Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 141165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 706(@200wpm)___ 565(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 706(@200wpm)___ 565(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
I clamp an iron-stiff hand over my mouth. Furious.
Because Price is rolling out the red carpet for Tony and pushing him into the fold fast . And truth is, I have no idea why. He could be thunderstruck by Tony’s experience working for Hollywood celebrities for all I know.
I’m not used to being in the complete dark. And I have no power to complain or overturn this hiring.
Neither does Akara, who’s a part of the Tri-Force. He’s one vote against two.
“Full-time?” Jane repeats. “Who exactly are you protecting?”
“Guy named Silvio is retiring,” Tony says. “I’m taking his spot.”
I unclamp my hand and rake my fingers through my hair. Silvio is Xander’s current bodyguard. I hadn’t heard about him retiring, and I doubt Xander knows. He would’ve mentioned something earlier today.
“You’re going to be Xander’s 24/7 bodyguard,” Jane realizes out loud.
Tony rests his hands on the back of his neck. “The best he’s ever had.” He grins smugly at me. Knowing that I was on Xander’s detail. “I always gotta come behind you, Moretti, and pick up your slack.”
Don’t sock him in the face.
It’s the only thing I can think right now.
Do not put your hands on him. My breath heavies in my burning lungs. I’m not hitting another bodyguard, and he’s about to be on the team.
Even if I’ve knocked him out before.
In middle school.
In high school.
Right before I deployed.
He’s tried to punch me, but he’s never landed a single one.
“Why don’t you go pick up my slack then?” I retort. “And stop talking to me.”
He lets out a drier laugh. “Glad to see you haven’t changed.” He flashes a smile to Jane. “Nice to finally meet the one and only Jane Cobalt. I’ll be seeing you around.”
“I suppose so,” she says cautiously.
We watch him leave the gym, and then Jane spins to me, her head tipped in deeper thought. “You two have greater history, don’t you?”
She suspects something.
I’m just going to say it. “Tony slept with my high school girlfriend.”
Her lips part. “You said she cheated on you with a guy you can’t stand.”
Yeah. “That’s the guy I can’t stand.”
Her face falls. “Merde.”
And now he’s on the security team. Being trusted to keep a secret from the world. Our secret. That I’m fake-dating Jane.
31
JANE COBALT
“Someone’s coming for you, I’m sure of it.” I scratch underneath a short-haired brown tabby’s chin. She purrs and turns her head into my knuckles.
Pumpkin is the only cat remaining in the local shelter, and my heart aches thinking she won’t be adopted today.
I’ve spent the last four hours here, trying my best to promote the shelter on social media. And since I’m still going dark on my socials, Maximoff let me log into his Instagram and do live stories on his account. I was able to find homes for the cats. Even some of the dogs were adopted too.
I’d like to think it’s a success.
But Pumpkin curls up on my lap, kneads my leg for a second and then closes her eyes.
Merde.
I sit on the floor in the front room, the owner and manager doing a stack of paperwork at their desks. Far enough away that the only real company I have right now is the handsome man leaning against a shelf of cat food.
Thatcher meets my eyes and then looks to the cat. He doesn’t say anything, but I’m sure he’s thinking Jane Cobalt, you have six cats already—seven is going over the edge.
In actuality, I have zero clue what he’s thinking.
But I’m having a hard time imagining leaving this tabby in the shelter. I’m not sure I physically can.
“How many cats is too many cats?” I ask Thatcher.
His brows knot the longer he looks at Pumpkin. “Before I met you,” he says. “I’d have said three.”
“And now?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t really know.” He looks me up and down and shifts his arms off the shelf and crosses them over his chest. “Are you thinking of bringing her home?”
“I don’t know,” I mutter. “I promised myself I’d stop at six because I live with Moffy and now Luna and Sulli. It feels selfish to bring another animal in the house, but it feels heartless leaving her here.” Conflicted, I take a tighter breath and glance to the clock.
I’ve already been at the shelter much longer than I previously planned.
I was supposed to be home and working on reading Wildfire Heart two hours ago. I have zero experience narrating audiobooks, and so I have to research and do more vocal work before I even start recording. I’ve failed at so many things already, I don’t want to add this on to the list.
But it’s just so easy to toss aside my obligations for other things. My family. Cats.
I do love cats.
And I don’t regret the amount of time I spend at the shelters and cat sanctuaries, dedicating one day a week to the local ones. I also try to donate as much money as I can to the shelters in other cities.