by Lexi Cross
“Where is she? When?”
“She’s at work now, in her store. But I have reason to suspect she’s in danger. The shop closes at eight.”
“On it.” He hung up and looked at the time. Just enough time to get there by closing.
He jumped in his car and sped off across town. He never hung out in the more expensive parts of the city, which were, of course, the only parts Pia hung out in.
He wove through traffic, but it was more congested then he’d thought. He would still make it by eight, but only just. By the time he pulled into her parking lot, it was 7:45. Good. He’d made it and on time, too. He wanted to be early to case the place and see who else might be there, waiting for her.
Ryder pulled in but stopped the car in a hurry. The store was dark and he saw figures in the parking lot. What the hell? She’d closed early? And it looked like someone was there already, with his arms around her. No, this couldn’t be happening. His ass was on the line if anything happened to her. He wouldn’t go down for this spoiled brat. No way, no how.
He tore out of the car, thoroughly pissed off. Had she gotten bored and closed early? Poor little Pia couldn’t handle an extra fifteen minutes of work? Pathetic.
He stormed over to them. Whoever this guy was already had his hands on her. Great. Ryder would probably pay for that somehow. Not that it was his fault, but surely, he’d be blamed.
He reached out and grabbed the guy, pulling him off her. Pia had been pulling, too, and now fell to the ground. At least she was out of the way. He pulled back and decked the guy in the jaw.
The guy stumbled back, shaken by the force of Ryder’s blow. He landed several more hits before the guy even got one in. Pathetic. He couldn’t even fight. Who in the world had sent this jackass to do such a delicate job like kidnapping? You sent your best guy for a task like that. If this was whoever’s best guy, then they had some issues. And they wouldn’t stand a chance against Matteo’s guys.
Several hits to his face and Ryder expected the guy to go down. He still fought back, throwing punches wildly. Ryder kicked him, trying to get him to crumble.
Just when he thought the guy was falling behind, dude reached back and pulled a gun. Ryder had never felt so screwed in all this life. In his hurry to get out of the car, he had left his gun in the car. Why the hell hadn’t he packed before he even got into the car? Rookie mistake. He’d pay for that for sure. Trying to pin it on Pia and her closing early would never work. He’d have to just take it and face whatever consequence came of it. Hopefully the mistake wouldn’t get him killed.
The guy pointed the gun at him. Not even at Pia, which would have made sense. If he’d pointed it at Pia, he could have taken her. Could have gotten her away and completed his job. But no. Idiot pointed the gun at Ryder.
Ryder held up his hands. What else could he do? He waited for the guy to wise up and turn the gun to Pia. Then Ryder would tackle him, take the gun, and shoot him, and all would be well. He’d claim it was part of his plan all along. Part of his skill set and talent. Yeah, that would work.
He inched closer to Pia. Okay, so he wanted to be in reach of her, sure. Made sense. Sort of. Keep the gun on the guy who just beat the crap out of you until you can get your hands on the girl. Right, sure, whatever. It wasn’t what he would do, but whatever.
But then—and he could barely believe what he was seeing—the guy ran past her, got in his car, and sped off. He hadn’t tried to grab Pia, hadn’t fired a single shot.
This totally screwed Ryder, though. Pia was okay, sure, but he had no reason for why he didn’t have his gun. Why he didn’t shoot the guy down. He’d gotten the license plate. That was better than nothing. And he’d track down the car for Matteo and kill the guy if that’s what he wanted.
Maybe he’d be lucky and Matteo would be so concerned about Pia that he wouldn’t care. Wouldn’t notice that Ryder had messed up. How much of an expert in kidnapping and rescue was Matteo anyway? Could Ryder claim that pulling a gun would have endangered Pia further? Well, sure, Matteo wasn’t there, he hadn’t seen the situation. Ryder could probably make something up or tell it in a way that made him come out okay in the end. He had a way of doing that.
For right now, though, his concern was Pia. He approached her. She looked okay. Not injured too badly. Her knee was scraped, but that seemed to be the worst of it. Her lipstick was smeared, her hair a bit messy, but she’d have to deal with that. No doubt she’d fix herself up the second they walked in the door. Her looks were always her primary concern.
He bent down to pick her up, sliding one arm under her knees, the other behind her back. He stood with her, shocked at her weight. He’d expected her to be a little heavier, but she was like air. She was tiny and fragile, like if he dropped her, she’d shatter. Like she could blow away on a strong breeze. Did she ever eat anything?
He noticed, also, that she was more gorgeous than he’d realized. She was overdone—hair, makeup, jewelry, the whole bit. But even with her hair tousled and her makeup messed up, she was beautiful. Maybe more so for the imperfections. They highlighted her perfect pouty heart-shaped mouth, her large bright eyes, and the gentle slope of her nose. Makeup might make her prettier, but she didn’t need it at all.
She looked up at him. Her face, at first, showed confusion. Maybe she recognized him or couldn’t place him. Maybe she was in shock from all that happened. After a minute, her expression changed. He’d stepped into the light. The streetlight made him squint slightly as it reached his eyes. Then her face changed. Turned somewhat hostile. Like she did recognize him and scorned him. Well, you’re welcome, princess. I only risked my life to save you, but whatever. Be like that.
“I can walk,” she said sharply.
“Not a chance,” he said.
When he reached his car, he unlocked the door with the hand under her legs, then pulled it open. She was so light, her weight didn’t even hinder him. He set her in the backseat. She was probably used to the backseat, having been driven around her whole life.
He snatched her purse and keys from the ground and tossed it back to her.
“Hey.” She sat up as he slid into the driver’s seat. “Where are you taking me?”
“Home.”
“What about my car? I can’t just leave it here. I’ll drive.” She put her hand on the handle to get out, but he was faster. He hit lock and her arm jerked back as she tugged on the handle. “Let me out.”
“Nope.” He started the car and drove off before she could try anything else to get out. “I’ve been directed to come here to get you and take you back to your father. So that’s what I’m going to do.”
She sat back hard and crossed her arms over her chest. “Thug,” she muttered under her breath.
He raised an eyebrow at her in the rearview mirror, but didn’t comment. He drove quickly to her house and when they arrived, opened the door for her. She stormed past him, limping. He saw that her shoe was broken, and walked up behind her, then picked her up again.
“Put me down,” she demanded.
“You’re limping. I can’t have you walk in like that.”
“It’s from my shoe, idiot. I’m not hurt.”
“I know.”
She rolled her eyes and blew out a breath, then took out her phone and started tapping furiously.
He got the door open and walked through it. He called out, “Matteo.”
A moment later, Matteo came running into the room, a concerned look on his face when he saw Pia in Ryder’s arms. “What happened?”
Ryder spoke up first. “She was almost kidnapped, but I got there in time. He got away before I could take care of him, but I got the plate and I’ll track him down.”
“That bastard!” Matteo’s face was instantly red and his voice stayed at shouting level.
So this was something he was expecting. There was no surprise at all in his voice or expression. This must be bad. For someone to come after the daughter of a mob head? You just didn’t do that unless something w
as serious. Matteo must have screwed over the wrong guys or something for it to come to this.
Pia jumped down from Ryder’s arms and shot her hips to one side in a total diva stance. Then, waving her hands to demonstrate, she launched into full detail of her version of the event. “That is so not what happened. I was there, just minding my own business, locking up my store, and some guy came and put his filthy hands all over me. He made me break my Versaces”—she paused to pop off the shoe and hold it up, pouting—“then he made me fall down and rip my jeans and get my sweater all dirty. These jeans are Givenchy! I don’t know where your little hireling was or why he couldn’t be bothered to show up before I was assaulted, but he finally did and managed to hit the guy or something, I don’t know. But I need him to pay for this outfit. If he would have done his job right, I wouldn’t have ruined my clothes.” She glared at Ryder, her hand on her hips.
“Are you okay?” Matteo asked. He hugged her and looked over her carefully.
“No! Didn’t you hear me? My shoes and my jeans—”
“Are you physically injured?” he asked firmly. “Do you need a hospital or any other care, sweetheart?”
“My knee is scraped up. It better not leave a scar, I swear, or I’ll—”
“Okay.” Matteo turned to Ryder after putting his hand on her shoulder. “Ryder, you are now on full-time bodyguard duty for Pia.”
“What!” Pia exclaimed. “Oh, no, I don’t think so.”
Ryder took in a breath and set his jaw. Couldn’t Matteo find someone else? Anyone else? The last thing he wanted to do was hang out with the spoiled bitch all day. He already couldn’t stand her. And if they had already tried to kidnap her, this might be a dangerous assignment. He didn’t mind that, exactly, but he would be furious if he was injured or had to give his life for this brat. Her attitude might actually hinder his ability to protect her well. How did you protect someone you wanted to strangle yourself?
Maybe she’d whine enough that Matteo would change things. Ryder certainly couldn’t be the one to speak up against this situation. He’d get fired or worse, and he could afford neither. He’d have to suck it up, deal with her, try to put her in her place whenever he could, and collect his pay. Simple. Yet so difficult. He’d have to spend his days dreaming up ways to murder her in her sleep just to stay sane.
“I’m sorry. This is not up for discussion,” Matteo said. “You were almost kidnapped and I have reason to believe it may happen again. I will not have you out there unprotected. You will have Ryder for a bodyguard. I need to know you’re safe.”
Chapter 2
Pia crossed her arms and stomped her foot. Her father would have to do something. This was completely unacceptable. She was not going to be followed around by this oaf all day. “Isn’t there someone else? He’s just so—” She turned to look at him. She could not restrain her disgust.
“So what?” Ryder demanded. “Come on, let’s hear it.”
“So low class,” she said. There was no better explanation. He was not good enough to be that close to her. She deserved better.
“There is another option,” Matteo said. “You could just never leave the house. I’d be fine with that.”
She huffed and growled in frustration. “I have a business to run!” Never leave the house. Was he insane?
Ryder tried to hold back a smirk. She wanted to reach over and smack it off his face. What an ass. She had to think of ways to lose him or keep him away from her. This would ruin everything if he was around all the time.
Did that mean he would have to be in the car with her? Eww. He’d be there all day at work while she was trying to do business, he’d be there when she went out with her friends. He would be there all the time, just making her miserable. Unless…,maybe she could make him miserable enough that he’d quit. There had to be a way to do that.
“I do have pepper spray, you know,” she said. “I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“Then why didn’t you use it tonight?” Her father crossed his arms and waited.
“Probably for the same reason Mr. Suxon didn’t bother to take out his gun to protect me.” There. She’d insult him with his name, which she thought was a rather clever idea. She could just call him Suxon instead of Saxon and refuse to use his first name. She would throw him under the bus and make him look bad every chance she got.
It seemed to be working. Matteo raised an eyebrow at Ryder. Ahh, she’d won. She could always get her father to give in to her. Wasn’t hard to make him back down. He wanted to appease her, and if he didn’t, she made such a huge fuss that he’d eventually cave.
“The situation didn’t call for it. It could have caused more harm than good,” Ryder said.
“Daddy. The man pulled out a gun. He could have shot me! And what did this idiot do but just stand there with his hands up and let him get away. He didn’t even chase him down or anything. Just stood there, practically waving as the man who attacked me got into his car and just drove away. I want that man to pay for what he did to me!”
“He will, my Pia. He will. But I can’t have you out there in danger. Please understand. I’m not doing this to punish you. I only want to protect you.”
“Fine.” She huffed again and turned from them.
The large double front doors were still partially open from when Ryder had carried her in, and she pushed through them, storming outside into the night.
Behind her, she heard her father say, “Go after her. You are on duty beginning now.”
Great. All she wanted was to get away from them both and now the idiot was coming after her to bring her back inside.
Pia kicked off her other heel. She took off running, but had to stop quickly. Her bare feet on the gravel of the driveway hurt too badly. She half hopped to the grass.
Behind her, Ryder’s footsteps were heavy and fast. He was running after her. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of looking back. She hit the grass and when her feet had something softer to land on, she took off at a sprint.
Maybe she could outrun him, the big oaf that he was. He was probably so out of shape that he couldn’t keep up.
She ran toward the stables. The long brick building was partially hidden in shadow. There, she could escape in the darkness and get away from him. Maybe if she slipped him often enough, he’d lose his job since he couldn’t keep an eye on her. There had to be a way to get him fired. She would find it and do whatever she had to.
But as she ran, she glanced over to a movement on her right. Ryder ran easily beside her, keeping her pace. He didn’t even seem as out of breath as she was.
“Just curious,” he said. “How long will this run be? I usually run five or six miles a day, but I like to have an idea when I start. You know, it’s a mental thing.”
She stopped. She had to bend over, panting. Clearly, he was in better shape than she was. And that really pissed her off. He shouldn’t be better than her at anything.
“Oh, are we done already?” he asked. “I was just getting warmed up.”
“Shut up.”
She stood and walked away from him, continuing on toward the stables. So he could run. Fine. But could he ride? She might be able to hop on a horse and take off.
“Just go away,” she said. “I know my father sent you after me, but I do not need a babysitter. I’m going for a ride.”
He walked close to her, his shoulder bumping into hers with every other step. She moved over to get farther away from him.
“You think I don’t know what you’re doing?” he said. “Trying to run from me, telling your father that I messed up. It’s not going to work.”
“Oh, you think you have me all figured out?”
“Pretty much. Let’s see. Rich, spoiled brat who gets her daddy to do whatever she wants. Doesn’t want someone so ‘low class’ following her around, even if it is to protect her ass, so she does whatever she can to escape him or get him fired, just to have control because her life is so utterly boring that she needs to create drama
so she doesn’t feel so lonely and unlovable.”
She stopped walking and put her hands on her hips. Anger tore through her. Who was he to talk to her like this? Her father would certainly hear about it. But he was right about one thing. She’d rather be in danger than have him following her all the time.
“How dare you.” She glared at him. “You will not talk to me like that. My father pays your salary and he will listen to me if I tell him you’re mistreating me. You know nothing about me. So you can wipe that smug little smile off your stupid face and shut your mouth.”
He held up his hands in protest. “Oh, sorry. Guess I really hit a nerve there. Usually, women only freak out like that when a man is right about them and they don’t want to admit it.”
