Hard to Forget (Alphas Heart #3) - Bella Jewel

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PROLOGUE The rain is cold against my skin, each drop sinking in slowly, as if torturing me. My hair is plastered to my face and I’m furiously blinking back the droplets that insist on invading my eye space. My clothes are soaked and I can feel the chill right down to my bones. My shoes squish every time my foot hits the pavement, which is a lot. Considering I’m running. It’s barely past five a.m. and yet here I am, pounding the pavement. Most people think I’m crazy—the truth is I probably am.

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I’m twenty-eight years old and instead of acting like most normal girls, I’m out training for my job. A job I’ve studied for and fought for since the day I left high school—it’s been nothing but a constant battle, especially considering it wasn’t always what I planned on doing. I’m a bodyguard. Well, I’m trying to be. I have a job, I have a boss, I have a team and it took a good long time for them to accept that I could do the job as well as them. I was constantly battling against the other members, proving my worth, and it seemed no matter what I did, they just didn’t think I had what it takes. It took me a solid two and a half years to earn even a snippet of respect. Lucky me.

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The man running beside me both loves and hates me. I’ve come to this conclusion on my own because he can’t seem to decide which one it is. One moment he’s barking orders at me, and then he’s staring at my breasts longingly. It’s alarming and kind of flattering all at once. Still, he trains with me every single day and I’m grateful for that. I hate running alone. When I got out of school, I was going to join the armed forces, it was something I always wanted to do. I can’t say there was an exact reason for it, but sometimes you feel you are just born to do something. Then came the test that changed my life. Turns out you have to have exceptional eyesight to join the forces. Mine was shit, and eye surgery improved it a bit, but not enough to make the cut.

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Originally, I was crushed, and for months I couldn’t figure out what to do. It was something I’d planned from day one, and to have it taken from me seemed almost cruel. Then there was a day when I was out with my uncle, and we saw a drive-by shooting. A man, all dressed in black, single-handedly saved a person’s life. Turns out that person had hired him to do just that. My passion was reborn. I could do it. I could still protect and serve. So last year I officially became qualified to protect someone’s life. And a second experimental eye surgery worked better than I’d ever hoped. “Where’s your head at this morning, Delaney?” Kyle yells this through the pouring rain, snapping me from my thoughts. I turn and

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glare at him, trying hard not to notice how good-looking he is all wet and panting. Kyle might drive me bonkers, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s considered a fairly good-looking man—well, to most. He’s not really my type, and I think he hates that. His usually brown hair seems darker in the rain and it’s pressed to his forehead. His strong jaw is covered in a few days’ growth and his blue eyes seem grey beneath the mist. He’s over six feet tall and built like a stone, which I’m grateful for considering I stand at five ten. Yes, five feet ten. I’m as tall as a man. This makes dating particularly difficult considering I’m bigger than most of the guys who take me out. “Jesus, Delaney, wake up!” I blink and realize I zoned out again.

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“I didn’t realize our running was a chance for us to happy chat and tell life stories,” I reply bitterly. Kyle snorts. “It’s not, I have no interest in your life stories.” I flash him a grin. “Sure you do.” “No, I don’t. I’m just making sure you’re with me.” “Well, Kyle, last time I checked I was right beside you. I think you need to get your eyes checked.” “Shut it, Delaney. Just run.” I grin and run. I love taunting Kyle, more than I love my job some days. Okay maybe not more than my job, but it is entertaining. I don’t think Kyle will ever come out and admit he likes me, but I know he does. How can he not? I mean, come on, I’m pretty bad ass.

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And I can outrun him. “You’re falling behind, old man,” I call, running ahead. “Better keep up or you’ll be the laughingstock of the team.” “Bite me, Delaney,” he barks, running harder. Ah yes, I do love running with Kyle.

CHAPTER ONE I plod next door into my Aunty Bett and my Uncle George’s apartment to borrow their carton of milk. I’m sure they adore having me live next door, especially when I continually steal all their food. I’ve lived next door to them since I was nineteen. They own the apartment block, living in the biggest one themselves. When I turned eighteen they told me if I got a job, they would rent one out to me. I’ve been in that one for nearly ten years now. I was raised by Aunt Bett and Uncle George when I lost my mother and father at the

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young age of five. They died in a car accident and Aunt Bett and Uncle George stepped forward and took me on. They were close with my parents, Uncle George and my dad were brothers. They became like my own parents and helped me through some dark times. They have one child, Jed, who is only a year older than me. He’s my best friend and has been since the first day I was welcomed into their home. He used to climb into the bed with me when I was crying at night and hold my hand until I stopped. He’s like my own brother and I adore him. Though there are certainly times I’m sure he doesn’t adore me. I drive him a little crazy. I slip into Aunt Bett and Uncle George’s apartment like the stealthy little crime fighter I am. I tiptoe over to their fridge and open it, pulling out the carton of milk. My clothes

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are still damp from my run, but I need a cup of coffee before a shower. It’s what motivates me the entire time I run. “I know you’re not poor, Laney.” I squeal and spin around to see Uncle George sitting at the table in the dark, coffee in his hands. “Uncle George,” I cry. “Why are you sitting in the dark like a creeper?” He chuckles. “Why are you sneaking into my house like a creeper?” I grin and wave the milk carton. “I needed milk.” “You can’t afford your own?” I pout. “Well sure, but yours tastes better.” He snorts. “I wouldn’t know. Maybe if you went to the store every now and then, I

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might be able to come and try some of yours.” “Good point,” I say, waving the carton again. “Okay, I’m going to just borrow a splash and bring it back.” He grunts as if he knows I’m not going to bring it back. I smile and walk over, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “You know I love you, Uncle George. You’d be lost without me.” I reach the door before I hear him grumble, “How can I miss you if you won’t go away?” I smile all the way back to my apartment. * * * “You stole our milk again!” The sound that fills my apartment comes from Jed and his loud, booming voice. I smile as I pull on my boots. Jed appears in

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my bedroom doorway a second later, glowering at me. Jed is the exact replica of George, with his raven black hair that falls messily over his brown eyes. His skin is olive and he’s tall and lean. He’s an athlete, and he runs for a living, and the look suits him. “Morning, Jeddy,” I croon, zipping my boot. “Don’t call me Jeddy, and give me back my milk. I can’t eat my damned Lucky Charms without any milk.” “How old are you?” He narrows his eyes. “Why do you still eat Lucky Charms?” I continue. “Because they’re magically delicious.” I laugh. “I’ll pretend I never heard you say that. Besides, I thought you were all healthy eating?”

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“I am,” he grunts. “But breakfast is my treat. Every morning. Don’t judge me, just give me the milk.” “Can’t,” I say, standing and stomping my feet farther into my boots. “I used it all.” “Jesus, Laney, you’re such a little thief.” I waggle a finger at him. “It wasn’t stealing; it was borrowing.” He picks my half-empty coffee cup off the counter. “Then I’m borrowing your coffee.” He lifts it to his mouth and drains the cup. After he’s finished, I say, “Joke’s on you because I just hocked a big loogie in that cup.” He looks equal parts skeptical and disgusted. I burst into laughter. “I’m going to work. Later, handsome.”

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“You wouldn’t really do that … would you?” he mutters as I walk out the door on my way to work. Maybe today I’ll be given a case of my own. Just maybe.

CHAPTER TWO The office of Thorpe Security is located downtown. It takes me about twenty minutes through traffic to get to work. The building is actually quite massive and well established, the best security in the area. We’ve always got jobs, and my boss, Nahko or Nak for short, is forever scheduling in advance. He has a good reputation for his business and he prides himself on keeping it that way. I park my black pickup in a free space and climb out, rushing toward the elevator. I get in and head to the third floor, which is where our offices are located. As I move up, I turn and check out my reflection in the mirror.

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These jeans I’m wearing accentuate my long legs, and the boots I’ve paired them with make me look taller than I already am. I’m not chunky tall, or slim tall, I’m a little of both. I suppose you could call me athletically curvy. I have rounded hips, not too much but enough that men stop and stare. My legs are lean and my waist is narrow. I’m busty, with good-sized breasts, so they kind of even me out a little. My shoulders are quite narrow, which is odd for my size. Most women my size are broad shouldered. I guess I got lucky. My hair, which is a natural platinum blond, flows down past my shoulders and halfway down my back. It has a natural curl and can be painstakingly unruly. My eyes are an odd shade of green because they have a yellow swirl ring around the middle. I can’t

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really call them hazel, nor can I say they’re just plain green. The ding of the elevator has me turning and facing the doors. They slide open and I step out into the vast space. I’m greeted every day with black-and-white-checked tiles spreading out over a massive lobby. There’s a huge light wood reception desk sitting beneath a sign spelling out the company name. A gorgeous redhead sits behind the counter—her name is Brandy. I walk towards her, flashing a smile as I take a left towards the line of offices. If our jobs were purely about protecting someone and never filing paperwork, we’d never need an office, but sadly when we’re not protecting, we’re here. Mine is the second on the left, I’m right next to Kyle and directly across from Nahko. The other bodyguards in our

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team take up the rest—in total there’s twenty-two of us. It seems like a lot, but it isn’t. Not when crime is on the rise and more and more people need assistance. “Morning, Laney,” Duke calls from his office. I look over at the well-built, tall black man and smile. Duke was one of the first to believe I had what it took to be a bodyguard. The rest took a lot more convincing. “Morning, Duke,” I call back. “How are you?” “Busy, girl. Nak is waiting for you downstairs.” “Thanks.” I walk into my office, dump my things and then walk back out to the elevator that takes me down to the training center on the first floor. It’s a massive open area that we

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train in at least four times a week. It’s not just endurance training, but martial arts and self-defense. I enter the space, with its polished wooden floors and obstacle courses as far as the eye can see. My eyes go to Nak and Kyle, who are on the big ropes hanging from the ceiling, twisting their big bodies around and around, as if they weigh nothing. The two are in so much competition it’s just a big old bundle of male testosterone in here. “Keep at it, boys,” I call. “Kyle, if you try any harder you’re going to bust a valve.” “Fuck you, Laney,” he barks, his massive muscles flexing as he jerks his body up the ropes. “Morning, boss,” I yell at Nahko. “Laney,” he gasps through his pulling.

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I stare at him. My boss is a powerful man, both in looks and strength. I guess he has to be to make the right impression on new clients. He can’t be fat and bald, sitting at his desk. He needs to be able to show the true power behind his team of men by being able to do what they do. He’s Native American and can shrivel you with one angry stare when he’s in a mood. His eyes are dark brown, but they pretty much look black. His hair, which he keeps long, is always braided down his back. He stands at over six feet and is built like a bear. He doesn’t have a single tattoo on his body, but he doesn’t need them. My boss is bad ass. He also won’t let me on a case until I take either him or Kyle down. It’s not that he doesn’t believe I can do it, but it’s just a ritual everyone has to go

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through before being given a massive case. I guess in Nak’s mind he believes if we have the strength, skill and determination to take him down, then we’re going to do the same with every problem we encounter. Everyone else had to do it, so I suppose it’s only fair I do, too. “I’m up for the challenge of taking you down while you’re weak and fragile, Nak,” I call. Nak makes it to the top of the rope and then lets go, hitting the floor on both of his feet. Of course, he made it look as graceful as a cat. I take it back; Nahko is never fragile and weak. His eyes flash as he grins, big and broad, showing beautiful white teeth beneath his stunning bronze skin. “That a challenge?”

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I swallow as he prowls towards me. I straighten my shoulders when he stops, staring down at me, sweat trickling down his forehead, muscles bulging. Jesus, this man is terrifying. No wonder his team is the best. “I think I sprained my ankle,” I squeak. Nak’s grin gets bigger. “That’ll just mean you have to try harder. Let’s go.” “Can’t it be Kyle?” I joke. “He’s much more fragile and weak.” Kyle grunts from the ropes and I flash him a shit-eating grin before following Nak to the training pads. The big man turns to me, arms spread out wide, and says, “Well then, take me down.” I snort, crossing my arms. “Because all criminals just stand there with their arms out, asking to be tackled to the ground.”

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“You want me to challenge you?” He winks. “Very well.” Then he lunges at me. I sidestep quickly and spin around just in time to miss his fist flying at my head. I drop to the ground and ram my head into his belly, wrapping my arms around his powerful form and pushing him back a few steps. He lets out a scratchy laugh before leaning down and wrapping his arms around my body, flipping me so I land on my back, staring up at him. “That was unfair,” I grunt. “On your feet, try again. If you want this, Laney, you have to work hard for it.” I get to my feet and yell, “I do work hard. Harder than these other naturally built, naturally muscled, naturally able to take down a criminal, men! I don’t have the muscle you

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guys do, so I work a whole lot harder than them.” “I don’t doubt it,” he says, jumping from one foot to the other. “But you still need to prove to me that you can do it.” “Fine,” I grunt. Then I lunge at him, swinging my right arm. He goes to swat it away and I grin, swinging my leg up and turning my body, swiftly hitting him in the hip. He grunts and spins around, throwing a punch towards my stomach. I take a few steps back and the moment I stop moving he lunges at me, all six feet of terrifying male. I think quickly and drop down low, catching him around the thighs and using all my body strength to drive my shoulder into the soft flesh there. “Fuck, I have balls, woman!” he grunts.

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“You never said I had to play fair.” I pant, shoving my shoulder harder into his groin. “You just said I have to take you down.” “Without making me infertile,” he barks, using his foot to kick mine out from beneath me. I go down, my face falling right into his groin as my legs go out from beneath me. My open, gasping mouth hits his … well … manly parts and I let go quickly, stumbling back onto the mat. I screech to the high heavens as laughter fills the room, and I realize everyone just saw my mouth cover my boss’ dick. I stick my tongue out and start rubbing it frantically. “Gross, oh God!” “How does boss cock taste?” Devon, another one of the team members, yells out through laughter.

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“Shut up, Dev,” Nak barks, but I can hear the humor in his voice. I look up at him, standing over me. “Why did you do that? I just got a mouthful of … of … ugh, oh my god.” He smirks. “I didn’t know you were going to try and take a bite, sweetheart.” “I wasn’t trying to take a bite,” I yell, standing and continuing to rub my fingers over my tongue as if that will do anything. “Looks like princess has a new move.” Kyle laughs from the sidelines. “So tell me, Laney, are you going to take down a guy by having a bite of his dick? I guess it’s an effective method. Whatever works for you. You are only a girl, after all.” My cheeks burn and shame rises in my belly. They think I’m a great big joke. All of

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them are standing there, laughing, so sure I’m never going to be a part of their team. “How do sweaty balls taste?” someone else yells out. “Aw, stop it,” Kyle croons. “Princess is upset.” They’ve called me princess since the moment I joined the team, and right up until now I’ve been okay with it—I took it goodnaturedly. Not today, though. Anger bubbles in my chest and shame rips through my veins, making my whole body feel tingly and hot. I shoot daggers at Kyle, and before I think about it, I charge towards him. His eyes widen for a split second before he takes a step back and his hands go up. He’s not quick enough, I catch him around the waist and he stumbles backwards, losing his footing. His big body sways and it’s not

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hard to shove once more with all my might and take him down. We go together, me landing on top of him. I straddle his hips and lift a hand, slapping his face so hard his head swings to the side. “Who’s a princess now, jackass!” I bark. Then I get off him, glaring at the rest of the team as I storm into the elevator.

CHAPTER THREE Knock knock. I ignore the knocking sound on my office door. Knock knock. Nope. I won’t look up. Whoever it is decides they’re going to come in anyway, and when I look up from the case paperwork I am studying, I see Nak standing in the doorway with a coffee in hand. He smiles at me and extends the cup. “Is that an ‘I forgive you for trying to eat my penis’ gift?” I mutter. He chuckles and walks in, closing the door behind him. He pulls the seat across

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from me out and sits down, sliding the cup towards me. “No, it’s because the way those men treated you out there was unfair.” “No, it was fact,” I say, staring at my hands. “They think I’m a big joke, and why wouldn’t they? I have yet to take any of them down.” “You got Kyle pretty good up in there.” I look up and his eyes are soft as he leans in close, putting his elbows on the table. “You’ve got what it takes, Laney, I don’t doubt it for a second. But I can’t let you out into the world until I’m confident you won’t get hurt. I care about my team, and I’m not ashamed of having a woman on that team.” “Aren’t you?” I whisper, meeting his eyes. “Shit no,” he says. “I didn’t hire you because I felt sorry for you, Laney. You’ve seen my team, I only take the best.”

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I drop my gaze to my hands. “Then you must have had a brain fart the day you met me, because I’m far from the best.” “Look at me,” he orders and I immediately look up. “I see raw talent in you, Delaney. I have seen it from the moment you walked in my doors looking for a job. Being a woman has nothing to do with having talent. You have to work harder, you have to be more focused, but it doesn’t mean you are incapable of doing the job. With the right training, a woman that’s half the size of you can take down a fully grown man.” “I’ve done all the training,” I whisper. “Yeah, you have. You just don’t believe in yourself.” I flinch, his words hitting me like a slap. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Nothing comes out because

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he’s right. I don’t believe in myself. Not really. I believe I’m capable, but I never push myself that extra mile. I guess I hold back because I’m scared. What waits outside those doors terrifies me and I’m so afraid of failing, of letting the team town, of letting myself down. “I do, it’s just…” “You don’t feel like you’re a part of the team,” he finishes for me. I look down again. He reaches over the desk and flicks my hand, making me look back up at him. “You’re as much a part of this team as any of those men in there, Delaney. Don’t let them make you feel any different. Prove yourself to them. You have all the training to take me down, to take any of them down. If you want a case, if you truly want it, show me.”

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With that, he stands up and exits the office. I sigh and put my head down on the desk. Show him? Do I truly have what it takes? God dammit, yes, I do. Tomorrow I’ll make sure I believe it, because I’m going to make him believe it too. * * * Shutting my mind off as I enter the training room the next morning isn’t easy. My face is expressionless as I walk with purpose towards Nak who is in the middle of the fighting pads, wrestling Duke. I’ve been thinking about this all night, and because of that I tossed and turned, but I’m still determined to show him I can do this. I can be the woman he believes me to be.

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He stops when he sees me approaching, and Duke steps off the pads when he sees me drop my bags. I don’t stop, I walk right up to Nak and throw a punch. He dodges it quickly, his face splitting into a wide smile. “Someone looks feisty this morning.” It doesn’t escape my notice that everyone has stopped what they’re doing to watch us, but I block it out. I block out that Nak is my boss, and instead see him as someone who is trying to hurt the person I am protecting. So when he throws a punch at me, I duck it and spin around behind him so quickly I surprise even myself. Shutting down my brain and putting my body into action mode, I take Nak’s arm and twist it angrily behind his back. He reacts equally as efficiently, and uses his free hand to take my arm and haul my

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body forward. I make sure my feet land correctly so I don’t go down, and spin around, driving my knee upwards. He moves his leg, protecting his man bits, but I don’t stop. With him still gripping my arm, I use my free hand to land a punch in his ribs as he’s focusing on protecting his junk. I have him in position, he’s grunting from the jab to the ribs and bent over slightly, now is my chance to fight him back. I shift my body and turn to the side, using my elbow to ram him in the nose. He takes a few steps back and I use the advantage that gives me, and lower my body, perfecting an amazing side kick that hits him in the back of the knees, bringing him down. As he goes down, I take hold of the back of his head and raise my knee up again, hitting him in the jaw.

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Nak always told us to fight dirty, even during practice. I can’t tell you how many bloody noses the guys have gotten. Of course I didn’t knee him nearly as hard as I would if he was an attacker, but the point has been made. When his hands hit the mat in front of him, I bring my foot up to his ribs once more, hitting him hard enough to send him flat onto his stomach. Then I throw myself on his back, grabbing one of his hands before he can move, and jerking it backwards. I’ve officially brought my boss down. Pride swells in my chest, and I’m panting with adrenaline as I carefully let him go and stand up. He rolls to his back and looks up at me with wide eyes, blood trickling from his nose and lip. “Mother fucker,” he grunts. “You did it.”

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A smile breaks out and I drop to my knees, offering him my hand. He takes it, jerking my body down so I fall beside him. We both roll to our backs and stare up at the ceiling. My taking him down lasted no more than a minute, all of my moves were quick and well thought out, not giving him the chance to think any of it through. I know I did good. “Fuck me, I think I need an ice pack for my nose,” he grumbles. I roll to my side and smile at him. “Sorry, boss.” “Don’t be sorry,” he says, sitting up. I go with him. “You proved to me and the rest of the team that you’re capable of being as good as them.” “So, is that it?” I ask hopefully. “Will you consider me for a case?”

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“Obviously I’m not just going to throw you in the deep end on your own, but the next case Kyle gets in, you can go out with him. If you can prove you can do your job efficiently with him, then you’ll start going out on your own. I want you training harder than you’ve ever trained now, Laney. I’m just one person, you gotta keep that shit up.” I swallow and meet his eyes. “Thank you, Nak. For believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.” His eyes grow warm. “I’ve believed in you since the minute you walked in my front door. I just needed to see you prove it.” I look over to the rest of the team, who are all watching with a range of different expressions on their faces. Some look impressed, others look just plain pissed off.

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“Now I guess I have to prove it to them,” I mumble. Nak turns to them. “That might take some time, but you’re on the right path. Congratulations, Delaney, you’re officially part of my team.” Finally.

CHAPTER FOUR Over the last six weeks I’ve been training with Kyle and Nak every day. Today I’m in the building training because I don’t have a case when Nak enters the training room and barks out my name, followed by Kyle’s. I’m busy on the climbing ropes, but at the tone of his voice I drop down and turn his way. He wiggles his finger, indicating I should come over. Curious, I head over, stopping in front of him. “Come with me, there’s someone I want you to meet.” I nod and glance at Kyle, who is studying the side of my face. Awkward. As we walk

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down the hall, I undo my hair and tidy it up, before tying another band around it so it’s in a high ponytail. We reach Nak’s office door and he pushes it open, stepping inside. I stop in my tracks when I see the man sitting on a chair beside the desk. I stop because my breath is sucked from my lungs. Just ripped out and tossed to the ground. I stare with wide eyes at what has to be the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen in my life. He isn’t the pretty kind of beautiful, he’s the scary kind of beautiful. The dangerous, deadly kind. His eyes flick to me and I struggle to keep my mouth closed. Holy hell. His face … it’s so blank. There’s no expression at all, he’s just staring at me as if I’m a picture on the wall. Nothing on his chiseled face moves, not a thing. I take a

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second to catch my breath as I take him in. He’s tall, I can’t tell how tall but by his long legs I know he’d tower over me. His body is big. I mean … big. This guy has shoulders that would make football stars weep. I can’t tell much more about his body, because he’s wearing a suit. It’s sexy on him, sexy in a way I never thought a suit could be. He’s got a simple black jacket over a white button-up shirt. The top two buttons are undone, revealing a firm, bronze patch of skin. His neck is corded, thick and sexy, coming up to a sharply angled face. He has a jaw that looks like it could break stones. Okay, that’s probably a stretch, but damn, he has a strong face. His nose is slightly bent, but it is in no way unattractive. His lips are full and he has a scar on his left cheek. It’s faint, but it adds

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to his scary demeanor. His eyes, though. Holy mother. His eyes are the oddest shade of grey. They aren’t blue grey, no, they’re pure grey. Like the shiny metal of a gun. Gunmetal grey. His hair is cropped short. Normally I don’t like this in a man, but it suits him. It makes him look terrifying, and certainly not like the kind of man who wears a suit. “Delaney, Kyle, meet Jaxson Shields. He’s the owner of the massive hotel chain, Elite Nights. He’s in need of a bodyguard and he’s come to me.” He needs a bodyguard? Him? Jaxson Shields? A man who looks like he could crush even Nak with a simple snap of his fingers? “What’s happening?” Kyle asks, jumping right in as he always does.

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I cross my arms and listen, considering it’s the first time I’ve been in the room when someone has requested our services. I’m curious to see how it all goes down. “What’s happened is my business,” Jaxson says. “I need protection, because I don’t have the time to be looking over my shoulder.” Holy gravelly voice. My skin prickles at the rich, thick, scratchy sound of his voice. “Fair enough,” Kyle says. “What kind of protection are we talking?” He directs this question at Nak. “Until the authorities can sort out the issue Jaxson is having, then it’ll be twentyfour/seven.” A full case. Holy hell. A full freaking case. “Jax,” Jaxson grunts.

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We all look to him. “I don’t like being called Jaxson. And I’ll need someone who can be at my side, as your boss said, twenty-four/seven. That means coming away with me on business, the lot.” Oh boy. Pick me! Nak turns to Kyle and me. “I’m putting Laney on this one, with Kyle as her backup. She’s been showing great progress in the last six weeks, and the six cases she’s done have been successful. She’s ready to take on a full-time case. You two can rotate, so you can have few days off in the time you’re working for Jax. Kyle, you will start out with Laney until she’s comfortable, then she can take the reins.” “A woman?”

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This comes from Jax, and we all turn to him again. He’s staring at me now, really looking at me. The muscle in his jaw is ticking, and he’s pissed way the hell off. “Have you got a problem with that, Jax?” Nak asks. “Delaney is one of my best. She’s capable of doing the same job any man can.” Jaxson fucking Shields snorts. Loud and obnoxious. “I highly doubt that.” “I can assure you of it,” Nak mutters. “No offense,” Jax grunts at me. “But I would rather have a man on my back. I’m not sure you can do anything for me if I’m in danger. Hell, I could knock you on your ass with the flick of my hand.” The arrogant piece of shit. “Would you like to try that?” I challenge, crossing my arms.

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He stands. I was right, he is tall. At least six feet. He stalks towards me and stops, glaring into my eyes. “I absolutely would.” “Mr. Shields,” Nak grates out. “Unfortunately the rest of my team is fully booked. Kyle has a few weeks before he starts another case, and then Delaney is the only one I have left. She’s it. You either take her or you don’t, but I can assure you that you won’t find another bodyguard in this area as good as the people on my team.” Jax tears his scowl from me and aims it at Nak. “I have money. I can find another bodyguard.” “Away you go then,” Nak challenges. “But if you’ve done your homework, you’ll know that the most elite bodyguards are on my team. If you want one of the same caliber, you’re going to have to splash out big and

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pull one from another state. But there are clear advantages to having a bodyguard who has experience living and working in the city. If you’re willing to forgo that, then we’re finished here.” Jax’s jaw tightens, and I know as well as Nak does that he’d be paying a shit load of money to pull one in from another state. At least double what he’s paying us, and he’s not guaranteed to get a good one. Nak has made a name for himself, people come far and wide to get his team. “You’re asking me to put my life in the hands of a female?” Jax spits. “If you’d like to try her out,” Nak says, waving a hand at me. “Be my guest.” Jax turns to me, and his eyes narrow. “As a matter of fact,” he says, his voice low. “I would.”

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Oh shit. * * * I stand on the training mat, staring at Jax. He’s taken off his shoes, his jacket, and is only wearing a white button-up shirt and his pants. His hard eyes are trained on me. I swallow, because the nerves inside my body are on high alert. If I screw this up, I am losing my chance at getting a big case. Working that often is a big deal, and if the other guys weren’t booked up, I know they would all jump at the chance. These are the kind of jobs that make your career. I would have preferred a few more small cases but a 24/7 case is massive. But that is how Nak runs things. Once someone passes their training, they are handed big cases right from the word go. Nak has some

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warped belief that it makes them the best, because they’re thrown right into the middle of it. Even though I was the one held back the longest, I know Nak must believe in me to throw me in the deep end after such a short time. “Well,” Jax grunts. “Are you going to show me what you’ve got, girl?” Girl. He’s doing that on purpose. The asshole. “Sure,” I say casually. “When you come at me. Don’t tell me you’re scared?” He bares his teeth at me, then steps forward. No lunging. Not Jax, he’s confident, it’s written all over him. He doesn’t need a surprise attack, because he believes he can take me down without it. He’s wrong. When his arm swings out to catch me, I step to the left and swing my body around in a fierce

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kick, loving how it feels when it connects with his hip. He grunts and his hand lashes out, catching my foot while it’s still in the air. He jerks it and I bounce forward on the one still on the floor. I take the chance to catch him off guard and perform a pretty impressive maneuver, using my free foot to hook around his leg, then while he’s holding my other foot, I jerk and pull his leg hard. He stumbles and drops me. I land on my back and bounce up quickly. Now he lunges at me. He captures me in a headlock and I laugh, reaching around and pinching the skin behind his leg, hard. He bellows and his muscles flex around my head before he lets me go. He moves quick, which is rather impressive, and his foot lashes out, tripping me.

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I fall to my back and his body comes down over mine, capturing my hands and shoving them above my head. “What now, girl?” I grin at him, then I take a deep breath and slam my forehead into his face. Nak taught us all this little trick when we first started. There’s a certain spot on your head that if you hit someone else, it doesn’t hurt so much. You don’t have to hit hard, because if you get them in the right spot it sends them into a daze. In this case, I slammed my forehead into his nose. He rears back and frees my hands. I use my free hand to drive my palm into his jaw and he falls to his side. I take the chance to push my boot into his side and roll him to his stomach. He tries to push up but I’ve already got one of his hands. I jerk it up behind his back and he grunts in

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pain. I lean down and whisper into his ear, “Not bad for a girl, hey?” Then I let him go and stand up. Nak, Kyle and I watch as he pushes up and gets to his feet. He turns to us and there’s blood dripping from his nose. Nak is doing a poor job at hiding the pride in his eyes, and Kyle is grinning. Jax’s eyes shoot to me and narrow. Then he turns towards Nak and grunts, “Fine, but if she screws up, know that I’ll be on your back, and I’ll be riding it fucking hard.” Nak nods. “She won’t screw up. Laney is more than capable of protecting you.” Jax glares at me again. “We’ll see.” He’s still not convinced. I’ll change that.

CHAPTER FIVE Nak paces the room while Kyle and I sit, watching him. He’s listing off all the rules that come with protecting Jax. I’m listening, trying to get them all in while suffocating my nerves and trying desperately to bring out my brave. This is my first major case and I can’t afford to screw it up. I need to be professional and efficient and alert. “Jax works a lot, and he’s paying extra for full protection. Which means you will be on duty with him at all times. He has areas you can rest and stay when he’s at his hotels or in his office or apartment, he will advise you of those when you start. He travels a lot, too.

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When he does, you will be in an adjoining room. Any events he travels to, you will accompany him. If he asks you to join him, you will do that too. When he’s at home, he will have a room for you. You are expected to swap shifts, so you can both catch up on sleep and spend time with your families.” “How am I to be by Delaney’s side for the first period if I’m sleeping while she’s working?” Kyle points out. Nak almost glares at him, almost. “Delaney is not incapable, Kyle. I will have you both together as much as possible. For example, if you are with Jax at his home, you can take turns while the other sleeps, considering he will always have a space for you to be able to rest. You will be close if Delaney needs you, but she also gets the chance to prove herself on her own.”

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I smirk at Kyle, who glares at me. “Jax is a difficult man, and he doesn’t like his space being crowded, but he feels uneasy enough to want you there. When you’re at his house, you stay outside his door, or out of his line of sight. When you’re on the street, you don’t smother him. You are sworn to keep anything you see with him private, so make sure you do. His personal life is none of your business, so keep out of it.” We both nod. “He travels a lot, so that’s something you both need to be prepared for. This is a big job. He needs round the clock protection.” “Do we know why?” Kyle asks. Nak nods slightly. “I do, however I am only able to tell you so much.”

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“How are we supposed to protect him if we don’t know what we’re looking out for?” Kyle mutters. Nak shoots him a look. “All you need to know is that Jax is in a significant amount of danger. He saw something he shouldn’t have and the police are involved. There’s word that the particular people in question know that Jax was a witness and is speaking to authorities, and there’s fear they’ll come after him to make sure he doesn’t share any more information.” My skin prickles. That’s horrible. “That means this case is dangerous. You need to keep your eyes open. These people aren’t going to be aiming for you, so you’re relatively safe, but if they decide to come after Jax, you could be in the line of fire. You need to think ahead, think of ways you can

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keep him safe when he’s out in public. Are you sure you’re both up for this?” He’s looking at me, because he knows Kyle is well and truly up for it. “Do you think I’m ready?” I ask pointedly. “I think you have what it takes, Laney. I need to know you believe that, too. It’s a big case, I’m throwing you right into the middle of the world you’ve fought so hard to be in. Kyle will be right there with you until we’re both sure you can handle it on your own, but I have no doubt that won’t be long.” So really, he’s not fully trusting me the way he did with everyone else. None of them had an escort, they all got to move right into it on their own. I’m okay with that—I think. “I’m ready,” I say, raising my chin. He nods. “I have done a full folder up on Jaxson Shields. Read it, familiarize yourself

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with him—to fully understand the job, you need to know the ins and outs of his life and everyone in it. You will be paid well for this. The details of that are in the folder, also. You both start tomorrow.” Tomorrow. Tomorrow my hard work becomes a reality.

CHAPTER SIX The dude is a manwhore. I’m reading Jax’s file, and I may or may not have done a heap of Googling. From what I can see, he’s very, very rich, extremely well known, excessively popular and has a different girl on his arm each night. Well, that’s what gossip magazine articles told me anyway. They must be true. I snort and flick through the file some more, staring at pictures of the hotels, Jax’s apartment, his office, and the security systems he has in place. Not bad but we’ve ordered better ones to be put in, for safety’s sake.

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He owns twenty-three hotels across the United States. Twenty. Three. They are all hugely successful. His first one is here in Denver, which he opened about eight years ago. It took off like a rocket and he opened a chain of them. I have never been inside any of them, but I have heard they’re amazing. Not only do they boast amazing rooms, but also incredible bars and restaurants all in the same place. Let’s not forget the expensive casinos in each. Because it’s not a hotel without a casino, right? With a huff, I flip the folder closed and lay back on my bed. I’ve packed everything I need. I don’t know how much I’m going to see my house in the next few months, but Jed assured me he would come by often and check on things to make sure everything is

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fine, plus with my aunt and uncle next door, I’m sure it’ll be okay. “Laney?” I lift my head at the sound of Aunt Bett’s voice echoing through my apartment. I push off my bed and plod out into the living area, to see her standing, smiling at me. Aunt Bett is a tiny woman, but don’t let that fool you, she’s a pocket rocket and doesn’t take any rubbish from anyone. She’s beautiful, even now her raven black hair has little strands of grey. Her blue eyes are full of knowledge and rimmed with laughter lines. Aunt Bett is always smiling. “Hey, Aunt Bett,” I say, walking over and wrapping my arms around her. “How are you, love? I haven’t heard from you in a few days.”

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I pull back and smile down at her. “I got my first major case.” Her eyes widen and she smiles. “You did?” “Yep, it’s the one I’ve been waiting for. I’m so happy.” Fear flashes over her face. She supports my job choice, but it scares her, I know it does. I place a gentle hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, I’m trained for this, Aunt Bett.” “Oh, I know.” She smiles. “But it doesn’t mean I can’t worry about you.” “I would think you were ill if you didn’t.” He face gets even more gentle, her eyes softening and relief washing through her features. “So, tell me about this case.” I only tell her what I can, and let her know that it’s pretty much all day every day so I might not see her and Uncle George a

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lot, but I promise to call every few days. She makes a cup of tea for us both as she listens, and then we both sit on my patio, staring out at the city lights. “Are you nervous?” she asks me, sliding a cookie towards me. I shrug. “Sure, I guess. I’m more worried I’ll do something wrong. All the training in the world can’t prepare me for the real thing. I mean, I can defend myself, but it’s knowing when a person is dangerous or not that’s getting me. The small cases I’ve done weren’t anything like this—this man needs constant protection.” She waves a finger. “You’re going to be amazing at this. You’re the smartest girl I know. Go with your gut, it’s always right.”

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“But what if it isn’t?” I question. “How will I know, if someone looks suspicious, if they’re actually a bad person?” “You don’t, you just go with it. Keep him out of danger the best you can, and if you feel threatened you act on that threat.” “When did you get so smart?” I grin at her. “I’ve always been smart,” she laughs. “How’s Uncle George doing with his newest interest?” Uncle George is a retired doctor. He’s gone through many new interests to keep him busy. First it was painting, which he failed epically at. Then came the cooking classes—Uncle George burns toast. Now he’s trying his hand at carving. Aunt Bett snorts.

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“He carved an alligator. It looks like a run-over snake.” I laugh loudly. “Poor Uncle George, he’ll find his talent eventually.” “Oh,” she says, standing. “He has a talent, love. It’s called sleeping, passing gas and annoying the ever-living shit out of me.” I burst out laughing and stand too, following her inside. “Have you seen Jed lately?” “He came by with Mitch this afternoon,” she says, washing up our cups. Then she turns and hugs me again. “I’ve had visits with all my favorites today, I can sleep a happy woman.” I squeeze her tight. “I’ll call you, Aunt Bett.” “You make sure you do.”

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She pats my shoulder and then heads out, shutting my door behind her. I walk over and lock it, then I flick out the living area lights and head to my bathroom. Once I’m showered and ready for bed, I slide beneath my covers, figuring I had better get some good rest tonight, because I don’t know how much I’ll get tomorrow. I’m just about to flick my lamp off, when my phone buzzes with a text message. I groan and reach over, taking it off the bedside table. It’s Kyle. Kyle—Are you ready for tomorrow? Have you done your homework? Of course I’m ready. What does he think I’m doing? Having a party? Delaney—Of course I have. I’m not stupid.

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Kyle—I never said you were, I’m your supervisor, I’m just checking. Delaney—You’re assisting, Nak never said the word supervisor. Stop talking yourself up. You’ll get a big head. Kyle—Too late for that. Be at my place by seven. Delaney—Why your place? Why can’t you come here? Kyle—My place is closer to where Jaxson works. Of course it is. He probably paced it out just to make sure. Delaney—Fine, I’m going to sleep. Kyle—Sweet dreams, princess. Jerk. I shove my phone back on the bedside table and roll to my side, sighing and closing my eyes.

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Tomorrow all my efforts either pay off or shatter into a thousand tiny pieces. * * * Holy hell. Jaxson Shields works from his main Elite hotel, and it’s massive. I’ve never seen it, because I don’t often come to the nicer side of Denver, but this … this is huge. I’m talking thirty floors, at least, and so flash it makes its competitors look, well, pathetic. The outside has stunning, big stone arches on the bottom floor, slowly narrowing up to a point at the top. It’s kind of like a tower, only the most magnificent tower I’ve ever seen. Kyle and I walk through the front doors, and are immediately greeted by staff wanting to help us. They are incredibly friendly, and lead us to the golden, shiny reception desk.

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Six ladies are behind that desk, on phones, talking to customers and smiling. One stops and looks to us. “Welcome, how may I be of assistance this morning?” I blink. Kyle answers. “We’re here for Mr. Shields. We’re his new security.” She studies us, me mostly, and then nods and picks up the phone. We both take a seat while we wait. I shift uncomfortably in my long black pants. I’m not used to looking so … professional. I still haven’t gotten comfortable in our uniform, but Kyle assures me the more I wear it, the sooner I will. It consists of black pants and a shortsleeved black polo top with the company logo right over my left breast. The top is tight fitting, and I’ve spent my entire morning

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squirming, trying to ease it up. We’re fitted with radios, a handgun—which we had full training for before we could use it—a Taser and for me, pepper spray. Whatever, I chose to take it. I have a little earpiece that connects me to Kyle, and a small speaker attached to my shirt. “Mr. Shields will see you now, allow me to escort you.” We both look up to see a young man in a black suit smiling down at us. Standing, I run my hand over my neat hair that’s pulled back in a ponytail, to make sure I look respectable. Kyle pushes to his feet, his face stoic. Then we follow the man towards the lift. My heart is pounding by the time we step inside. God, I hope I don’t screw this up. It seems like it takes us long minutes to get to the top floor of the building, when

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really it probably took less than thirty seconds. The elevator dings open and we all step out into a long hall. The man leads us to the door right at the end of the hall, that has the number 532 on it. God, are there five hundred rooms in this hotel? I know this is considered one of his smaller buildings. I wonder how big his other ones are. The man knocks on the door and a moment later, a gruff voice calls out, “Yeah, come in.” He pushes the door open, and Kyle steps in front of me and goes in first. Gritting my teeth, I step into the massive space behind him. I stop dead in my tracks and my mouth falls open. The room is ginormous. No, seriously, it must take up half a damned floor. The first thing I see is the massive desk in

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front of floor-to-ceiling windows, and at that desk sits Jax Shields. To the left of his gigantic desk is a door that leads into a room. A proper bedroom, with an elegant bed, a sofa and a little dining area. I have no idea if that room continues on, but my first thought is man, this dude seriously works too much if his office and bedroom are in the same place. To the right, I glimpse a massive bathroom. Yep, fully fitted out to live in at all times. Poor guy clearly has no life. In this main living area, there are floorto-ceiling bookshelves on the front wall, which is interesting. Jaxson Shields doesn’t seem like the type to read, however the shelves are packed. Those might come in handy in the hours where boredom takes me

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over. My eyes go back to the desk, where Jax is sitting, and my heart skips a beat. Today he’s wearing a suit similar to the one that he was wearing when I met him, only this time the shirt beneath it is dark blue, giving him an even more rugged edge. My eyes travel over his face, over those grey eyes, and settle on his lips. God he’s good looking. I shake my head, snapping myself out of it. I can hardly be an effective bodyguard if I’m ogling him instead of doing my job. “That’s all, Ken,” Jax says and the man who led us up here nods and leaves the room. Kyle steps forward, professional as ever, back straight and face blank. “If you wouldn’t mind allowing us to take a few minutes to go over your weekly schedules, that would be

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appreciated. We want to make sure we have planned security ahead of time.” Jax studies him, then his eyes finally move to me and his jaw goes tight. I know he isn’t happy with having me on the job, but he’s obviously worried enough that he’s given himself no choice. “Are you going to be with her at all times?” Jax asks, nodding at me. Kyle looks to me, then back to Jax. “For a few weeks, yes. Then we’ll be swapping shifts.” “Not sure I’m comfortable with her being on her own.” I bristle, but keep my mouth shut and stand straight, face blank, copying Kyle. “That’s something you need to discuss with Nak. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to go over your schedule for the week.”

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Jax turns and glares at Kyle, and I smother a laugh. Kyle won’t take that well. He’s not the kind of man that enjoys someone more dominant than him. Still, he takes it like a boss and doesn’t even flinch. Jax holds his eyes for a long moment, then finally turns and reaches into a filing cabinet behind him, bringing out two yellow folders. He places them on his desk and slides them towards us. We both take one and sit down in the seats beside us. I open my folder and it’s filled with information, schedules, phone numbers and contacts. Jax starts talking as we flip through them. “This week is busy. I’ll be here at least two times during the evenings. There’s a room next to this one that has all the basics. You can both take turns resting

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in there. Whoever is with me will be in the room with me at all times, obviously.” We both nod. “I have a charity event on Friday night, I’ll need someone to accompany me. I figure that’s where the girl can come in handy, as she can dress up and act as a guest, while being by my side and providing security.” The girl. The girl. I slap the folder down. I can be professional, and do my job properly, but I deserve the same respect anyone in my position would get. “Delaney,” I snap. His eyes shoot to me and Kyle’s head swivels, and he too gives me a truly ugly look. I ignore it and glare at Jax. “What?” he growls.

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“My name is Delaney, not the girl. I’m showing you respect, Mr. Shields, I expect the same in return.” “Who is paying you?” he hisses. “That’s beside the point…” “Delaney!” Kyle snaps, reaching over and curling his fingers around my wrist, squeezing in warning. “Enough.” I bite my lip when really all I want to do is scream and tell him exactly what I think of him. The arrogant, chauvinistic pig. I straighten, wipe my face blank of emotion and mutter, “Very well, what else?” Jax blinks at me, then shakes his head and mumbles something under his breath, before continuing. “I have two lunches during the week that I will need to be accompanied to. Also, I have one dinner, with a,” he hesitates, “client. And

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four business meetings, two inside this building, two at other locations. The other nights I will be spending at my apartment. I trust you both have the full layout of my apartment, as well as these offices?” We both nod. “Good,” he mutters. “This elevator takes me down to the underground car park, and that’s where I will be traveling from. I prefer leaving from a secure location, instead of getting into a car parked on the street.” “We’ll have all of that covered, Mr. Shields, I assure you,” Kyle says, finally letting go of my arm. It was taking all my effort not to jerk my arm away and hiss at him. “Fine,” Jax grunts. “Today I have a meeting downtown in about an hour, then I’m

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here for the rest of the day. Tonight I’ll be at my apartment.” Kyle stands. “Good, I’ll go down and secure the car for your departure in an hour. Delaney, you will stay with Mr. Shields while I do that.” Jax looks like he wants to strangle Kyle for leaving me in here with him, but he says nothing. Kyle shoots me a warning look, then disappears out the door. I turn to Jax. He ignores me, flicking open his laptop computer and staring at the screen, his expression blank. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, so I go with common sense and scan the room, looking for any ways someone could harm Jax while he’s under my supervision. “You have poor desk positioning,” I say suddenly,

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realizing that his desk is right in front of the massive windows. His head jerks up and he spits, “Did I ask you to speak?” “I’m your security, Mr. Shields, and I feel you are in a dangerous position with your desk in front of a window.” “We’re at the top of the damned building.” I walk over to the window, and he swivels his chair around to watch me. I point to the line of buildings across the street. “A person with a gun could stand on any one of those buildings and take a shot in here.” Jax doesn’t say anything, so I stare at him. He’s looking at the buildings. “My windows are tinted.”

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“Sir, with all due respect, snipers have high-end technology that can look through simple tinting.” He flinches. Then, before I can say any more, he stands. He puts both his big hands on his desk and pushes it, causing cords to be yanked out of the wall as he moves the massive desk to the left, where there’s a big, empty space away from the window. He positions the desk, and then turns and stares out the window again, to make sure he can’t see any buildings. I stand there blinking, shocked he actually took my advice seriously. I watch as he picks up all his things and just like that, he’s rearranged his office. He doesn’t look at me as he gets back to work as if nothing happened. I’m stunned for a moment, but quickly walk across the room, staring out the window, scouring the buildings

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and then walking through the massive floor to do a basic check. When I return, my radio crackles and Kyle’s voice comes across the speaker in my ear. “Delaney, we’ve got a bit of an issue down here. I’ll be back up in about half an hour. Stay with Mr. Shields, and until I give the all clear, don’t let him leave the room.” I quickly respond, the way I’ve been taught. “Copy that, all is well up here.” I want to ask what is happening, but we have strict instructions to keep the radio lines as clear as possible by only passing on essential information. They’re not “cell phones,” as Nak often drilled into us. My heart rate kicks up as I join Jax again, and see he’s still tapping away at his laptop, his face tight. I’m supposed to just stand quietly

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by a door, but I really want to ask him questions. Like, what happened? How does he feel about me being here? How did he become so important? How did he manage to build such a huge business at a young age? Is he truly a manwhore? Are the magazines right? Is he scared? What does he do for fun? I ask none of this, and instead take my place by the door and stare out the window, occasionally glancing at Jax. “Just fucking ask,” he suddenly says and I flinch, turning towards him to see he’s studying me. “Ask what?” “You’re fidgeting, and you keep fucking staring at me. Obviously you want to ask something, so just do it so I can get back to work.”

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I wish I could, but I have strict instructions to be professional and only answer questions when I need to. “It’s fine, Mr. Shields,” I say, keeping my voice monotone. “Call me Jax or sir, but not Mr. Shields,” he demands and I nod. “Now ask the damned questions.” “I don’t want to ask questions,” I say, trying to keep my calm. “You think I’m stupid, girl?” “No I do not, boy,” I drawl. He crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. “Are you always so smart?” I smile sweetly. “Of course. I didn’t get this job by being stupid.” I’m inwardly laughing, because I know that’s not what he meant.

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His eyes narrow into slits and god, he looks even better when he’s impatient. “You’re practically squirming to open up all that sass onto me. It’s killing you to have to be professional, isn’t it?” He grunts, and I try to ignore how his biceps flex beneath his suit. I keep my face straight. “No, sir, it isn’t.” A flicker of amusement crosses his face, before he asks again, “Are you going to ask me what it is you need to know?” “I don’t need to know anything.” I shrug, staring out the window. “No, I don’t like having a bodyguard,” he says, and I narrow my eyes but don’t look at him. “Yes, I could take down a man on my own, but not a man with a gun, from a distance, so I don’t have much choice in having

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you here. Yes, everything you read in the magazines is true.” My eyes flick to him, surprised he is basically reading my mind, and he grins, but it’s cocky. So he is a manwhore, interesting. “No, I’m not happy about you being a woman, but I don’t have a choice about that either, so I deal.” I say nothing but our eyes are locked. “Yes, I spend my life in an office that has a bedroom because I work harder than I live—I’ve been the same since I finished high school.” I swallow, but make no move to show any interest. “No, I don’t have a criminal past that put me in the position of needing security. It was

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a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” I want to say something to that, desperate to know how he got into this situation, but once again I keep my mouth closed. “Yes, I’m only thirty and built my business up with hard work and effort, and nothing more. I was determined and got what I wanted.” I blink. “That’s all you’re going to get from me unless you open your mouth and ask, which I’m giving you a matter of seconds to do before I close you down and don’t speak to you unless I need to. Oh, and let me tell you one more thing … I’m impatient and I’m short tempered. Do your job, and stay out of my way—that’s all that really matters in the scheme of things.”

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“Like I didn’t figure that out on my own,” I mumble under my breath. “I also don’t like people who don’t speak their minds, but instead hide it behind a mumble or gossip.” I jerk and glare at him. “Forgive me, sir, but you need to understand that speaking my mind isn’t part of my job.” “I didn’t peg you as being someone who was scared.” I raise my brows. “Then you’re wrong, my job is far more important than telling you what I truly think of you.” He uncrosses his arms and opens his mouth to answer, but the door opens and Kyle enters. He looks to me, then to Jax and his rearranged desk, and suspicion fills his features. “Everything okay in here?”

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I shrug. “Fine, I just made the suggestion that Mr. Shields here shouldn’t have his desk by the window.” I don’t miss Jax flinch at my use of his professional name. Kyle, on the other hand, stares at me with an impressed look on his face. “Good call.” Inside I’m bursting with pride. “Thanks.” He turns back to Jax. “We’re ready to escort you out, when you’re good to go.” Jax grunts and shoots another look in my direction, but I keep my eyes to the window with a sly smile on my face. He takes a few minutes to get ready and while he does, Kyle turns to me. “We had a slight incident downstairs.” My brows go up and I step forward. “What was it?”

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“There was a car driving past, it did so about five times and it was suspicious. I couldn’t see in the windows, but it was definitely a concern. We have secured Mr. Shields’ car in the lot underground, with two men watching it while we escort him down. We’ll need to keep our eyes peeled. It could be nothing but we can’t take that chance.” “I understand.” “When we arrive at the meeting, I’m handing you the reins. You get out of the car while I take Jax’s side. You go inside, you scan the areas he will be, including the men’s bathrooms if need be. You make sure all is clear before calling for me to bring him in.” My heart kicks up a notch. He’s giving me the chance to do my job. I’m terrified, worried I might miss something, but at the same time I can’t wait to prove my worth. I give

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Kyle a nod and he studies my face, before walking towards the door to wait. I follow his lead and the minute Jax is ready, we escort him down to the car. I take in all of Kyle’s actions, watching and learning from his every move. He’s a smart man, and he knows what he’s doing when it comes to protecting someone. I’m not stupid enough to pretend that he can’t help me be a better bodyguard. I take in everything he does, from stepping through doors last, keeping his body behind Jax’s, scanning every space and keeping his eyes on people approaching, watching any fast movements. I copy his lead, doing the same thing where I can. There’s a lot to look for, and it’s daunting. When we reach the parking lot, Kyle and I scan Jax’s car once more, even though Kyle

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already did it, just to be doubly certain he’s safe. When we decide it’s safe, Jax gets in, sitting in the middle seat. Kyle says it’s safest for him to be there. Both of us slide in on either side of him, then the driver gets in and we pull out. I scan every car that goes past us, even though the windows are tinted so no one can see inside. I watch for any following us and catch Kyle doing the same thing. It’s a roomy car, but I can still feel Jax’s thigh touching mine. I try to ignore how it warms my skin beneath my pants, but I fail. Instead I’m fighting the urge to move closer. None of us say anything during the ride and when we stop at the hotel where Jax is having his meeting, I reach for the door handle. Before I can pull it and start my

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scouring, which I’m desperate to begin, Jax turns to Kyle and demands, “You’re not trusting her to check for threats, are you?” I stiffen and turn to shoot an angry scowl in Jax’s direction. Kyle stares at him, then his eyes flick to me. “If that makes you uncomfortable,” he begins, but I don’t let him finish. I pull the door handle and shoot Jax a look. “I’m not incapable of protecting your life, Mr. Shields. I’ve had the same training as Kyle and will do everything in my power to keep you safe. Now, if you’ll excuse me.…” I move to get out of the car, but before my feet even hit the ground, Jax curls his fingers around my wrist and tugs me back in. “No offense, sweetheart, but you’re new and you don’t have the same training as Kyle.”

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“It has nothing to do with training, does it, sir,” I say through gritted teeth. “But it does have to do with what’s between my legs.” Jax’s eyes widen and Kyle clears his throat to argue, but I don’t let either of them speak. “If you wish to discriminate against me, do it on your own time, sir. Right now, I am going to make sure you’re protected,” I say in a stiff voice. “Now release me, before I make you.” “I’d like to see you try,” Jax says gruffly, and that sends an odd shiver right through my spine. I stare into his eyes. “I believe I’ve already tried, and won.” His jaw tics.

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I jerk my wrist free and climb out of the car before he can get another word in.

CHAPTER SEVEN I hold my head high and keep my expression blank as I enter the hotel. I scan the streets before pushing the door open and entering. I keep my eye on every single person, including the receptionist who points me towards the meeting room when I show her my identification. I walk carefully down the halls until I reach a door at the end of the first floor, right near the elevator. I push the door open and step inside. There are five men sitting around the table and I instantly freeze. I’ve not thought of the fact that other people would be here, I mean of course they would, it’s a damned meeting.

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I quickly clear my expression as best I can and give a curt nod, introducing myself. “My name is Delaney. I’m Mr. Shields’ security.” They nod, some of them giving me long looks, suspicious even. They’re no doubt wondering why Jaxson needs security. When they all turn away, I wonder what my next move is. Am I supposed to ask them if they’re carrying weapons? I mean what if one of them is, and they take a shot? My heart pounds and I quickly step out of the room, taking a deep breath. I decide to call in to Kyle. I lift my radio and press the button. “I’ve checked the area and all seems clear. I’m in the meeting room, there are five men. What is the protocol when it comes to them? Over.”

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Kyle replies immediately. “You need to ask them to lift their jackets, you won’t miss a gun. Ask them to turn, look to make sure there are no specific bulges that don’t look right. Radio in when you’re done. Over and out.” I take a deep shaky breath. Great, I now have to go in there and ask every one of them to lift their jackets. I push the door open and step back inside, squaring my shoulders and using my loudest voice to call, “Gentlemen, if you would be so kind, please stand and remove your jackets, so I can be assured you have no weapons.” They stand, as if this is something they’ve done before. One speaks, however. He’s older than the rest in the group, with wispy grey hair and angry brown eyes. He’s tall and

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super lean. “What’s the little bastard done now?” I don’t answer, even though I’m shocked he would speak about Jax like that, and he shoots me a look. “Did he knock one of his whores up and now she’s after revenge?” I grind my jaw. What a pig—he has no right to speak about another person that way, even if he doesn’t like Jax. “Or maybe he’s been up to no good in the criminal world and it backfired?” He stares at me expectantly, but I simply remain quiet even though I want to go over and punch him right in the nose. “Let me guess, you’re not allowed to tell us why you’re asking us to strip down.”

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“No disrespect, sir,” I say through clenched teeth. “But I’m simply asking you to remove your jacket.” He grunts at me and the other four men in the room drop their jackets on the table. Finally, he does too. I go around, feeling their jackets and then giving them a onceover with my eyes. None of them are packing, at least, they aren’t packing in the usual places. I’m sure if one of them has a gun squeezed between their butt cheeks, we’ll know well before they manage to get it out. “Thank you all for your cooperation. Mr. Shields will be right with you.” Ten minutes later, Jax successfully and safely joins his meeting. Maybe this is going to work out after all. * * *

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I’m busy drowning in my own thoughts when the meeting door opens and Jax steps out. I jerk and turn, hating that he caught me off guard. Already I’m not as alert as I should be. Jax turns his angry grey eyes to me and then flicks them from left to right. “Where’s Kyle?” “He had to go assist another team member.” Jax’s jaw tightens. “So now I’m left with you? Are they fucking serious?” I want to reach over and strangle him, but I don’t. I understand his frustration, I really do. He probably feels unsafe with a woman protecting him. My protector role goes against everything he’s been taught to believe about men and women.

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“I assure you that you will be safe with me, Jaxson. I’ve been trained extensively for this.” He looks to me, and then sighs. “I have to use the bathroom.” Oh god. Seriously? I had never thought of bathroom breaks. Of course the man has to relieve himself, which means I have to go and scan the space before he can go in. “Let’s go then,” I say, my cheeks heating. Jax notices and his eyebrows shoot up. “Scared of men’s bathrooms, are you, kitten?” He did not just call me kitten. “Please don’t ever call me that again, and no, I’m not scared. If you’ll follow me…” I turn and when Jax steps in front of me I walk slightly behind him until we reach the

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restroom. I push the door open and then gasp and scrunch my nose up. “Good lord, what the hell!” Jax steps in beside me and makes a choking sound. The smell in this room is so bad, I want to vomit but I’m too scared to, because that would mean I have to go towards the toilets and that is never going to happen. “What do you men do in here? Kill animals and let them decay? Sweet Jesus,” I cry out, holding my nose as I walk to each stall and push the door open to make sure no danger lurks for Jax. “Fuck me,” Jax grunts. “That’s wrong.” “Ugh, I’m waiting by the door.” I walk towards the door and Jax looks over to me. “Scared you might see something you like?”

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My eyebrows shoot up. “In a smelly bathroom? I don’t think so. It kind of ruins the mood, wouldn’t you say?” His eyes scan my face. “You’re supposed to protect me, if you go outside then you’re not doing that.” Jerk is testing me. “Don’t be difficult, Jaxson. You know I can wait outside.” “And someone could come through the window,” he says, pointing to the large window. “And I could run back in,” I point out. He’s teasing now. Damn him. “They could shoot me while you’re out there.” He takes his pants and starts unzipping them. His hand moving slowly, almost sexually. His eyes are on mine and he knows

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exactly what he’s doing. My cheeks burn and I squeak, “You’ll be fine, off you go.” “You’re not afraid of me, are you, kitten?” “Afraid?” I snort. “I’ve seen more penises than I can count, thank you very much.” Oh God. That did not sound good, not at all. “I mean,” I stammer. “I work with men so I’ve seen penis, I mean…” God, someone shut me up. “I mean there’s locker rooms, and I’ve been in them, and seen … penis,” I squeak. He grins and holy shit, it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen—it also makes my cheeks burn hotter. I snap my mouth shut and spin quickly, slipping on the tiled floor. Jax’s hand lashes out and catches me before I go down, and he jerks me upright, pulling my back flush against his chest. He leans

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down and whispers into my ear, “I thought you were the bodyguard, and yet here I am saving you. I think you might need more training.” Asshole. “Enjoy your bathroom break, Mr. Shields,” I say stiffly, shoving out of his arms and marching out of the room. When the door swings closed behind me, I sigh and press my back against the wall. I’m an epic failure. I just said the word penis so many times the man probably thinks I’m nuts. I scrub my hands over my face and take a few calming breaths. Get it together, Delaney. Act professional. Don’t let him taunt you. Don’t let him get to you. The door swings open a minute later and Jax walks out. He stares at me with

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amusement in his eyes, then he stretches his arm out. “Aren’t you going to take me back?” Jerk. I wave my arm. “After you, sir.” His eyes flash and he turns, walking towards the meeting room. When we arrive, I open the door and glance in. All the same men are still there, so I step aside for Jax. When he’s safely resumed his meeting, I shut the door quietly. Then I close my eyes a second and gather my thoughts. I can do this. I can. I will.

CHAPTER EIGHT We break for the day a few hours later, and I take Jax downstairs for refreshments before he’s due to leave. When we step into the elevator, I do a quick scan before finding a spot close to him, but not so close that I’m in his space. He’s talking to his business associates still, and I’m keeping my eyes moving, looking for any suspicious activity. There seems to be none, so I relax. I wonder where Kyle is? I can’t check my phone, so I just keep on doing my job, hoping he’ll come back soon. I glance around, watching everyone interacting and finding it rather fascinating. All

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these people seem so professional, yet their conversations are so, well, bratty. They’re complaining about another person, something someone did, and generally whining about life. Bitter fools. Something catches my eye to the lefthand side of the room, and I turn my head, glancing at one woman and one man standing just outside the sectioned area. They’re whispering, their faces serious¸ and then the girl, a tall brunette, fixes her eyes on Jax. My heart speeds up and I step a few paces closer to her, until I can hear what she’s saying. “It is him, I’m sure of it. It’s too hard to tell from back here.” “Yeah, it’s him. You need to go in there,” the man says. “Element of surprise always works best.”

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Surprise? My heart starts pounding. “Fine, but if this ends badly for me, you and I are going to talk,” she says. Then she steps over the rope that shows other guests they can’t come into this area, and starts running full throttle towards Jax. Her hand goes into her jacket and I react before thinking it through, like I’ve been trained. I lunge at her, catching her around the waist and knocking her face-first onto the floor. She lands with a thump and a piercing scream as her nose cracks. I take her arms and jerk them behind her back, hissing, “Who are you?” She’s squealing too loudly to say anything, and everyone has stopped to stare. “Let her go!” shouts the man who sent her in as he jumps the rope.

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I pull out a gun, and point it at him. “Stay back.” He halts and his eyes flick over to where Jax is striding towards me. “Red?” Jax says, and I look up to see him staring at the man. “Is that you?” “Yeah,” Red says, his eyes angry. “Can you get that bitch off her?” Oh shit. Jax turns to me, his eyes so full of fury I flinch. “What the fuck are you doing?” he hisses. “Fucking let her go.” “She was charging towards you,” I say, easing back and letting the girl’s hands go. “I was going to surprise him, you fucking psycho!” she screams, pressing a hand over her nose, where it quickly fills with blood. “He’s my best friend.”

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“Jesus, Tori, is that you?” Jax says, kneeling down and removing her bloodied hands from her face. “Yes,” she squeaks. “Surprise.” She has so much blood that I know, I just know, her nose is broken. I used too much force. Shame floods my body as Jax lifts her to her feet, his face gentle as he strokes the blood from her cheeks and lips. Then he turns angry eyes to me. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he barks. “She was running towards you, she had her hand in her jacket,” I whisper. “I was going to throw this on him,” Tori growls, pulling out some streamers. “I haven’t seen him in person for two years and it was meant to be a surprise.” Oh God. I’m terrible at this.

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“Jax is in danger and I was just doing my job,” I say, my voice shaky. “Your job?” Jax roars. “Your job is to protect me, not hurt my friends.” “I could have you charged,” Red snarls. My knees wobble and I know they’re right. I should have stepped in front of the girl, and pulled her aside without using much force. Instead I threw myself at her, slammed her face onto the floor and hurt her. She probably could charge me for it. “Wait,” Tori says, turning to Jax. “You’re in danger?” “Not now,” he says to her, but his eyes are pinned to me. “You need to get me a meeting with your boss, I want you off my fucking case. You’re unprofessional and dangerous.” I swallow and tears sting my eyes. “What’s going on here?”

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The sound of Kyle’s voice filling my ears only makes things worse. I turn slowly to see him striding in, his face tight. He looks to Tori, who is tucked in Jax’s arms, and then his eyes dart to me. “What the hell happened?” “What happened?” Jax barks. “What happened is she broke my best friend’s nose when she crash tackled her to the ground and slammed her face against it. I want to speak to Nahko, right fucking now. I want her off my case, I don’t care what it costs me. She’s dangerous and reckless and isn’t ready.” “She was running towards him,” I try to protest. “And you didn’t try to stop her without force?” Kyle demands, crossing his arms. “You know that’s the first rule.”

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“I didn’t think, she was running so fast, her hand in her jacket, I just reacted.” “By smashing my face into the floor?” Tori screams, then whimpers and covers her nose. “I didn’t … I’m sorry … I…” “You know better,” Kyle yells in my face. “You have been taught better. You know to always try to redirect a threat without force.” “She could have had anything in her jacket.” I try to defend myself but I know I screwed up bad. “Yeah, she could have, but you still don’t react with such force. You should have stepped in front of her, putting your hand up. If she pulled out a gun, or shoved past you, then you could take her down. You know this, Delaney. You’ve been taught.” “I know, Kyle, I just…”

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“I want her gone,” Jax barks. “Call your boss, get him in here, now!” My knees wobble some more, and I look over to Tori. “I’m sorry, I truly am.” Then I walk out of the room, out of the hotel, and wait beside Jax’s car. I flop down onto the bench on the footpath and pain rips through my chest. I screwed up, badly enough that I could lose my job right here and now, and I never even got past the first big case. What’s wrong with me? I know better than to use such force, even if I took her down, I could have done it without injuring her, I’ve been taught. I didn’t listen. I just reacted, and I made a terrible mistake. I drop my head into my hands and stay like that for what seems like hours. I flinch when a hand touches my shoulder and I look

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up to see Nak staring down at me. Here goes, he’s about to fire me. He sits on the seat beside me and studies my face, before smiling. Why is he smiling? “You broke her nose, impressive for someone who doesn’t know what she’s doing, right?” He’s teasing lightly, pointing out the fact that only a month or so ago the guys didn’t even believe I could take someone down. It doesn’t make me feel better. “Nak,” I whisper. “Jesus, Delaney, I wondered if you had it in you and today you proved that you most certainly do.” “I don’t understand,” I say, confused. Why isn’t he firing me? “Why aren’t you tearing me a new one while firing me? I screwed up, Nak.”

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“Let me tell you a story about my first day on the job. I was hotheaded and thought I knew better than anyone. I was watching over a famous soccer player, and he was forever surrounded by ladies. One afternoon when he had just finished his game, I escorted him to a locker room to get changed. Some girls came in and were hanging all over him, and I figured what the heck, he’s safe and they were hot.” I blink, but he keeps going. “I was cocky, thought I had it all under control, so when one of the girls walked over and started kissing me, I didn’t stop her. I knew he was still in the room, and he was busy with two of them, so I figured I could spare some time to enjoy the girl. Because of that I didn’t do my job properly and didn’t check the actual lockers. The guy I was

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protecting him from was hiding in the locker next to his. The fucking locker.” I gasp. “He leapt out and shot him, luckily for me he only hit his shoulder before I managed to contain him. You can imagine how my boss took that?” “He let you keep your job?” He smiles. “I learned from the best of the best, Delaney. And one thing he taught me is that none of us are perfect. You made a mistake, it wasn’t a good one, but if you learn from it, then it means you’re doing your job right. What happened in there shouldn’t have happened, just like I shouldn’t have been kissing a woman while on duty, but I learned and after that day, everything I did, I did right.” “I broke her nose, Nak.”

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He nods. “You did, and I’ve paid her accordingly for that. She won’t be pressing charges.” “Jax wants me off his case,” I whisper. “Jax doesn’t get a choice. If he wants you off, I take Kyle off too. Those were the terms and he agreed to them. He signed papers. If he wishes to continue to use my services, he takes what I’m offering.” “I hurt her, and in doing that, he could have been hurt too.” “You reacted,” Nak says. “That’s what you’ve been taught to do. You reacted with far too much force, but you acted because you felt he was in danger.” “And I was wrong,” I say, my voice shaking. “How am I to know the difference between someone who is running at him

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with happiness, and someone who has ill intentions?” “You go with instinct.” I shake my head. “My instinct was wrong today, Nak.” “It was your first day, don’t become disheartened. We’ve all made mistakes, Laney. This was yours. Learn from it, and become a better bodyguard.” “Jax will never trust me, not now.” “Jax will cool down, in the meantime let Kyle lead and you watch for a week or so. I shouldn’t have taken him away from you so soon, that’s my fault, Delaney, and I’m sorry.” “I’m not sure I’m made for this,” I say, staring at my hands. “You’re not going to give up this easily, are you? Because if you are, Delaney, you’re

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not the strong-willed, feisty girl I hired.” He reaches over and touches my hand. “Don’t let me down.” Then he stands and disappears. I watch him go and sigh. I’m not sure I’ll have a choice. * * * Kyle and Jax exit the building about twenty minutes after Nak leaves. Kyle glares at me, and Jax doesn’t even look my way. He’s furious, and he has every right to be. I hurt his friend. That’s not okay. Tori and Red exit the building a moment later, too, both glaring at me. I look away and slide into the car beside Jax, who shifts away like my thigh touching his is poison. “I’m sorry, Mr. Shields,” I say, my voice unsteady.

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“If there was any other way,” he grinds out. “You wouldn’t be here.” I look out the window as the car pulls out onto the street, and I can’t fight the tears anymore. They trickle down my cheek and I let them drop onto my shirt. I keep my face turned towards the window until we arrive at Jax’s apartment. My tears are dried by then and I climb out of the car, numbly checking everything as I make my way up to his front door. He and Kyle follow behind me when I give the all clear. Jax unlocks the front door, and once more I step in before them. I enter the massive space and gasp. Jax’s apartment is huge. It’s one big open space, mostly. The floors are black polished marble and the entirety of the kitchen, living area and sitting

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rooms are all in the open space. The furniture is beyond expensive. A staircase curls up to a floor that’s open, and up there I can see a bedroom. Jax’s bedroom is the entirety of that floor? It must be, because through the bars of the balcony I can definitely see a bed. It’s open, no privacy at all, which tells me he’s never lived with anyone. It’s all his space, so therefore he doesn’t need a bedroom that’s closed in. There is a scatter of doors off to the right that I walk over to, opening them. I see a laundry, a huge library, and a massive bathroom with a huge spa, and a toilet. I check all the spaces and then walk across the floor, to the stairs. I climb them and enter Jax’s room. Yes, I was right. This is all just bedroom. I take in the massive king bed, and the luxury furniture scattered about.

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The place screams bachelor pad. I check in his closet, admiring his expensive clothes, then I move on to the bathroom up here. It is very similar to the one downstairs. When I’m sure this floor is clear, I walk over to the balcony and peer down at the massive living area beneath. This is quite odd, but very cool at the same time. I push back and walk down the stairs, doing another quick sweep before letting them know it’s clear. When they’re in, and the door is shut and locked, Kyle does another sweep. This is normal, but the expression on his face makes me feel like he’s doing it because he thinks I’m not competent. Jax strides straight to the stairs, barking orders as he goes. “There’s a library, second door to the right. There’s a

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pullout in there. That’s where you sleep. Don’t bother me.” He doesn’t let us answer, he just disappears up the stairs. I watch him go and then turn to Kyle who has just finished his check of the apartment. He stops in front of me and scowls. He’s not happy with me either, and I get that, but I’m also trying to move on and do my best to make it better. “Nak goes too easy on you. If you were my employee, I’d have fired you.” “Oh, because you’re so fucking perfect, Kyle,” I snap, before thinking. He flinches. “Be careful how you speak to me, Delaney.” “Why?” I hiss. “You speak to me however the hell you want.” “Because I’m better than you,” he growls. “You will never be as good as I am, or any of

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the guys on this team. You proved that today. None of us screwed up like you did.” That hurts. And after everything that’s happened today, it just adds to the giant hole in my heart. I flinch and take a step back. “I’m just as good as any of you, even if you refuse to—” “No,” he snaps. “You’re not. You are going to keep making mistakes because this isn’t your world, Delaney. Get it through your fucking head and do it before someone ends up seriously injured or dead because you’re incompetent.” Those words hit me right in the gut and I take a few steps back, so hurt I can barely see straight.

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“I’ve heard enough,” I manage. “Tell me where I’m going for the night, so I can get the hell away from you.” “Nak might give you whatever you want, because he sees only the beauty, but I won’t, Delaney. Your tits and ass will never, fucking ever, sway me. You don’t belong here. You never will.” Those words hurt, they hurt so much tears burst from my eyes before I can stop them. I ball my fists and swipe them away, before demanding, “Just tell me what my job is for the night.” “You’re off duty. Go and sleep. I am taking the night shift.” Fuck him then. If he wants to be tired, so be it. I turn and walk towards the library, but stop when I reach the door. I glance over my

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shoulder and look up to see Jax standing at the balcony, watching me. His face isn’t angry, but instead impassive. He watched the entire exchange. I turn away and swallow, before pushing the door open and stepping inside. Screw Kyle and screw Jax Shields. Let them think what they will. Tomorrow, I vow it to myself and everyone who doubts me that I will be the best bodyguard they’ve ever seen. They won’t defeat me.

CHAPTER NINE I’m mumbling to myself as I unfold the sofa bed in the library. A woman, who introduced herself as Jax’s housekeeper, dropped off some sheets. She apparently came in to do a general clean, even though Jax’s house already looks pristine. I trust Kyle searched her. I begin making the bed, trying to ignore his words from earlier. He was an asshole. I’m tired of it. I doubt myself enough, and letting him and the rest of the team doubt me too is only making me more determined. I have to push past what happened today, push past Kyle’s nastiness and prove to them

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all and to myself that I am cut out for this job. So that’s what I’ll do. Tomorrow when I wake, I am going to kick some fucking ass. When the sofa is made, I go over to my bag, which Kyle tossed in the room with a grunt, and pull out a pair of soft sweatpants and a tank. I lock the door and get changed, then I climb into the bed. It’s surprisingly comfortable, and I feel my eyes drooping with the exhaustion of my first day. I roll over and grab my phone, turning it on quickly before my eyes close and I’m out of it. There are two messages, one from Jed and one from Mitch. I open the one from Jed first. Jed—How was your first day, super woman? I smile and respond.

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Delaney—It was awful. I’ll tell you about it next time I see you. Jed—That bad huh? Delaney—Yup. I’m going to have a sleep while I can, I’ll call you tomorrow. Jed—Night, milk thief. I grin and open Mitch’s message. Mitch—Hey beautiful, how was your day? God I love these guys. Delaney—I crash tackled the wrong woman to the floor and nearly lost my job. Yours? Mitch—Fuck, that sounds shit. How’d the boss take it? Delaney—He was surprisingly good. Anyway tomorrow is another day.

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Mitch—You’ve got this. You’ve had it from the start. Don’t let anyone push you out of something you’ve worked so hard for. My heart clenches and I smile at the phone. Delaney—Thank you, Mitch. That means more than you know. With a smile, I tuck the phone under the pillow and roll to my side, feeling a little better. Mitch is right, I know he is. I just have to believe it. * * * It’s midnight, or just past, by the time I stir. I’m bursting to use the bathroom, but I’ve been holding back, trying to avoid going out there until all the noise has settled down. Jax must have had company, because I heard

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some faint voices. Maybe he was just talking to Kyle. I push up, out of the warm blanket, and swing my legs over the side. Sleepily, I pad to the door, running my fingers through my hair. My eyes are hardly open, and I want them to stay that way. Pee, come back, go to sleep. Simple. I open the door, quietly stepping out into the main living area. I can’t see Kyle, but it is pitch black. I take another step and stop dead when I hear a moan. Oh shit. That moan isn’t coming from up the stairs, but instead right here in the main area. Is Jax jerking off? Right here? Shit. “Jax.” A woman breathes. “You know how long I’ve wanted this.” Shit.

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“I know, Tor,” Jax murmurs. “But you know we shouldn’t be getting into this.” “Please,” she moans and I hear the sounds of kissing. “Messing with something good. You know that, right?” Interesting. “Jax, come on. We both know this has been coming for a long time. Please, don’t stop touching me.” Okay, time to leave. I take a step back and slam into something, maybe a coffee table. I hear a curse, then a lamp flicks on and two heads lift up from over the back of the couch. I gasp when I see it’s Jax and Tori, whose nose has a piece of white tape across the bridge. My eyes widen and I press a hand to my mouth, shit, oh shit.

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“Ah, I’m sorry, I needed to, ah…” Shit, I’m stumbling over my words. “What the hell is she doing here?” Tori cries, standing and pulling her shirt down. She’s wearing clothes, thank god. “She’s my bodyguard, Tori,” Jax says, and I’m shocked. He has never openly admitted that to anyone. All day he’s just pretended I’m not here. My heart aches a little. “She nearly killed me!” Tori snaps. “And I’d like to apologize for that,” I say. “In trying to protect Mr. Shields, I used excessive force, and I’m truly sorry. It’s my first day and I made a mistake. But now I have a job to do and I plan on doing it well from now on. Which means I’m going to be here, a lot. But my purpose is to protect Mr. Shields, and I hope that’s something you’ll support.”

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Her eyes narrow. “You’re the help, and help can be replaced. In your case that should be as soon as possible so you can slither back into whatever hole you crept out of.” “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t speak to me like that,” I say, crossing my arms. “Last time I checked, I’m still a human and therefore deserve the same damned respect. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to pee.” Her eyes bug again, and I can’t help but notice how swollen her nose is. I do feel bad for that, however she’s not going to speak to me like a piece of useless trash. I walk into the bathroom, still thinking about the fact that Jax is having it off with his supposed “best friend.” I wonder if Red knows, because I saw the way he was looking at Tori. Oh the tangled webs we weave.

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I do my business and then head back out. Tori is gone, well, she’s not in the room anymore, and Jax is standing in the kitchen. I only notice just now that he’s wearing a pair of sweatpants and nothing else. Nothing. Else. My mouth drops open as my eyes slide over his incredibly hard, incredibly beautiful body. He’s standing with his back to me, but even like that I can see how incredible Jax is. His back flexes and moves as he reaches for things, and the muscles beneath his skin are taut and seriously hot. His hips are narrow, dropping into a perfectly shaped ass. God. Yum. He turns and notices me staring at him. I quickly jerk my head away, and mutter, “I’m going to sleep again.” “Why a bodyguard?”

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I stop my retreat at his words. I turn slowly and stare at him. “Pardon?” “Why did you do it? It’s not the easiest job in the world for a woman, and it’s clear you are dealt a lot of shit because of it. So why do it?” I narrow my eyes. “Have you ever witnessed an act of true heroism, Jax?” His eyes grow dark. “No.” “Then you couldn’t understand.” I go to turn again, but he keeps talking. “Enlighten me then.” I grind my teeth and face him. “What for? So you can poke more fun at me? Don’t you think I’ve had enough for the day?” “Come on, kitten,” he says, his voice teasing. “You and I both know you like the fun I poke.” “Have you got a disorder?” I snap.

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His brows go up. “Because seriously, you’re broody one minute and then trying to tease the next. I’m concerned for your mental health, Mr. Shields.” He bares his teeth at me. “Careful, kitten.” “See,” I say, pointing to his face. “Disorder.” He puts the cup he’s holding down and leans over, putting his elbows on the counter, resting his arms out in front of him. “I’m not asking to be a jerk, I want to know.” “Because you heard Kyle waving his ego flag around earlier and you feel sorry for me?” I say. “No,” he says simply. “I’m sure you’re a big girl and can take whatever that fuck

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knuckle throws at you. I’m asking because I want to know.” I blink. Then burst out laughing. “Did you just call Kyle a fuck knuckle?” He shrugs. “He is. His head is so far up his own ass I’m surprised he can walk straight.” I can’t stop grinning. “I’m glad someone else noticed,” I mutter. “Why do you let him do that to you?” I frown. “Do what? Speak to me like trash?” “Yeah.” “No offense, sir,” I say and his lips twitch. “But you spoke to me in a similar manner.” His eyes flash and he turns away. “Yeah, well, I never said I wasn’t a fuck knuckle too.”

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I am starting to think Jax Shields is more complex than I first thought. “You really want to know why I do it?” He nods, even though he’s not facing me. “Well, believe it or not, I actually wanted to go into the armed forces, but my eyesight was poor. It’s always been like that and at the time, doctors could only do so much to correct it—I had Lasik but one of my eyes didn’t come as clear as they would have liked. I was devastated, because the position I wanted required perfect eyesight. A few years later I had a second surgery but the eye still didn’t improve, so I was forced to step back. After my dream went bust, I moped about, unsure what I wanted. One day I was out with my uncle, having lunch, when this man came past. He must have been someone important, because some of the ladies started

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fanning themselves. Anyway, he had a man dressed all in black behind him.” Jax turns now and is watching me. “Anyway like it was meant to be, this car drove by. The window came down and suddenly bullets were flying. My uncle pulled me to the ground, even though they were a little way ahead, but I didn’t miss the man protecting that guy. He single-handedly saved his life. I knew from that moment on that I wanted to do that—I couldn’t have the job I wanted, but I could serve and protect.” Jax smiles. “You didn’t think of just becoming a cop?” I grin. “No, I don’t know why but being a cop was never for me. I needed something different. I wanted to stand out.” “Stand out you do, kitten.” “Why are you calling me that?” I demand.

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His eyes study my face. “Because you act like a tiger, but really, deep down, you’re nothing more than a scared little kitten.” I scoff. “And you know me well enough after a day to know that.” “Yeah,” he says simply, offering his cup to me. I shake my head. “How could you possibly read that much into me, in a matter of hours?” He shrugs and leans a hip against the counter. “You took a lot of shit, but when it came to hurting Tori, you broke. I saw you crying in the car, and I saw the pain in your eyes when Kyle tore you apart earlier. You care, you’re not as tough as you’re trying so hard to be.” “Did you forget I kicked your ass the first time we met?”

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He smirks. “I went easy on you.” I laugh and turn towards my door. “If you say so, sir.” I reach the library and he calls out, “Maybe I was wrong about you, Delaney. Maybe you do have what it takes to do this job.” I grin to myself and call out, “Careful, Mr. Shields, you might just come to like me.”

CHAPTER TEN The next morning Nak calls me at the crack of dawn. With a grumble, I roll over and answer the phone. “Nak,” I say in a sleepy voice. “Morning, Laney. Just ringing to check in. How is everything going?” “It’s fine, I guess. I just woke up.” “Did you do a late shift?” I open my eyes wider. “Pardon?” “A late shift?” “I didn’t do any shift, Nak. Kyle told me he was doing the entire night shift and that I was off duty.” Nak is silent. “Excuse me?”

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Shit. “It’s fine, I think he knew I was tired and—” “He has strict orders, Delaney. You were to do half the night, and he knew it. I’m calling him. Sit tight.” Before I can protest, he hangs up. Cursing, I get up and straighten my clothes before rushing out into the kitchen, where Jax and Kyle are standing. Kyle is just answering his phone, and I feel like hell for saying that to Nak. It just came out, I didn’t think Kyle had gone behind his back. “Yeah, Nak,” Kyle says and my eyes flash to Jax, who is standing with a coffee in his hands, staring at me. God, those eyes. I turn away with pink cheeks and listen to Kyle talking to Nak. Already his face is paling

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and he stammers, “She made a mistake, Nak. I didn’t feel it was the best choice to put her on the night shift—considering her mistake yesterday.” Asshole. Maybe he does need to get a good talking-to. “Yeah, I hear you, but—” Obviously Nak cuts him off, because Kyle’s face goes from pale to hard and he shoots daggers in my direction. “Jesus, Nak, she isn’t ready!” I stare at my hands, anger flashing through my body. “I understand, sir, but she’s a danger to the—” Kyle jerks the phone from his ear and strides towards Jax, handing it to him. “He wants to talk to you.” Jax takes the phone. “What’s up?”

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He listens, nodding. “Fine by me. I will only be in the office today.” He nods again. “Yeah, no problem.” He hands the phone back to Kyle and his eyes flicker to me, before he says, “You’re with me today, kitten. Let’s go.” I blink. “Pardon?” “You, with me. Get a move on.” I turn to Kyle, whose jaw is so tense it looks like it’s going to bust. He says something to Nak then hangs up the phone and turns to me. “Happy with yourself?” “I didn’t do anything except tell Nak your strict instructions last night, Kyle.” “You fucking went to him because you’re pissed at me.”

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“No,” I say. “He called me and I filled him in. That’s my job. Deal with it. If you didn’t do the wrong thing, you wouldn’t be so angry.” “You’re going to fuck this up, Delaney, because you’re too bloody arrogant.” Oh, he did not. “Hey,” Jax growls. “Be pissed at her all you want, Kyle, but don’t fucking speak to her like that. I have to work, Nak has put Delaney on me for the day, so you either accept that or don’t, but stop holding her up.” I glare at Kyle and then turn and walk into the library just as my phone rings again. I pick it up and see it’s Nak. I answer. “He’s not happy, Nak.” “You need to tell me right away if he does that again, Delaney. He has no right to give orders.”

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“Yeah, okay.” “You’re on Jaxson today. He’s only working, so you know the drill. This is your chance, Laney. Prove them all wrong. I’m sending Kyle home for a rest, because he knows he needs it. He should have done a split shift with you last night. He’ll head back in this afternoon and you can have a few hours’ break and then you can both get back to swapping shifts correctly.” “Yes, Nak.” “If he gives you any problems, let me know.” “I will, thank you.” “Kyle is a good bodyguard, Delaney, but he thinks he knows it all. Go with your instinct, become your own protector, you can only ever trust yourself.” “Thanks, Nak.”

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“Later.” He hangs up and I quickly get changed into my uniform, making sure I’m set to go, then I head out and meet Jax at the door. I walk ahead of him, checking everything as we go. He waits in a safe location while I scan the underground garage and check his car. When it’s safe, I escort him in and his driver gets in the front seat. I slide into the back with him. “Do you have any meetings today?” I ask, pulling my professional face back on. “No,” he answers, equally as professional. “I’m going to be in the office all day.” “Good.” We don’t say anything else as we head to the hotel he works out of. When we arrive, I get out and scan the streets first, then I escort him inside, doing the same all the way

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up to his office. It’s a lot more work when it’s just me, because I keep having to look back to make sure he’s okay while checking what’s in front of me. When we reach his office, he unlocks the door and I step in first. Jax steps inside the door, back to the wall, and doesn’t move while I check the entire space, including under his bed and in his cupboards. One can’t be too careful. When it’s safe, I nod and he comes in, locking the door behind him. I stand beside the door as he goes to his desk and fires up his laptop. “You wanna order coffee?” he asks, looking up at me. “Sure, what do you want?” “Black shot.” “That’s it? No cream? No sugar?” He stares blankly at me. “No.”

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I shrug. “Whatever floats your boat.” I go to his phone and call down my order, this was in the information we were given. All the locations Jax likes his coffee, food and beverages from that can be safely delivered. The lady on the line asks if I want a blueberry muffin also, so I pull the phone from my ear and call out, “You want a muffin?” Jax looks up at me. “Do I look like the kind of man who eats muffins?” “How am I supposed to know? For all I know you might like to run around your house in a tutu.” He gives me a truly foul expression. “Okie dokie then,” I mumble. “No muffin.” I finish up the order and then take my spot at the door again. After half an hour,

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there’s a knock at the door. I check through the peephole first, and see a lady with two coffees and one blueberry muffin. I was not going to miss out on that cake-like goodness. I finger the gun in my belt as I open the door. The lady smiles at me and hands the tray over. I move my hand from my belt and take it, thanking her and closing the door. I take Jax’s coffee over and place it on his desk, then I go back to the door and sit on a chair I drag over one-handed. I take a bite of the muffin and moan. Jax jerks and looks over at me. “Are you going to make noises like that every time something tastes good?” “Seriously,” I say when I swallow it. “I just had a mouth-gasm.” He blinks. “A fucking what?” “A mouth-gasm. Like an orgasm, but in my mouth.”

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“Fuck me,” he mutters, shaking his head. “Can you keep your mouth-gasms to yourself? I’m trying to work.” “Right, sorry.” I eat the rest of my muffin quietly, then I sit and read quietly while Jax works. When lunchtime rolls around, he lifts his head and looks over to me. “You wanna do something productive?” “Isn’t watching you, making sure you don’t die, productive?” His eyes twinkle with amusement, but he shakes his head. “I can practically hear your brain screaming from here. You’re not used to sitting down doing nothing, are you?” “The voices in my head keep me company.” He laughs, and it’s a rich, gorgeous sound. “Right, kitten. Whatever you say.”

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He goes back to his work and I can’t help it, I have to know what he was going to offer me. “Do you want me to help you somehow?” He looks up again. “I have a shit load of data I need entered into the computer, but I don’t have time to do it. If you know how to use a laptop, then yeah, help.” I stand and walk over. “You don’t have a personal assistant?” He shakes his head. “I’m not the easiest man to work with.” “No,” I gasp, pressing a hand to my chest. “I never guessed.” He narrows his eyes at me, and I flash him a happy smile. He spends the next hour showing me how to enter all his data, and it’s easy enough. It’s just laborious and draining, so I can understand why he doesn’t have

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time to do it. I sit across from him, entering away, passing time in a more dealable way. We stop at around two and I order up some sandwiches. They arrive half an hour later, and we both sit at the desk, eating. Jax answers a lot of calls, and he also receives a shit load of e-mails. He’s a busy man. He stops only to eat or use the bathroom. Right now he’s got his mouth full, so he’s actually stopped for a second. “So,” I say, swallowing a bite of my roast beef and mustard sandwich. “You and Tori?” He flinches and shoots me a glare. “None of your fucking business.” Sensitive subject? “Don’t bite my head off, but I did walk out to you two getting it on.” “We weren’t getting it on,” he snaps. “Okay, handsome, whatever you say.”

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I go back to eating and he sighs loudly. “She’s in love with me. She has been for a long time.” I look up and meet his eyes. “You feel the same?” He shrugs. “I care about her, more than any girl in my life, but she’s my best friend. I grew up with her and Red. They’re the only family I have. I’ve seen how that shit goes south when you take it to the next level.” “If you love her, there’s a good chance it won’t go south,” I point out. He shrugs. “Don’t know if I love her, and I wanna stop talking about this now, yeah?” “Yes, sir.” He shakes his head on a sigh. “What about you, Delaney? Who is rubbing you up the right way each night?”

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“Crude,” I mutter. “And no one. I don’t have time to date.” His brows go up. “Surely you’ve got time to get laid.” My cheeks go pink. I’m not a virgin, far from it, but it’s been some time since I’ve had a man in my bed. I’m not ashamed of that fact, I swore I wasn’t going to sleep around again until it was with someone I wanted to date. “You don’t get laid, do you, kitten?” he asks, his voice thicker. “I do, just not … lately. Now, can we stop talking about it?” He studies my face, then focuses on his laptop. “Shame,” he says. “You’re beautiful.” I blink. Did he just call me beautiful? “I look like a man.”

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His head jerks up. “Pardon?” “A man, I look like a man.” He gives me a disgusted stare. “A man?” “Yes, a man. I’m huge.” “You’re not huge.” “I’m seriously huge. Like, the Hulk of the female world.” “You’re tall, kitten. You’re not huge.” “Compared to ninety-nine percent of other girls, I am.” He mutters something, then looks at me again. “You’re tall, you’re slender, you’re slightly curvy in all the right places and you’re fucking hot. Now stop talking shit, I need to get back to work.” Fucking hot. Fucking hot? He thinks I’m hot.

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I fight a smile. I’ve been called pretty, sexy even, but never hot. Coming from someone that looks like Jax, that’s a pretty amazing compliment. I don’t say anything else, I just get back to work with a happy smile on my face. It’s proving to be a good day.

CHAPTER ELEVEN The next two weeks pass rather event-free. Kyle and I get a steady schedule going, and it seems to be working for us. I do the days, he does the nights. He prefers nights, and likes to sleep during the day. I prefer days, because it allows me to go and visit people in the early evenings. Nak has said he wants us to start doing full-time shifts starting today, where Kyle does two days a week and I do the rest. Day and night. After a few more weeks, the job will be given to me 100 percent if I am doing well. Because I’ll be doing full time, I will be

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staying at Jax’s house when I’m on evenings—same as Kyle. That means during the night, I’ll be sleeping. An extensive new state-of-the-art security system has been installed, so Jax will no longer need someone outside his door during the night. It took some time to get the security set up because the whole building needed to be equipped. But now the front door security is much more secure, and when we go to bed at night, Jax will turn on the system so that any movement in the apartment will cause an alarm to go off. I have the code, so does Kyle, which means if we need to use the bathroom, we have to turn it off before we go. It has a thirty-second window to allow for it to be turned off when we leave our designated

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sleeping spaces, so it’s a bit touch and go. I’m sure we’ll get used to it. So today is officially the day I’ll be on my own. It’ll be Jax and me most of the time, with Kyle relieving me a few days a week so I can have some time with family and friends. I go through security at the door and then make my way up to Jax’s apartment. It’s only seven a.m. but Jax usually starts work around eight, so I’m not too early, I hope. When I get to his front door, Kyle is standing outside it, arms crossed. He looks my way and grunts. Kyle has barely said a thing to me since the incident with Nak, unless of course it’s to bark an order. “Morning, happy,” I mutter. “Is he awake?” “How am I supposed to know? I’m not his best friend, I’m protecting him,” Kyle grunts.

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“So nice to chat with you, Kyle,” I mutter, pushing the door open. I set all the alarms when I’m inside and then turn around, checking the room. Jax is obviously still upstairs. Sighing, I walk up and into his bedroom. He’s not in there, but I can hear the shower running. A moment later, a woman steps out. She’s fully dressed, and very beautiful. All busty and blond. I stop walking and wave a lame hand, not sure who the hell she is, but taking a wild guess and assuming Jax has had a great night. He follows her out of the bathroom and stops when he sees me, and both of them stare. “Who’s she?” she asks Jax in a lusty, sexy voice. Not at all bothered that there’s another woman in his room. “She’s my bodyguard.”

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I put up my hand and start counting on my fingers. “And his personal assistant, cook, cleaner and oh, his sex wrecker.” Jax mutters something and the girl smiles at me, her expression slightly lusty. “Do you want to make that five and be his bed buddy? I like to share.” I blink. Wait, what? “Pardon me?” I say. “You, me, him … it’ll be fun. What do you say?” She’s kidding, right? I stare at her, so shocked I have no idea how to respond. “Trust me,” Jax says, grinning. I turn quickly, cheeks pink. “She isn’t interested.” That gets my back up and I turn, glaring at him. “How would you know I’m not interested?”

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His brows go up and I try not to take note of how gorgeous he is, freshly showered and smelling amazing. “Are you?” I look up. “Pardon?” “Are you interested?” I scoff. “Um, no.” He grins. “Exactly.” “No fair.” The girl pouts and then walks over to the dresser, grabbing her purse. She’s gorgeous, damn her. All legs and breasts and ass. I shake my head and turn, walking towards the stairs—when I reach the base I turn and yell out to Jax. “Hurry it up, Shields, we’re late.” “On it, boss,” he yells back. I walk down the stairs smiling. Jax and I get along in a comfortable way. I guess that happens when you spend all your time with

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someone. Not that I know a great deal about Jax, except for the fact that he can be funny and broody at the same time, then he falls into cranky and silent if he’s had a bad day. He’s also a manwhore, but he doesn’t hide it nor is he ashamed of it. I respect that. I get to the bottom of the stairs and open Jax’s fridge, finding some milk. I use his coffeemaker to make us both a coffee while I wait for him to come down. Being a bodyguard, I’ve learned, is not just about protecting the person. You become so much more. Hell, I’m his personal assistant, his housemaid, and his stylist. And I love it. Nak told me that on a full-time case like this, bodyguards often become like personal assistants to keep themselves busy. There’s no rule against it, so when Jax is working, I

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spend a lot of time organizing things for him, helping him out, ordering food, things like that. And when we’re at his apartment and he’s busy, I find myself cleaning and sorting things. It makes my job that much easier. “You’re a lifesaver,” Jax says, appearing beside me in a fresh suit. He plucks the coffee cup from my hands and groans as he takes the first sip. “You know it,” I say. “Where’d your ‘sharing is caring’ girl go?” “She’s on the phone. I told her to let herself out.” I frown. “I can’t allow that, Jax.” He stares at me. “Why the fuck not?” I snort. “Seriously? She could leave your door open, not set the alarm, let someone in to plant a bomb…”

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“All right,” he says, throwing his hands up. “I’ll get her out.” “Hurry it up, we have to go or you’ll be late for your meeting.” He grunts. “Since when did you care about my business?” “I don’t, I just want time to stop for a blueberry muffin.” He walks away muttering to himself. I smile and finish up my coffee. He comes down a minute later with the girl trailing behind him. She flashes him a smile, then throws one at me, and then disappears. I follow her out with Jax on my heels. We do our usual morning routine and when we’re in the car, I turn to him. “So where are we going this weekend?” “New York, I have an important business meeting there.”

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I squeal with delight. “Seriously? We’re going to New York?” “Yes, kitten, we’re going to New York.” I clap my hands together happily and he shakes his head. His phone starts buzzing in his pocket and he pulls it out, glancing down at the screen. His jaw tics and he puts it to his ear, answering it with a gruff, “Yeah?” Silence. “Fuck it, Tori, I told you how things are.” Tori again. Interesting. “Yeah, and it shouldn’t have happened.” Oh boy. “It was one night,” he whispers low. He sighs loudly. “Fucking of course I liked it, but you know I can’t keep doing this, even if I wanted to. Red matters to me, and to you.”

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He closes his eyes and my heart aches again. He liked it? He wants it? I don’t know why that bothers me, but I push it right down into the depths and beyond, because it’ll do me no good to lust over the man I’m protecting. I turn and stare out the window, trying to ignore the rest of his conversation. When he hangs up, silence fills the car. “Ask,” he says, his voice resigned. “Ask what?” I reply, turning to him. “What that was about. I know you’re curious.” “None of my business, handsome,” I say, smiling. I’m sure my voice wobbled slightly, so I look back out the window. “I fucked her.” I flinch. Well okay then. “It was a big fucking mistake because now she won’t let it go.”

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I turn to him. “When did this happen?” “Three nights ago.” I wasn’t on duty then. Thank God. “Why’d you do it? You knew how she was going to take it.” He sighs and runs his hand over his jaw. God he’s gorgeous. “I don’t fucking know. She came on to me, I had been drinking. It isn’t an excuse but fuck, it’s the only one I’ve got.” “You regret it?” He clenches and unclenches his fists. “Yes and no.” “Do you love her?” He glances at me and there’s conflict in his eyes. “No, but I care about her. If Red wasn’t in the picture, and I didn’t know he was fucking head over heels for her, then yeah I would probably date her and there’s a

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chance I’d love her. I adore Tori, she’s been in my life a long time.” “Red loves her?” I ask, even though I already suspected that. He nods. “Yeah, he’s been in love with her since we were in high school. The three of us were always so close, I guess it was bound to happen to one of us.” I frown. “She doesn’t know?” He smiles sadly. “Oh she knows, but she’s always been in love with me.” “Jesus, that … sucks.” “Yeah,” he agrees. “That pretty much sums it up.” “What are you going to do?” He shrugs. “Fucked if I know.” I nod, because there’s nothing else I can say. When we arrive at work, I get out and do my usual check before escorting him inside.

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“I’m going to lunch today, a meeting. It’s up the road,” he says when we reach his office. “I know, I have your schedule.” “You going to be able to handle things out in the open like that?” I tighten my jaw. “Still don’t fully believe in me?” “It’s not that I don’t think you’re good, hell, I know you are, but you’re one person, Delaney.” “Would you feel safe if Kyle was with you?” He says nothing. “Then it has absolutely nothing to do with me being one person, but instead being a fucking woman. When are you going to see I can do the same job he can? How long is it going to take?”

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He says nothing again. I storm into his office and do my check, grinding my jaw the entire time. When I’m done, I wave a hand and he walks in. “Listen, kitten…” “Stop calling me that!” I yell. Then I stand by the door, head down, furious. Jax has accepted my role, but he still doesn’t fully trust his life in my hands. He doesn’t complain about it, but I know he’d feel safer if Kyle was around and that hurts me. It hurts because no one is willing to give me a fair go. “Delaney,” he tries, but I put a hand up. “Work, Jax. We’re done talking.” He curses under his breath, but gets to work. It’s the first day in weeks that we don’t talk, and it feels strange.

CHAPTER TWELVE I’m nervous about escorting Jax to his luncheon, but I don’t show it. I do everything I can to ensure his safety. When we arrive at the restaurant, his business associates are standing outside, all chatting. This makes me uneasy, but I scan all our surroundings as Jax talks, looking for anything suspicious. Soon I start to relax. I’m prepared for anything, but I guess a part of me still hasn’t witnessed anything enough for me to believe that someone would be so reckless as to take a hit at Jax. I was wrong.

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It’s funny, because I am expecting danger, yet when it throws itself upon me I’m shocked that it actually happened. We’re standing outside, still talking, and my eyes are scanning the streets when I notice an old grey car. It’s not exactly doing anything suspicious, but it’s driven past four times. Slowly. I can’t see in the windows, but something about it makes me uneasy. I watch it go up the street and then turn around and come back. I have a horrible feeling, and so I step closer to Jax and say, “We should go inside.” The man standing beside Jax steps aside and Jax is no longer covered by a body. My heart starts to pound and my eyes flick to the car that has gone from driving ridiculously slowly, to suddenly speeding. Trust your instinct. That’s what Nak told me. My instinct

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is screaming to get Jax out and get him out now. The window of the car starts rolling down and a man with a covered face leans out, something in his hand. I don’t wait; I spin around so fast I startle the men around me. I launch my body at Jax’s and kick his feet out from beneath him. He goes down and I go with him, our bodies landing hard on the pavement. I didn’t miss the sound as we’re going down, the gunshots. People erupt in fear, getting up and screaming, running in all directions. Jax is staring up at me, his face blank with shock. I turn my head frantically, looking for the car. I can’t see it, so I push to my feet quickly and pull Jax up with me. He moves quickly, and I cover him as we run into the restaurant. I see a waitress and stop her.

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“Is there a room here that locks? He’s in danger, those people were shooting at him.” She nods. “Right this way.” I’m still holding onto Jax’s hand as I rush towards the room. It’s a small office, and it’s only got a high window, so we aren’t at risk of getting shot through it. I step in and thank the waitress, and then I lock the door and pull out my gun, holding it with shaky hands. “Call Nak,” I demand, my eyes firmly trained on the door. Jax says nothing. I look over to him, and he’s just sitting, staring at the wall. God dammit, he’s in shock. I lower the gun and turn, rushing towards him. I squat down in front of him and take hold of his hands. His big body is panting. “Hey,” I say. “Jax, look at me.” He doesn’t move his eyes.

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“Come on, handsome, right here.” He finally lifts his eyes and blinks a few times. “Fuck.” He breathes, his voice shaky. “You’re all right, okay? You’re safe and I’m going to get us out of here safely.” He nods, but his jaw is clenching and unclenching and his breathing is ragged and short. “Listen to me,” I say, reaching up and cupping his stubble-covered cheeks in my hands. “I’m going to protect you.” His grey eyes meet mine and he rasps, “You already fucking did.” I nod. “They would have shot me if you weren’t…” “Hey, don’t think about that. I’m going to call Nak, and we’re going to get you home safe, yeah?”

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He nods, and looks away. I pull out my phone and dial Nak. “Laney, what’s up?” “Drive-by shooting just occurred downtown. They were aiming for Jax.” “Fuck, is he okay? You?” “I got him out of the way before they could cause any damage.” “Any casualties?” “Not that I saw, I think the bullets were off because they were speeding past.” “Good girl, you did a good job. Where are you now?” “Safe room, doors locked. Can I get some backup to get him out of here?” “Absolutely, I’m sending Duke down.” “Thanks, Nak.” “No problem, and Laney?” “Yeah.”

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“Excellent work.” If I wasn’t so freaked, I’d probably smile, but I am freaked. My heart is pounding and I’m trying to keep it together for Jax. I need to keep it together for him. I tuck my phone back in my pocket and face the door, trying to steady my breathing. I’m fairly sure I’m in slight shock, too. My body feels like a thousand tiny ants are crawling all over it. “Kitten,” Jax rasps. “Come here.” I shake my head. “I’m fine, Jax. I…” “Now, Delaney.” His voice is hard, firm and offers no room to move. I turn and stare at him, and my hands start to tremble. “Here, now.” My feet move without me thinking and when I reach him, he pulls me down onto his lap. I don’t protest because my head isn’t in

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the right spot, it’s all over the place, and my senses are shot. I’m trembling, shaking and my heart is pounding so hard it almost feels painful. I take a few breaths, but they are broken. “Look at me.” I turn my body and look into his eyes, our faces are only an inch or so apart. His breathing is still ragged and the puffs of air are warm against my cheek. “You saved my life.” I swallow. “I was wrong, Delaney.” I nod weakly. “You’re fucking incredible.” Oh God. I look down, trying to control myself. I’m supposed to be cool, calm and collected, not this trembling mess.

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“I should wait by the door and—” “You’re going to stay right here, because fuck knows I need to feel you as much as you need to feel me.” I look up. “Are you … okay?” He shakes his head. “Fuck no, but having you right here is making it easier.” I stare at his mouth and my heart rate gets even more uneven and determined. “If something had happened,” I begin. He cuts me off. “It didn’t, because you proved everyone wrong and saved my life.” I nod again, swallowing. The air becomes thick between us and I shift on his lap, not sure what the hell is happening between us. Jax’s grey eyes hold mine and I can’t help but lick my lips. His eyes flash down to that movement and as if in a romantic movie, he starts moving closer to

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me. Oh God, he’s going to kiss me, and I want him to. I want him to so badly. His lips come closer until I can feel a whisper-soft touch against mine. My eyes flutter closed. I want him to kiss me, I want to know how it feels. God, he smells so good. His lips lightly brush across mine but before our lips even get the chance to connect fully, there’s a loud knock at the door. I jerk back, reality crashing back in. I was just about to kiss Jax. “Shit,” I say, leaping off his lap, looking at anything but him. “Delaney,” he starts, but I ignore him and rush towards the door. “Who’s there?” “It’s Duke and I,” Nak calls. Nak came too. Crap.

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I open the door and see them standing there. “All clear?” I ask. Nak nods. “I’ve got a car parked behind the restaurant, and we’ve got security watching. Go back to the apartment, Kyle is there right now making sure everything is clear.” “Okay,” I say, turning to Jax but not meeting his eyes. “Ready to go?” Jax stands and walks behind me, his body so close I want to gasp, but instead I keep my head high and try to stop my trembling hands. Nak notices because his eyes narrow and he leans close. “You okay, Laney?” I nod. “It was just…” “Your first takedown. Go with Jax, take a breath. If you need to swap shifts with Kyle to come down from this, you can. It can be

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somewhat of a shock, and it might not kick in until later.” “I’m okay, I’ll stay with him.” Nak nods. “You just call me if you change your mind.” “I will.” Everyone surrounds Jax as we exit the hotel. We arrive at the car and when Jax is safely in, I turn to Nak. “Does he need to make a statement?” Nak nods. “He will, but they’ll wait until tomorrow. I’ve given them information for now and told them he needs to process.” “Thanks, Nak.” He reaches out, squeezing my shoulder. “You did incredible out there today, Delaney. Jax’s business partners told me what you did—you saved his life.”

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I try to smile but it wobbles. I take a shaky breath. Get it together. “You sure you don’t want to go home?” I shake my head. “It’s part of the job, Nak. I can’t run every time something like this happens.” “It’ll get easier. You’re going to have a rough night tonight but next time it happens it’ll affect you less, and so on.” “I hope it doesn’t happen again to him,” I say softly. Nak smiles. “No, neither do I. Now go.” I give him my best parting smile, and then I slide into the car. Jax and I don’t speak as we head back to the apartment, and when we arrive I radio up to Kyle. He says the apartment is all clear and to bring Jax up, so I do just that, taking extra time to make sure he’s safe. When we get to the

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apartment, and he’s inside, I exhale with relief. Kyle pulls me aside. “What happened out there?” “Drive-by shooting.” His brows go up. “And you protected him?” “Is he fucking here?” I snap. Kyle steps back. “I’m not trying to be an asshole, Delaney.” “Oh bullshit you’re not. Thanks for checking out the apartment, but you can leave now.” I turn before he can answer, and a moment later I hear the front door shut. I go over and make sure the alarm system is activated, then I glance around the room. I can’t see Jax, so he must be upstairs. I walk into the library and sit on the sofa, kicking

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off my boots. My body is wound up tight, and I feel panicked. I need to come down from what happened, but I don’t know how to do that. I wonder if Jax would care if I used his bath? I stand and walk out into the main living area, looking up. Jax is standing near the balcony in his room, talking on the phone. I don’t think he’ll mind. I turn back to my room, gather some clothes and head into the bathroom. I lock the door and run a steaming hot bath, pouring some nice-smelling soap in. Then I get undressed and climb in, sinking into the hot water. I sigh as it washes over my achy muscles, and I wonder how Jax is coping right now. He’s acting as though he’s okay, but he couldn’t possibly be okay.

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He nearly got killed today, and that would shake anyone up. I close my eyes and sink further into the water. I saved a life today. I thought it would feel good, but all it’s done is make me even more worried for the man out there. If they tried it once, they’ll try it again. Jax is in danger, I knew that, but this is the first time that has truly sunk in. His life is in my hands. If something goes wrong, and he’s hurt, it’ll be on me. I never looked at it like that, and the very thought terrifies me. Do they all feel like this? Does it go away? I try to focus on something else as I enjoy my bath, but the tension in my body isn’t easing any. I give up and get out, dressing in a pair of loose sweats and a tank. I leave my hair down and run my brush through it, then

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I empty the bath and head back out into the living area. Jax is in the kitchen. He’s gotten changed and is now wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a black tee. He looks gorgeous casual. He lifts his eyes and looks at me when I walk out, and I don’t miss the flicker of lust go through them. So it wasn’t just me that felt the intensity of our near kiss earlier? “Are you okay?” he asks, his voice husky. “Are you?” He holds up a beer. “I will be.” “Hang on, I’ll join you.” He nods and I throw my dirty clothes into my room for washing, and then I head out and join Jax. He hands me a beer, and we both take a seat in the lounge, staring at anything but each other. “Doesn’t feel real,” he finally says.

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I look to him. “What doesn’t?” “The fact that I nearly died today.” My heart breaks for him. “I wasn’t going to let that happen, Jax.” His eyes grow intense. “You were fucking incredible out there, Delaney.” I smile weakly. “I was wrong about you, and I’m the first to admit when I fuck up. You saved my life and I’ll be forever in your debt for that.” “I did my job, Jax.” “Maybe,” he says. “But you still protected me with a force I didn’t think you had in you.” I look down at my hands. “I hate living like this,” he says. I look up. “Like what?” He leans back, holding his beer in his lap. “Worrying about every move I make. These

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men, they’re gutless. If they came to my door without hiding behind their guns and threats, I would beat every one of them to a fucking pulp. Instead, they’re hiding behind a surprise attack. Even the best of us can’t protect ourselves from that shit.” “Does it make you feel weak to have me protecting you?” He grunts. “Of course it fucking does, you’re not meant to be protecting me. I’m meant to be protecting myself.” “You can’t be everything you are, and protect yourself at the same time, Jax. It doesn’t make you weak.” He shakes his head with a bitter laugh. “My life was fucking great, everything was how it should be, and then before I know it, I see something fucking awful and now I’m

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trapped. I’m suffocating, unable to breathe freely.” Poor man, this is obviously affecting him. “It won’t be forever, Jax. You have to tell yourself that.” He looks to me. “It’s already been too long. I’m going fucking crazy, kitten.” I wish there was something I could say to make it better for him, but there isn’t. I can’t make it go away. I wish I could, but I can’t. “I was just out, minding my own fucking business,” he says and I realize he’s going to tell me what happened. “I was meeting a friend, but I ended up at the wrong club. The one I was meant to be at was only down the road, so I walked. I turned down an alley to get away from the rush of people, so I could get to the club quicker. It was long and

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fucking dark, and the further I walked in, the more I realized that it was the wrong turn.” My heart flutters with fear for him. “I was about to turn around when I heard a scream. It was a woman. I couldn’t just turn back, I needed to check out what was happening, make sure she was okay, so I picked up to a run and went to check it out. I came into a dark clearing, and under a dull streetlight, I saw eight men. They had a woman on the ground, and they were…” I swallow and look away, because I know what he’s going to say. “They were…” “I get it,” I say softly. His eyes flick to mine and there’s pain in their depths. “It wasn’t just that, they had guns and knives. She was so battered, so bloodied, it

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was horrific. I stood there, frozen to the ground, wanting to kill every single one of them. I’m not stupid though. They had guns and knives. If I went in there, I’d be dead in a matter of seconds. So, I did something fucking stupid.” I wait, holding my breath. “I got my phone out and I recorded them. I figured if I took it to the police, I’d have a better chance of getting the girl the help she needed. I caught all their faces, and then I turned to call the police when one of them saw me. I don’t recall a great deal after that, all I know is I ran, two of them caught up to me and a huge fight broke out. I was beating them, they were beating me and then I was knocked out.” Oh God.

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“I woke in the hospital. The police told me someone had been walking by and heard the commotion, and called them. They got to me in the nick of time, quite literally—I had six stab wounds, a broken nose, a black eye and a seriously fucked-up body.” He turns and lifts his leg, rolling up his pants and showing me some angry purple scars. Then he drops his pants slightly and shows me more on his hips. God, poor thing. “Anyway, I showed them the video and they recognized a few of the faces. These men are what I suppose you could call members of a gang that’s directly linked to a massive drug cartel. It’s a messy situation. It was enough for the police to make an arrest, but only on the ones they could locate. It opened up a world of trouble for the gang and before I knew it, I was receiving threats

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against my life. People like that don’t take kindly to people like me, who expose everything.” “Jax,” I say softly. He shrugs. “It was a fucked-up situation, and the worst of it is, it was just me in the wrong place at the wrong time. I should have walked away, but me taking that video was the only way I could help that girl. It killed me that I couldn’t have gotten in there and fucking beat every one of those assholes to a pulp, but I’m not a stupid man.” “They would have killed you,” I say. “Yeah, they would have. They killed her.” I flinch. “Oh, Jax.” “So I chose my life over hers.” Oh, no. “No, you chose not to try and be a hero when you knew where it would have ended.

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You took care of yourself, but there’s nothing wrong with that. You didn’t know her.” “They were fucking hurting her,” he rasps. “And you did the best you could with what you had. God, Jax, you can’t be expected to get killed protecting a woman you don’t know. It’s a cruel, heartless world and things like that happen every day. It’s horrible, and unfair, but it’s fact. It wouldn’t have made any difference if you stepped in except that you’d be dead too. You did the right thing.” He says nothing, because he doesn’t believe he did the right thing. That makes my heart ache for him. “It was a bad situation,” I say gently. “It wasn’t your fault.”

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“And in the end I wasted my fucking time, didn’t I?” he snaps. “Because they’re going to get me any fucking way. Those men won’t sit back and just let me live peacefully after revealing so much to the cops. They’re going to want revenge, and they know who I am and where to find me.” “How did they find out who you were?” “One of them got hold of my wallet.” He barks a laugh. “Can you fucking believe that?” “Jax…” “Livin’ every fucking day looking over my shoulder, wondering when they’re going to make their move. Today they started, and now it won’t fucking end.” “I won’t let them get close to you,” I say and his eyes flash to my face.

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“You’re amazing at what you do, Delaney. But you’re still just one person. You’re like me against them. If they want to get to me, they will.” He stands and walks up the stairs to his room, and I want to scream with frustration. I want to help him. I want him to believe this will all be okay, but I also understand why he thinks it won’t be. If it was me in his situation, I’d be terrified too. I sigh and stand, throwing my beer bottle out. I can’t have any more than one. Especially not after tonight. I go into the library and try to get some rest, but it’s pointless. I lay in the bed until the sun sets and night falls, but I’m not having any such luck. I get up and peek out into the living area to see Jax sitting on a stool by

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the kitchen counter, shirtless, beer in hand, head lowered. I should leave him be, but I can’t. Instead I step out and walk towards him, wanting to help, knowing how terrified he must be. He will never show it, because he’s far too rugged for that, but it has to be there, deep down. He’s human, and any normal person would be shaken up after what he’s been through. “Hey there, handsome,” I say, sitting beside him. “Sorry about before,” he mutters. “Not trying to be a dick.” I laugh softly. “You’re not being a dick.” He glances at me, his grey eyes tired and worn. “You’re a good woman, Delaney. Too good for a job like this. Too good to be risking your life for me.”

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I shrug. “That’s your opinion, but it isn’t mine.” “Did it feel good to do what you did today?” he asks. “No, Jax, it didn’t,” I tell him truthfully. “Did saving my life make it all worthwhile?” I narrow my eyes at him. “Absolutely.” He studies my face. “Who is going to save you, kitten?” he rasps. My heart starts pounding. “I don’t need saving.” He reaches over and I freeze as his thumb gently glides over my bottom lip. God he’s drunk, I can smell the beer on his breath. “But you do. You just don’t see it.”

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“Jax,” I whisper, knowing I should pull back, knowing I should protest or at least try and put up a fight. “You hide it behind your sass, but you’re as broken as the rest of us. Saving other people is something you choose because you’ve given up trying to save yourself.” “Jax.” “You should stop, stop trying to save men like me.” “Men like you?” I ask, my voice low. “Failures, Delaney.” I hold his eyes. “You’re not a failure, Jaxson Shields. You’re the most talented, incredible, beautiful man I’ve ever met.” “I use women,” he says gruffly. “You and a million other men.” “They don’t deserve that.”

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I scoff. “They want that, Jax, or they wouldn’t take it. Ever think they might just be using you as much as you’re using them?” His eyes flash. “You look at the world so differently than the rest of us.” I nod slowly. “That’s because I choose to see it differently. Being bitter isn’t in my nature.” Our eyes lock and the tension is back, thick and strong, right there like it was earlier. Jax reaches up again, tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear. I gasp and all my logic is screaming at me to get up and run, but all my senses are aimed at him. They all want a piece of Jaxson Shields. “I should…” I whisper. He doesn’t let me finish. He moves his hand quickly, curling it around the back of

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my head and before I can protest, his lips are covering mine. My entire body jerks and I gasp with delight as he parts my lips with his tongue and suddenly I’m kissing Jax. I didn’t plan for it. Hell, I didn’t even think I wanted it until today, but now I can’t imagine ever wanting anything else. He tastes like beer and masculine male, and everything wonderful. His lips are soft, but his cheeks are scratchy and the combination is incredible. My sex clenches and my hands move all on their own, grasping his waist. He reaches down, taking my stool and sliding it closer to him, until his arms can go around my waist and his feet can hook around my stool, effectively trapping me in place. He kisses me hungrily, devouring my mouth, and I let him. I can feel his rigid ab muscles and god, he feels out of this world.

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Our kiss becomes more frantic and his fingers dig into my hips, clenching and unclenching with clear need. His other hand slides between my legs and his fingers press gently against the soaked cotton covering my sex. He groans, I whimper, and he cups my sex, his big hand covering me and sparking everything to life. I fight with everything, knowing I shouldn’t be doing this, but not caring one bit as he moves his hands up and then slides them into my sweats. His fingers dip into my pussy and graze over my clit. I gasp and whimper his name, our mouths moving apart for only a split second, before coming back together again in a kiss that’s hungrier than before. My fingers are still curled around his waist and he’s gently rubbing my clit in small, firm circles, making my body spark to life.

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My orgasm is building higher and higher when the buzzer by the door sounds, like a screaming alarm. I jerk back, Jax flinches and we both look over to the door. Someone from downstairs is calling up. The sound repeats and it’s like cold water being splashed over my body. What the hell am I doing? I pull back frantically, releasing Jax, and his hand slides from my pants as I stumble off the stool. Oh God, what the hell was I thinking? Letting him finger me? Where the hell has my brain gone? I rush over to the door, ignoring his muffled curses, and press the little button beside it. “Yes?” “Hello, Delaney,” the security man at the door calls out. “I have Tori here to see Mr. Shields.” Dammit.

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God dammit. I want to scream in frustration, but instead I glance to Jax, who is staring at me, his face an expressionless mask. He nods and I want to die from the jealously that rips through my chest. “Send her up,” I say, my voice weak. “Yes, ma’am.” I want to turn and run, but I can’t. I have to make sure it really is Tori and not someone pretending to be her. When the apartment door rings, I glance through the peephole and see it is Tori. With a sigh, I open the door. Her eyes widen as she takes me in, and then she demands, “Is Jax here?” “Of course he’s here,” I say, my voice empty. “Why the hell would I be here if he wasn’t?” “Right,” she says. “Let me in?”

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“You need to show me what’s in your purse,” I say, deadpan. “Seriously?” “I’m sure you’re aware of what went down today, so I ask that you cooperate.” She grunts and thrusts her purse at me. I check it over and then hand it back to her, flinging the door open. She sees Jax and I don’t miss the narrowing of her eyes when she sees he’s only in a pair of sweatpants. Still, she charges forward and throws herself into his arms. “Oh Jax, I was so worried,” she says, burying her face into his neck. “I’m fine, Tor,” he says, holding onto her. Dammit. I swallow and flinch, slamming the door loudly and setting the alarm. Then I turn and see Jax is watching me from over Tori’s shoulder. I stiffen and turn, muttering,

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“’Night,” before disappearing into the library and shutting the door. Then I lock it. And I keep it that way until morning. * * * I’m awake before Jax in the morning, and I get right to work making coffee and preparing for the day. We’re going to a business meeting, then he’s got a dinner and a night out at the casino. I’m hoping in all this we won’t get a chance to talk. I need to gather myself, recover from yesterday, push any pathetic feelings lingering for Jax aside and focus on the job at hand. Keeping him safe. I try so hard not to think about what happened last night, but it’s nearly impossible. Jaxson Shields had his hands in my pants, and it felt fucking incredible. I can’t

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let that happen again. I need to be as professional as I can, and refuse any alone time with him unless it’s to protect him. Nothing else. I hear footsteps as I’m preparing coffee. I look over to see Jax coming down the stairs followed by Tori. My heart clenches, so badly I have to look away. I have no right to be jealous—he isn’t with me. He’s been sleeping with her. It’s none of my business. I don’t care. I tell myself these things over and over as I try to keep cool, calm and collected. “Delaney,” Jax says, but I don’t look at him. “We have a meeting this morning. Could you get ready so I can ensure you make it on time?” He’s silent, but I keep my eyes on the coffee, grabbing mine before turning towards

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my room to get changed. “Your coffee is there. I didn’t get one for your girlfriend, I didn’t realize she was here. I’ll be out in twenty minutes.” “Delaney,” he tries again, but I ignore him and walk into the library, shutting the door. I press my back against it, taking a deep steadying breath. I can do this, I have to do this. I’ve come this far, one little moment isn’t going to change that. I push off and get dressed. I’m just buttoning my top when the door cracks open and Jax steps in. “Too bad if I was naked,” I mutter. “Can we talk?” he asks. “No, Jaxson, we can’t. Are you ready to go?” I turn and glance at him for the first time, and my heart aches. He’s dressed, but his

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eyes look so tired. I try not to feel sympathy, and instead hold a steady, blank expression. “Delaney, stop it. I have to talk to you and you fucking know it.” “No, sir, you don’t. We made a mistake. I forgot what I was because of the events of the day. It won’t happen again.” “Jesus, Delaney, what the fuck is wrong with you? Snap out of it.” I keep my face blank. “Are you ready for work?” “Delaney,” he barks. “I didn’t fuck her.” I flinch and his eyes go to the movement. “I knew you were in there somewhere.” I look away. He steps closer. “I didn’t fuck her, kitten. She just stayed the night. She wanted to talk and I felt I owed it to her to listen.” I don’t need his excuses.

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“That’s great. Can we go?” “Stop,” he growls, stepping even closer and causing me to take a step back. “Stop pretending you’re not affected by everything. You saved my life yesterday, then I had my fingers in your damned pussy, and now you’re acting like ice. Don’t do that.” “It was a mistake,” I say, meeting his gaze. “For you maybe.” “No, Jax, for both of us. I’m your protector, I don’t have time to be your … whatever the hell I was last night.” “Delaney.” “No, Jax,” I snap, cutting him off and my face goes hard. “My job is far more important than anything, even you. Now let me do it.”

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I step past him, hating how his face has blanked out. I think my words hurt, no scratch that, they did hurt. But I had to do it. I can’t let this go on with Jax, I need to go back to focusing on protecting him and not letting anything else get in the way. So that’s what I’m going to do. I’ll push the thoughts of how amazing he was into the very back of my mind and leave them there. I have no time to care about Jaxson Shields. None.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN Jax remains moody the entire day, and it makes my job so much easier. We don’t speak. I just do what I have to do and make sure he gets to and from work without incident. I keep an extra eye out, making sure he’s safe. The day is long, and it drags, but nothing eventful happens until we get back to his apartment to get ready for the evening out. I’m passing reception behind Jax when the receptionist calls out my name. I stop, confused, and look over to her. She waves at me and I motion for Jax to stop as I rush over and see what she wants. I have no idea why she’d feel the need to call to me, I don’t

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live here and I’ve never spoken to her. Unless Nak has left a message—though he didn’t try to ring my phone. “What can I do for you?” I ask. “This was delivered for you today,” she says, smiling and waving at a big bundle of flowers on the reception desk. I blink. “Me?” “Yes, you’re Delaney, aren’t you?” “Yes, but…” Who the hell would send me flowers? I didn’t tell Mitch or Jed about what happened. Maybe it’s Nak saying good job? Though he really doesn’t seem like the flowers kind of man. Maybe Kyle is sucking up? I snort, yeah right. He wouldn’t know how to charm a woman if he tried. “Thanks,” I say when she doesn’t answer me, taking the flowers.

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I walk back to Jax, whose eyes flick to the flowers. His jaw hardens and I pretend not to notice as we go up to his apartment. I do check over them as we go, making sure nothing looks suspicious, and I see a little card poking out. I gently run my fingers over it and it’s only paper, so I wait until we get to the apartment before I open it. We get in and I do my usual checks and then close the door, setting the alarm. We’ve got about two hours to get ready for the night out, so I take the flowers to my room and place them on the coffee table. Curious, I pluck the card out and sit on the sofa, just as Jax reaches my door and stares in. I open the note and flip it over, reading the words. My blood runs cold and my hands start to shake as I read the note.

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Do yourself a favor. Back off Shields. If you don’t, the next bullet will be aimed at you. I flinch and immediately turn, grabbing the flowers and tearing them out of the base. I don’t know what I’m thinking, but I need to make sure nothing is planted in them. Jax enters the room as I’m tearing them out and tossing them on his floor, and he lifts the card. I hear a hiss, and then he’s closing his big hands around mine, tugging me away from the flowers. “Delaney,” he says. “Stop.” “There could be something in here,” I say frantically. “Delaney.” “I just need to—” “Kitten!” he barks and I freeze.

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Then my knees start shaking. Jax wraps an arm around me and pulls me against him. “The flowers are fine. It was a smart way of getting a message in without being suspicious.” “They’re … they…” “They won’t get near you. It’s a threat, Delaney.” I lose it then. “It’s not a threat, I saw what they did. God dammit. This is bad, this is so fucking bad. I need to call Nak and—” Jax spins me and slams my body into his chest. “If you call Nak, he will call you off. Is that what you want?” “No,” I cry. “If this bothers you, I’m right there with you. I’ll make the call myself, but you’ve been fighting for a chance at this from the start. Think long and hard about what you want to

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do, calm down from the shock. They’re ruffling feathers, Delaney. They’re trying to get you to back down. If you go, it’ll be the next guard that gets threats.” He’s right, I know he is. I’m not the first bodyguard to receive threats. All the others have at some point. I know because I’ve heard the discussions. I can go off the case, if I want to, but that’s not what I want. I need to see Jax through to the end—I just need to take a few breaths. That note … it freaked me out. “How do you think they knew my name?” He shrugs. “It wouldn’t be hard to find out.” I nod and he studies my face. “You sure you’re okay?” “I’m okay, I just…”

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“It fucking scared you,” he says, his thumbs rubbing over my hips. “I know the feeling.” I swallow, suddenly feeling a small percentage of how he might have been living these last few months. “God, Jax, I’m sorry,” I say, stepping back. “I didn’t realize how bad things must be for you.” He shrugs. “Come on, we’ve got two hours before we go out. Come and sit, process what just happened.” I nod and he leads me out into the lounge, and we sit on opposite sofas, staring at each other. “Tell me how you grew up,” he asks. I’m grateful for him, right now. He’s taking my mind off it, and I appreciate that.

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“I grew up here. I lost my parents when I was little, around five, and my aunty and uncle adopted me.” His eyes flash. “You lost your parents?” “Car accident.” Jax had lost his parents too. I remember reading it in his file, though it didn’t say how. “I know how much that hurts. Good that you had someone you trusted to take you in.” I nod. “I’m grateful for Aunt Bett and Uncle George, they gave me the best life they could and it was full of love. I don’t really remember a great deal about my parents.” “So no siblings then?” I shake my head. “No, they never got around to having another, but Aunt Bett and Uncle George have a son, Jed. He’s been my best friend since I was younger. He has a

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friend called Mitch, who I adore also. Those two have gotten me through a lot.” Jax meets my eyes and his have something I haven’t seen in them before—compassion. “They matter to you, that’s good.” “Mitch is slightly infatuated with me,” I blurt without thinking. “But he knows we’re just friends. I adore him.” Jax tenses. “He wants you?” “Well, there was this night a few years ago where things nearly got, ah, out of control. I guess it’s kind of like you and Tori.” He studies my face. “You care about him?” “No, well, he’s my best friend but it’s never been more than that. It could have been, but like you, we both care about Jed too much.”

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“Red, Jed, think we were made to meet each other, kitten. Our stories are scarily alike.” I smile. “Yeah, we’ll pretend that’s not creepy.” He gives me a gorgeous half smile. When he’s like this—he’s beautiful. “Listen, about last night…” “Jax,” I whisper. “Please don’t. You and I both know that shouldn’t have happened. I need … I just need to do my job, now more than ever. I can’t afford to be distracted.” He studies my face. “I get that.” “Then please let me move on and do that.” “I’m hearing you, baby,” he murmurs, standing. My heart flutters to a stop and my lips part as I watch him walk to his bedroom.

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He called me baby. That isn’t supposed to feel amazing. * * * “Yes, Kyle.” I sigh into the phone as Jax and I travel to the casino. “It’s fine.” “Nak asked me to check on you, Delaney. I’m doing that.” “And I said everything is fine, we’ve had no problems since yesterday.” “Do you need backup tonight? It’s a big event, easy target.” I grind my teeth. “I think I’ve proven that I can do my job, Kyle. Let me do that, yeah?” “Fine, but you need to call if it gets too much. You need to make sure you check…” “Later Kyle,” I say, hanging up on him. “That man needs a good, swift kick to the nuts,” Jax mutters.

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I laugh softly. “You’re right about that, handsome.” He looks out the window, he seems nervous. I don’t blame him, he’s here, risking his life again in public, so soon after the last encounter. I don’t push speaking as we drive, and when we arrive at the casino, I instruct the driver to pull around to the secure entrance that Nak called in. I get out first, my long red gown flowing around my feet as I straighten, fingering the gun in my purse. It’s quiet, so I usher for Jax to get out. He climbs out, looking amazing in his suit, and we both enter the casino. I do all my usual scans as we head to the huge ballroom that’s been booked for the occasion. It’s a big charity/fundraising event in the theme of eighties’ gangsta. As we step inside, people are dressed in suits, the girls with big hair

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and tight dresses. There are card and slot tables lined up, and the entire theme has been set perfectly. I walk Jax over to the group of men he points out to me. He introduces me as his guest for the night and I’m okay with that. I hold my purse close as I glance around the room, listening only vaguely as Jax talks to his colleagues. They get to talking about his newest hotel, being built in Los Angeles and I zone out, just keeping my eyes on people. We should be fairly safe in here, considering it’s protected by security, but still, I can’t be too careful. Someone could have gotten in without my notice, and could be acting as one of the guests. I can’t risk that, so I stay close to Jax and smile when I need to, and answer questions when required. I’m the perfect guest.

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The night goes on, and Jax starts easing up, laughing and making conversation where needed. Dinner is served and the auctions begin. I sit and watch with a smile as they make money for some well-known charities with Jax’s hotel chains being a big contributor. He goes up and makes a speech and I stick close, keeping my eyes on the people surrounding him. It seems they’re all fine. When dinner is over, the dancing begins. Couples start heading out onto the dance floor, and I smile as they move, staring longingly at each other. I’m busy staring when an arm curls around my waist and I jerk, turning to see Jax walking us towards the dance floor. I push my heels in and protest, “I don’t think so, handsome.” “Come on, kitten, you’ll love it.”

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“No, thank you. I look like a headless chicken dancing.” He chuckles, low and sexy. “Then you should definitely come and give me some entertainment for the evening.” “Eat a giant penis, Jaxson Shields.” His chuckle turns into a laugh. “Fuck, you’re cute when you’re sassy.” “I’m not dancing. The entire dance floor does not want to see my superhero underwear when I go ass over head.” He leads me further on. “You wear superhero underwear?” “Of course I do, don’t you?” He snorts. “Iron Man is very real in my world.” “God,” he mutters. “You could have at least had the Hulk on your panties.”

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“He’s green, nobody wants a green man near their junk.” He grins and swings me around until I’m forced to put my hands up to rest on him. He starts swaying us, his hands on my hips, mine resting on his shoulders. His eyes lock with mine and suddenly all the humor is gone. I’m taken back to his kitchen last night and my heart starts pounding. Stop thinking about it, Delaney. For God’s sake, stop thinking about it. I look away, glancing at the couples around us, trying to look at anything but him. He pulls me closer with a little tug of my hips and I gasp as my body presses against his, his muscled flesh molding around mine and making me feel alive. I look into his eyes again and he’s gone from playful, to lusty. Oh God.

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I should push back. I can’t. He sways us, our bodies moving to the music. I try, God do I try, to ignore the thickness pressing against my pelvis, but it’s nearly impossible. His eyes are heated and he leans down close, so our foreheads are touching. No, God dammit, no. I can’t allow this. I go to pull back, but his hands tighten on my hips. “Don’t,” he whispers. “Let me have this.” “You know this is dangerous,” I whisper. “Dammit, Jax.” He turns his head to the side, pressing his cheek to mine and he says nothing more. Our bodies are pressed together, our cheeks warm against the other’s, and it feels amazing. I let my eyes flutter closed, and I let my body move with his, relaxing my hips so we

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sway together. My breathing becomes ragged and I want to kiss him, more than anything in this world I want his lips on mine. But I don’t. The song ends and we stand like that, wrapped in each other, until a throat clears and I jerk backwards. A tall, gorgeous woman is standing, smiling at Jax. “Hi there, gorgeous. Remember me?” His eyes scan over her face and his jaw hardens. “Can’t you see I’m busy?” She grins, not at all offended by his harsh tone. “I’m sure, but I was just going to ask for the next dance.” “No thanks,” he grunts. “I need to, ah, use the bathroom,” I say, pushing back. “Me too,” Jax growls, glaring at the woman and following me out of the room.

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We have to use the bathrooms that are in a long narrow hall outside the ballroom, because there’s none directly in the ballroom. Granted, they’re just outside it, but it still means stepping into an unsecured area. I open the door first, shoving my hand in my purse to clutch my gun as I stare around. It seems fine, so I follow Jax towards the restroom. We reach them and I come to a problem. If I go into the bathroom, Jax won’t be safe. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, then I turn to him. “I think you’re going to have to go, and I’ll have to take you back to the safety of the ballroom and then go myself.” The muscle in his jaw jumps, and I know he doesn’t like me coming out here alone. Before he can answer, two men step into the hallway. One comes from the left, the other

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from the right. I flinch and my eyes instantly fall to their hands that are reaching into their jackets. “Look at that, two in one,” the man to my left says, and my blood runs cold. I step closer to Jax and finger the gun in my purse, not wanting to use it, but more than willing to if need be. Jax curls a hand around my wrist and squeezes, he’s sending a message, only I don’t know what it is. “This will be easier than we thought. You’ve been a burden on us for too long now,” the second man grunts, glaring at Jax. He pulls out a gun and all the breath is sucked from my lungs. They wouldn’t shoot us in a casino, would they? God, of course they would, and now’s their perfect chance. I stare at the gun and I know I can’t reach for mine that fast, my only chance is a quick

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attack. I’ve been taught how to disarm a man with a shock attack, but it’s still a risk considering there’s a man on the other side of Jax with a gun, too. If I take this guy down, will the other man shoot Jax before I get the chance to get to him, too? I have to take the risk, because if I just stand here doing nothing, they will most certainly shoot us. I glance at Jax and he nods ever so slightly. Does he know what I’m going to do? Is he going to take the other man down? I have to hope he is. I nod slightly too and the man laughs. “You two have no way out, you can close your eyes, if you like. It’ll hurt less. I promise to make it right between the eyes.” I flinch and turn to glare at him, he aims the gun between my eyes. Now or never. I duck low and twist so quickly he doesn’t see

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it coming. I don’t try to disarm him yet, but instead drive a fist into his stomach when I make contact. He takes a couple of steps back upon impact and I’m grateful that I haven’t heard a gun go off. Instead I hear grunting. Jax was thinking the same as me, thank god. I focus on the man who has now wrapped one arm around my head and is shoving my face into his stomach, trying to suffocate me. I use my free fist to drive up and punch him between the legs. He bellows and topples backwards. I stand and twist my body to the side, preparing to kick him as hard as I can when he turns skillfully and drives a fist into my cheek. I gasp as pain shoots through my skull, exploding in the depths and sending me offguard for a second. The man takes that

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second, and drives the other fist into my eye and I topple backwards. I trip on something and I realize it’s a body. I land on my backside and like lightning, Jax moves past me. There’s a loud crack and then a gun slides my way. I grasp it even though I’m dizzy. I see Jax and the man on the ground, their bodies rolling about, fists flying. The other man, who I tripped over, is out cold on the ground. I take a deep, shaky breath and fight the pain as I crawl across the floor towards the two men. The one I was fighting has a small knife. I don’t know where he pulled it from, but there’s no way he’s going to get that into Jax. I aim the gun and with a shaky hand, I shoot him in the leg just as he raises the knife to slash at Jax. He bellows in agony and topples backwards, hitting the wall.

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After that, what happens is a blur. A passerby heading toward the bathroom spots us and runs away, then starts shouting for help. Soon people from the casino swarm us. I fall backwards, head spinning. I realize my dress is torn and my panties are showing, but I make no effort to cover myself as Jax kneels beside me. He’s got blood on his lip, but otherwise he looks okay. “Hey, look at me,” he says. “Can you see?” “Y-y-y-yes,” I whisper, groaning. Before he can say anything more a guard comes through the crowd. I vaguely hear him asking Jax what happened, and listening as Jax explains his situation. I keep my eyes closed, and focus on anything but the pain in my face. This is why I don’t get into fights, being punched hurts.

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“Hey.” I feel a warm hand on my cheek. “Look at me.” I open my eyes to see Jax staring down at me, a worried expression on his face. There are two police officers beside him, handcuffing the two men. “Are you okay?” he asks. I nod. He turns and barks at the crowd in general, “Someone get me some fucking ice.” Then he turns back and swipes a piece of hair from my forehead. “How’s your vision? Can you see? Is the pain severe?” “I’m okay,” I whisper. “It’s just going to hurt like hell tomorrow.” “I’ve called Nak, he’s on his way. Here.” He shrugs off his suit jacket and lifts me gently, draping it over my shoulders. I clutch

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it close, breathing it in, grateful for the warmth and coverage it creates. “I have to talk to the police, but I’ll be right here,” Jax assures me. He stands and when an ice pack comes, he hands it to me. I place it against my cheek and sit back against the wall, as I listen to him give a full statement. The officers are familiar with his case, and they said it’s a good thing these two men have been arrested. I think it’s a bad thing. A very, very bad thing. This will only make them angrier. “Jesus.” I hear Nak’s voice and open my eyes to see him shoving through the crowd. When he reaches me, he kneels in front of me, taking my chin in his hands. “What happened?” “They cornered us in the hall when we were alone,” I croak. “They had their guns

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drawn before I could pull mine. I did the best I c-c-could.” “Hey,” Nak says. “You’re both alive and they’re both in custody, you did well.” “He hit me, I went down … Jax fought the other one and then got the guy off me.” “Then it was lucky you were together.” I nod. There’s no point worrying that I didn’t do my job correctly. It would have been no different if it was Kyle in the situation, or even Nak. Nak is right, we got out safely and that’s all that matters. “Are you in serious pain?” Nak asks, turning my face from side to side. “It doesn’t feel great, but I think I’ll be fine.” “Take a few days off, Delaney. You’ve had a hard time, it’s been full on. Let Kyle take

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over until you’re ready to go at the end of the week. Spend time with your family.” “I’m okay, Nak, really I am.” “It’s not an option, Laney,” he says gently. “Take the time off.” “He’s right,” Jax says, kneeling beside Nak. “Take it off, recover.” I meet his eyes and my heart aches. I don’t want to take it off, I just want to keep doing my job. It makes me feel weak to have days off over a black eye. “I’m honestly fine, it’s just a black eye and—” “It’s not just a black eye, Delaney,” Nak says, his voice firm. “You’ve had a drive-by shooting this week and now this. Most of my men don’t deal with that much in a week. It’s a lot to process. You deserve a few days off.

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You’ve barely seen your family and you’ve been working like a madwoman.” He’s right, I have. I would like to see them. “Okay,” I say, suddenly exhausted. “I’ll call Kyle in now, he can escort Jax back to his apartment. I’ll take you home.” “If you don’t mind, Nak,” Jax says. “I’d like to make sure she gets home safely. Kyle can drop her off on the way.” Nak nods. “Understandable. Are you good with that, Delaney?” I nod and he helps me up. Jax wraps an arm around my waist and we’re escorted out. Fifteen minutes later, Kyle arrives and we get into Jax’s car. I wave to Nak weakly and he gives Kyle a list of instructions. When we’re on the road, my body slumps and I can’t help it, I lean into Jax. He doesn’t put his arm

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around me, probably because Kyle is in the car, but he strokes a finger over my hand, letting me know it’s okay. When we arrive at my apartment, Kyle gets out first and does the usual checks while we wait in the secure underground car park. When it’s all clear, he leads Jax and me up to my apartment at Jax’s request. I know he doesn’t like it, because his jaw is tight, but he allows it. When we reach my door, Kyle goes in first and checks to make sure it’s safe, then we all enter. “Give me an hour with her, Kyle,” Jax orders, not looking at Kyle. “It’s better if you wait by the door.” “Why do I need to wait at the door? You shouldn’t be doing anything that requires an hour. Is there something going on between you two? Because that’s against the rules!”

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Jax stiffens and turns so sharply Kyle takes a step back. He stalks over and gets in his face. “Listen to me, and listen good. That woman got two hits to the face tonight, by a man twice her size. You might be a piece of shit willing to leave her here, but I am not. Until I know she’s okay, and not injured severely after doing her job and protecting me, then I won’t be leaving. If you want me to leave a complaint with Nak, argue again.” Kyle flinches and his face pinches, but he spins and stalks towards the door, growling, “One fucking hour.” When he’s out of sight, Jax wraps an arm around my waist and we walk to my room. I sit on my bed and he kneels before me, taking my foot and sliding my heel off, then he does the same with the other. I say nothing, I just watch his hands gliding over my feet.

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When my heels are off, his fingers graze the skin of my foot and I shiver. Our eyes meet and the tension is thick again. I swallow and say, “You have a bloody lip. Let me get something for that.” “No.” His voice is a low rasp. “You’ve done enough for me, just sit and let me check your cheek and eye.” I don’t argue, I just sit and watch as he moves around my room, finding a washcloth. He dampens it in the bathroom and returns a moment later, kneeling in front of me. He takes my face and his eyes grow concerned as he gently presses the cool cloth against my flesh. “This is going to fucking hurt tonight, and especially tomorrow. Have you got good pain medication?”

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“My aunt lives just next door, she will have some.” He nods and stands. “What are you doing?” I ask. “Going next door to get some.” “What, no!” I stand up and my head pounds. I press a hand to my forehead and Jax turns, walking over and pressing his hands to my shoulders, pushing me gently down. “Don’t argue with me, kitten. I’m doing this, like it or not.” Then he turns again before I can protest and leaves the room. I groan and put my head in my hands, waiting for it. Aunt Bett won’t take the news of me being hurt well, and any moment now she’ll burst through my doors, demanding answers. I’m right. Ten minutes later, I hear her voice.

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“Where is she?” A moment later, her small frame appears in my bedroom doorway and her face drops. “Oh my poor girl, my poor Laney.” She rushes in and sits beside me, taking my face in her hands. “I’m okay, Aunt Bett, honestly.” “Your face is swollen!” she cries. “It looks worse than it feels,” I say. I’m such a liar. “Don’t you lie to me, young lady,” she says and I smile. “Okay, Aunt Bett.” “Come, come, let me help you out into the dining room. I bet you haven’t had a decent meal in weeks. Let me prepare something, get you all warmed up and ready for bed.” “It’s okay, truly.”

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“No arguments. Your friend can stay, Kyle too.” I smile at the idea of her using the term friend to describe what Jax is to me. I don’t say anything, though, and let her lead me out into the dining room where Jax is standing in the kitchen, preparing painkillers for me. He turns when he sees us enter, and his eyes flick to mine. So much hides beneath those depths, I want to rush over and tuck myself into his arms, but we both know I can’t do that. I glance at Kyle, who is standing at the front door, watching me too. I give him a nod of my head and let Aunt Bett lead me to the table. She sits me down and then faces the room in general, mostly Jax. “I’m making soup, you two will stay and eat it.” No argument there.

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“Sorry, Bett,” Kyle says. “But I have to get Mr. Shields home.” “I have nowhere to be,” Jax says, giving Kyle a look. “But—” Kyle starts, but Aunt Bett throws her hands up. “It’s settled, Kyle. Stop arguing and relax.” Kyle mutters something, but he knows he has no choice. If Jax wanted to stay here all night there’s nothing he can do about it. Aunt Bett tries to get him away from the door, but he stands there, sulking. God, he’s such a child when he wants to be. “Can I help you with anything, Bett?” Jax asks and my mouth drops open. First-name basis? Seriously?

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“No.” Aunt Bett shoos him away. “You just sit, my dear, and make sure Laney doesn’t do anything crazy.” “Aunt Bett!” I scoff. “I’m hardly going to do anything crazy.” She gives me a look and then puts her hands on her hips. “Do you remember the time you broke your leg?” I groan and put my head down. “No, Aunt Bett, please don’t.” She turns to Jax. “She broke her leg riding her motorbike over a massive jump Jed dared her to go over. You’d think that was enough, wouldn’t you? Oh no, nothing is ever enough for my Laney. The next day, she got herself back to that track, put herself back on that motorbike and tried the jump again, just to prove Jed wrong. She fell off and broke her wrist.”

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I huff and put my head in my hands. Jax laughs. “This doesn’t surprise me,” he says. “See, even Jaxson knows what kind of girl you are.” “Aunt Bett,” I scoff. “You know I had to take the jump again, Jed would have never let me live it down.” “And at what cost?” She waggles her finger at me. I roll my eyes and glance at Jax, who is staring at me with a grin. I look away just as a knock sounds at the door and I hear Jed yell out, “Laney, let us in!” Kyle looks to me. “That’s Jed.” He turns and opens the door, glancing at Jed and Mitch. He makes them go through the usual checks anyway, because it’s his job, and the two men let him without complaint.

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When they’re free to enter, Jed is the first to charge over and scoop me up into his arms. “You’re crazy, fucking crazy.” “Jed, you watch your mouth!” Aunt Bett scoffs. “Hush, Mother, she’s hurt.” I laugh and push back. “I’m fine, I’m just going to resemble a panda for a few days.” “Unacceptable. You, princess, should always look like a butterfly.” That’s Jed, always so dramatic. Mitch steps up next and pulls me into his arms, holding me tight. I let him, needing his comfort. When we pull apart, he takes my face gently in his hands. “You okay, Laney girl?” “I’m okay, nothing a few days’ rest won’t fix.” “Fuck, you had me worried.”

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I step back and glance at Jax, who is watching Mitch with a hard expression. He couldn’t be jealous, could he? My heart swells a little at that thought. “Jed, Mitch, this is Jaxson Shields,” I say, waving my hand at Jax. “Awesome to meet you, dude,” Jed says, stepping forward. “I stayed in your hotel last year. Epic.” Jax takes his hand and smiles. “Thanks.” Mitch is up next, and he studies Jax a minute before extending his hand. “Good to meet you, man.” Jax nods and shakes his hand, but I don’t miss the way Mitch’s jaw tightens, because I know he squeezed far too hard. “So, give us all the juicy details,” Jed says, sliding a chair out and flopping down. “What happened?”

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“She’s not allowed to share details of her cases with anyone,” Kyle grunts. “What’s up the fun police’s ass?” Jed mutters, glaring at Kyle. I burst out laughing. “His head, now leave him alone.” Everyone laughs now, well, everyone except Kyle. “Did you try to give him a blow job like you did Nak?” Jed teases. “I did not give Nak a blow job!” I protest. “I fell into his crotch.” Jax’s brows shoot up. “Share,” he demands. Jed turns to him. “She was trying to take him down, and ended up open mouthed on his…” “He had clothes on!” I protest.

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“Sure.” Mitch grins. “We’ve all seen Nak, it was no accident.” “You’re telling me,” Kyle mutters. I glare at him. “Shut up, Kyle, you’re only jealous it wasn’t you.” He crosses his arms. “I don’t swing that way.” “That’s not what I meant,” I say. “Okay, kids,” Aunt Bett says. “That’s enough. I’m trying to make soup, it won’t be good for the soul if you’re all arguing.” I smile at her. “Of course, Aunt Bett.” For the next hour we all talk and laugh, seemingly at ease with one another. Jed tells us what he’s been doing, and they fire questions at Jax, which he answers with ease. When the soup is served, we all eat some, even if none of us actually feel like it, because

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Aunt Bett made such an effort. In the end, we all enjoy the warmth the soup brings. Aunt Bett leaves just after that and Jed and Mitch tell me they’re going to follow. I get another big hug from Jed and Mitch holds my face in his hands, kissing my cheek softly and murmuring that he hopes I get better into my ear, and then they’re gone. I turn to Jax, and he’s watching Mitch go with a tight jaw. His eyes finally move to me and he says in a tight voice, “Come on, you need to get some rest.” He leads me back to my bedroom and pulls the covers on my bed back, saying nothing. His body is stiff and he’s looking anywhere but at me. I grab my nightie and go and change, then return to him staring out my window. “Is everything okay?” I ask.

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He nods. I walk up behind him. “Jax.” “Are you sleeping with him?” I blink. “With who?” “Mitch.” I snort. “You already know the answer to that.” “No,” he says, turning. “I fucking don’t.” “What’s the problem,” I say, narrowing my eyes. “I don’t understand why you’re angry.” “He’s in love with you.” “And Tori is in love with you, but do you see me acting like a spoiled ass?” I spit. His jaw tics and he growls, “He can have you.” I narrow my eyes. “I’m sorry, what?”

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“He can fucking have you.” He steps closer, leaning down. “And I can’t.” Oh. Now it makes sense. “No, he can’t,” I say, staring at his deep grey eyes. He reaches up, running his thumb over my bottom lip. “If you wanted him to, he could.” “But I don’t, Jax.” He closes his eyes, almost pained. “You have an amazing family, amazing friends and you’ve made all your dreams come true. You’re an impressive woman, Delaney. Any man would be lucky to have you.” “Even a man like you?” His eyes open and he holds my gaze. “A man like me can never have a woman like you.”

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“Why not?” I say, stepping closer, until our bodies are flush. He reaches up and runs his thumb over the swelling on my cheek. “That’s why,” he says, his voice thick. Then he leans down and brushes his lips over the sore spot, before pulling back and turning his back to me. “Good night, Delaney.” Then he walks out, leaving me completely speechless.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN Being home is both good and bad. It’s good because I’ve been able to get the rest I need, but bad because not seeing Jax for the last two days has been hell. He hasn’t spoken to me, hasn’t called to see how I am, nothing. I know he’s trying to stay away from me after the moments we’ve been having, and I understand why, but it still sucks. Big time. Jed and Mitch have kept me company, but both of them have to work so they’ve only been coming by at night. I’m trying not to bother Aunt Bett and Uncle George too much, though I did go over and carve with

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Uncle George last night. Now I’m at my apartment, I’ve finished cleaning it, I’ve gone to the store, and I’m still restless. Nothing to do, no one to talk to, and it’s killing me. I’m busy pacing the room when a knock sounds at my door. Narrowing my eyes, I walk over and peer through the peephole. There’s no one there, so I crack it open. I see a white envelope on the floor, so I reach down and pick it up and tuck it under my arm, glancing around before stepping inside the apartment again. I lock the door and then turn, taking the envelope into the kitchen and using a knife to open it. I pull out the slip of paper and my heart starts pounding as my eyes scan over the words.

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Back off him. This is your last warning. Watch your back. My hands shake as I drop the note and lower my head, trying to steady my breathing. They’re trying to get to me, they’re trying to make me frightened. And it’s working. They know where I live. My head snaps up. Holy shit, they know where I live. I scurry towards my phone, pulling it out and dialing Nak. “Laney, how are you?” “Nak,” I squeak. “What’s wrong?” “They know where I live,” I say, my voice sounding as frightened as I feel. “What happened? Did they come there? Laney, are you okay?” “They left a note, a threat. Why are they coming after me?”

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“Calm down,” he says carefully. “Believe it or not, it is normal for people to react this way to a bodyguard. I’ve never lost a bodyguard though, and you won’t be the first. If they know where you live, you’ll be safer staying with someone else.” “I won’t put any of my family in danger, is there somewhere else I can go?” “If you want to, the nights you’re not with Jax, you can stay in a hotel close by. It’s up to you. The company will cover the costs.” “Really?” I say, feeling a little less shaky. “Absolutely. Don’t let them scare you off, Delaney, because that’s what they’re trying to do. Pack a bag, bring the note to me, and I’ll organize a hotel.” “Okay.” “Don’t tell Jax about the note, it’ll only add to his stress. We’ll sort this out. I may

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have to put Kyle on as extra protection for a while, will that be a problem?” I shake my head even though he can’t see it. “That’s fine, Nak.” “Come by the office, we’ll sort it out. Stay calm, Laney, it’ll be okay.” God, I hope he’s right. I really, truly do. How am I going to protect Jax, when my life is being threatened also? This job is a lot harder than I ever imagined. I always thought it would be me saving a life, not worrying about who the hell is going to save mine. * * * I go out with Jed and Mitch that night, needing to clear my mind before I start work again tomorrow. We go to a local bar downtown and get our drink on. The dancing and

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excessive amounts of alcohol seem to help take the stress away. Well, they cloud the anxious part of my mind and that’s all I need right now. Nak called me earlier and told me Kyle had received the same note, there was also a suspicious note delivered to the offices. This makes me feel slightly better, purely because it would seem they’re putting a target on all of us, and not just me. That means it could be a bunch of amateurs trying to scare us off. At least, that’s what Nak thinks. He said they’re probably young recruits and are trying to run their own show. “Another shot!” Mitch says, sliding a tequila shot towards me. I reach across the long wooden bar and snatch it before anyone else can, then I tip my head back and swallow it. I’m spiraling

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out of control, my legs are wobbly, my body is warm and my head is spinning. I feel great. Jed appears beside me and he too has another shot, then he wraps his arm around my shoulders and yells, “It’s been so long since we’ve been out, Laney!” “I know, right?” “Let’s dance again!” All three of us wiggle out to the dance floor and when some groovy music comes on, we start shaking our hips, throwing our hands in the air. Mitch is being a little grabby, occasionally putting his hands on my hips and bringing our bodies close, but I try to ignore it. I put it down to alcohol and let it go. During the fourth song, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pull it out and glance down at the screen, shocked to see Jax’s

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name flashing. I shove through the crowd, putting the phone to my ear, and answer with a slurred, “Hello?” “Delaney!” Jax barks. “Where are you?” “Hello, Jax,” I yell. “Delaney?” he calls. “Hang on!” He can’t hear me, so I rush down the long narrow hall until the music isn’t so loud, then I try again. “Jax?” “Where the fuck are you?” “Nice to talk to you too, handsome.” “Are you drunk?” “What? No. Yes.” I burst into a fit of giggles. “Jesus F. Christ, where the hell are you?” “Dancing!”

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“Delaney, tell me where the fuck you are. I know about the note you all got sent. You shouldn’t be out alone.” “I’m dancing, sir.” “Stop playing fucking games and get a cab here, right now.” “Ah, no.” “Delaney, don’t test me.” I laugh. “You’re bossy tonight, didn’t you get lucky?” “Delaney!” he barks. “Oh don’t be such a tight ass, Mr. Shields, I’m only dancing.” “That’s it, where the fuck are you?” “I told you, dancing.” “Delaney,” he warns. “Where are you?” I slur the name of the club and then lean against a wall. “I’m coming to get you.”

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“Kyle won’t like that,” I sing. “Kyle can kiss my fucking ass.” I giggle again. “Don’t move, stay right where you are, and don’t move.” “Yes, boss,” I say, dropping the phone. I giggle again and stumble a few times as I reach down to get it. When it’s safely in my hands, I see Jax has hung up. I hear a song I like and pivot, rushing back out onto the dance floor. I find Mitch and Jed, and start wiggling again, forgetting that Jax is coming for me. I feel my phone buzz a few times, but I am far too drunk to try and pull it from my pocket. I keep dancing, arms in the air, screaming happily. A hard set of arms go around my waist as I’m breaking out one of my signature moves, and I am spun around until I’m

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facing a stony-faced Jaxson. Kyle is standing right behind him, arms crossed, angry expression on his face. “Hello there, sunshine.” I wave to him. His glare becomes even more intense. “Let’s go,” Jax says, leaning down and putting his shoulder into my belly. Then I’m launched up and into the air and we’re moving through the crowd at a rapid pace. I weakly pummel my fists into Jax’s back, but my efforts are futile, he’s on a mission. Kyle is walking ahead of him, scanning the crowd like a madman. We go out a back door and Jax drops me into his car before sliding in. Kyle gets in beside me, and suddenly I’m jammed in between them. “It’s a man sandwich!” I cry happily, clapping my hands.

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“Take us home,” Jax orders, slamming his door. “Why so angry?” I coo, poking my finger into Jax’s cheek. “Delaney,” Kyle warns. “Stop.” “Or what?” I say, turning to him. “You’ll tackle me to the floor with your big powerful body?” Kyle looks to the car ceiling, then back to me. “You’re drunk.” “There’s no law against that.” I wiggle my finger in his face. “I’m on my days off and I now have angry people wanting to kill me, too.” “That’s exactly why you shouldn’t be out!” he spits. “Do I tell you how to run your life?” He sighs and Jax reaches over, grabbing my hand and making me face him. “He’s

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right, Delaney. You shouldn’t have been out tonight.” “Who are you, my bodyguard?” I say, then burst out laughing. “See what I did there?” Both men look to the ceiling now. “Oh hey, we should have a party!” I clap happily. “No, we should not,” Jax grunts. “You’re going to sleep as soon as we get back to my apartment.” “Ooh, I get to have a sleepover. Can we have a pillow fight?” “Fuck. Me.” Kyle grunts. “You shut her up, or I will.” “That’s not very nice.” I pout at him. “I thought we were friends.” “We’ve never been friends,” he points out rudely.

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“Because you want to bang me and can’t?” I keep a straight face but it’s hard because Kyle flinches. “I’d rather date a cow.” “See, that right there is love,” I say, wrapping an arm around Kyle’s shoulder. “You can admit it, we’re all friends here.” He flicks my arm off him, so I focus on Jax. “Hey there, handsome.” Jax’s mouth twitches. “Hey, kitten.” “How’s it going?” He gives me a half grin, and he looks so damned sexy doing it. I just want to lick him. “It’s going great, how are you?” “Drunk. Can I lick you?” His brows go up. “I beg your pardon?” “Lick you. You’re so sexy.” “Jesus, Delaney!” Kyle snaps. “Enough.”

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“Don’t be jealous, Kyle. It’s not his fault he’s pretty.” “You’re wounding me,” Jax says. “Time for quiet now.” “No fair,” I mutter, leaning back and crossing my arms. My head drops to the side and my face falls onto Jax’s shoulder. Then I close my eyes and effectively pass out.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN “Turn her to the damned left!” Kyle barks. I’m in Jax’s arms and my eyes have just fluttered open. He’s carrying me up to the apartment and having a rather difficult time of it, considering I’m like a heavy, dead fish in his arms. “I’m fucking going left,” Jax snaps. “It’s like carrying a fucking pole, it ain’t easy to move her around.” A pole? How charming. “Just turn to the damned side, or we won’t fit in this elevator.”

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Jax turns and then we’re in an elevator. I look up at him and he finally sees I’m awake. “How you doin’ there, kitten?” I reach up and touch his cheek. “So handsome.” He shakes his head slightly and grins, then we’re moving. When we reach his apartment, Kyle does his thing and then lets us inside. Jax puts me down on the sofa and gets to work retrieving some water and painkillers. He hands them to me, then says, “Sleep it off, kitten.” I don’t argue, I flop down and sigh, closing my eyes. I hear their voices fading in and out as I drift off. I don’t figure I sleep long, but I must because when I wake, Jax is sitting at a stool in the kitchen and Kyle is nowhere to be seen. I sit up, and everything is clearer. I try not to think about the fact

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that I made an absolute fool of myself. Jax looks over when I sit up, and smiles. “How’s your head?” “It’s not too bad, I’m probably still semiintoxicated. How long was I out?” “About two hours.” “Not long enough,” I moan. “Go and shower, you smell like cigarette smoke and beer. You won’t sleep well if you don’t.” He’s probably right. Jax comes over and helps me up and we walk into the bathroom. He turns the shower on and then looks at me. “You good to get in?” I’m not drunk, but I am slightly wobbly, but I nod. “Yeah.” He meets my eyes and then nods and walks out. I turn and start undressing. I get

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my top off, my bra and boots, then I get stuck on my jeans. I pull them down and try to get my feet out, end up hopping around the bathroom, and then fall with a loud crash when my foot gets stuck. I squeal as I land on the hard, cold floor. The door swings open and Jax comes in, staring down at me. “Jesus, Delaney, what the hell?” “I—” I cry out, covering my breasts. “I’m trying to get my jeans off—my foot got stuck.” He kneels down, wrapping an arm around my waist and sitting me up. My cheek presses against his hard chest and I suck in a breath, looking up at him. He stops tugging at my jeans and stares down at me, our eyes locking. I want to kiss him. I really, really want to kiss him. So I kiss him.

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I move up first, slamming my lips onto his. He grunts and loses his balance, falling backwards and landing on his ass. I stay in his arms and our lips stay together. I crush my mouth hard against his, kissing him hungrily, loving how damned good he tastes. He makes a throaty sound and then his hand is tangled in my hair and he’s kissing me back. Extra hard. My lips swell and become wet as my mouth moves over his, devouring him, tasting everything amazing about Jaxson Shields. His hand wraps around my hair and tugs my head back, and his mouth moves to my throat, sucking deep. I whimper when his hand goes up to cup my breast. Oh God, yes. I arch up to him, loving how it feels when his fingers glide over my nipples, before giving my breasts a firm, pleasurable squeeze.

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“Fuck, Laney,” he rasps, nipping my shoulder. “Tell me to stop.” As if. “Don’t stop, Jax. I … I want this.” “You’re drunk.” “No, not anymore. Fuck me, Jax. I just need you to fuck me.” “Jesus, baby,” he murmurs against my flesh. “You know I can’t do that.” I reach between us, taking hold of his erect cock under his jeans. “You can.” “Fuck,” he hisses. “Stop grabbing me like that.” “Please, Jax,” I say, sliding my hand into my panties and cupping my own sex. I close my eyes and moan. “I want you.” “Fucking mother fucker,” he grunts. “Get your hand out of there, kitten.”

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“Make me,” I whimper, stroking his cock with my palm, while my other hand moves over my pussy, stroking my own clit. “Delaney,” he says, his voice a tight rasp. “If you want me to stop, you have to make me.” He mutters something, then slides his hand into my panties over mine. He grabs my hand as if to move it, but I turn my hand and let his fall over my pussy. He groans, I cry out and then he stops fighting me and slides his finger through my damp flesh. I let out a long, satisfied moan as he dips a finger, sliding it inside my body. Then he starts fucking me with it. “God, Jax,” I gasp. “Quiet, kitten. Kyle is outside.” He brings a hand around and places it over my mouth, while his other works my

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flesh. He’s got his back against the wall, ass on the ground, and my back is pressed to his chest and I’m kind of sprawled over his lap, one hand tucked behind me, stroking his cock through his pants, the other holding onto his leg tightly as my orgasm builds. Jax gets me there quickly, and I explode around his hand only minutes later, whimpering and arching, little bolts of pleasure shooting from my core and darting through my entire body. Jax slides his hand out of my panties and I move, turning so I’m on my hands and knees, facing him. I push up so I’m on my knees and slide my jeans the rest of the way down, taking my panties with me. “Delaney,” he says, his voice thick and hungry, his eyes traveling down to my pussy. “Don’t stop me now, Jax. We’ve both wanted this for weeks and you know it.”

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“It’s too big of a risk. I might want it, but fuck, Laney, we’re dancing with fire.” “Fuck fire, I want you and I’m not going to deny it anymore.” I discard my jeans and then move towards him, reaching for his belt. He sits in silence as I unbuckle it and slide it off, before taking the button of his jeans and popping it open. He hisses when I slide my hand into them, finding him commando beneath. “Handsome doesn’t wear boxers, hot,” I murmur. He reaches out, taking my hand, pausing it as if trying one last time to stop me. I lean forward and press my lips to his, kissing him into submission. He goes easily, without a fight, and releases my hand. I reach into his jeans and release his cock. Holy shit. It’s big, and seriously thick. Yum. I stroke up and

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down a few times, then move up so I’m straddling him. “We don’t have a condom,” he rasps. “I’m on the pill and I’m clean, Jax.” “Me too, I never go ungloved.” I stare into his eyes and I can see he’s telling the truth. I take a risk and raise myself up, pressing his cock to my entrance and then slowly sliding down over it. We both gasp as he fills me, stretching me almost painfully as I move down. “Fucking. Tight,” he grinds out, grabbing my hips and squeezing the flesh there. “So big,” I whimper. “God your dick is so fucking big.” “Jesus, Laney, I’ll come if you keep that up.” I close my eyes, sliding down further onto his length. When I hit his lap, and he’s fully

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sheathed inside me, I start rocking. He grunts loudly and uses my hips to guide me, showing me just how he likes to be ridden. I copy his motions, wrapping an arm around his neck, pressing the other against his chest, and quickening my pace. “You feel so good, Jax, you feel so…” I gasp. “Good.” “Fuck, kitten, so fucking hot.” I ride him harder, my hips rotating, my knees aching against the cold floor. Jax holds me tight, jaw clenching, eyes locked on mine. My orgasm is building and I tilt my body, getting his cock right where I need it. I whimper his name, fighting back my screams. I can’t allow Kyle to hear. “I’m going to explode, kitten,” he rasps. “Fuck. Holy fuck.”

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“Hang on for me, handsome,” I cry out, so close. So damned close. “Baby.” “Yes.” I close my eyes and explode around him, my pussy clenching tight around him, my body shuddering, my mouth open and little whimpers escaping. Jax makes a guttural sound, and then he’s thrusting upwards, hard and deep, little jerks of his hips. I can feel him pulsing inside me as I squeeze him with each delicious pulsing of my sex. When I come down from the amazing high, I drop my head into his shoulder, my body covered in a light sheen of sweat. I can feel his heart pounding, and his breathing is ragged. We say nothing for a while, then he takes my shoulders, gently pushing me back. “You have to shower, kitten.”

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I press my lips to his salty neck and he makes a pleasured sound in his throat, but keeps pushing me back, sliding his cock from my depths. I moan at the loss of him, but do as he asks and stand, moving my happily satisfied body into the shower. The hot water hits me and I moan, closing my eyes. I hear Jax shuffling about, no doubt cleaning up, then he opens the shower door and says, “I should get out of here, just in case Kyle comes in.” I nod, meeting his gaze. He looks at my naked body and his jaw tics. Our eyes hold for a long, long moment, before he nods and steps out, leaving the bathroom. I smile and press my back against the wall. That was the most amazing sex I’ve ever had in my life, hands down. And it was with Jaxson Shields. God, yippee.

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Today ended on a high. I wonder what tomorrow will bring? * * * I wake in the morning to a pounding head and a delicious ache between my legs. It takes me a moment to remember what went down with Jax and me, and when I recall it, my body coils tightly, my sex clenches and panic swells in my chest. Jax gave me the most amazing orgasm of my life last night, but I also put my job on the line by begging for it. I sit up in bed, groaning as the drums start playing in my skull. I press my fingers to my temples and rub, with no relief. I push to my feet. I need water, coffee and serious pain meds. Stat. I push the thoughts of Jax and me, and our incredible fuck session from

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my mind as I step out into the main living area. Jax and Kyle are in the kitchen, talking low, and they’ve both got coffee mugs in their hands. When they hear me approach, they look over. Jax’s eyes flash to mine and images of last night come back. God, he felt amazing. He knows how to work what’s between his legs. I swallow and look away quickly, muttering, “I just need coffee then I’ll go home.” “You’re in a hotel,” Kyle says. “Nak booked it.” “Right,” I mutter. “Why the hell is she in a hotel?” Jax asks. “She isn’t safe at home.” “Then she should be here, where you are,” he grunts. It’s actually a smart idea.

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“I’m not sure that’s part of the job description,” Kyle points out. “Why not? We’re going to New York in two days and she’s back on the case then. She might as well be here. She can relieve you if you need.” “You only have one spare room,” Kyle protests. “I have a couch, Kyle. I’m sure you two can swap.” Jax wants me to stay here? God. “Nak probably won’t go for it,” Kyle keeps arguing. “I’ll ring Nak. She’s my bodyguard and I’m paying her. Staying in a hotel is as unsafe as her staying at home.” Without allowing for any further argument, Jax pulls out his cell and calls Nak. I watch him walk out of the room, and then I

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turn to Kyle. He’s watching me, arms crossed. “What are you glaring at me for?” I mutter. “You were extremely unprofessional last night.” My heart starts pounding. He doesn’t know I slept with Jax, does he? I keep my face blank and shrug. “Going out and getting drunk like that…” He trails off, eyes narrowed. “Maybe you should try it, might loosen you up.” Thank God. He doesn’t know about Jax and me. “I care about my job.” “Oh come off it,” I snap, waving a hand at him. “One day you’re going to stop acting like I’m just here for the fun of it.”

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“Aren’t you?” “No, Kyle, I’m not. I have the same passion you have.” He snorts. “That’s a lie.” I shake my head. “You know what, I’m not even going to argue with you. It’s like talking to a worm.” He puffs his chest out and crosses his arms. “I could say the same.” “Here’s something, go and suck a—” “Delaney, Kyle.” We hear Jax’s voice and with one last glare at each other, turn and stare at him. He walks in, eyes flicking to us both. “Nak said my idea is good and he’s down with it. Delaney, if you’re up for it, he said you can start rotating shifts with Kyle again.”

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I turn to Kyle and grin. He looks like he wants to reach over and throttle me. Good. Jerk. “Fine,” Kyle grunts. “What’s on the agenda today?” “I’m at my office today.” Kyle nods. “I’ll prepare the car.” When he exits the room, I look over to Jax. I’m not entirely sure how he’s going to react. I’m fairly certain he’s going to tell me it was a huge mistake and that we can’t do it again, which is really what I should be saying to him. Instead we just stand there, staring at each other. I wonder if he’s thinking what I’m thinking—that I so desperately want to jump his bones right now. “Fuck it,” he mutters and strides towards me.

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He catches me around the waist and hauls my body up to his, before slamming his mouth over mine. This kiss is deep, hard and short, but it’s enough to make my knees tremble and my entire body break out into a thousand tiny shivers. He pulls back after a moment, his eyes scanning my face, then he turns and stalks off upstairs. Well okay then. That absolutely did not answer any of my questions, but damn … what a way to start the morning.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN Kyle goes into the next room to rest around lunchtime, and I take over the afternoon shift. We’re at Jax’s office, and he’s busy on the phone with a long-distance meeting, so I’m staying very quiet. My back is pressed against the wall and I don’t miss the hungry look in Jax’s eyes as he watches me, not once removing his gaze from my face. Talk about intense. Just as he’s wrapping up his call, someone knocks on his office door. I turn and peer through the peephole to see Tori standing on the other side, her eyes to the floor. God dammit. This woman has truly

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shit timing. With a sigh, I open the door. When her eyes fall on me, she flinches and mutters, “You’re still here.” “Nice to see you too, Tori.” “Whatever,” she mutters, shoving past me. Jax hangs up just as she appears, and their eyes meet for a second. She turns to me and mutters, “Can you give us a minute alone?” I want to slap her. “Fine, I’ll be in the other room.” I make sure the door is locked, don’t look at Jax, and head into the private bedroom. I flop onto the bed, wondering what’s happening out there. It’s silent for a while, then I hear raised voices, though I can’t quite make out what they’re saying. All I know is it

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sounds as if Tori is crying and Jax sounds angry. I can’t help myself, I push off the bed and walk towards the door, pressing my ear to it. “He understands, Jax,” Tori cries. “He doesn’t fucking understand, Tori, because he’s in love with you.” “I told him about us and he said he expected it, why can’t that be enough?” “Because he’s my damned best friend, too,” Jax roars. “And you’re asking me to break his heart.” “I thought you cared about me,” she screams. “Fuck me, Tori, I do but we went over this when you came by just the other night.” “We didn’t do a lot of talking two nights ago, Jax, and you know it.”

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My heart starts to pound. What does she mean by that? God, she can only mean one thing. It all makes sense now. Two nights ago was when Jax walked out of my apartment and didn’t speak to me for a few days—after we had been intimate together. He was sleeping with Tori? Something I’m unfamiliar with rises in my chest and spills over. It’s pure, raw jealousy. I gave him a piece of myself last night, I risked my job, I made a fucking fool of myself and in the end, he’s been busy sleeping with Tori. “Enough, Tori,” Jax barks. “Don’t you care about anything we’ve done? Does none of it mean anything to you?” she shouts. “I can’t give you what you want.” No, because you’re a lying, cheap, fucking manwhore.

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I open the door, having heard enough. Jax is holding Tori, and both their heads swing to me as I storm out. I glare at Jax and he flinches. I know, I just know he sees the hurt in my eyes. I’m probably overreacting, I get that, but there was something in the kiss we shared, something intense and I thought … God, I don’t know what I thought but I certainly didn’t expect him to jump into bed with Tori the very same day. That hurts. It hurts to my very core. I don’t want to analyze why it affects me so heavily, all I know is that I’m angry. So damned angry. “I’m going to tell Kyle to come back, I’m not feeling well.” I walk past the two of them, and Jax lets Tori go, taking a step towards me. I don’t let him get close, I swing the door open and

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slam it loudly. With shaky hands, I pull out my phone and call Nak. “Laney, what’s up?” “I think I’m sick, Nak. Kyle is having a well-deserved rest. Can you put Duke on until he’s ready to take over?” “You’re sick? What’s happened?” “I, ah, I threw up. I thought it was nothing but it’s continuing.” “Jesus. Can you wait ten, while I send Duke over?” “Sure,” I whisper. “You going to be good for the weekend?” “I should be fine, these things don’t usually last long.” I sit outside Jax’s door, and just before Duke arrives, Tori goes storming out. She glares at me, her face all red, and then she

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disappears down the hall. A moment later Jax appears. “Delaney,” he begins. “Save your shit for someone who cares. I’m going home, Duke will take over until Kyle wakes.” “Jesus, kitten, you don’t know what you think you know…” “Don’t.” I spin around. “Don’t you fucking call me that.” “Delaney, if you’ll let me explain…” I throw a hand up. “No.” “Delaney,” he barks. “Just list—” Duke appears then, cutting him off. I don’t let him finish. I push off the wall and walk over, giving him a weak smile. “Laney, you look like shit.” “I feel like it. Thanks for covering for me, Duke.”

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He shrugs. “No problem.” I don’t look at Jax as I exit the building. My heart feels like it’s being ripped into a thousand tiny pieces. * * * Jax—Just answer the phone, Delaney. Jax—Fuck me, I need to explain. Jax—It wasn’t what you think. I won’t explain this over a message. Jax—Will you answer the fucking phone? Jax—You’re still coming to New York, aren’t you? Jax—Come on, kitten. Answer the fucking phone. * * *

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I don’t answer the phone, I don’t respond to his text messages, I just carry on for the next few days like none of it ever happened. I play the sick card right up until we’re ready to leave for New York. As angry as I am at Jax, I’m not missing the chance to go on a trip of a lifetime, and the ultimate protection case. Kyle tried to tell Nak I wasn’t ready, that being ill would put me off guard, but as always Nak came to my defense and allowed me to go. Our plane leaves in an hour, and Kyle is bringing Jax to the airport. I am acting as professionally as I can, trying not to show any emotion. When the two of them enter the terminal, I nod my head in their direction and act as if Jax is nothing more than a job. We all take a seat, and silence fills the air, thick and heavy. I can feel Jax’s eyes on me,

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but I haven’t once looked in his direction. When he stands abruptly, I finally look to him. “I need to use the bathroom.” Kyle stands. “I’ll take you.” “No,” he says, looking to me. “Delaney can, you’ve done enough in the last few days. She can take over for a while.” This gives Kyle a smug look on his face that I want to slap right off. He stares at me, nodding his head, and I can’t argue so I stand and wave a hand. “Right this way.” We walk towards the restroom and just before we reach it, Jax lashes out, taking my hand and shoving us both into the shared room that’s big and empty. He locks the door and spins on me. “What the hell, Jax?” I snap. “People might need to use the bathroom. Think of the mothers and kids and people in wheelchairs.”

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“I won’t be long,” he growls. “But you’re going to listen to me.” “Actually I’m not,” I say, stepping past him. His hand lashes out, capturing my wrist, and he hauls my body up against his, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Let me go, you … asswipe!” He snorts. “If that’s the best you’ve got, we could be here all day.” “Bite me, Jaxson Shields.” “If that’s what you want, but let’s save it until after we talk.” “We’re not talking!” I snap, trying to stomp on his foot. I could get out, really I could, but being in his arms feels … nice. “Stop doing that and listen to me,” he orders.

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“So you can tell me all about your little love triangle?” “I don’t have a fucking love triangle, Delaney. I didn’t fuck her, which is obviously what you got out of that conversation.” I stop, mouth open and ready to fire words at him, but his confession shocks me. “You’re lying,” I hiss. “Jesus!” he yells. “If you’ll fucking stop and listen.” “No.” “Yes.” “No!” I screech. “If I have to use force, Delaney, believe me, none of the training you’ve had will free you.” “Do it, I dare you. I’d love to kick your ass again.”

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He makes a growling sound. “Just shut your pretty mouth and listen to what I have to say, kitten.” I open my mouth to argue, but he speaks over me, effectively cutting me off. “I walked out of your apartment that night after I kissed you, knowing I couldn’t have what I wanted, knowing it was too big of a risk. God, if you knew how fucking incredible it felt … but I was angry, and frustrated and no it’s not a fucking excuse but when she asked to come over, I agreed, I figured she and I needed to talk. Whatever you think you heard, you fucking didn’t. I didn’t go anywhere near Tori that night.” “Then why did she say you didn’t do much talking?” I cry. “Because I did a whole lot of fucking screaming.”

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“You’re lying.” I try again. “It’s what you do best. I’m sorry, Jax, but how can I believe you when I know you’ve been holding her on the side for so long?” He flinches. “I care about her, Delaney, and I made a mistake once. I learned from that mistake and it won’t happen again. She wanted it to, she threw herself at me, but I didn’t allow it and I told her I didn’t love her. You heard wrong and jumped to your own conclusions. Jesus, if you can’t see how much I fucking want you…” I stare at him and rasp, “I don’t know anymore, Jax. This whole thing seems to be getting harder and harder…” He steps closer. “It’s fucking worth it, don’t you think?”

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“We’re playing with fire, Jax. It’s dangerous and—” “And fucking incredible,” he murmurs, stepping close, backing me into the wall. “I can’t be a plaything. You saw how I reacted to the very thought that you have been sleeping with another woman and we hadn’t even had sex when I thought it happened. I’m possessive, Jax. I don’t like to share. I think it’s better for both of us, and our careers, if we just—” He cuts me off by dropping his mouth to mine and kissing me. I resist only for a second, before I give in and part my lips, letting his tongue slide inside my mouth. I kiss him deep and hard, curling my fingers around his jacket. It’s not a long kiss, but it’s full of promise. He pulls back and stares down at me, eyes full of lust and want.

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“All of those things might be true, but there’s no fucking way I can walk away from you now. I want you more than I’ve wanted anything in my life.” “You don’t even know me,” I whisper. “I plan on getting to know you.” “Jax, this job, I’ve worked so hard for it. I can’t risk losing it.” “And while you’re my security, we’ll keep it on the down low, but after that I very much intend on taking you out, kitten.” “Don’t you think it’s a bit late for dating, considering you fucked me already?” He grins. “I never claimed to be traditional.” I sigh and drop my head into his chest. “You’re not playing by the rules, handsome. You’re not supposed to get under my skin.”

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“Too late, baby,” he murmurs, resting his chin on my head. “I’m already there.” Yes, yes he is.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN We arrive in New York just as the sun begins to set. I can’t see much as we get into a cab and head towards the hotel, but my heart is racing with happiness and anticipation anyway. The city is bustling, even at this time of the day, and the lights of all the buildings and stores are flickering on to prepare for the night. I keep my face plastered to the window, staring out, completely fascinated. “I can’t believe you have never ventured to New York,” Kyle mutters, watching me.

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“Not all of us have the luxury of being able to afford that,” I throw back, still staring out the window. He snorts. Jax says nothing, he’s just squashed between us, and occasionally I feel his hand graze across my leg in a spot Kyle can’t see. I shiver each time he does it, but keep my face turned towards the window. We ride in the cab for about twenty minutes, and then arrive at a massive Elite hotel. I thought the one in Denver was huge, but this one, holy shit, it’s twice the size. I gape up at it as we climb out of the cab. It’s at least double the height and way fancier. It’s more modern, with a sleek grey outside, and a pristine sign at the front doors that you walk up to on a massive pair of curved stairs. We enter the hotel, and I gasp at the beauty.

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There are water features, sleek black and grey tiles, leather furniture and one hell of a reception desk. “Oh God, Jax,” I breathe. “It’s amazing.” “Mr. Shields,” a man says, approaching Jax. “Welcome back, how was your flight?” I glance at the man’s shirt and see it says MANAGER. He must be the man in charge of this hotel. Jax shakes his hand. “It was good, thanks, Timothy. This is my security while I’m here, Delaney and Kyle. You will give them full access to the hotel.” Timothy nods and stares at us. I can see the confused look in his eyes, and I have no doubt he’s wondering why Jax needs security. “Of course, sir,” he says. “I have your room ready, I trust you will want to settle in for the evening.”

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“Yes, thanks.” Timothy disappears, throwing orders at the receptionists. While he’s doing this, Kyle and I do a basic sweep of the hotel, even though the security should be top of the line. It seems clear. A moment later he returns with two keys. I glance down at them, then back to Jax. He takes them from Timothy and turns, thrusting one at Kyle. “Delaney can take the first shift.” Kyle grunts at him, snatching the key from his hands. Then we all follow Timothy as he makes his way over to the elevator. There’s a man, dressed in a crisp suit, who asks for our floor number. Then he escorts us all the way to the top of the hotel, where Jax’s penthouse suite is situated. Kyle is on the floor below.

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We drop Kyle off on his floor and he tells me he’ll take from midnight on. I nod and he disappears, then we keep going up until we come out into a small hall, with only one door on the entire floor. Timothy unlocks the door and we step in. I gasp at the sheer size of the room, and my heart pounds as I enter it, moving my shaky legs to inspect the incredible room before Jax enters. It has shiny wooden floors and warm cream walls, with dull lighting that gives it a comfortable yet elegant feel. The windows in the living area are wide, running from one side of the room to the other and a view of New York City can be seen, the bright lights filling the amazing space. The furniture is sleek and grey, and the lounge sits atop a plush black rug.

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I move to the bedroom and my mouth continues to hang open as I take in a giant king-sized bed by the floor-to-ceiling windows, which are the same as the ones in the living area, only these have big pull-down blinds. There’s a spa, no kidding, sitting right on the edge of the window line, so when you’re in it, you can glance out at the city. My heart pounds as I move through, so impressed I can hardly breathe. It’s spectacular, there’s no other word for it. I finish up my check of the space and then return to Jax and Timothy who are speaking amongst themselves. I stop beside them, not interrupting, and when they’re done, they shake hands and Timothy exits the room. I turn to Jax, my eyes wide, and shriek, “Holy shit, this is amazing.”

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He grins and then leans down, hooking me around the waist and launching me up into his arms. “I’m about to make it even more amazing.” “I have to check the door is locked,” I murmur as his lips slide down my jaw. “It’s an automatic lock.” “I should be by that door, Jax,” I breathe as he walks me towards the bed. “In case someone threatens the elevator man and he sends them up.” “Baby, it’s a high security establishment, trust me, that won’t happen.” “Jax,” I protest weakly. “I’ve got a short time before I have to pretend like I don’t want to put my hands all over you, let me have it.” I don’t say any more, because he crushes his lips against mine and all fight leaves my

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body. He walks us to the massive bed and drops my body down, bringing his mouth over mine. His lips are slow and sensual, running down my jaw, over my neck and stopping at my shoulders where he nips lightly. I whimper and arch up, pushing my breasts into his chest. He makes a low grunting sound and makes light work of my uniform, tossing it to the ground. Then his lips are closing over my nipples, sucking long and deep, as my fingers run up and under his shirt, feeling his rippled body. He groans and I whimper as he sucks my nipples into hard peaks, before flicking them with his tongue. “Jax,” I breathe. “Fuck, baby, yes.” He slides his body down, pressing his mouth to my belly and causing little shivers

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to break out over my skin. He kisses a path, swirling his tongue around my belly button and then dipping to my hips, sucking and nibbling on each, making my sex clench with anticipation of his tongue. “Jax,” I whine, thrusting my hips upwards. “Patience, kitten.” “Fuck patience,” I moan. He chuckles and kisses a path down my thighs, before slowly, excruciatingly, sliding back up. His hot breath passes over my aching flesh, and I gasp at the sensations that shoot through me. He inhales and hisses a curse, before finally pressing his mouth over my exposed sex. I cry out, thrusting frantically up towards his mouth, wanting more of the amazing pleasure he just gave my body with one small touch of his mouth.

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He groans against my pussy and the vibrations tear through my body, making it feel that much better. Then finally he parts my folds and thrusts his tongue in, making contact with my clit. I moan, low and throaty, and my fingers curl into the sheets as he feasts, devouring my pussy like it’s his last meal. I come shamefully fast, and I’m okay with that. My body explodes in pleasure and I jerk so much he has to use his hands to hold my hips down. He licks and sucks until every last shudder has left me, then he slowly stands, staring at me, a strain in his pants that lets me know he likes that almost as much as I did. He grabs his tie, unfastening it and jerking it from around his neck. Then he drops his jacket. I watch, body full of lust, as

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he unbuttons his shirt, sliding it off to reveal that perfect skin stretched over rock hard muscles. Those muscles flex as he leans down, removing his pants, letting his cock spring free. Holy hell, it’s a nice cock. I was drunk the other night, but seeing it now only makes me long for it once more. “You have a beautiful dick,” I rasp, staring at it. He curls his hand around it, stroking softly as he comes towards me, kneeling on the bed. “You have a beautiful pussy.” I smile as I watch his big body come over mine. I open my legs willingly, feeling his cock press against me. “I didn’t pick you as a missionary kind of guy,” I tease, running my finger down his chest.

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“You rode me,” he murmurs, pressing his cock in just enough for my pussy to burn pleasantly. “Now I’m going to ride you.” I shudder and my nipples come to life once more at his words. He pushes into me in one hard thrust and I gasp, pushing my hips up to adjust to his length. He makes a ragged sound and reaches down, gripping my hip with one of his hands, while the other reaches up and curls around the back of my head. Then he rides me. Jax doesn’t ride slow, or soft, or even hard, he just rides deep. So deep I can feel him inside me, tight and hard. His body above mine is ripped and heavy, so beautifully heavy. His fingers in my hair tug as he thrusts his hips, driving into me, making my body sing. I’m smothering my screams in his

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shoulder, loving how his skin tastes against my tongue, and God I’m close. “Jax,” I gasp. “Oh God.” “Fuck. Yeah.” He fucks me harder now, both of us nearing the end. His skin slaps against mine, my legs ache as they stretch wider around his hips, and my pussy is getting tighter and tighter as my orgasm builds. I am tipped over the edge when he arches his body, leaning down and latching onto my nipple. I come hard and long, rasping his name as my head falls back into the pillow. “I’m going to come, fuck, baby,” Jax roars and then his body goes still inside mine and I can feel every pulse of his beautiful cock. He flops down over me, propping his weight up on an elbow while resting his forehead against mine. I breathe him in, his

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scent a mixture of sweat and sex. He smells amazing. “Tell me you’re not going to keep getting better,” I whisper. “Because I swear you’re incredible as it is, and I don’t think I can handle too much of you.” He chuckles, pressing a kiss to my nose. “I haven’t fucked you against a wall yet,” he murmurs. I shudder. “Or in the shower.” My pussy clenches. “Or in my car.” “Okay,” I breathe. “I take it back, I totally want to know if you get better.” He grins and rolls off, pulling me into his arms. The sun has fully set outside now, and the lights of the city shine through the window. Jax rolls us so his chest is pressed

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against my back and we’re both staring out the big windows. “Are you in love with it?” he says, pressing his face into the back of my neck. “From what I’ve seen, yes. It’s incredible.” “These lights are my favorite thing when I visit.” “I didn’t think Jaxson Shields had favorite things.” He chuckles. “I’m a human, baby, not a drone.” “Okay then.” I curl my fingers in his. “What’s your favorite color?” He snorts. “Really, out of all the questions you could ask, that’s it?” “Okay, it was kind of lame. Give me a break, it’s my first time.” “Try again.” I think hard. “Okay, I have a hard one.”

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“Shoot.” “What’s your favorite item of clothing?” He snorts then chuckles. “Really, that’s the best you can come up with?” “Yes, it tells me a lot about you.” “How so?” I grin. “Well, if you say a suit I know you’re uppity, if you say boxers, I know you’re a stud muffin.” He snorts. “Tell me you did not just call me a stud muffin.” I giggle. “Come on, handsome. What’s your fave clothes?” “Fine, boxers.” I burst out laughing and I can feel his body shaking behind mine with laughter. “All right, serious question. If you got stranded on an island and could only take three things, what would they be?”

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“Easy,” he says. “You, beer and water.” I snort. “Seriously?” “Yeah, kitten. I could have you to make love to, beer to keep you happy and water to keep you alive.” “There’s a loophole in your little plan.” “Oh yeah, what’s that?” “Beer dehydrates.” He grunts. “Well then the water will balance it out.” “What will we eat?” He strokes the curve of my breast. “Bananas.” “I’m allergic to bananas.” I laugh. “Then you’re not going to be doing very well, are you?” He squeezes my breast softly. “What about you, kitten? What would you take?” “Cheeseburgers, water and a flashlight.”

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He laughs. “Honestly?” “Sure, I wouldn’t be hungry, thirsty or scared of the dark.” He grunts. “And what about your sexual needs?” “Well, those bananas will come in handy, won’t they?” We both burst out laughing and his arm tightens around my waist. “Okay, okay.” I wheeze between laughter. “Serious one, for real this time. Tell me the college memory that never leaves you, we all have one.” He stops laughing and groans. “No, it was fucking awful.” “Come on, handsome, if you tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine.” “That only works if there’s show-andtell,” he grunts.

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“Please,” I plead. “Fine, I got stripped naked and my entire body was shaved. I lost a dare, I can’t even remember what, but that was the cost.” I’m silent, then I howl with laughter. “Even your … balls?” I gasp through my chuckling. “Yeah, I looked fucking pretty for a month, I mean, who doesn’t love a man with no eyebrows or hair?” I giggle. “That would have been so itchy!” “You have no idea. Every hair on my body was growing back all at once, I think the teachers thought I had crabs, I was scratching my balls so much.” “Ch-ch-ch-charming,” I laugh and stutter at the same time. “Come on, what’s yours?”

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“The mean girls of the school put superglue on my chair, and I was wearing a skirt.” He roars with laughter. “So your bare ass was stuck to a chair? How did you not feel the superglue?” “I did feel it! But I was young, and cared about my reputation. I thought it was just water so I sat still, refusing to let them beat me, until I realized it was not water. It was very humiliating,” I point out. “You try having your professor massage your butt cheeks as someone tips toxic-smelling liquid on your ass to release it from the chair.” “Your professor had to massage your ass cheeks?” he says, releasing me to clutch his stomach. “Yes, he had to move it back little by little as the glue dissolved.”

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“Did you at least give him your number after that?” “Ha-ha,” I mutter. He squeezes me tight. “Okay, my turn.” “I don’t trust you, you’re probably going to ask about my first kiss.” “Actually, your first sexual experience.” I slap his hand. “You can’t ask that.” “Why not?” “It’s rude.” He snorts. “Come on, enlighten me.” “Will you get jealous and throw me over your shoulder and carry me off into your cave?” He makes a grunting, caveman sound and I laugh. “Okay, fine. I was sixteen, it was in a park, and it was horrible.” “A park?”

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“Yes, a park. The worst part is when it was over, he said, ‘that was really good’ and this voice comes out of the shadows saying, ‘yes it was’—turns out there was a homeless guy sleeping and we did the deed right in front of him. Though I’m sure he didn’t see much because it was so dark. I was picking twigs out of my hair for hours.” Jax is silent, then he roars with laughter. “You lost your virginity, in a park, in front of a homeless dude.” “I didn’t know he was there!” I protest. “Probably made his year.” “I’ll hurt you, Shields.” He grunts. “Try it.” I don’t. Instead I ask, “What about you?” “I was fourteen, she was sixteen, it was over before it began and we were in the back of a smelly old car.”

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“Did you blow your load before you even slid home?” I giggle. “Oh no, I slid home, then blew my load. Immediately.” I snort laugh. “No pumping action?” “Not one,” he mutters. “Oh that’s hilarious.” “I was fourteen. I don’t think any of us could hold it in at that age. Hell, I just looked at a picture of a naked woman and would come in my pants.” I’m laughing so hard my belly hurts. “Seriously?” I giggle. “I feel bad for your partner. She probably avoided younger men from then on.” “Well, at least I didn’t entertain a homeless man.” I pinch his arm.

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“Okay, well, mine was a little worse than yours. Fine. My turn now.” “Shoot.” “Have you ever been in love, Mr. Shields?” “Nope.” “Never?” “Nope.” “Not even close?” He chuckles. “Baby, nope.” “Poor, sad, strange little man.” “Trust me, nothing about me is little.” He grunts. “What about you? You ever been in love?” “No, but that doesn’t count. You’re old, I’m not.” He squeezes my breast. “We’re only a few years apart in age, kitten.”

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“Whatever, it makes sense in my head, okay?” “All right.” We fall silent a moment, then I ask, “What made you want to run a big chain of hotels?” He shrugs behind me. “I don’t honestly know. I think it was just sheer determination. I grew up knowing I was going to do something with my life, but I was never a jock type, or the armed forces type. I wanted power and I wanted success. The first hotel was handed to me by my grandfather, back when it only had two in the chain. I decided to take over the management when he died, and with the inheritance he left me, I started building it up.” “What happened to your parents?” I ask.

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“They split when I was only three. My mom didn’t want the responsibility of a child, so she ran and I never saw her again. My dad died of cancer. I lived with my grandfather from that point, and that’s where it all started.” Gosh, that’s awful. “I’m sorry that happened to you. Are you ever curious about your mom?” He sighs. “Sometimes, not so much now. She made a choice and I’m not going to go searching for someone who doesn’t want to love me.” I understand that. My phone starts ringing in my uniform on the floor, cutting off the conversation, and I sigh, sliding out of the bed and picking it up, seeing an unknown caller. I answer it. “Hello?”

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Silence. Great, a prankster. “Hello?” I push again. “I wonder how your friend is doing,” a thick, deep, muffled voice says. “Who is this?” “He put up a good fight.” My stomach flips and I look to Jax, who is already out of bed. “Who. Is. This?” “Better go and check on him, after all he’s only one floor down.” I drop the phone and grab my clothes, jerking them on before turning and charging towards the door. Jax, who has been speaking to me for the last few minutes, but I’ve taken none of it in, lunges at me, circling my waist and hauling me backwards. “Delaney,

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whoa. You need to stop and slow down. What’s going on?” “Kyle, oh God.” “What about him? Laney, speak to me.” “They said someone’s hurt. They meant Kyle, I know it. I have to go to him.” “No,” Jax says, squeezing his arms around me. “No, Delaney, don’t go to him. If that’s who I think it was, it’s probably a trick.” I stop struggling and his words sink in. He’s probably right, it probably is a trick. “What do I do?” I whisper. “Call the cops, Laney.” I nod and pull out my phone, dialing the cops. I tell them what happened and they assure me they’ll be on their way, then Jax dials reception.

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“Did someone enter the hotel only ten, fifteen minutes ago and request to see Kyle?” he asks. He nods a few times. “And you just fucking let them up?” More silence. “There are security measures in place for all my fucking guests,” he roars. “And one of those is that you call up every fucking visitor.” More silence. “I don’t give a fuck if you’re new, this is unacceptable.” I place my hand on his arm, but he doesn’t notice. “You better tell Timothy I’m coming to see him, and while you’re doing that, pack your shit. I won’t have incompetent people working in my hotel.”

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Then he slams the phone closed and turns to me. “The new receptionist let them up, they said they were Kyle’s brothers.” “Jax,” I say, my voice shaky. “It’s okay, Delaney. The police are on their way.” “I should go down…” “No, there’s a chance they’re waiting somewhere, I can’t risk that.” “This is all my fault,” I say, dropping my head into my hands. “I should have been paying more attention instead of…” “No,” Jax says, taking my arms and holding me tight against him. “Don’t you fucking dare blame yourself for this, I won’t have it. Even if you were at my door, standing guard, you still wouldn’t have known anything was going on. The receptionist who let them up is the one to blame, not you.”

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He’s right, I know he’s right, but I’m too panicked to do anything but wait and pray that Kyle isn’t dead down there. I busy myself making sure my hair is straightened, my clothes are respectable, and I have my weapon ready, while Jax tidies the bed and gets dressed. Just as he finishes buttoning up his shirt, there’s a knock at the door. I move quickly, gun drawn. I slowly approach it, then stare through the peephole. There are two police officers and the hotel manager, Timothy, standing outside. I lower my gun and unlatch the door. “Hello, officers,” I say, my voice shaky. “Timothy.” “Ma’am, we’re here to inform you of the goings-on downstairs. We understand you’re Mr. Shields’ protection?” I nod.

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“Kyle was left in a bad way when we found him, but he’s alive and stable. He was beaten badly, some knife wounds, but it would appear he put up a good fight. He’s being rushed to the hospital now. The room was a mess.” “But he’ll be okay, you think?” I ask. The officers nod. “We’d like to talk to you about the situation, if you wouldn’t mind.” I turn to Jax. “Jax should be able to inform you better than I can.” The officers nod and enter the room. I turn to Timothy. “He’s not happy.” Timothy nods. “I’m not either. I’ve already sent Rona packing. She knew the rules, but was too busy flirting and chatting to pay any attention. It’s my fault, I should have had a supervisor on tonight, but I was

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in the hotel and she was properly trained, so I figured I didn’t need one.” “It’s not your fault, Timothy,” I say softly. “It could have happened even if there was a supervisor on.” “Yeah,” he says, solemnly. “You’re probably right.” I pat his arm and turn, walking towards Jax and the police officers. I stand quietly as they go over everything with him, and when they’re gone, I pull out my phone and call Nak. “I just heard,” he says, his voice raspy when he answers. “He’s stable, or so they said. Nak, I don’t know what to do from here.” “The situation has become far more dangerous than I first thought. Kyle is lucky to be alive. The best option for us now is to

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have at least three guards on Jax at all times. These men will stop at nothing, and I can’t risk leaving you alone.” “I understand.” “I’m sending Duke and Devon over, and putting some of the newer recruits on their smaller cases. Can you please put Jaxson on?” “Yeah,” I say, thrusting the phone to Jax. He takes it, pressing it to his ear. “Yeah?” He listens a while, a long while, then says, “Fine by me, Nak. I’ll make sure to put them all up.” He nods a few times. “The cost isn’t an issue.” Then he hands the phone back to me. “Jax has agreed that he wants all the security I’m offering,” Nak explains. “But it’s clear you’re all going to need to be together.

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From now on, he’ll allow all of you to stay in the same room as him or in an adjoining room where the access is easier. It’s not the ideal situation, but the police have assured me they’re close to making an arrest and tonight has pushed that even harder.” “They followed us to New York, Nak,” I say slowly. “That means they’re watching us … a lot.” “Security on the hotel has been tripled, and you’ll have backup arriving in a few hours. Jax has a meeting in the hotel, so there’s no need to venture out until it’s time to return home. You should be safe in there.” So much for enjoying New York. “Okay, Nak.” “Sometimes these things happen, Delaney, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it until the police do their part. You just

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focus on protecting Jax and yourself, and leave the rest to them.” “Yeah,” I say softly. “Hang in there, girl.” “Later, Nak.” “Later.” I hang up and turn to Jax, who is talking to Timothy. He meets my eyes and gives me a weak smile. I walk into the room, pulling down the blinds, then I do the same in the living area. As I watch the lights disappear, my heart aches. I’m fearful for my own life, but more than anything, I’m terrified for Jax. If these men are willing to go to extremes like this, what’s their next move going to be? Timothy leaves and I don’t even notice, I just stare blankly at the blinds. Jax appears behind me once the door is locked, and his arms go around my waist. We stand there

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like that for a good long time, both of us no doubt wondering what the hell the next few weeks and months will bring. “Are you doin’ okay, Laney?” he says, his breath hot against my ear. “Yeah, I’m just … they got so close, Jax.” “Yeah, they did. It won’t happen again. Timothy is putting the best security on the hotel while we’re here. Every entrance will be fully guarded, every person checked, every car or delivery brought in, searched. No one will get in, Laney.” “I know, and that makes me feel better, but what about when we go home?” “I’m going to organize the same security back in Denver. We’ll stay at the hotel, it’s safer than my apartment. Now that the violence has escalated, the police will step in and sort this out, you have to believe that.”

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“I do … I do, but…” “Laney.” He spins me around so I’m facing him. “This is your job, it’s what you’re trained to do. It’s a bad situation, but you can handle it.” “You really believe that?” He nods. “Yeah, I most certainly fucking do.” I sink into him, pressing my face against his chest. He strokes a hand down my hair and I shiver. I breathe him in, knowing how much I am risking by doing this with him, but also knowing that there’s absolutely no way I can stop him. I need Jaxson Shields right now, more than I need air, and nothing will stop me from being with him. “Come on,” he says. “You should soak in a bath or do something to relax a little bit. I’ll

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order up dinner. We’re safe up here, baby. Trust in that.” I nod. “Just make sure you don’t answer the door when dinner arrives.” He flashes me a smile. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” * * * Duke and Devon arrive just after midnight. Jax and I get the call when we’re curled up on the couch, just spending time with each other before we have to give it up. Now that Duke and Devon are here, I basically have to pretend Jax is just another person, and he has to return the favor. Jax has mostly been on the phone making sure everyone in his big meeting tomorrow knows about the new security.

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I get off Jax with a sigh, hating that I have to distance myself from him. All I want is to find a secluded, hideaway cabin and spend an entire week in his arms. But that can’t happen, so for now I just have to focus on making sure he’s safe at all times, and this weekend, I have to be paying extra attention. Jax had the hotel staff make sure there was enough bedding in this massive room for everyone. There is sleeping space for us all now, obviously with Jax’s room being separate. I’ve advised Jax to leave the blinds down, just for safety’s sake, and he’s agreed. I called the hospital an hour ago to check in on Kyle. They said he’s doing well and is safe. That made me feel a little better. Only a little. I make sure there’s no evidence of our lovemaking, then I adjust my uniform,

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feeling utterly exhausted after tonight’s events. Duke and Devon knock on the door, and I let them in. Jax greets them with his professional face on and then quickly fills them in on what’ll be happening tomorrow, the room layout, exits and bathrooms, so they can ensure his safety. I yawn, sitting on the couch. Kyle was meant to be taking over now, but it looks like I’ll pull an all-nighter. Duke turns to me and studies my face. “Nak has given orders for you to rest tonight. We’ll need you full of energy tomorrow and you’ve been on Jax’s case all day. It’s only fair.” Oh, thank heavens. “I won’t argue with you, I’m exhausted,” I admit. “I’ll get some sleep, too,” Jax says, flicking his eyes to me. “If you guys want to take

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turns resting, there’s plenty of bedding space.” “I’ll take until morning,” Devon says. “Then Delaney and Duke can go down and assist Jax with setup until lunchtime—then if you want to have another rest you can. Then we’ll all assist for the dinner and break up shifts during the night.” “Sounds fine to me,” I murmur. “I’ll take the pullout in the dark corner.” I point to the dark corner at the far left of the room. “I hope you don’t snore.” Devon grins. I smile weakly. “I’ve never gotten any complaints.” He grins. “I wish I could say the same.” I roll my eyes and look to Jax, longing to say something but knowing I can’t. “Well, good night.”

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“’Night,” he says, meeting my eyes for a brief second before looking away. I get my suitcase and put it next to the pullout, then I pull out some sweats and a tank and go into the bathroom to get changed. I brush my teeth, brush my hair, then head out and crawl into the Egyptian cotton bedsheets and pull the feather cover over my tired body. I hear Jax shuffling around, and then his light flicks out. Duke takes the pullout on the other side of the room and is snoring softly in no time. My phone buzzes beside me, and I pull it into my hand, glancing at the screen through blurred vision. Jax—I didn’t get to say good night, that fucking kills. But good night, kitten. Sleep well. I smile and quickly type back.

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Delaney—Night, handsome. Dream about me. I hear his low chuckle come from the room. Jax—That’s a given. I tuck the phone under my pillow and my eyes flutter closed, I can’t fight it a second longer. I’ve crashed.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN I wake at six, before anyone else. I slide out of bed and pad quietly into the kitchen to make some coffee. Devon must be guarding outside the door, because he’s not inside. Duke is on his side in the other pullout, arm thrown over his face. I make my coffee and then walk to the door, opening it. Devon is on a big comfy-looking chair, face in his hands. “Morning. I see you’re alert.” He looks over to me and grins. “I heard you come in. My ears are perfectly alert.” I snort and flick my fingers at him. “Scoot over.”

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He moves over and I slide in beside him, sighing as I take a deep drink of coffee. “How was the night?” I ask. “Quiet. Boring as shit.” I laugh. “Yeah, no one tells you about that part of security.” He grunts. “Nope, they leave it out.” “You can go and rest, if you want. I’m awake now.” “Finish your coffee, get changed, then we’ll swap.” I nod. “Did you hear from Nak during the night? Any update on Kyle?” “Nak called about an hour ago, checking to see how things were. I gave him a full update. Kyle is doing well, he’s awake and asking questions so he’s obviously back to himself.” “He’d hate being in there.”

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Devon huffs. “No shit. He’s probably torturing them.” “Still,” I say softly. “It should have never happened.” “It happened to me once.” I blink and turn to him. “I never heard that.” “It’s because it wasn’t while I was on Nak’s team.” I say nothing, just stare at him. He continues. “I was protecting this rich dude that ran a heap of strip clubs.” I snort and he nods, knowing exactly my thoughts. “Anyway, one of his girls got into some trouble and he pulled her out of it, pissing off the wrong people. I got put on his case, and was with him for six months, that’s how long

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it took for them to bring down the fuckers who were after him.” “So what happened?” “I got the same thing, they threatened me, told me to stay away, to back off, or I’d get hurt too.” “And did you?” “Yeah, I got shot.” I blink. “Seriously?” He lifts his shirt, showing me a faded silvery scar on his belly. “Jesus, Devon!” “It happened very similar to Kyle’s situation. They managed to get a man in for a lap dance one night. Once he was in the back room, he demanded to see the manager. Most people were being searched before entering the club, but that night the bouncer

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was too busy chatting up a girl and just waved this guy in.” Very similar to Kyle’s situation. “So he came in, requested to see the manager as I said, and the moment we entered the room, he just pulled out a gun and aimed. I did what I was taught, and crash tackled him to the ground, taking a bullet in the process.” “Jesus,” I whisper. “What happened to the guy you were protecting?” “He got killed.” I flinch. “Devon…” He shrugs. “It was ten years ago. I’m okay with it now.” “It’d destroy me,” I admit. “How did you keep going?” “It’s part of life, Laney. Shit happens. Do you think cops save everyone? Or doctors?

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It’s the line of work we’re in. We’re not God, we can’t stop the unstoppable. We can only do our best.” “You know, you’re right. I’ve been struggling so much with everything that’s gone down, worried about how it’s going to end and if I’m really cut out for this job, but you’ve made me see that even the best of us have bad days.” He stares at me. Usually Devon is such a smartass, but I guess after Kyle’s attack, he’s feeling the same way the rest of us are. “You know, I didn’t believe in you. Not at all. I never understood why Nak put a woman on his team. I used to think it was hilarious watching you try to be as good as the rest of us, but in the end, Delaney, you’ve proved us all wrong. You have one of the hardest cases here, and you’re doing a great

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job with it. You saw a drive-by shooting before it happened, that’s impressive.” His words warm my heart, because they’re words I’ve needed to hear from my team members and not just my boss. “Thanks, D.” I smile. “That means more than you’ll ever know.” He pats my hand and stands. “Don’t give up, Laney. You’re exceptionally good at your job, and that’s a rare thing to come across.” Then he opens the door and waves me in. I stand and follow with a big smile on my face. * * * Duke and I take over for Devon while he rests, and spend our morning in the conference room with Jax, organizing everything for the meeting and the dinner later tonight.

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We keep ourselves busy setting up tables, helping with food orders and preparing a microphone for speeches. Jax is in work mode, his face shut down, his body rigid and his voice harsh as he barks orders. This is the Jax I first met. If only people understood how different he could really be. “Delaney,” he calls. “Can you please take me to the bathroom?” I stare at him. “I’ll take you, bro,” Duke says. “Nah,” Jax says. “I need you to help wire up that sound system. You’re the only one making any sense when it comes to it.” Duke grins. “That’s because I’m awesome.” Jax shakes his head, smirking, and turns to me. “Can you spare five?”

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I nod. “Sure.” I escort him into the hall and down to the restrooms. The moment we round the corner out of sight, he slams me against the wall and crushes his lips down on mine. I groan and curl my fingers around his neck, kissing him deep. God, I love how he tastes. He kisses me hard at first, then slowly begins getting softer and softer, until our mouths are making love. It feels incredible. “It’s been hell going all day without kissing you,” he murmurs, nuzzling his nose into my neck. “You’re telling me. I hate pretending like I hardly know you.” He pulls me closer, fingers curled around my hip. “If I had more than five minutes, I’d fuck you against this wall.”

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“Where’s the closest storage closet?” He stares hungrily at me. “Five minutes, baby, it’s not enough to devour you.” “Just take me to the closest one.” He lets me go and takes my hand, pulling me past the bathrooms. He finds a linen closet and uses his key to unlock it. He pulls me inside and I immediately get to work, dropping to my knees in front of him. “Fuck, kitten.” I jerk his belt off, hungry to taste him, desperate for more. I unbutton his pants and yank them down just enough to free his cock. I wrap my hand around the base and stroke, squeezing softly and then hard, working him until he’s thick and full in my palms. Then I lower my head and snake my tongue out, sliding it around his soft head.

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“Fuck, yes,” he growls, pressing his hands to the wall in front of us. I tease him like that until he’s massaging my head with need, urging me on. When his grunts turn into feral moans, I finally open my mouth and slide down, letting his cock fill my mouth. He makes a feral hissing sound and thrusts his hips. I whimper against him and suck him in deep, using one hand to pump the base of his cock as I work over the head with my mouth. His cock swells in my mouth, and I shift my hand, knowing he’s close and dip it lower, cupping his balls. I roll them around in my hand and the sounds he’s making above me tell me he loves it. A lot. He rasps my name and jerks his hips faster and deeper until my mouth is so stretched around him

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my lips burn. Then, with one last thrust, he groans, “Coming, fuck, baby, I’m coming.” I don’t let him pull out, even though he tries. No, I relish in his bellows of pleasure as I swallow everything he gives, loving every second of it. The moment he’s done, I carefully pull back and look up at him. He stares down at me with eyes so full of lust, it makes my heart pound. He helps me up and adjusts his clothes. “I think I might need, like, a breath mint or something.” He laughs low. “Yeah, I don’t think Duke will appreciate you breathing on him after that.” “Ew.” I laugh. “Come on, we’ll get something to sort that out. You ready?” I nod.

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He opens the door and peers out. The coast is clear so he pulls me out too. He looks left and right, then turns to me and adjusts my shirt. I give him a once-over, and figure no one will know he just got blown in the closet. We go to the bathroom anyway, and I wash my face while he uses it, then he finds me a bottle of cola and we make our way back to the meeting room, both of us floating on air. It feels amazing.

CHAPTER NINETEEN The meeting starts around four, but I managed to get a two-hour rest in to prepare for the night. Jax is in full business mode now, especially considering people are flowing in rapidly. They are all searched thoroughly, and only allowed in when we’re certain they’re safe. By the time the doors close and they’re all inside, I feel like a pervert. I’ve felt up that many bodies. We all spread out over the room, so as not to smother Jax. I’m closest to him, standing to his left near the stage, Duke is by the entrance and Devon is near the restrooms. People are milling around us, talking and

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interacting, most of them sticking like flies to Jax. It’s somewhat of a meeting/dinner, so it’s a lot more casual. People talk, laugh, drink champagne and eat canapés. Jax looks stunning in his black tuxedo that’s been perfectly tailored for him. His hair is slightly messier now it’s growing out, and his grey eyes are welcoming but firm as he talks to people, shaking hands and nodding at their questions, answering what he can. There are businessmen from all over the state, as well as managers that run his other hotels. There are also sponsors. I don’t smile or interact, I just keep my hands behind my back and nod at anyone who is polite enough to say hello. We’re not here to interact. It’s hard because I’m usually quite a social person, but I have to hold everything in and let people know I’m not

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here to mess around. Instead I keep my eyes on Jax, so entranced by how perfect he is. A blond woman sashays up to him just as dinner is being served and my attention focuses on her. She’s wearing a tight, floorlength red gown that makes her look so gorgeous and curvy I want to scream. Her beautiful satin-straight long hair is loose and flowing around her hips. She’s stunning, like a model, and I have no doubt this is the kind of woman Jax has had on his arm in the past. My heart pangs. Will that ever be me? Truly? Will I ever get the chance to be that girl to him, and even if I did, would I be enough? I don’t look like her, and my job is always going to keep me away from home. A strange ache starts forming in my belly as I wonder about what kind of future Jax and I could possibly have.

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Does he even want a future? Or does he just like the thrill of it, because we’re sneaking around? I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure. We haven’t had the chance to just sit and talk about what’s happening here. I keep my eyes on the blond girl as she takes Jax’s arm and leans in, brushing her lips against his ear as she speaks. He grins, and my heart does a flip flop. A painful one. Her fingers move up and down his arm and then she leans back and her hand goes up and slips something in his pocket. I clench my teeth as she saunters away. I want to smack her right into next week. Jax’s eyes flick to me but I look away, hoping he didn’t catch me watching. “You look as bored as I feel.”

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I flinch and turn to see a handsome man in a tux smiling at me. He’s got the most incredible blue eyes I’ve ever seen. “It’s my job,” I say. “It doesn’t look like it’s very fun.” I shrug. “It’s not, but it’s worth it.” He smiles, genuinely, warmly. “What’s your name?” “Delaney. Yours?” “Michael.” “Nice to meet you, Michael.” He reaches out and I shake his hand, glad to have something to break the monotony, even though I really shouldn’t be having a conversation with him. I’m hardly going to tell him to get lost, though. That’s rude and I’m not that kind of person.

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“Do you know Jaxson, then?” he asks, continuing to hold my hand, which is a little awkward. I nod, plucking my hand from his kindly. “Yes, I’m his security.” He studies me. “It’s a big job for a female, and that’s not meant in an offensive way. I think it’s super. Why’d you do it?” My heart warms a little, because he’s the first person that’s ever been kind about my role. “I just wanted to stand out, you know?” I smile. “Yeah.” He laughs, reaching over and placing a hand on my shoulder. “I know the feeling.” I don’t flinch away from his touch, but it is a little awkward. He steps closer, almost wrapping his arm around me as he talks, like

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we’re long lost friends. Maybe Michael isn’t just interested in chatting. “What about you, Michael, what do you do?” I ask, trying to step away from his grabby hands. “I run the hotel in L.A.” “So you work for Jax? Lucky you,” I say sarcastically. He nods, letting me go and then leaning in close so his mouth is near my ear. “Let me tell you a little secret … he’s actually great to work for.” I laugh, because I couldn’t imagine that being true. I’ve seen Jax angry and I’ve seen him in boss mode. He’s hardly easygoing. “You think that’s funny?” He grins. “I’ve been working with him a while now, and I didn’t think I’d ever hear someone say those words.”

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He chuckles. “Jax is a hard man, but he’s a fair man. That’s all we can really ask for.” “You make a valid point.” I glance over at Jax and he’s watching me, dark eyes stormy. Oh boy, Jaxson Shields can be jealous, it would seem. I look away quickly, because his expression makes my skin tingle. “So are you from around here?” Michael asks, straightening back up and staring at my lips. Oh boy. “Denver.” “Ah, right, of course, that makes sense.” Before I can answer, Jax steps up beside me. “Michael,” he says, his voice steely. “Good to see you.” Oh boy. Michael reaches out and shakes his hand. “You too, Jaxson. It’s been a while.”

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“How’re things on your side of the world?” Jax is standing beside me, and I swear I can feel the fury radiating off his body. Possessive doesn’t even cut it. I won’t lie, it makes me feel warm inside, knowing he cares enough to be concerned about what I’m doing and who I’m talking to. “Very good.” “Good to hear,” Jax says, grabbing my elbow. “Don’t mean to be rude, but I need to speak with Delaney.” Michael nods and smiles at me. “Lovely to meet you, Delaney. Maybe we can chat again later?” I smile. “Of course.” Jax pulls me towards the kitchen where the food is being prepared. We pass Duke on

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the way and Jax grunts, “I need to have a word with Delaney.” “Is everything okay, Mr. Shields? Has she done something wrong?” I throw Duke a look, but his eyes are on Jax. “It’s nothing to worry about, we won’t be long.” Duke nods, staring at me then back at Jax. God, is he suspicious? Jax making a little scene wouldn’t be helping. We enter the kitchen and Jax strides through until we step into the large food storage room at the end. He steps in, barks at everyone to stay out, and then slams it shut, locking it. He spins on me. “What were you doin’ out there?” I blink. “Pardon me?”

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“With Michael.” “Last time I checked, it was called having a conversation.” He backs me against a shelf and puts his hands above it, trapping me in. “It didn’t look like a conversation.” I stare at him. “You’re acting crazy, you know that, right?” He glares at me. “I don’t like when another man puts his hands on you.” Inside I’m squealing with happiness that he feels this way, but on the outside, I’m acting as if he’s crazy and I’m doing absolutely nothing wrong. Which, I’m actually not. I was just being polite with Michael. Okay, so he put his hand on me a little much, but hey, it wasn’t sexual, at least it wasn’t for me. “He was being friendly, Jax.”

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“No,” he growls, pressing his hips to mine. “He was trying to charm you.” He probably was, but I’m not going to admit that to Jax. “Even if he was,” I say. “It wasn’t working.” “You were letting him touch you.” “Oh, you mean like you let that blond woman touch you?” He flinches and his eyes narrow as he brings his face closer. “She’s a business associate, and I gave her no indication I liked her touching me.” “You were grinning at her!” I protest. “I was being polite because she’s a huge contributor and she slipped a damned phone number for a client I asked for into my pocket.”

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I snort and press my hands to his chest, shoving back. “Jaxson Shields, you need serious medical help—your way of thinking is warped at best. The situation is exactly the same. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a job to do.” I step out of his hold and glare at him. “And by the way, I don’t like being told what to do.” Then I exit the space and wait for him to accompany me. Lucky for me, Duke is striding in just as we’re walking out, so Jax is unable to push this any further. I smile at Duke as he approaches, and he studies Jax and then me. “Is there a problem here?” “No, Jax was just going over something I didn’t do correctly, it was nothing major, Duke,” I lie.

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He looks to Jax and Jax acts as if we were actually discussing something like that, not arguing about who is more jealous than the other person. “Yeah, all good,” he says, almost sounding bored. “I have a speech to make.” He breezes past me, and Duke and I both follow. I hope our excuse was enough to stop Duke asking questions, or even being suspicious, because that’s the last thing I need right now. No one can find out about Jax and me. Not right now anyway. * * * The night is long and the meetings and events seem to go on for hours. By the time we’re done, it’s past one a.m. Jax orders the cleanup and then all of us head up to the

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penthouse to rest. Because security is so high, we all decide we can take a break and have a much needed sleep. No one is going to get into this apartment without one of us waking up. Not to mention they’d have to get through three of us to reach Jax. It takes a bit of rearranging, but we manage to create enough sleeping space. Duke and Devon crash out first, snoring in a matter of minutes. They’re probably exhausted. Jax is in his room, no doubt already sleeping after doing some brooding about the night, so I take the time to have a much needed shower. I’m not like the men, where I can just throw myself into bed and sleep. I need to unwind and allow myself to relax, so I gather all my awesome-smelling shampoos, conditioners and lotions and head into the bathroom, closing the door softly.

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I strip out of my clothes and peer into the mirror. God, I look a mess. My hair is dull and my eyes are tired. I need to wash it and give myself some life back. I pinch my cheeks and then sigh as it does nothing but make me look like I have some kind of allergy. I give up and step into the shower, and spend the next twenty minutes making myself feel good again. When I’m done I pull on a nightie and panties, and head out. It’s quiet, so I sneak into the kitchen, which thankfully is in another room, and make myself a cup of tea. I’m busy preparing it, so I don’t hear him enter. But suddenly a hard, hot, bare chest is pressed against my body, a firm, rigid erection against my ass, and two hands on the counter to either side of me, effectively boxing me in. Jax.

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“Jax,” I grunt. “Let me go. You can’t just barge in here and act like a fucking caveman because you’re trying to stake your claim. I’m still pissed at you.” He makes a low sound in his throat, and my body instantly responds. It shouldn’t though, because one of the other men could come in here at any second and catch us. “You don’t like being told what to do,” he rasps into my ear. “That’s a fucking shame, because I like being the boss.” “You’re a jerk.” “A jerk who fucking hates seeing another man’s hands on you.” He moves his hands from the counter, down to my hips and pulls my ass right into his erection. It takes everything I have inside not to moan with delight. He feels so fucking incredible.

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“As I pointed out earlier…” I breathe. “I feel the same.” “You make me want to bend you over and spank you so hard your little ass cheeks burn.” “Again, back to my earlier point of you needing to seek serious psychological attention.” He snorts and spins us around so we’re facing the entrance to the kitchen. He pushes my body over the bench gently, running his fingers up my thigh and finding my ass, where he proceeds to give it a good squeeze. I hold back my whimper, but it’s hard. “I don’t like you defying me, or walking away from me when I’m not finished speaking.”

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“Sorry, sir,” I gasp as he grabs my other ass cheek. “But I’m not a lead-around-by-acollar kind of gal.” He presses his nose to my neck, running it up and down, causing me to shudder. “You need to stop with the sass, kitten, or I’ll punish you for it.” “Scary,” I breathe. He spins me again, so this time I’m facing him. His grey eyes are like a stormy night, swirling with so much you can’t make a read on them. Then he puts his hand to my chest and lowers himself to his knees in front of me. I gasp and try to push forward, but his hand stays firmly planted in my chest. With his free hand, he lifts my leg and puts it over his shoulder, before jerking my panties aside.

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“You’ll only come when I say. I’ll teach you a lesson about doing what you’re told.” “I’ll come when I want,” I breathe. He chuckles. “We’ll see.” He presses his mouth to my core and sucks deep, no slow buildup, no teasing little licks. No, he just covers my pussy with his hot, hard mouth and starts devouring me. Licking, sucking, fucking me with his tongue. My head goes back and so help me God, I’m already nearly there. I push my hips up into his mouth, wanting it deeper, harder, faster. Fuck him and his commands, I’m going to come. The explosion is nearly there, and I’m biting my lip so hard I feel pain, when he removes his mouth from my sex. I cry out in pure agony and hiss, “Jaxson Shields, what the fucking hell!”

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He looks up at me, pure lust in his expression. “I said you’d come when I told you that you could. If you won’t listen, I’ll keep pulling away. Try harder, kitten.” “I’ll make you suffer, horribly, for long periods of time—” I’m cut off, because his mouth is back there and his tongue is moving harder and faster. I clutch the wrist pressing to my chest, digging my fingers into his flesh, spurring him on. I can outsmart him. I’ll have a quiet orgasm. It can be done, right? I close my mouth, hold my breath and let it build, not arching into him, not begging for more, just letting that pressure get higher and higher. Just as I’m there, and oh God it feels good, he pulls back again. I make a

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strangled, pained sound and rasp, “You … ass … hole.” “I said wait. I have your pussy in my mouth, which means I know when your little clit hardens that you’re ready to come. Stop trying to fool me, and find some selfcontrol.” Then he puts his mouth back on me. I’m frenzied now, wanting to reach down and grip his head, tangling my fingers in his hair and forcing him to give me what I want, but the man is too damned smart, so I focus on holding my orgasm back, which is the hardest fucking thing I’ve ever done in my life. I’m concentrating so hard I don’t feel Jax slide his hand suddenly off my chest and push me further into the counter. It’s only when I hear, “Everything okay, Laney?” that reality snaps in full force. I swivel my head

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around to see Duke standing at the door, staring at me. Holy shit. Jax doesn’t stop licking my pussy. So my words sound garbled when I mutter, “Sure, why?” “I heard something like a pained moan. I thought something was wrong.” He steps in closer. Holy shit. I have to stop him or he’ll see Jax. Think, Delaney, think! “Yeah, something I ate has upset my stomach. I wouldn’t come too close, I’m likely to vomit on you.” He stops in his tracks, putting his hands up. Jax just keeps on licking my pussy. I’m fighting with everything inside me not to scream and come, because I’m right there, on the edge. Then the dirty, sneaky, terrible

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man slides a finger inside me and I feel like I’m going to faint from the pleasure. “I’ll stay back here then. Do you need me to get you anything?” Oh, God. I want to come. So fucking bad. “Ah,” I croak. “No.” “You sure? I can get you something to settle it?” Oh, God, Duke, fuck off. Right now. I … holy shit, the pleasure. I’m fighting it back with every working cell in my body, but it’s getting harder and harder as Jax devours me. “No,” I whisper, making a groaning sound that I really hope sounds like sickness. “It’s, ah, better if I just let it out.” He nods. “All right, Laney. ’Night, then.” “’N-n-night,” I gasp.

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He looks concerned for me, but turns and walks out. Below me, Jax pulls his mouth from my sex and rasps, “Now, Delaney. Come in my mouth.” I do. Oh boy, yes, I do. I explode in a matter of seconds, smothering my screams in my hand as I convulse. Jax milks every last shudder from my body and then stands. He’s already got his cock in his hand, stroking furiously, fist pumping, skin making slight slapping sounds. Holy shit. He wants to fuck, and there’s no way he’s going to do it lightly. “Turn around,” he demands. I do as he asks, turning. He jerks up my nightie, pulls my panties down, puts one hand on the counter beside me and then plunges his cock into my depths. I gasp as he fills me, so painfully good. He uses his free hand to hold onto my hip as he starts fucking

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me hard. So fucking hard my body slams into the counter. “Don’t scream,” he orders. “You do, I’ll slap your ass, baby, and believe me, I fucking want to.” “Bite me,” I pant. He makes a grunting sound and I can’t help it, his cock feels so good inside my body, I can do nothing but cry out. His hand finds my ass cheek and he slaps it, not so loud that it’ll wake everyone, but enough to give me a little sting. I gasp and he brings his hand around, pressing it over my mouth and jerking my body back, so I’m flush against him. “Do you want them to catch you?” he growls into my ear, still plunging his cock into me. I shake my head.

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“Do you want them to come in here and see your beautiful fucking body being held against this counter, while I drive my cock into your sweet, sweet cunt?” Oh God. My pussy clenches. I shake my head. “Maybe you want them to see your sweet fucking breasts cupped in my hand?” I shake my head but moan against his hand. “Or maybe you fucking like being in here, knowing they could walk in at any second and see me fucking you?” I do. I do like that. It’s twisted and strange and so fucking out of this world, but I like it. Oh yes.

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“If you come before I tell you, kitten, I’ll pull my cock out. Do you want me to pull it out?” I shake my head frantically. “Kitten likes my cock deep in her body.” I whimper against his hand and he makes a satisfied noise. “Do you want to know how much I like your pussy?” I nod, feeling my orgasm build. “I fucking love it, baby. It’s so sweet, so tight, so fucking good around my dick.” If he doesn’t stop talking like this, I’ll come, and the bastard knows it. It’s why he’s doing it. “Does it make you feel like you’re going to come when I tell you about my cock?” Fuck him. Oh God, I’m so close.

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“Does your pussy squeeze tight, desperate for me?” I clench my eyes shut and try to push back the pleasure exploding in my body, but it’s nearly impossible. It feels so good I can’t think of anything else. “You’re holding back,” he growls into my ear. “You can do as you’re told, baby.” Jerk. Jerk face. Ass. Oh hell yes. He angles his hips up and drives his cock deeper, touching that sensitive bundle of nerves. Then he releases my hip, reaches around and finds my clit. Oh. Hell. Yes. Sparks of pleasure shoot through my body, but I hold on, I just keep holding on until the pleasure gets so much it almost hurts.

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“Fuck, yeah, come now.” With his permission, I explode so hard and so good, I swear I see stars. “Good girl, fuck yeah, good girl,” he praises in my ear between grunts. My orgasm is incredible, better than anything I’ve ever felt in my life. It goes on and on, starting from deep in my body and dragging out like a slow warmth, filling every part of me. I gasp Jax’s name, over and over, and I feel the exact moment he stiffens and explodes into me. His rasps and pants of pleasure fill my ears and nothing in the world could sound better than that. We stay like that, molded together, until our breathing becomes less ragged and Jax slides out of me. He shuffles a bit, and then pulls my panties back up into place and lets my nightie slide down. We didn’t even get

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naked for that, and I loved it. I turn and his cock is tucked back in his sweats and he’s staring at me, chest rising and falling. He steps forward, tangling his fingers into my hair and bringing my face close to his. “You’re mine, Delaney. For as long as I can fucking have you, you’re mine.” I nod, unable to form words. “Don’t let me see another man’s hands on you again, because I don’t fucking like it.” My heart swells. I nod. “And you won’t see another woman’s hands on me,” he murmurs. My heart explodes. “Now kiss me, baby, before our luck runs out.” He drops his head and his lips press against mine. I kiss him, softly, with only a

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little tongue, and then we pull back. He presses another kiss to my forehead, and then lets me go, disappearing into the darkness. I watch him go, a strange ache in my heart I’ve never felt before. I think I’m falling in love with Jaxson Shields.

CHAPTER TWENTY The next morning we’re up and on the plane before lunchtime. We safely get through the airport and when we arrive home, we get safely to the car. On the ride back to Jax’s hotel, none of us says a whole lot. The sexual tension between Jax and me is huge, and all I want to do is climb onto his lap and kiss him, because being starved of such a pleasure is killing me. The arrival at the hotel is the same, only security has tripled. We go into the underground car park, after going through a full security check by a man at the gate. When we pull over, Devon and I perform the check in

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the lobby, even though there’s now a guard at the entrance to the elevator. The space is clear, so we move Jax in and go up to his floor, where we repeat the same process. Jax doesn’t have a great deal of work to do, because it’s Sunday. We weren’t meant to come back until Monday or Tuesday, but because of the security threat, we didn’t get much choice. So now it’s kind of the time most people relax, and we’re all standing around, not really sure what to do. We’re going to be staying here until Jax can manage to upgrade the security on his apartment even more, so that leaves little to work with. “I’m going to give Nak a call,” Duke says. “See what we’re going to do.” I nod and he exits the room. Devon is busy staring at it in wonder. “It’s like an office but an apartment. Epic, dude.”

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I shake my head and sit on the sofa, trying not to make eye contact with Jax because I’m afraid I’ll jump him. “Have you heard anything about Kyle?” I ask Devon. He nods. “Yeah, he got transferred back this morning too. He’s out of the hospital but Nak isn’t sure where he’s going to put him that’s safe. He can’t really go to his apartment after what went down.” “Tell Nak to put him in a room here.” We both swivel our heads to look at Jax. “Seriously?” I ask. He shrugs. “Security in this hotel is better than anywhere else right now, so he’s better off being here.” “It’s not a bad idea,” Devon says. “I’ll go and tell Duke to let Nak know.”

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He leaves the room and I turn to Jax, forgetting Kyle in an instant as his eyes grow hungry. “Get over here and kiss me, before I explode and take you in front of everyone.” I rush over, throwing myself into his arms and kissing him long and deep. He grunts into my mouth and our tongues do a beautiful little dance. It’s over too soon when we hear the door handle being turned. I step back and away from Jax, walking over to the window, hating that I can’t have what I want when it comes to him. “Nak agrees, and Kyle is being sent over. If you can just let us know what room, we’ll cover the cost,” Devon says. Jax waves a hand. “It’s fine, he’s had to put extra men on. I can spare a room. I’ll find out for you.”

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He calls down and secures a room for Kyle and then Duke returns and calls Devon and me over. “The police are on their way up, they’ve had a breakthrough. Nak said we can start splitting shifts to get rest. Jax has secured two rooms for us, one for resting, the other for Kyle, both are on the floor below. Delaney, you can take the first rest after the police have come by.” I nod. Duke tells Jax what’s happening and his eyes widen at the word breakthrough. I keep my fingers crossed, praying it’s what we’ve been waiting for, and take a seat as we wait. Half an hour later, we get the call the police are here and Duke goes down to escort them up. I gather some chairs near Jax’s desk so we can all sit.

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The two officers arrive and the introductions start. I learn their names are Blayke and Johnson. Both are middle-aged, handsome enough men. They’re friendly and eager to share, so we all sit down. “As you know, Mr. Shields, the people we’ve been chasing have been said to have a direct link to a massive drug cartel,” Blayke says. Jax nods. “Well, it turns out that, more to the point, the people we’re after think they’re a direct link. When actually, it seems that one of the members of the gang is the younger brother of a member of the drug cartel, but wasn’t accepted into the life and is taking matters into his own hands, and trying to be something he certainly is not.”

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“So what you’re saying is that we’re dealing with a bunch of punks who think they’re powerful?” Jax mutters. “No, sir,” Johnson pipes up. “We’re dealing with boys raised in that life, but that have absolutely nothing to do with the goings-on of the cartel. It could be that they’re too young, too immature, or simply that they just weren’t blooded into the life. For what reason we can’t be sure, but whatever the case, the main ringleader of this gang wasn’t accepted and therefore has decided to try and start his own cartel. We can’t give too much away as to how we secured this information, but it would seem the head member of the cartel has said they are not with him and he holds no responsibility over what they do, or what happens to them. The

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choices they’re making do not involve him nor do they come from his instruction.” “So once again, a bunch of punks using their family ties to cause shit?” Jax growls. “More to the point, a group of men being led by a brother who was raised in a cartel, but was essentially kicked out and is trying to create his own deadly group, which we are calling a gang, as the two are very different things. There are at least ten of them in this little gang, and the leader has on more than one occasion been a suspect in a murder investigation. They’re not just playing with small things. They’re going for the big guns, trying to prove themselves. My guess, they’re trying to create the world they’re being rejected from, and in doing that, going to the extremes.”

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“So what’s this big breakthrough?” Jax asks. “We seem to have zoned in on their possible locations. We have the evidence to arrest them, but trying to track them down has been hard. They know how to hide and they do it well.” “There’s a chance that you’ll make an arrest then?” Duke asks. “Yes, and hopefully soon. If we arrest these men, they’ll go away for life.” “But won’t the cartel keep bringing pain down on Jax, for having them arrested?” I ask, confused. “No, ma’am. As I said earlier, they want nothing to do with this rogue group that has been created from their roots.” “And you know this how?” Jax asks.

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“As I said, I’m unable to disclose such information, but I don’t think you’ll find it’s an issue when the men are locked away.” “And you can be assured of that?” Devon asks. Blayke shakes his head. “Of course we can never give you a one-hundred-percent guarantee, but the information we’ve got is from a good source and as far as we can tell, this group Jaxson is dealing with is a bunch of thugs trying to create a name, and nothing more.” We all nod. “We do advise that you be careful, especially now,” Johnson says. “They’re getting desperate, and this is when they’ll make a mistake, but you don’t want to be in the way of that mistake.”

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We all nod, and the officers stand, shaking Jax’s hand. “We have hope that something will come of this situation. In the meantime, just sit tight. We’re doing everything we possibly can.” Jax nods and we all watch as the officers leave. Well, maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Just maybe. * * * The next ten days pass event free, and Kyle joins the team again. Jax and I have become pros at our passionate rendezvous and things are heating up even more between us if that’s possible. Every time he’s inside me, it feels like something in my body is attaching to

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him even more. I think about him all day. When I’m not thinking about him, I’m with him. The police have started closing in on the thugs making Jax’s life a living hell, and they said they’re starting to make good tracks. Kyle is back, but not doing full security, so he just relieves shifts when we’re tired or need a day off. I’ve had three days off in the last ten, and those days I have crammed my time with Aunt Bett, Uncle George and Jed. Mitch is away, so I’ve been unable to catch up with him. Of course I have to be in safe places when meeting with them, in case the thugs decide to make good on their threats and come after me. Still it was nice seeing my family. I feel like right now I’ve barely had the chance to even talk with them on the phone. Nak said

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as little contact as possible is best until this case is put to bed, just for their safety. That makes sense, so I’ve been sure to do just that. Today it’s just Jax and me. It hasn’t been just Jax and me since before Kyle’s beating. We’re in his office, and he’s mostly busy with phone conferences, but every now and then, between calls, he looks up at me and smiles. A real, gorgeous, genuine smile. It melts my heart, traveling right to my core and sinking in, refusing to leave. “Yeah,” Jax says, phone pressed to his ear. “I’m hearing you. Schedule it for two weeks from now. I’ll take a trip down and sort it out.” He stares at my lips and his tongue snakes out, licking his. Oh God. Yum. He wheels his chair back and pats his lap. Like a

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child who’s desperate for affection, I rush over and settle onto him. He wraps an arm around my belly and presses his face into my neck, breathing in my hair. I close my eyes, loving how he makes me feel. Loving the vibrations of his voice as he speaks. “Yeah, sort that out for me, will you?” He pulls the phone from his ear and puts it down. Then he starts kissing my neck. “Jax,” I breathe. “How long have we got?” “Kyle will take over in about an hour.” “I can work with an hour.” He lifts me into his arms and carries me into the next room, to the bed. He drops me down onto it and brings his big body over mine. He kisses my neck, my throat, my jaw and then my lips. Our kiss is passionate and long, so deep my body breaks out in shivers.

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Jax moves his hand down, cupping my ass and bringing my body up to ride against his erection. “Jax,” I gasp. “I’d love to fuck you, fucking love to, but I don’t have the time. But rest assured, kitten. I’ll make you scream.” He starts rocking my heated body against his cock, causing it to touch the most sensitive part of me. I groan and close my eyes, loving the sensations washing through my body. “Jax,” I cry out, as his rigid length rubs over my clit. “What. The. Fuck.” The sound of Kyle’s voice has Jax jerking backwards and my head whipping to the side. Oh. Shit. Panic rises into my chest and my skin tingles with fear as I see Kyle

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standing at the entrance, his eyes on Jax and me. There’s absolutely no way of getting out of this, we can’t explain away what we’re doing. Jax jackknifes off the bed and I sit up quickly, adjusting my shirt. “What the fucking hell is happening here?” Kyle barks. “You two are fucking?” “No,” Jax says, his voice cold. “It was a moment of weakness.” “Bullshit!” Kyle roars. “Bull fucking shit.” “Kyle,” I say, stepping forward. “You will come with me, right now, Delaney,” he demands. “You’re in deep fucking shit. You just broke every fucking rule there is.” “Stop swearing at me and calm down,” I try to say but he throws his hands up.

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“I won’t fucking calm down, you’re fucking the client.” “I’m…” “What we’re doing is none of your concern and we’ll discuss it only with the relevant people,” Jax growls. “I am a relevant person!” Jax strides forward. “Listen to me, you little weasel. You do not know the story. You know only what you saw, therefore you will not be creating stories without my being present to give the truth.” Jax is protecting me. “Stop speaking to me like I’m stupid!” Kyle roars, getting in his face. “Then stop fucking acting like you are.” “Delaney,” Kyle demands. “We’re going to sort this out right now. You’ll accompany me to Nak’s office.”

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“Kyle,” I try, but he shoots daggers in my direction. “You are breaking the rules, and nothing you or Jaxson can say will change my mind about the way I’m going to deal with this. Now move!” I look to Jax, who is glaring at Kyle. “I should go,” I say, stepping past Jax. Kyle lashes out and grabs my arm, and Jax moves like fire, grabbing Kyle by the shirt and slamming him against the wall. “You do whatever the fuck you have to do, but you do not ever fucking put your hands on her again. Do you understand me?” “You have no right—” “Do you understand me?” Jax roars so loudly even I flinch. “I get you,” Kyle spits.

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Jax releases him with a harsh shove and turns to me. “I’ll come with you to explain to Nak.” “No,” I say, my voice shaky. “I’ll sort this out.” He studies my face and he can see it’s something I need to do alone, so he nods. “I’ll be on call.” “I’m sending Devon in,” Kyle grunts. “He’s outside. He came with me. He’ll watch Jax while we go to Nak.” I say nothing, I just brush past him and walk outside. Kyle follows, barks at Devon to protect Jax and then he storms after me as I charge into the elevator. As it’s going down, he turns to me. “You know, I thought you were smarter than this. I thought this job was everything to you.”

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“Don’t pretend to understand this,” I snap, glaring at my hands. “Oh, I understand. You think he’s hot and wanted a piece. Like every other woman in this damned place.” I spin on him. “Don’t you ever say something like that to me again. Believe it or not, I’m not just doing it to get a piece. But what would you know, Kyle? You’ve never cared about a fucking thing in your life.” “Bullshit,” he bellows, slamming his fist into the side of the elevator. “I fucking care about you.” I flinch. What did he just say? “You have the nerve to throw something like that out, at a time like this? You do nothing but treat me like shit, Kyle. So don’t you dare try and make up an excuse like that.”

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“I treat you like that because if I don’t, I won’t be able to do my job because I’ll be forever wondering what it’ll feel like to do exactly what that fucking asshole was doing to you in there.” I shake my head, staring at him. He means it, I can see it in his eyes. I have no idea how I feel about that, because I’ve never seen Kyle in that manner. He’s always been so arrogant and difficult, never making anything easy for me. “Your treatment of me made me despise you, Kyle. Now you’re trying to tell me you care. You’re warped.” “I’m doing my job. I’m putting my career first, which is more than you can say for yourself. Jesus, Delaney, where did your brain go?”

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“I care about him!” I scream. “And when I care about someone, I do everything I can to share that with them.” “He’s a fucking manwhore,” he bellows, slamming his fist against the wall again. “He doesn’t want anything but a piece of your ass, but me…” “You?” I laugh bitterly. “You treat me like I don’t fucking matter, yet you think that’s better?” “If you gave me a chance, I could show you what I can give you.” I shake my head, stepping back as he steps forward. “You know nothing about me, Kyle. If you knew that, you wouldn’t be here doing this right now.” “I won’t tell Nak,” he says suddenly and I blink. “I beg your pardon?”

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“I won’t tell him, if you promise to stop seeing him and let me take you on a date.” “Have you lost your mind?” I shout. “You haven’t seen any other side to me but this right here.” He jabs his chest. “Let me give you a chance to do something with someone who hasn’t screwed half of Denver.” “Jesus, Kyle, are you listening to yourself?” “The choice is yours, Delaney,” he says coolly. “You decide which is more important, him or your career.” His words are like a slap to my face. I want to scream and throw him right out of this elevator, but he’s put me in a difficult position. He knows what my career means to me, and I can imagine he’s guessed Jax

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means a lot, too. He’s giving me a choice. Jax or my career. But what he doesn’t know is that I fell in love with Jax the moment he stood up for me, and my career will never give me what he can give me. I won’t be blackmailed by Kyle, and I won’t be forced to date him and spend all my time with him, out of fear he’ll tell Nak. No, I have to tell Nak the truth and risk whatever comes out of it. I turn to Kyle with a fierce expression. “I’ll pick him, Kyle. I’ll always pick him.” Then I step out of the elevator as it dings open. It’s time to face the music.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Nak is in his office when we arrive, and from the look on his face, he already knows what’s coming. His expression is hard, and his eyes dart straight to me. Jax must have called him, because I know Kyle didn’t. My heart starts pounding and fear places a choke hold on my heart. I don’t want to lose my job, but dammit, I don’t want to lose Jax either. “Kyle, Delaney, sit.” We both sit and I stare at my hands, unable to face the disappointment in my boss’ eyes. “Kyle, tell me what happened.”

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“I walked in on them kissing on the bed, but it wasn’t just a normal kiss, they were…” I swing my head to him, glaring. “They were grinding.” Jesus. Nak’s eyes dart to me. “That true, Delaney?” I meet his eyes and say in a monotone, “Yes.” “They’re having sex! It’s unacceptable!” “Did you see them having intercourse?” Nak directs at Kyle. “No, but…” “Then how are you certain they’re having relations?” Kyle bristles. “Nobody grinds like that on a first kiss.” “Kyle, you need to step back. It’s up to me to deal with this. You’ve said your part,

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reported what you’ve seen, and now I’m going to ask Delaney.” He turns expectant eyes to me. I look down at my hands, fighting back the tears. “I … I care about him, Nak.” “That’s not what I want the answer to, and you know it.” His voice isn’t hard, but it’s also not soft. “I’ve been having relations with him, because … because I care about him. It wasn’t just a bit of fun.” “This is outrageous!” Kyle bellows. Nak throws a hand up. “You shut your mouth, Kyle, before I shut it for you. This is my issue to deal with.” I look down, waiting for Nak to yell and scream, but he simply says, “That’s what Jax said, too.” “You’ve spoken to Jax?” I ask.

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Nak nods. “She should be fired,” Kyle mutters. “This is against the rules, and it’s not the first time she’s done something wrong.” I’ve had enough. I spin on Kyle and yell, “And you’re the perfect citizen, Kyle. You just blackmailed me on the elevator, and told me you wouldn’t tell Nak if I dated you and only you, so how about you shut the fuck up.” “Say what?” Nak growls. Kyle’s face turns red and he looks to Nak. “It didn’t go exactly…” “Did you or did you not say it, Kyle?” Kyle nods sharply. “What the fuck is happening here?” Nak growls. “You two are bodyguards, not children. Delaney.” He turns to me. “You know what you did was against the rules, and Kyle.” He looks at Kyle. “Blackmail? Really?”

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We both look down. “I think both of you have just lost your way, because I know that both of you are amazing bodyguards deep down. There’s only one option for me here.” You’re fired. You’re fired. I prepare myself for it. “You’re both suspended for a month.” I look up sharply. Did he just say suspended? That’s it? Not fired? “What!” Kyle yells, standing up. “Sit down!” Nak barks at him. “And be grateful I didn’t fire you, which I have grounds to do.” “She”—Kyle jerks a finger at me—“was the one screwing around with the client.” “And she’s sitting down, taking her punishment for that, while you’re acting like a

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spoiled fucking child. I won’t ask again, sit the fuck down.” Kyle sits down, muttering a curse. “Now, you two are going to think long and fucking hard about what’s important to you while you’re suspended. You know the rules, and if you do anything like this again, there’ll be no second chance. You’re suspended, effective immediately.” Then he turns to Kyle. “I need to talk to Delaney. You’re free to leave.” Kyle grunts and storms out. When the door slams behind him, Nak turns to me. “I can’t stop you seeing Jaxson, Delaney, but I can’t allow you to go back onto his case, even if it’s still happening by the time your suspension is over. I’m sure you understand.” I nod. “I never meant to upset you, Nak. I fell for him and…”

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“I know, and I can understand that matters of the heart can’t be controlled, but the choices you made after that are on you. You know the rules, Delaney, and you chose to break them.” I nod. “Yes, I did.” “You’re a smart girl, and I’m giving you a second chance. For God’s sake, don’t waste it.” Then he stands and leaves. I drop my head, my heart aching. I feel like I’ve let him down, but mostly, myself. * * * Jax tries to call me when I arrive at my apartment, but I don’t answer. I feel strange being back here, lost and unsure what I’m going to do. We’ve been suspended without

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pay, but luckily I’ve already saved enough from the job with Jax to cover me. Nak has put security on my apartment building and Kyle’s, but he doesn’t think there’ll be any threat, considering they’re watching Jax and not us. I don’t care. I get home and crawl straight into my bed, exhaustion, hurt, shame and disappointment in myself are clawing at my heart, trying to bust it open. I can’t let them, because if I do, I’ll start crying and I’ll never stop. I’m not ashamed of what Jax and I did, and if I had a second chance, I’d probably do it again because he means something to me. The phone in my hand buzzes again and I glance down at it. Jax once more. Like last time, I don’t answer.

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I roll to my side on the bed and fight the tears. Somehow during that I drift off. It’s probably physical and mental exhaustion combined because when I wake I’m in the exact same position and it’s early evening. I slept an entire day away. I push up into a sitting position and yawn, staring around my now-dark room. I lift my phone into my hands and see sixteen missed calls from Jax. That makes my heart hurt. I put the phone down and get out of bed. I walk slowly, with an aching body, out into the kitchen and make a coffee. Then I flop onto the couch, suddenly feeling like I have no purpose. My life in the past month has been so hectic, I’ve forgotten how it feels to have nothing to do. Boredom is not my best friend, and after half an hour on the couch, I’m up and pacing the room.

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I’m midway through when the door busts open. I gasp and let out a little strangled scream as Jax strides in. Duke is chasing him, yelling and carrying on, telling him to stop. Jax walks up to me, determination in his eyes, and he literally hauls my body up against his. I don’t have time to think about the fact that I left my damned apartment door open, or that he’s here, because he crushes his lips down on mine. Duke’s voice fades out and the emotions I’ve been holding back come flooding out as Jax’s mouth moves softly over mine. He kisses me like he’s never kissed me before, slow and deep, full of emotion. Tears burst forth and slide down, combining themselves with our kiss. Jax pulls back and stares down at me, a softness in his grey eyes that I’ve never seen before. He reaches up, swiping

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his thumb over my cheek and wiping away the tears. “You haven’t given up on us, have you?” I look into his eyes. “I don’t know what I’m doing right now.” “If you think you can get away from it that easily, you’re wrong, kitten.” My smile trembles. “What makes you think I want to get away from it?” He grins, weakly, but it’s there. “Does this mean you’re going to hang on, for me?” I reach up, cupping his jaw. “I’ll hang on, Mr. Shields, because I think you just might be way too hard to forget.” He kisses me softly, then steps back. “I’m going away for a meeting, just one night. When I get back, I’m taking you out to lunch. No fucking thing is going to stand in my way of getting what I want now.”

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My heart explodes and more tears burst forth. Jax studies them, then our eyes meet and hold for the longest, most intense moment. “Wait for me, kitten.” With that, he walks out, Duke following close behind. I’ll wait. I’ll always wait.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO “This place is beautiful,” I say, staring at the cozy booths tucked neatly inside the Italian restaurant. Jax managed to get an afternoon off for lunch when he got back from his meeting, and even though Devon is escorting him, I’m grateful I get to spend some time with him after everything that went down. He said he invited Red, because he wants me to meet him. I’m happy about this, because I’ve heard so much about his best friend, and I want to apologize for our first encounter.

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“They make amazing food,” Jax says, sliding in beside me in the booth we’re escorted to. Devon stands far enough away that he can’t hear our conversation, but he can still see Jax. It’s awkward, being here and having him trailing us. When Jax picked me up, Devon and I muttered words at each other, and it felt so much like we were strangers. I like Devon, I know he respects me, but because of everything that’s happened, there’s serious tension between us all. It’s going to take a while for that to disappear. “Jax!” Jax and I both look up to see Red appear with Tori by his side. I flinch, wanting to scream in outrage. What the hell is she doing here? Jax said it was Red, not Tori and Red. I look to him and by the expression on his

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face, he wasn’t expecting Tori either. I want to bury my face in my hands and scream, because this isn’t how this is meant to go. Jax and I just seem to be unable to function correctly. It almost seems like things are never going to go smoothly. “Red,” Jax says, standing and shaking Red’s hand. “You brought Tori?” Tori glares at Jax, and clearly the air is still stiff between them, too. Magic. This’ll make for an amazing time. “She wanted to come,” Red grunts, flashing his eyes to me. “Hey.” I swallow and force a smile. “Hey, Red, nice to see you.” He nods, and I just want to shrivel up and scream. Nothing feels right about this situation. Tori and Red sit down, and Jax reaches under the table, taking my hand and

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squeezing. It’s reassuring. I guess this isn’t really a date, but it’s still the first time Jax and I have been out, where we don’t need to hide. The last thing I need, or want, is for Tori to be staring daggers across the table at me. Which she is currently doing. “So, Delaney,” Red says. “We didn’t get off to a great start last time. Sorry about that.” “I could say the same,” I say, trying to smile. “I’m sorry … it was my first day.” Red smiles, but Tori keeps on glaring at me. “I thought bodyguards were supposed to be men?” she says in a snotty tone. “Well, that just shows how much of the world you’ve missed,” I say politely. She scowls at me and Jax squeezes my hand again.

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“So, Red, what’s been happening?” he asks, trying to break the tension. “Not a lot, buddy. I’ve been looking for work. I want to move back this way.” “What do you do?” I ask. “I’m looking to get into the police force.” I smile. “That’s awesome, are you having any luck?” He shakes his head. “Nah, not unless I’m willing to give up my job back home and train here, but that’s a big loss in income.” I nod. “Yeah, I get that.” “I’ve got plenty of rooms,” Jax says. “You can stay in any one of them while you’re doing that. You know I wouldn’t hesitate.” Red grins at his friend and I relax a little. “How long have you guys known each other?” I ask.

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“Most of our lives.” Red smirks at Jax. “This fucker just can’t seem to let me go.” Three of us laugh and Tori just crosses her arms. She’s clearly still got a massive problem with me, and isn’t willing to let it go. “Tori, Red and I have known each other a long time,” Jax says, even though I already know that. “Yes,” Tori says. “We know everything about each other, which is more than you can say, considering you hardly know him.” “Tori!” Red snaps. “Stop it.” “Why?” Tori mutters. “She doesn’t know him. She’s just trying to get her claws into him…” I flinch and turn to her. Jax squeezes my hand again but I’ve had enough. “Obviously you’ve got a problem with me, Tori, and yet

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you know nothing about me. All that tells me is you’re jealous.” “Jealous?” she snaps. “Why the hell would I be jealous?” “Because you wish it was you sitting on this side of the table.” Red jerks, and I can see it in his face that he is fully aware of Tori’s feelings towards Jax. I wonder how that makes him feel, because I know he cares about her. What I don’t understand is why. Tori seems snappy, and rude, but I figure I’m missing something because Red obviously cares about her, and there has to be something there worth caring about. Right? “Jax and I have sorted all of that out,” she says, her face going red. “Keep out of it.” “If you’ve sorted it out, then tell me why the hell you’re so against me? I hurt you and

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for that I’m sorry, but I’ve done nothing else to you to deserve this kind of hatred.” “You broke my nose!” she snaps. “Jesus, Tor, let it go already,” Jax barks. People who are eating, stop and stare at us. Great, this is just great. What an amazing lunch. “Tori, enough,” Red hisses. “This is only going to cause problems in our friendship. Is that what you really want?” “What I want,” she yells, “is for her to get lost. She’s not part of this. She doesn’t know Jax. She is just in the damned way.” “I know him better than you think,” I snap. “And I’m not going to sit here any longer and let you speak to me like this. If you’ve got a problem with me, Tori, that’s fine, but nothing you can say will make me change my mind about this incredible man

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sitting beside me.” I stand and lean over the table. “Nor will it keep me from fighting to be with him. So give up.” I step out from the table and turn, muttering, “I’m using the bathroom.” I walk past and Devon reaches out, grabbing my arm. “That was intense,” he says. I stop walking and stare at him. “My whole damned life is intense right now,” I say, my voice cracking. Devon’s eyes grow soft. “You made a mistake, Delaney, but you can fix it. It’s going to take time, though.” “I screwed my boss’ trust, I got suspended, Jax is in danger and I can’t even have a meal out with him. It seems nothing can be fixed.”

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I step past him, and instead of using the bathroom, I walk out of the restaurant, using the back exit. Jax must suspect my intentions, because a moment later he appears with Devon behind him. “Delaney, wait.” I stop and stare as Jax walks over. When he gets in front of me, he reaches out, cupping my cheek. “I’m sorry about that.” “We can’t even go on a date.” I sigh, dropping my head into his chest. “Everything is messed up.” “There’s too much going on, and we’re pushing something that we’re not ready to push.” “You don’t want to date me?” I whisper. “God, of course I fucking do, but shit is at a breaking point. We have no privacy. It’s a mess all around, but I promise you that as

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soon as this is over, I’m going to take you on a date you won’t forget. It’ll be epic, I can promise you that.” I can’t help but smile. “Oh yeah?” He reaches up, cupping my neck and pulling me close. “Yeah. So don’t give up just yet, okay?” “Never,” I say, pressing my lips to his. I just hope the second date is better than the first, because right now nothing seems to be working out.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE “Delaney!” I flinch and turn to look at Jed, who is snapping his fingers in my face. We’re in my apartment, watching movies and eating pizza a week later, but I’m zoned out. I don’t know why, but there’s a heavy weight in my heart I can’t shake. It’s that feeling you get when you know something isn’t right, yet you don’t know what that is. “Sorry,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m just not with it.” “No shit, what’s going on in that head of yours?”

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“I … I don’t know. Something doesn’t feel right.” He studies my face. “What do you mean?” “You know when you just feel uneasy, but you can’t pinpoint what it is?” He nods. “Yeah, I hate that. Do you think it’s Jax?” At the mention of his name, my heart clenches again. “Would you mind if I give them a call, just to check in?” He shrugs. “Girl, if it’s going to make you pay attention, I’m okay with that.” I nod and dial Devon’s number. He’s on Jax’s case at the moment. He doesn’t answer. Feeling panicked, I ring Jax’s number. Nothing. Odd. I call Nak next, and he answers. “Delaney.”

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Not hello. Or how are you. That hurts. I respect Nak and it bothers me that he’s been let down. “Hey, Nak,” I say softly. “What’s wrong?” “Have you heard from Devon or Jax?” “Devon is here in a meeting with me and the team. I assigned Kyle to Jax for two hours. I had no other man available, and no other choice.” “What!” I cry. “Listen, I didn’t pick you because you’re closer to it than Kyle. I don’t have time to discuss it, I’m in a meeting. I’ll fill you in when you get back, but it’s fine, Delaney. Jax is safe.” Then he hangs up. I immediately rush to my room, get my gun from the safe, tuck it in my pants and

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pull on a coat. I don’t trust Kyle, not for a damned second. He’s angry with Jax and me, and I fear he won’t do a proper job because of that very reason. I need to know Jax is okay, and I’ll risk my job to do it. “Whoa there, where are you going?” Jed asks when I come rushing in. “I have to go out, wait here if you want, I’ll be back soon.” “Delaney,” he calls, but I’m already out the door. I catch a cab over to Jax’s hotel, but when I ask them if he’s there, they say he went back to his apartment. It’s dark out, and the city is livening up for the evening. I make my way over to Jax’s apartment, getting out of the cab just as Kyle and Jax walk out the front door and towards the car waiting for them. Why the hell are they using the front

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entrance, when they can leave safely from the underground parking lot? When they see me, they stop. “What are you doing here, Delaney?” Kyle demands. I study Jax, seeing he’s okay, but the instinct inside of me is screaming that something’s wrong. “Is everything okay?” I ask. “Just heading to a meeting, but I forgot something, so we just went back in to get it and I got caught up with a phone call, but we’re fine, kitten,” Jax says, his eyes soft at the sight of me. “It’s really none of your business and you shouldn’t be here,” Kyle grunts. “Mr. Shields, if you would, please get into the car.” He walks over and opens the door for him. “Did you check the car?” I say.

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“Mind your business, Delaney,” Kyle grunts. “This is my job and that means it’s not your concern. Now, leave before I call Nak.” Jax looks to me. “Everything okay?” he asks softly. “Something just … doesn’t feel right.” “We’re going to be late, Shields,” Kyle barks. “I’ll come by later, let you know I’m okay,” Jax says, his eyes letting me know he’d step forward if he could. “Okay,” I say, shaking the horrible feeling from my chest. Jax grins at me, then slides into the car. Kyle goes to get in and as he moves his foot, I see the flash of something underneath the car. It’s silvery, but it’s definitely not part of the car. “Get out of the car,” I screech.

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Kyle stops dead and Jax looks to me with concern on his face. I don’t have time to think. “Get out, get out, get—” Jax launches himself out of the car and Kyle, for the first time in his life, does as I say and jumps back. Just as Jax crashes into me, the car explodes. The noise is deafening and I feel like my ears are going to explode as a pain unlike anything I’ve ever felt erupts deep in my head. I scream and roll, feeling for Jax. He’s beside me, grasping for me, but I can’t see him through the thick smoke. “Jax!” I scream. Gunshots sound out, coming from three different angles. Through the thick, black smoke, I can see absolutely nothing. I throw my body over Jax’s, reaching around through

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the pain in my head and back, to pull out my gun. “Delaney!” Kyle roars. “Someone’s shooting!” I screech back. Suddenly Jax bellows, a pained, agonized roar. “Jax?” I yell. “Shot,” he gasps. “I got fucking shot.” Jesus, I need to get him out of here before the smoke clears, it’s the only cover I have right now. I try to picture the front of Jax’s apartment in my head. There are thick shrubs near the entrance. That’s probably the best I can do right now. Voices are shouting, my head is pounding and there’s a strange agony in my back that’s spreading. “Can you walk?” I frantically ask, hands patting him down. “Yeah,” he grunts.

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“Jax, where are you hit?” I whisper. “Leg.” Thank God. I take his hand and hold my gun out with the other, leading him to the shrubs by feel alone. When we reach them, I push him down. “Get behind them. If they see you, they’ll shoot, Jax. I can’t risk that. Stay low.” He doesn’t protest, but I can hear his pained grunts as he moves into the shrubs. I turn and the smoke is starting to clear. Kyle is on the phone, yelling, and then the gunshots start again. One goes right past Kyle and he drops to the ground, barking something into the phone. I raise my gun and shoot in the direction of the shots, still not clearly seeing where they’re coming from. “Delaney, get out of the way!” Kyle yells.

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Three men appear in the smoke and haze, and raise their guns. I don’t think, I shoot one right in the leg, sending him down with a bellow. Kyle must notice too, because the other one goes down with a roar of pain. The third takes a shot, narrowly missing me. I point my gun and shoot, hitting his shoulder, then I spin and see Kyle on the ground, grasping his stomach. I run over, adrenaline pumping, and drop to my knees. He’s got blood coming from his belly in thick rivulets. “You’re okay,” I whisper, tearing off my jacket and pressing it to his stomach. “You’re going to be okay.” He coughs and blood splutters from his mouth. Tears prickle in my eyes as I put pressure on the wound.

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The police are coming. They are. He called them. God, please tell me he called them. I lift my head to glance at a wounded Jax still in the shrubs, and see two men approaching from the opposite direction. They’re so quiet I didn’t even see or hear them, but they’ve got their guns pointed on Jax. No. I won’t lose him. I look down to Kyle, and the blood covering my hands, but I know I have to do this. I gently let him go, pull out my gun and stand. “No, Delaney,” Kyle splutters. I don’t listen. I run full throttle towards the men. The first one turns and his eyes widen with surprise before he raises his gun. I shoot mine before he even gets the chance, hitting him in the stomach. He goes down

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with a roar of pain, and then I swivel towards his friend, but I’m too slow. He shoots and the bullet grazes me, hitting my shoulder enough to cause fire-like agony, but not enough to penetrate. I drop my gun and gasp, the pain unlike anything I’ve ever felt. He takes aim again and I look into his eyes. This is it, he’s going to kill me. I close my eyes, saying a silent prayer, then I hear a loud thump. My eyes pop open and I see Jax on top of the man, his fist driving over and over into the man’s face, blood spurting everywhere. My training kicks in and I run over, ignoring the blistering pain in my shoulder. “Jax, don’t kill him!” I scream. Jax slams the man’s head once more and he’s knocked out cold, then he rolls off with a bellow of agony. There’s blood soaking his

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pant leg and he’s white as a ghost. Police sirens blare through the now-quiet space and I breathe a sigh of relief as I hear the shouting of voices. I drop down beside Jax, and take his head in my lap. He’s drifting in and out of consciousness, and I’m right there with him. The pain is so intense I can hardly breathe. “Would you look at that,” I whisper before my world goes black. “You saved me.” That’s the last thing I remember. * * * I’m sitting in a horrible hospital gown beside Jax, who is in the hospital bed beside Kyle. I refused to be anywhere else but by their bedsides, and because my injuries were less, the nurses let me come in here and sit beside

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them for a few hours. Nak made the orders to let that happen. Jax had to have surgery on his leg, and Kyle was also in surgery for over eight hours, but both of them are stable and in recovery. Kyle hasn’t woken yet, but Jax is slowly coming to. He’s staring at me, his eyes hazy. I had a piece of the blown-up car lodged in my back, and that’s why it hurt so much during the fight. It wasn’t a big piece, but it left me with a wound that required twenty-five stitches. My shoulder took eight and I had a bad gash on my head that got one. But I came out of it better than both of these men. Kyle was touch and go, the doctors said it was a matter of minutes that saved his life. The pressure I put on his stomach helped. The police arrived and quickly made arrests. Six of the twelve gang members were there,

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and they’d planned for Jax to be killed by that bomb, but if not, they were ready and waiting to take him out themselves. One of them spoke after they were arrested and they managed to get the rest, with enough charges, they assured me, to get them locked away for life. Jax is officially free, and no longer in danger. That relief is huge. “Hey there, hero.” I turn and see Nak standing in the doorway, two coffees in hand. I smile weakly. “Hey there.” “Can I come in? I brought caffeine.” I nod. Nak walks in and hands me one, then looks at my gown. “Nice gown.” “Ha-ha,” I rasp.

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He sits beside me on the double sofa and studies me. “Things still the same with these two?” “Jax is stirring.” Jax’s eyes are closed again now, but he’s fidgeting, so I know he’s coming out of it. “It was a dangerous situation you were all in, it’s lucky you got out alive.” “Yeah, I guess.” Nak reaches over and takes my hand. “You felt something none of us did, and you acted on it. If you hadn’t, Jax and Kyle wouldn’t be here today.” “I just did my job,” I say, staring at the coffee warming my hands. “No, you saved two lives.” “Technically, Jax saved mine.” Nak grins. “I bet that felt good for him.” I smile weakly. “Probably.”

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“You showed strength out there tonight, Delaney. You made a decision to act on instinct and you saved them. That took courage and skill. Because of that, I’m cutting your suspension to only two weeks, and that’s purely so you can recover.” “You want me back?” I whisper. “Of course I do. I read the statement you gave the police. You were a true bodyguard out there tonight.” I nod. “You don’t want to come back?” he asks. “Of course I do,” I say. “But … I just…” “It scared you, didn’t it?” My bottom lip trembles and he reaches over, putting his arm around me. “Your job is dangerous, and you got hit hard on your first real case. This is going to take a while to process. But you don’t have to be put in this

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situation again, Laney. If you want small to medium cases, like some of the members take, especially those that have families, then you are more than welcome to do that.” “That wouldn’t bother you?” He shrugs. “It’s your life and you have to do what’s best for you, not me.” “And Kyle?” I whisper. “Kyle made a near-fatal mistake tonight. He put Jax in that car without checking it. I have no choice but to let him go.” My heart pounds. “Please don’t, Nak. Kyle loves his job. He loves it more than anyone on this team.” “He made a mistake.” “He did, but he nearly lost his life because of it. Don’t fire him. Start him from the beginning again, put him on small cases until

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he proves himself, but please, for me, don’t fire him.” Nak studies my face. “Why would you want that for him, when he’s done nothing but give you heartache?” “Because, regardless of everything, when I watched him fighting for his life tonight, I realized he’s no different from me. He loves his job, he’s passionate about it, and that’s clouded a lot for him. He’s not a bad person, and you know that.” “No, he’s not.” “Please consider it.” He nods, standing. “I will, for you. Now, I have more reports to submit. Get some rest, Laney.” I smile up at him. “Thank you, Nak.” “For what?” “For believing in me.”

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He smiles. “Anytime, sweetheart.” Then he leaves. I sip my coffee and look over to Jax, whose eyes are fluttering open again. I stand and walk over, looking down into his face. I love this man, heart and soul, and no matter what happens, that won’t change. Nearly losing him showed me that. He’s the best mistake I ever made. When his eyes fully open and fixate on mine, I smile. “Well, hey there, handsome.” “Hey yourself,” he croaks. “Kitten.”

EPILOGUE ONE MONTH LATER “Oh, Delaney, he’s here!” Aunt Bett cries, rushing around like a chicken with her head cut off. “Aunt Bett, chill!” I say, walking out into the living area. She skids to a stop and stares at me, then proceeds to burst out crying. I smile and walk over, wrapping her in my arms. “Stop crying or you’ll make me cry.” “You look so beautiful,” she blubbers.

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I squeeze her tighter and then let go. “I have to go.” She nods, sniffling. “Don’t pay for a thing, and make sure he opens the car door for you.” I shake my head with a fond grin and walk to the door, opening it. Jax is standing on the other side, looking like pure masculine beauty, looking at me. He’s wearing a pair of black jeans, fitted but not too tight, and a dark grey button-up shirt that’s got the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up. His hair is flopping messily over his forehead and his eyes match his shirt. He looks gorgeous. “Hey, kitten,” he says, his voice husky. He swoops down and captures me, kissing me softly. “You look gorgeous.”

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“You don’t look too bad yourself, handsome.” “Are you ready?” I nod and step out, shutting the door, still hearing Aunt Bett’s sniffling. Jax leads me down to his car, the car he’s driving, the car I’m not escorting him to. Yes, that’s right, Jax and I are going on our first date without escorts, or people chasing him, or jealous friends. A date. A real date. I’m so excited, my stomach is a flurry of butterflies. The last month has been a blur. Kyle got out of the hospital and Nak didn’t fire him, which I’m completely grateful for. He did get put back down to basic cases until he can prove himself, but he’s okay with that. We made peace, in a sense. It was an awkward conversation, but we cleared the air between

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us and he even thanked me for saving his life. Tori and Red went home, and Red was nice enough to be kind to me when he left, saying he wished Jax and me well. Tori refused to see Jax, and when I asked if that upset him, he said no. He’s certain she’ll move on and when she does, then they might have the chance to rebuild some of their friendship. That upsets me, because I feel partially responsible, but Jax assured me that Tori would have done this, with or without me in the picture. I believe that. I started work again two weeks ago, and chose to only do normal cases that didn’t need high security. My life is a far happier place because of that. Jax went back to life as normal and the gang members went to trial

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and got life in prison for a number of charges, including murder, assault, sexual assault, drug charges and weapons charges. We haven’t had one problem since then. Jax takes me to a fair. I have no idea why he picked a fair for our first date, but the excitement bubbles out of me when we get out of the car and I see the big rides, the candy stores and the games. I squeal and turn to Jax. “A fair?” “I figured you were the kind of girl that got off on fast things, and I told you after our last failed attempt at going out together that I’d make our first real date amazing.” I snort. “You certainly seem to be making that happen, though I think you’re wrong about the fast things. I’ve been known to play with slow things.”

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He flashes me a wolfish grin. “Careful, kitten.” I grin and stretch my hand out. “Take me on a ride, Mr. Shields.” He slaps my ass and then takes my hand, and we enter the fair. Typically, I rush to the fastest, craziest ride first. We ride and laugh until we’re ready to puke, and then we load up on the worst-nutritional-value food in the world and walk out of the fair and over to a beautiful big park, where fireworks are being shot off. Jax sits down and pulls me into his body, my back pressed to his chest. We stare up at the sparks of color flying through the sky, and I feel so at ease for the first time in my life. Jax has his arm around my waist, and every now and then he puts a piece of

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whatever food he picks out of our little stash, into my mouth. “So, how do I rate on the first date scale?” he asks. “Probably a five.” He pinches my side. “Why a five?” “You didn’t buy me flowers. All girls need flowers, handsome.” “How do you know I didn’t buy you flowers?” I grin, even though he can’t see it. “Well, did you?” “No, but I will.” “Ah, ah, that’ll ruin the surprise.” He grunts. “Women.” “You should familiarize yourself with the art of dating.”

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He traces a finger up my arm, making me shiver. “Why? I’m an amazing lover, I look good, and I have money.” “Ugh, Jaxson, that’s such a rich manwhore thing to say.” He chuckles. “You wouldn’t have me any other way.” “Hey, you came this way. I didn’t get a choice.” “And if you could have gotten a choice, would you change anything?” I sigh and smile. “God, no.” “My point, exactly,” he says, nipping my earlobe. “What about you, would you change anything?” He sucks my lobe into his mouth and I shiver. His arms tighten around me.

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“Yeah, I’d have you protecting anyone else but me.” “Still got ego issues?” He snorts. “I can tell you it won’t be happening again.” “Is that so?” “Abso-fucking-lutely.” “Look, macho man, you had the chance to have the last save, that should be enough.” “You’re right, I did get the last save,” he says cockily. “And you feel pretty good about that, don’t you?” He laughs softly. “I’ll never let you forget it.” “I didn’t figure you would.” He’s silent for a minute, then he squeezes me softly. “I’d go to the ends of the earth if it meant you were safe, Delaney. Don’t you

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ever doubt that. You might be tough, and bad ass, but I’m always going to protect you.” “Dammit, Shields,” I say, my voice thick. “You’re going to make me cry.” “Would that be such a bad thing?” I snuggle into him. “Abso-fucking-lutely.” He chuckles, then he goes silent again. “You’re an incredible woman, Delaney, and I should tell you that more often.” I turn, pulling out of his arms so I can see his face. I study him and say softly, “I think I already know that’s how you feel.” His eyes scan my face. “There’s something else I should have told you by now, too.” My heart starts pounding and I swallow, studying his face. “I love you,” he says, his voice thick. “I’ve never said that to a single person in my life

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and I thought I never would, but I mean it with you, Delaney. I love you.” “You know, handsome, I think I might just love you too.” He grins and brings his lips down onto mine, kissing me long and deep. We’re right into that kiss when someone yells, “Look out!” Jax pulls back and we turn to see a big round rock tumbling down the hill towards us. There’s a bunch of teenagers at the top of the hill, yelling out and waving their hands. There’s another pile of rocks that seem to have been propped up to make some sort of rock wall and they’ve clearly dislodged it, acting like, well, teenagers. Jax moves quickly, flipping both of us just as the rock tumbles past. We roll a few times, and I cry out, laughing at the same time. We

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come to a stop at the bottom of the hill, Jax on top of me, both of us laughing loudly. The teenagers at the top call out their apologies, and Jax waves a hand at them, still laughing. “What other first date have you had where you can say you’ve had to dodge rolling rocks while making out?” I giggle. “Nothing is ever normal with you.” Jax grins down at me. “And would you look at that, kitten, I think I just saved you again.” I snort. “Don’t let it go to your head, it’s the last time.” He cups my face in his hands. “You better get used to it, baby, because I’m going to spend the rest of my life saving you.” “Never.” I grin. He leans down and kisses me and the fireworks go off above us, and right here and now, we create a perfect moment. I don’t tell

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Jax that I’m more than happy for him to save me for the rest of my life, because even the strongest of us need to have someone watching our backs. My someone is Jax, and he doesn’t know it yet, but his someone … is me. It always has been and it always will be.

Don’t miss the Alpha’s Heart Series

BellaJewelBooks.com Have you read them all?

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Available from St. Martin’s Press!

Don’t miss all three installments of Bella Jewel’s sexy Alpha’s Heart series!

HARD TO FIGHT HARD TO BREAK HARD TO FORGET

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About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Bella Jewel is a fun-loving Australian who lives with her

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husband and two playful daughters. She’s been writing since she was fifteen, and has written a broad range of stories, with wild characters ranging from bikers to pirates. When she’s not writing, she’s kicking about on dirt bikes or riding horses. Bella has many more books planned for the future. Visit her at bellajewelbooks.com, or sign up for email updates here.

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Contents Title Page Copyright Notice Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven

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Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-one Chapter Twenty-two Chapter Twenty-three Epilogue

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About the Author Copyright

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. HARD TO FORGET. Copyright © 2015 by Bella Jewel. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010. www.stmartins.com Cover design by Okay Creations Cover photograph © rangizzz/Shutterstock Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at [email protected]. eISBN 9781466891371 First eBook Edition: December 2015

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