Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
He lifted a hand to halt me. “Who do you think I’ve been talking to?”
“Monroe mentioned you told Brodan about Callie’s tae kwon do classes. But I know you never meant anything by it. I’m just having a crappy few days, and I took it out on you. I’m sorry.”
Walker continued to frown. “I’m sorry if I made you feel like a charity case. That was not my intention. That’s not how I see you.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask how he did see me, but Walker bent his head to study my face more intently.
“What’s going on? Why are you so jumpy?”
“You startled me, that’s why,” I replied with a nervous laugh as I turned to lock my locker. Grabbing my purse off the bench in the middle of the room, I didn’t meet his eyes.
“No, you were lost in your head about something, and you look …”
“I look?”
“Something’s wrong.”
“Nothing is wrong.” I tried to shrug off my worries about Hoffman. “When do you think I’ll get my car back?”
Walker kept peering at me as if he could see right through me. “I’ll keep you posted.”
I huffed out a shaky laugh. “Shouldn’t I know what’s going on with my car?”
“Aye, and it’s in the garage being looked at. I’ll keep you posted. Now tell—”
“Great, fine.” With a fake smile, I cut him off. “I have to go pick up Callie from Regan and Thane’s.” I moved to brush past without looking at him and was shocked when he wrapped a hand around my biceps to stop me. “Walker?”
He scowled at me. “Something’s wrong.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Sloane.” Warning spiced his tone, even as he released my arm.
Glancing around to make sure we were alone before responding, I lowered my voice. “It’s really nothing. I-I get a bad feeling around one of the members. It’s nothing.”
Walker gave a small nod but insisted, “Who is it?”
“Walker—”
“I won’t tell anyone who it is.”
Trusting Walker at his word, I shrugged. “Byron Hoffman.”
His aquamarine eyes hardened. “Explain this bad feeling.”
Hadn’t I already decided I should tell someone what Hoffman did? Maybe it wouldn’t be completely stupid to have at least one person know about it. “Yesterday, he came up behind me while I was at my cart and trapped me against it.”
Walker’s nostrils flared as he straightened to his full height.
“Nothing happened,” I assured him. “Two members showed up and he let me go.”
“Why didn’t you report it?” he growled.
Indignation flared through me. “Report what, Walker? A powerful and well-connected club member came up behind me and touched my hips before letting me go. Not exactly reportable stuff.”
“You know that’s not true.”
“I know nuance means nothing to these people.”
Walker bit out, “Has he done anything else?”
I shrugged. “I bumped into him at the end of today’s shift. He knows my name. And he wanted to know what time I clean his room because he wanted to make sure he wasn’t in it when I do, but he’s never asked the last few weeks, so why now?” I sighed. “Am I being paranoid? As if a member would give a damn about my comings and goings, beyond how it affects them?”
Walker responded sternly, “Always listen to your gut. If you have problems with Hoffman going forward, I want to know. I’m not just here to protect them.”
Warmth filled my chest that he hadn’t dismissed my feelings. “Thanks, Walker. For everything.” I gave him a little wave and left to go collect Callie. There was nothing like my daughter’s “happy to see you” smile to shrug off the strange disquiet the day had brought.
Four
WALKER
When I followed Brodan Adair to a tiny wee place in the Highlands for a job, I’d assumed I’d be parting ways as his bodyguard sooner rather than later. That the temporary position his brother offered me on the exclusive estate would be just that. Temporary.
I couldn’t imagine that the village could hold me. That there would be anything here to appeal to me. Yet, to my consternation, I liked the slower pace of the Highlands.
At seventeen, I joined the Royal Marines and traveled in and out of the UK, eventually joining 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group based at HM Naval Base Clyde in Scotland. After a few years of protecting the UK’s nuclear deterrent and conducting specialist maritime security tasks, I took up a friend’s offer to become a bodyguard in California. I continued to travel the world and almost feel a part of it again. After twenty years of moving from place to place, I’d never imagined Ardnoch, population 1200, could hold any appeal, let alone so much.
I liked not moving.
I enjoyed knowing what to expect when I woke up each day.
Except for seasonal staff turnover on the estate, I had time to observe those around me. To learn them. Understand them. There was a security in it that unexpectedly worked for me. Perhaps because I’d spent so much of my life looking over my shoulder for the next threat.