Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
Ian gives me a short brief, but the urgency of this situation is clear. The faster I can get her out of here and away from whoever the hell made this threat, the better.
“I will protect her with my life,” I promise as I go over the plan in my mind. The promise goes deeper than just doing my duty, but I try to hide that. Evangeline is more to me than just an assignment. She has been since I first laid eyes on her.
Ian and Grant nod at me in acknowledgment and I turn, wasting no time as I jog out of the room.
I take the stairs, not willing to wait for the elevator, and sprint to Evangeline’s room where Ben is still standing post. Unfortunately, he’ll be coming with us. It would be good to have a whole damn team of guards, but that’s not conducive to keeping a low profile. Instead, Ben, Evangeline, and I will be heading to the cabin alone.
I run through the explanation Ian gave me. They don’t know who sent these threats, only that there are multiple and they’re graphic and detailed enough to suggest that whoever it is isn’t fucking around. You don’t get to where Grant Graves is without making enemies, and until Ian and the tech team can figure out which enemy is the one behind this, we need to assume that nobody outside of our own can be trusted.
“You tell her yet?” I ask my colleague, but the useless fucker just shakes his head.
“Was waiting for the boss to fill you in,” he says back, and I clench my jaw to avoid snapping at him. Sure, Ben is built as big as I am—though he’s an inch shorter at six foot one—but no amount of brawn can make up for what he clearly lacks in brain.
Instead of telling him that, I just walk past him and knock on the door to Evangeline’s room. In seconds, it opens, and I’m struck as dumb at the sight of her as I am every time. No matter how many times I’ve seen her, she never fails to take my breath away.
Her blond waves are tied up in some sort of messy bun thing that I ache to tangle in my fist, and she’s wearing a lounge set that probably costs more than most people’s salaries, made of some sort of velvety material that clings to her curves like it was made for her. It probably was.
For a second, I forget the urgency of the situation, but my training kicks back in quickly.
“Grab a bag. We’ve got to go,” I tell her, softening my voice to try not to scare her.
Her green eyes widen, and her mouth drops open. “What, why?” she asks, her voice shaky.
Shit, seeing her scared feels like a dagger in my stomach. “There’s been a threat made against you.” I refuse to lie to her. She’s twenty-two, not a kid, and she deserves to know what’s happening. “Don’t be scared, princess. I’ll keep you safe. Just pack a bag with whatever essentials you need as fast as you can, okay?”
The nickname slips out of my mouth before I can stop it, and the gravel in my voice reveals just how much personal interest I have in protecting her. But I don’t care if it’s not professional, not when it helps soften some of the fear in her beautiful face.
“Oh, okay,” she whispers back, nodding once. I watch as she gathers her resolve, straightening her spine and shrugging off her fear. “I’ll be quick.”
I give her privacy to pack, turning my back and standing in the doorway, and find Ben’s eyes narrowed on me. I meet his stare with a steely gaze, a silent challenge.
“Go get the car ready,” I instruct him, even though technically we’re at the same level and I can’t give him orders. “Pull it around to the front and be ready to go in two minutes.”
I see the urge to argue flash in Ben’s dark gaze, but he obviously knows better because he just turns on his heel and strides downstairs to get a car from the collection Grant has in the garage.
Exactly two minutes later, Evangeline taps on my shoulder. I turn immediately, finding her ready to go with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. I take the bag from her, barely resisting the urge to pick her up too.
“Straight to the front, Ben’s got the car waiting,” I instruct her, satisfaction swirling in me when she immediately obeys, rushing down the stairs to the main foyer.
I follow on her heels, finding Grant waiting for us at the front door. I give Evangeline just enough time to hug him and say goodbye before I usher her out of the house and into the car.
I open the door for her, and she slides inside, and then I circle the car to take the backseat beside her. Ben’s already in the driver’s seat with the engine running, and I much fucking rather sit back here with her than upfront with him. Not only because it’s safer to be close to her in case something happens on the way, but also because I need to be close to her.