Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 174632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Uncle Willy turned to give her a surprised look. She knew why. Maggie rarely grew grouchy. And if she did, she usually hid it because hiding her feelings was easier than confronting them.
And as her family was happy to tell her . . . she always took the easy route. Even when it wasn’t a good idea.
But not with him.
Not when it came to her uncle.
“That’s a bit rude, my dear. These chaps are just doing their job. They’re charged with keeping the royal family safe. Something important, what with what happened to the princess a while back.”
Both Ian and Jack, who had joined them, stiffened.
“And how do you know about what happened to the princess?” Ian barked.
She moved, stepping in front of her uncle. She didn’t appreciate the way Ian had just spoken to him. Nor did she like the look on his face.
No one was going to hurt or scare her uncle.
No. One.
“Oh, Belle told me.”
“Belle? Do you mean Queen Isobelle?” Jack asked.
“Yes, of course, when she called to ask me to come take the wedding photos. I must say, I never had any intention of ever returning. But now that I’m here . . . yes, maybe it’s right . . . let’s go, shall we? Maggie gets sunburned easily. She’s not used to the heat. Come, my dear.” He moved to the car, opening the door before either Ian or Jack could move.
She glared at Ian. “Do not talk to my uncle like that ever again.”
He raised his eyebrows, looking unimpressed.
“Or else.” She pointed her fingers at her eyes, then at him before stomping away and into the car. The sooner they left, the sooner she got away from this jerk.
“Well, you were just told,” Jack said, amusement filling him. “She’s a lively one.”
“She’s a brat,” Ian spat out. “What she needs is a good spanking.”
Jack raised his eyebrows. That wasn’t what he’d expected the other man to say. Ian was usually far more professional than this. He generally didn’t let the people he was charged with keeping safe get under his skin. Or if they did, he didn’t let it show.
They were a job. And Ian was all about doing a good job.
So it was interesting that this little live wire had already gotten under his skin in such a short amount of time. This was interesting. And he couldn’t help but want to see more sparks fly.
“A spanking?” Jack queried.
“My hand is fucking itching,” Ian grumbled.
Definitely interesting.
Jack whistled as he got into the front passenger seat and Ian moved to the driver’s seat. A long time ago, Jack had given up trying to drive when Ian was in the car.
The other man was such a control freak that he couldn’t handle letting anyone else drive while he was a passenger. It was part of the reason they’d left the military. While Ian liked how structured it was, he didn’t like not being in charge all the time.
Jack didn’t care about any of that. The army could tell him what to do all they liked. He’d do as they wanted. But when he wanted to.
If he didn’t want to . . . well, then he’d turn around and do whatever the fuck he felt like.
Worked for him.
“Right, let’s get moving, shall we?” Jack said cheerfully. “I’m sure you’d like to get settled in and have a rest before starting work tomorrow. I think you’re meeting with the princess?”
“Yes,” Maggie replied, still glaring at the back of Ian’s head. “At ten.”
“Are you chaps picking us up in the morning, then?” William asked.
“Ahh, no, you’ll have Beta Team looking after you while you’re here. Mostly Beck and Hux. They’re the nicer ones.” He winked at Maggie.
She gave him a tiny grin back. Jack took her in. Even with that rat’s nest for hair, there was no denying that she was gorgeous. Not that it mattered what she looked like. She’d be here for a few weeks and then she’d leave.
And he wouldn’t see her ever again.
Too bad, really. The way she got under Ian’s skin, it would’ve been fun if she was sticking around.
Jack had been getting kind of bored lately. It seemed Maggie might be able to shake things up for a while.
4
Escana was stunning.
But so freaking hot. Seriously, every time she left the air-conditioned house they were staying in, she felt like she was going to melt.
This was one of the best places she’d stayed in while working for her uncle. Although, in fairness, there wasn’t much to compare it to. They’d stayed in some really crappy places. Sometimes, they just slept on the hard ground. Especially when Uncle Willy needed to get up early to capture a shot.
He might be getting older, but he was still in shape.
Last evening, they’d been dropped off by Ian and Jack. Two other guards had been here, waiting. Beck and Hux. They were way nicer than Ian, just as Jack promised.