolute precision.

  “Geez, Kaylee, you didn’t really prepare me for that one, did you?” he protested as she walked in and hopped up on the counter to edge next to him.

  “I don’t think anyone can be adequately prepared for Sam in advance,” she mused, using her finger to comb through his hair and properly shape the sophisticated spikes. “Thank you again. I know that was awkward.”

  “That’s an understatement, my dear. When I told him so delicately that we were lovers, I was certain he was going to smash my nose in,” Terry added, still looking at himself in the mirror. “I’m quite fond of this nose. I’m told it’s very aristocratic and true to my Greek blood.”

  “It’s a fantastic nose, Terry.”

  “You are mocking me, Kaylee, and it’s very rude.”

  She laughed.

  “Where are you headed?”

  “I do have a meeting that my father arranged with one of our business associates in the city. Then I must go shopping and pick out something special for Selina. Any suggestions?”

  “She’s Parisian, living in the center of designer fashion, fragrance, and culture, so it’s hardly worthwhile to get something like that. You have to buy something quintessentially American,” she insisted.

  “Like a box of sugary donuts?” he joked.

  “Twinkies, actually.”

  “What?”

  “Just walk into any convenience store and the clerk will point them out. Insanely sweet and good.”

  “Again with the mockery,” he sighed and walked out of the bathroom.

  Kaylee smiled and jumped off the counter to follow him into the bedroom. It was as masculine as hers was feminine, with a giant king-sized bed, charcoal-gray fabrics, and dark wood furniture.

  “Just go into Tribeca and find a trendy boutique with unique pieces or locally designed fashion. She’ll love whatever you pick.”

  Terry pulled on a navy cashmere wool blazer over a white oxford shirt with stylishly narrow khakis on the bottom.

  “All right, I’m off,” he declared a short while later. The two close friends looked at each other intently. “Are you sure about this, Kaylee?”

  “Yes! Everything’s fine! Go shopping for your very beautiful, very pregnant wife.”

  “No, I don’t mean now. I mean this whole crazy situation we’re in,” he clarified seriously. “It’s not too late to end it, you know. We’ve accomplished quite a bit in a very short period of time. We don’t need the New Jersey contract.”

  “We’ve already gone over this, Terry. We’ve come too far to bow to pressure now. In another week or so, it will all be over, one way or another. Trust me.”

  “I just hope I don’t live to regret your persuasive ability to talk me into things. Even if they are proving very profitable,” he sighed.

  “Just keep your eyes on the prize, my friend,” Kaylee teased, tapping one of his cheeks affectionately.

  “Au revoir,” he called as he walked out of the room.

  Kaylee followed more slowly, then walked into her room. Her suitcase was now by the bed, and she could only assume Sam had put it there. She spent the next few minutes unpacking, dividing the clothes between the laundry and dry-cleaning bins, then putting away her toiletries, but her thoughts were elsewhere. They were on Samuel Mackenzie and the unplanned impact he was having on her psyche and her plans. The whole thing required his security services with a certain level of detachment. Professional but disapproving of her apparent lifestyle so that he would not look too far beneath the surface. Once a cheater, always a cheater, right?

  Only, now, having spent the night with him, Kaylee didn’t know if it helped or hindered her scheme. And she didn’t know if it made it easier or more difficult to deceive him.

  Kaylee spent another hour or so working in her room, then took a shower and got dressed for the afternoon in well-worn jeans and a black long-sleeved T-shirt with a light, pretty scarf draped around her neck. She slid her feet into comfortable but fashionable sandals; then she went to find Sam. The den had been transformed into a working space, with his laptop and other small equipment set up on the console table by the window. He also now wore a gun holster over his shoulders, with a weapon secured in it.

  “Are you ready for an update?” he asked, looking over at her.

  “Yes, and I have one as well,” Kaylee explained.

  “Okay, you go first. I can work around your schedule.”

  “Niko needs a walk in a few minutes. Then I have a hair and nail appointment in about forty-five minutes, at two o’clock.” Sam raised his eyebrows. “What? It’s a recurring appointment, every two weeks, otherwise it would be impossible to fit it into my schedule with my regular stylist. And it’s too late to cancel.”

  “Fine, what else?”

  “That’s it really for today. Except Niko needs a walk around dinner and before bedtime,” she added. “Then tomorrow, I’ll go for a run in the morning. Most mornings, actually.”

  “You run?” he asked.

  “Yes. But I’m not sure how that will work for security. Maybe I should just go on the treadmill for now.”

  “I’ll run with you,” Sam said. “Mornings?”

  “Yes. That would be great.”

  “Now, let’s get Niko out and work out the logistics for your hair appointment.” He shrugged on a loose jacket to cover his weapon, then gestured for Kaylee to lead the way.

  “It won’t take long. There’s a nice path around the building and a small park in the back,” she explained. “And I usually just walk to the appointment. It’s about twelve blocks, so fifteen minutes, tops.”

  Niko was a smart dog, well trained for their routine and already waiting for Kaylee. She hooked the leash to his collar, then they headed out for the walk. Along the way, Kaylee said hello to a few neighbors, then led Sam through the main floor and out one of the back doors.

  “There’s an indoor pool,” he commented, noting the large facility surrounded by glass.

  “Yeah, but I’ve never used it,” Kaylee admitted as they followed Niko on his familiar route through a small city park. There were lots of people out walking, with and without dogs.

  “Why not? You don’t swim?”

  “I do, but I just haven’t had time.”

  “You’ve got to stop and smell the roses, sweetheart.”

  Kaylee snorted. “Somehow, I don’t see you stopping to smell anything.”

  He shrugged. “I might surprise you. But I’m partial to orchids. My mum tried to grow them for a time. Brilliant scent.”

  She giggled.

  Niko noticed a squirrel up ahead on one of the paths that cut through the dense trees and pulled hard on the leash to run after it. Kaylee found herself jogging forward to keep up with
him.

  “Let me take him,” Sam offered, taking hold of the leash and holding the terrier back and in control with a firm grip.

  “Thanks.”

  They walked a little farther in comfortable silence. Kaylee was looking off to the right, appreciating the beautiful weather and the rustling of the fragrant breeze through the trees, and she didn’t notice Sam had stopped a couple of feet back so Niko could do his business. She followed the path around a sharp turn.

  “Kaylee, wait!”

  Startled, she turned toward Sam’s voice just as a firm arm gripped her around her waist, dragging her inside the dense bushes.

  CHAPTER 12

  Sam had stopped for only a minute, catering to the dog while Kaylee strolled forward on her own. But he’d had eyes on her the whole time, alert in judging the distance between them and calculating how quickly he could secure her if needed. What he hadn’t noticed was the fork in the path they were on, with one arm continuing straight forward, and the other turning sharply right, but well hidden from where Sam and Niko where standing. It took two seconds for Kaylee to disappear out of his line of sight behind a tall crop of trees and thick bushes, and only a second longer for Sam to run after her, shouting for her to wait for him, dragging poor Niko along.

  When he turned at the trees, Kaylee was gone. Sam turned around, trying not to panic, then stopped and listened. He heard branches snapping and muffled voices coming from inside the dense bushes along the right side of the path. Niko barked in the same direction, and Sam tore into the shrubbery, barreling down anything in his way. More grunts, and a male voice swore. Sam ran faster, dodging low-hanging branches and hurdling over tree stumps.

  “Let go!” he heard, finally seeing some color and movement ahead. Certain it was Kaylee, Sam wrapped the dog leash securely around the wrist of his left hand, then drew his Beretta with the right and released the safety as he quickly crept forward, pistol pointed downward as a precaution. Niko bounced around beside him anxiously. A couple more yards and Sam swept aside rough bushes to quietly enter the clearance, and stumbled onto the last thing he expected. Kaylee was on the ground, straddling some guy around his stomach and punching him in the face with her fist while he was trying to dislodge her.