Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Charlotte leaned over. “Everyone’s scared of Li.”
“It’s starting to get annoying,” Ian admitted. “I’m way scarier than Li.”
Blade shook his head. “I worked a protective detail for Serena Dean-Miles at a book convention. She’s got a few crazy fans. Avery O’Donnell is her personal assistant. Jake Dean simply shook my hand, told me to take care of his girl. Adam gave me some pointers. Liam took me aside and explained that if anything happened to either of those women he would kill me, but not right away. He promised to take me somewhere and slowly feed me to a group of mangy dogs he intended to recruit off the street, but he would make sure I was alive as long as possible so I could enjoy my hideous death. He went into great detail about all of it.”
“He said that?” She couldn’t imagine it. Liam was always nice. Not always. Yeah, okay, she could see him saying that. “Well, I’m sure he didn’t mean it. You know, it’s like the dad who cleans his guns while his daughter’s date shows up.”
“I would never show that little fucker what caliber of weapons are coming his way,” Ian announced. “I will show him the report I have on him, his parents, all those fucker friends of his, and how I can find him anywhere he goes. And Li’s totally serious. He’s got a notebook filled with all the ways he can get away with murder. Serena’s been trying to get her hands on it for years, but he thinks he’s going to need it in the end. Probably for Guidry.”
A chuckle came from a man in the back. Like his cohorts, he was gorgeous. Steph put his age at roughly thirty. Dark hair and deep blue eyes that seemed built to catch the stare of any woman around. “Definitely Guidry. But he should hurry. I’m fairly certain one of his women is going to take him out first.”
The big Cajun rolled his eyes. “That will be the day.”
“Nope, it’s definitely going to be one of his one-night stands,” the man in the back replied. “We voted him the bodyguard most likely to be the subject of a Dateline episode. Hey, Taggart, those lemon bars? Why don’t you share?”
Taggart’s face went a mottled red and he clutched the box close. “Not on your life. These are mine, Landon. You shouldn’t have carbs at all. You think I don’t see that pudgy midsection you’re getting. Go back to working out.”
Landon rolled those gorgeous blue eyes and stood, proving there was absolutely nothing pudgy about him. He strode forward, offering her a hand. “I’m Shane Landon. Former LAPD. I left LaLa land like Riley here for the land of heat and sarcasm. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Doc. You are looking gorgeous as usual, Mrs. Taggart.”
Charlotte gave him a dazzling smile. “Thank you. I try, you know.” She looked back at her husband. “So when they try to steal your lemon bars, you defend them to the death, but your wife gets nothing?”
He clutched the box. “The lemon bars are completely defenseless. You are not. I trust you, baby. Any one of these guys tries something on you, you’ll take ’em out. And I’ll protect the lemon bars.”
Charlotte groaned and faced Steph again. “The only two missing today are Wade Rycroft and Declan Burke. They both have assignments this afternoon, but you’ll meet them at some point. As long as you’re in Dallas, we’ll have everyone taking shifts.” She glanced down at her watch. “I’ve got a meeting in ten minutes. Remy, can you go over protocols with Dr. Gibson? Li wants someone with her when she’s not in the building. She’s staying at Li and Avery’s.”
That was something that had to change. “No. I don’t want to impose on them anymore than I already have. I’ve got a little money saved. I can pay for a hotel.”
Sadie, the receptionist she’d met earlier, strode through the door. “Ian, did you forget your four thirty? Because he didn’t forget. He’s here. Waiting for you.”
Ian grimaced. “It’s a corporate client. Tell him I died.”
Sadie put her hands on her hips. “I got you the lemon bars. That corporate client pays us two million a year for security services. You take those lemon bars and talk to him, and you will be nice or I will sic your wife on you.”
Charlotte slid an arm around the younger woman’s shoulders. “Don’t let me forget to thank Grace for sending you our way, hon. You are perfect.”
Taggart sighed and seemed to know when he was beaten. “Women all ganging up on a man. What’s the world coming to? And she’s not perfect. We’re out of coffee. I am going to fall asleep without coffee.”
Charlotte joined him. “Sadie, can you please make a coffee run? I’ll stop by the store and pick up a case for tomorrow. For this afternoon, the cart downstairs will do. Tell them he needs at least three shots of espresso to make it taste as harsh as he likes it. No sugar. He’s got enough of that from the lemon bars. I don’t want him overstimulated.”