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Once more, Ryker tugged at his tie. “I don’t think you fully understand.”
Probably because someone was beating around the damn bush and not getting to the point.
“It’s a necessity that Alina likes you.”
Fine. Whatever. “Then I’ll be on my best behavior.” She’d still think he was an asshole. Because he was. Fact of life. But she’d come around when she saw that he was a good guard—no, a great guard.
“No, you ah…discretion, remember? Tact. And—”
“Jeez, don’t go through the list again. You’re boring me out of my mind.” Midas unfurled from the chair and rose to his full height. A height that had him towering over Ryker. Midas generally towered over most people. Midas glanced at his watch and acted like he didn’t see Ryker scuttle back. “Look, man, I’ve got places to be. Other potential clients waiting.” Actually, no one else was waiting. Ryker was the only one on his schedule for the day. “If you’re not hiring me for the gig, then I need to go and accept the next job.” He turned to the side, as if he was, indeed, about to leave.
“Wait!”
Maybe I’ll make my fee a wee bit higher. Because Ryker had sure sounded desperate. Desperate people tended to be willing to pay desperate amounts. Midas glanced back at him.
Another sniff from Ryker. “She can’t know you’re her bodyguard.”
Midas laughed.
Ryker didn’t.
“I must have misheard,” Midas said. An unusual occurrence because he had exceptional hearing. “Thought you said Alina couldn’t know I was guarding her.”
A nod from Ryker. “That’s…ah, yes, that’s what I said.”
Midas pursed his lips. Considered the situation. “Why, exactly, can’t she know?”
“I don’t want her to…worry.”
“I believe she’s an adult, not a child, so worrying is really part of the package.” Like he needed to deal with some overprotective-dad BS. A totally foreign situation to Midas. Considering just what his own father had done…Twisted sonofabitch. I will not go back there.
“I need Alina to stay focused on her ice skating. If her concentration is broken, if she fears that some—some deranged fan might just be watching her from the stands or following her when she’s training, that worry could lead to mistakes. Alina cannot afford any mistakes.”
Great. Just so they were clear—the dad wanted her staying in top form so she’d bring home the gold for him. Midas crossed his arms over his chest. “How do you propose I guard someone who doesn’t know I’m her bodyguard? Getting close enough to protect her from threats will be rather hard.”
“Oliver Foxx assured me you’d be up for any challenge.”
His friend Oliver was starting to get on Midas’s—
“I’ll double your normal fee, of course. Seeing as how you will be working at a disadvantage and having to be undercover.” A wince. “From your client.”
Double your normal fee. He hadn’t even told the guy his normal fee yet. “She’s not the client,” he said smoothly. “You are. She’ll be my charge.” And before they went ahead with this crazy case… “Is she aware of my reputation?”
Nice way of putting it.
Not like he was mega famous or anything. Actually, he was infamous. But only in certain circles. The circles that happened to follow murder and crime. Because for a while, his face had been blasted on the news.
But that was years ago. Most people had forgotten. Time had a way of blurring the jagged, ugly pieces of life. Still, it never hurt to find out just what a charge knew. Especially if he was going in pretending not to be her bodyguard.
“Alina never watches much TV. She doesn’t have time for things like that. She’s focused on training. She’s on the ice six days a week, for up to five hours a day. And when she’s not skating, she’s working out. She has to stay in top form.” A dismissive shake of his head. “She doesn’t even handle her own social media. I have a person for that.”
Fabulous for you. “So Alina is insulated.” And has zero idea that she has threats out there against her? Hell, that was kinda like leading a lamb to slaughter.
“Alina does not know about your past. You’ll be a complete stranger to her.” Ryker seemed to hold his breath. “She…isn’t involved with anyone. I was thinking that, uh, perhaps you could—” He flushed.
“Are you asking me to seduce your daughter?” Midas drawled deliberately. Then remembered, whoops, he was supposed to have tact. Had tact been his middle name? Or maybe it had been control?
“No! Absolutely not! No seduction. There is no need to go that far.” The flush darkened Ryker’s cheeks even more. “She has to stay focused on her skating.”
