I don’t need a personal bodyguard all the time.I’m trained to fight and protect myself, but it’s still nice to have a driver and that option if I need it.Cronus found Totten for me about ten years ago when I had issues with a woman stalking me.She’s moved on now, and I kept Totten around.
“Not going to see him either.I rescheduled for tomorrow.I have something more important to check on right now.”
He gives me the look he usually does when he’s considering disobeying my wishes, but he knows better than to cross me when I’m in a mood.My girl is alone, and I’m going to check on her.
I head to my personal Range Rover parked beside the one Totten is in.Climbing behind the wheel, I drop Daphne’s file onto the passenger seat and then make my way out of the parking garage.According to the schedule Titan sent me, she’s off work now.
I pull up to her building and park near her Jeep.A bumper sticker on the back window says she likes her Bulldogs English.I notice the 4x4 package on the Jeep, and I pick the file up to look through it again.
Part of the file said she has memberships to several national parks and spends her free time rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking.I spend a lot of time outdoors too.I hike all the trails around my home, and every summer I head to Colorado to hike the land around my property in Vail.
Movement at the entrance catches my attention, and my body freezes.Daphne steps outside in pajamas with two dogs on leashes.Her hair is piled up, exposing the long, slender column of her neck.One dog strains against the leash, anxious to get going, while the other keeps pace beside her.She clicks on a flashlight looped around her wrist and heads toward the darkened park.
“Fuck this,” I growl and climb out of the car.
I follow behind Daphne at a distance.She’s giggling and talking to her dogs as if they are human.
“Auntie Delly will be coming to see her babies next week.Are you excited?Ugh, I can’t believe I’m still thinking about him.Damn freaking wine.”She wobbles a bit, and that’s all it takes for me to decide to walk up to her.
Before I reach her, I notice a man walking the trail, taking her in.He passes her, turning his head to watch her ass, and I shoulder check him.
“She’s taken, asshole,” I grumble as I walk up to her.
“Little girl, what do you think you’re doing?”I say as I wrap my arm around her waist.
Her dogs clue in on me immediately.One growls low in its throat while the other rubs against my leg.
“Hey!”Daphne reacts too late and holds up a taser.
I turn it away from both of us and take it from her hand.
“Dare, what are you doing here?”
She shortens my name, and I love it.Only my sister calls me by a nickname, D, but I like Dare.
“I’m here to make sure assholes like the one who just walked by you don’t get any ideas about my girl.Now let’s walk these two and get you back inside before you get arrested for indecent exposure.”
“Indecent exposure?My bikini covers less than this.Women wear sets like this out and about all the time.”
“Well, they aren’t mine.You won’t be doing that.”
“Excuse me,” she says.I love the fire in her right now and know it’s because she’s a teeny bit tipsy.“Back off, or my dogs will attack you.”She huffs.
I look down at the two beasts staring up at me.Both have the characteristic wrinkles and squashed-in faces.Each is different in color and temperament.
“I’m warning you, they will attack,” she says.
I turn to look at her and see she’s holding in a laugh.I can’t stop myself.I squeeze her middle as I pull her in close.
“Little girl, they would sooner lick me to death than attack me, and we both know that.”
I turn her up a trail that is better lit, and the dogs start walking ahead, looking for spots to do their business.
“Ugh, girls, why don’t you protect Mommy?”she asks them before she turns to look at me again.“Why are you here?”
“I told you already.”
“How do you know where I live?And don’t you have some red carpet to grace with a bombshell movie star?”
