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“Shut up.”
Andrei cleared his throat, and he at least looked like he was trying not to smile behind his hand. “Who else has access to your house?”
“My siblings. Lilah has taken up residence in the guest house. She comes and goes in the main house whenever she wants. My brothers, Richard and Gabriel, have their own places around the city, but they both have keys to my house. They know my routine.”
“What about former lovers?”
“No.”
“Have you said anything to anyone about these incidents?”
“No.”
“Have you confronted any of your siblings?”
“No.”
“How is your relationship with your siblings?”
Marc had to look away from Andrei and Lucas for a moment, staring at the white bandage around his left hand. “Until this, I thought it was good. We don’t always get along. We argue like siblings.…But nothing so serious that one of them has ever threatened me. Betrayed me…”
“And this could be someone else,” Andrei said gently.
Marc wasn’t as surprised at the man’s tone as he was by the hand that landed on his shoulder. The COO of Ward Security was not like his husband. And while he appreciated the concern, more than he was willing to ever admit even to himself, he would never show any weakness. He forced himself to stand and walk a short distance away from Andrei and Lucas, so he could stiffen his spine and straighten his shoulders.
“That’s why I want this done as quietly as possible. I don’t want my family to know I suspect anything. I don’t want anyone to know there is a problem. If it’s not one of my siblings, the accusation would hurt them, destroy what’s left of our family.” It wasn’t necessary to say what it would do to his family if it was true.
“Your home security?”
“Top of the line,” he said quickly and then paused, his lips quirking. “But it’s designed to keep intruders on the outside from getting in.”
Andrei returned the smile. “Doesn’t do shit for capturing what’s going on inside the house.”
“True.”
“We can place some discreet cameras and motion sensors around the house. No one would notice them, and only you would know of their placement. We can have it all routed to your phone as well as our home office. The cameras would be recording at all times, but I give you my word that Ward Security would view only the footage you told us to look at.”
Marc couldn’t help the wicked grin that lifted one corner of his mouth as his gaze slid over to Lucas. “While I’m sure what happens in your home is worthy of a high-priced porn production,” he drawled, pausing as Lucas glared at him. To his shock, Andrei just grinned. Night and fucking day…“I don’t bring such things into my home. In short, nothing to see.”
“The improved security system is a good first step,” Andrei continued, his voice firming.
“I don’t need the sales pitch. The cameras are enough.”
“They’re not, and this isn’t a sales pitch.” Andrei also stood, sliding both his hands into the pockets of his dark trousers. While Lucas always looked the part of the sleek businessman, the perfect suit couldn’t mask the fact that Andrei Vallois was still a fighter, a predator. Lucas was a lucky fucking man.
And Marc needed to get fucking laid.
“I understand that you want to keep everything discreet and private. And we can definitely do that. But discreet doesn’t mean anything if you’re dead.”
“I don’t need a bodyguard,” Marc snapped.
“And I don’t need you telling me how to do my job.” Andrei paused, and his dark eyes landed heavily on Marc’s bandaged hand. “There’ve been three attempts. Each time you’ve been alone. Each time you’ve been lucky. Your luck will run out.”
“I—”
“Cameras, motion sensors, a live-in bodyguard with you at all times, and my team begins quietly investigating possible suspects. We do this my way, or you can take this to the cops. Let them ransack your life.”
Marc glared at the man squaring off against him. There wasn’t an inch of give in Andrei’s stance. He wasn’t going to back down no matter what Marc argued, bargained, or threatened. And what was worse—he knew that Andrei was right. His pride had him fighting getting help in the first place, but what if he wasn’t the only one being threatened? What if one of his brothers or sisters were being threatened as well, and he didn’t know it?
“You get off on this, don’t you, Vallois?”
“A bossy Andrei?” A slow grin spread across his lips. “You have no idea.”
He looked back to Andrei to see that he hadn’t flinched or moved a muscle, but he continued to stare Marc down. Shaking his head, he paced away, cursing himself and the fucker who was trying to kill him.
“How are we going to keep this discreet and hidden from my brothers and sister if I’m suddenly going to have a bodyguard shadowing my every move?” When he turned back, it was to find Andrei smiling at him, and it sent a cold chill down his spine.
