Page 60 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Bodyguard

He shook his head. “No, not really. It would seem weird for just me. If Reynolds and Nadine, Paolo and Jelly, or Nico are coming over, I’ll sometimes make them breakfast. It’s my specialty,” he admitted with a big smile. “I can cook other things, but I’m best at breakfast and grilling.”

“Well, I love it. This is a huge treat for me.”

“I do make killer seafood tacos, too,” he added. “I’ll have to make you some soon.”

“I love tacos,” I admitted. “I didn’t exactly get a lot of that at the MC. I learned to cook some there from one of the nicer guys’ old lady.”

“Old lady? Isn’t that what they call their wives?”

“Not the most flattering term.” I made a face. “Skeeter wanted to make me his old lady, and I was never sure if he meant an actual wedding service or just give me a cut—a leather vest—with his name on it.”

“You say he wanted to. Did you stop him from it?”

I nodded, finishing another bite of waffle. “I kept putting him off. I told him that I couldn’t go through a ceremony like that without my mom being there. So, I knew he had to either pay for her to get real help or wait forever.”

“Smart.”

“I did what I had to do to survive as best I could with as little commitment to him as possible.”

He reached out and stilled my hands. I hadn’t realized that I’d been twisting my napkin until it was falling apart.

“We shouldn’t be talking about this. It stresses you out.”

I didn’t deny it.

He waited until we were almost done eating before he leaned forward and said, “I wanted to talk to you about… what we’re doing.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked nervous. “I, um, never thought I’d take part in the auction. Reynolds described it to me, and I thought it sounded awful. I had no interest in it, yet here we are.” He gave a sheepish grin. “I just wanted you to know that I respect you, and I care for you. I would have done everything I could to talk you out of the auction if I’d been here. But, of course, I wasn’t.”

I wondered where he was going with this. It was making me nervous.

“Then Leo called, and I freaked out. I knew I had to get back there before anyone else won you. I tried to make it before the auction started, but, well, that didn’t happen.” He shrugged. “I guess what I’m trying to say—not very well, I might add—is that I don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything. Yes, money changed hands between me and the Salazars. That doesn’t mean you are required to sleep with me. Do you know that?”

He looked so worried, I smiled. I grabbed his hand. “I know that.”

He let out a breath of relief. “Good. I want so much more from you than an auction relationship. I want to date you. I want you to be my girlfriend. I’m kind of gone over you,” he admitted.

“I feel the same way.”

“Then we’re on the same page.”

I nodded.

Everything was working out. Now if they would just capture Skeeter, everything wouldreallybe looking up.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Byron

Over the next few weeks, I started to notice something. Jess was scared to leave the condo. It was making me progressively more worried about her. What if we didn’t locate Skeeter for months? What if he’d left town and weneverlocated him?

Was she just going to live scared her entire life? I was far from okay with that.

I’d decided she needed a day out. An entire day. I’d recruited Nadine and Reynolds to be part of my plan. Nadine was very willing. She wanted to take her little sister everywhere, but so far all she’d gotten to do was visit us at the condo. Jess had agreed to dinner at their house a couple of times, too, but that was about it.

I think she thought I hadn’t noticed her fear. But years of training to be a security agent had taken care of that. There wasn’t much I didn’t notice.

So, I came up with a plan.

I’d take her out for breakfast, then we’d ‘happen’ to run into Nadine and Reynolds. Nadine would then insist on a spa day with Nora, Jelly, Nia, and some of the other girls. I’d reassure her that Reynolds and I would be watching the entire time. Plus, I had a couple of the new recruits Dad had sent to me for the new headquarters we were slowly planning out. I’d have them guard the spa while Reynolds and I kept watch across the street. I’d make sure she felt totally safe.