Page 42 of Protective Phlox

“You didn’t eat any dinner. You should eat something,” Goran said, tearing open the bag and popping some into his mouth.

I cocked an eyebrow at him. “Did Nathan put you up to that?” Goran smiled, not confirming or denying, but I knew Nathan had. Great, he sent not only guards but a babysitter. “Fine, don’t bother saying anything. I already know the answer. So, are you married? Have a girlfriend? Any kids?”

“Nope, did for a little while, and I don’t think so, but you proved that you don’t always know,” he said and smirked.

“Nice dig, not very subtle, though.”

“Subtle is not really my style. So, let’s run through the itinerary for when we land.” He polished off the package and opened a second one.

“Nathan said cars will be waiting to take us to the hotel where we’re staying. Then we head to the hospital for eight-thirty in the morning, which is only ten minutes away. We will probably be there all day.” I searched Goran’s serious expression as he took in the information. “I have to say, I’m surprised that Nathan is trusting me alone with his guards, and his not-hard-on-the-eyes, best friend.” Goran laughed hard.

“I’ll take the compliment, but as far as going anywhere near you…not unless I want my hands and cock cut off and then be made to eat it. Trust me, not one of these men would dare touch you unless it was to save your life.”

“Nathaniel really is that ruthless?” I’d heard the stories, and I could see the aggression in his eyes, but even at his worst, I wasn’t scared of him. Maybe I was the one who needed my head checked out.

“Whatever you’ve heard, he’s worse. He has no problem reaching down someone’s throat and pulling out their lungs or cutting out their still-beating heart. Nathan is not like his father. He is loyal, protective, and honest in his dealings, but you don’t cross him…not ever.” Goran looked away to the small window, and his eyes seemed haunted.

I felt like there was a story there, and I was curious to find out what it was. But the captain came over the PA and told us that we were descending and to put on our seatbelts. Goran stood and left me to sit with the rest of the guards.

I shook my head. I had agreed to the protection detail, assuming four or six guys, but Nathan had sent a small army. There were twenty-one of them, including Goran, and no one spoke to me. Now I knew why. If Nathan thought for even one second that any of them had flirted with me, they would be dead. I was sure of it and also knew that shy of standing in front of his loaded gun, there would be nothing I could do about it.

There was a part of me that found his toxic behavior incredibly sexy, and the other part wanted to smack him. That was just the norm for us these days. Maybe it would always be our dynamic. I shivered as I remembered exactly how he had said goodbye and made sure I wouldn’t forget him while I was gone. Not that I could even if I wanted to. I touched the side of my neck and the mark that was hidden with a silky scarf.

There was definitely something wrong with my head because the fact that he insisted on marking me like a vampire was hot as hell. I closed my eyes for the last few minutes of the journey down to the runway.

I wasn’t looking forward to any part of this trip, least of all running into Shawn. To say I was dreading what tomorrow would bring didn’t do it justice.

Chapter

Seventeen

SAVANNAH

Everything here felt different. It was strange how someplace could be your home for so long, and in a blink, it felt like you had never lived there. New businesses and buildings lined streets that were once filled with trees. The smell in the air was different than I remembered, and as I looked around, it became glaringly apparent that when I left, I never wanted to come back here.

“Are you okay?”

I jerked at the sound of Goran’s voice and looked away from the window. “Yeah, I will be. Just a lot of memories associated with this place, and not all of them pleasant.”

“Nathaniel told me that you were engaged before you met him?”

I wasn’t sure if Goran was probing because he was genuinely curious or if it was a recon mission for Nathan, but there was nothing new to share that Nathan didn’t already know.

“I was, but I caught him sleeping with the neighbor.”

“Ouch. What did you do?”

I smirked as I pictured the look on Shawn’s face when he was ordered out into the snow naked. “Let’s just say it is a good thing I don’t have Nathan’s temper, or more than a vase would’ve been shot.”

“Damn, no wonder you and Nathaniel get along so well.” Goran chuckled. “Then again, you’re right. The bodies would’ve been in black bags if it had been Nathaniel, so you showed a lot more restraint.”

That made me smile. “It didn’t stop me from getting slapped with mandatory time off and anger management classes.” I looked over my shoulder at the three vehicles behind us and then at the other two in front, leading the parade. “Do we really need everyone to pull into the parking lot and come inside? I mean, it is a hospital. We don’t need to draw that kind of attention.”

“No, only the four of us will go inside. The rest will be circling the area and keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.”

I glanced at the two silent soldiers in the front seat. I didn’t even know their names.

“What are your names?”