Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
“Yes. I suppose so. It has enough challenges to keep me interested. Although I don’t like meetings.”
“I don’t think anyone ever does,” he told her.
“And you? Do you like being a bodyguard?” she asked.
This all felt so strange. She still didn’t really believe that he was attracted to her. Wanted to date her.
Cate knew she wasn’t easy. She wasn’t fun. Or sexy.
So she really didn’t get it.
But for some reason, she also couldn’t tell him no. Because she wanted to know what it would be like to date him. Even if it couldn’t go anywhere.
Eventually, he’d grow tired of her.
Eventually, he’d have to go home.
But at least she’d have the memory of him.
“I do. I feel like it’s the right fit for me. Did I ever tell you that I was in the Special Forces?”
“No. With Ink?”
“That’s where I met him, yep. I stayed in longer than him. When I left, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do until he contacted me and asked if I wanted a job. I’ve always wanted to protect people ever since . . . well, ever since my sister was kidnapped.”
“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. What happened?”
“She’s younger than me. At the time, I was fourteen and she was seven. She was out playing in our yard and when my mom went to call her in, she was gone.”
“Is she . . . is she all right?”
“Yeah. It turns out her dad took her.”
“Her dad?” Not his?
“We have different dads. Did you know that family kidnappings make up more than half of all abductions in the US?”
“I didn’t know that, no.”
“Yeah, turned out her dad was bitter over not getting full custody of her. He wanted more time with her. He’d come over to talk to my mom and must have seen her outside in the front yard.”
“God, that’s terrible. You and your mom must have been terrified.”
“We were. The lucky thing is that Lana didn’t know anything was wrong. Her dad made her think that Mom knew she was with him. He told her she was going on vacation. The cops found him the next day with her in some cheap motel. Seeing the police arresting her dad upset my sister. And unfortunately, that’s what she remembers. Her dad being arrested in front of her while she cried for him.”
“Oh, Ethan.” Could she touch him? Or would he not want that?
Screw it. They were going to date so surely she had the right to touch him.
Reaching over, she slipped her hand into his, squeezing lightly.
“Thanks. It was a long time ago, but something kind of changed in my brain. My mom said I became uber protective of her and Lana, my sister. I didn’t even want to let them out of the house. She got me to talk to a therapist about it and we managed to work through a lot of my fears. Enough that I could stand for Lana to go to school or on a playdate without me.”
“You were going on playdates with her?” she asked.
“Uh-huh. I’d stand there, watching over her and her friends. People understood, but it was a bit odd.”
Even Rhodes wasn’t that protective.
“So you went into a career where you got to protect people. First in the armed services and now as a bodyguard.”
“Yep.”
And he’d discovered that he was a Dominant. A Daddy Dom.
Yeah, it explained a lot.
It was getting dark as he turned off the street they were on, following the GPS instructions. When they reached a quieter neighborhood, she noticed him growing tenser.
“What the hell is this guy doing?” he asked just as light flooded the interior of their SUV from the car behind them and they were jolted forward.
A cry of shock escaped her as she slammed into her seatbelt.
“Fucking asshole. You all right, baby?” Ethan asked desperately as he sped up.
“Y-yes. What’s happening?”
“Some asshole hit us.”
“Shouldn’t we stop?”
“Nope. We are not stopping. Brace.” He put his arm over her chest as the car hit them again.
She cried out in fear. What was going on? Why would the car hit them a second time? Her heart raced as Ethan drew his arm back, then turned sharply into a side street.
“We need to get back into traffic.”
“What . . . what can I do?” She felt useless. She couldn’t believe he’d put his arm out to protect her from jolting too much even though he had to concentrate on his driving.
“Call Seth. Tell him what’s going on and where we are. Fuck!” His arm pushed her against her seat once more.
Smash! How much more could the SUV take? This time, the vehicle fish-tailed and she felt sure they were going to crash. But Ethan kept it under control.
“But he’s in New York,” she reminded him.
“Fuck! We need more cover here. He’ll get hold of Brody and Ink. Brody might be able to get access to traffic cams and see who this asshole is. My phone isn’t connected so you’ll need to set it up.”