Page 53 of The Forbidden Bodyguard

“Then jus—” Ryder starts, but I hold up my hand.

“This thing is as tight as an asshole. Once I signed it, I wouldn’t have been able to raise my concerns today.”

“That, and it would conflict with your employment agreement.”

“Correct,” I say to Josh.

“Well, fuck.” Ryder runs a hand through his hair. “She’s running scared.”

Josh leans back. “How do we get her talking?”

“We have two days until she marries him, and I’m not confident we will be allowed to be present or have access to the venue. I can’t let it happen, Josh. Aside from it being illegal—”

“She’s twenty-five—”

“She’s being blackmailed...or coerced,” I argue.

The room goes silent.

Not because they disagree with me, but because they know I’m right, and we are stuck in a gray area. If Stella wants to go ahead with it and refuses to tell us what’s at stake, we can’t do anything.

Legally, we can’t stop her.

“What do you want to do?” Josh lowers his brow. “Because the only idea I have could put her in danger, and she’ll resent you for it if someone she loves gets killed. Worse case for us, we piss off a bunch of mobsters. Not my first rodeo, but I’d rather not make enemies of them all.”

Ryder lets out a soft snort.

But I’m remembering the tiny piece of lace that Marino sent the woman I’ve been tasked to protect—and pleasure—and seeing red.

Marino is not touching her.

He is not claiming her as his wife.

Not on my watch.

“Tell me.” I stare Josh right in the eye. “Tell me the plan.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

STELLA

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“Are you okay? You look pale. We could’ve rescheduled, honey,” Charlotte says, while I stare mindlessly at the menu.

I can’t think.

I can’t eat.

I can barely drink.

Nausea follows me around all day, and I haven’t written a single word. I don’t care. Who knows if I’ll even have a career once the wedding is over.

The only thing that stops me freaking out is being in Declan’s arms. My God, he is the most amazing lover. He seems to know just the right speed, just the right pressure, and most definitely the right spots to make me purr.

“That’s a girl, press back hard into me. Oh, fuck, Stella,” Declan moaned into my hair as I rode him reverse cowboy last night.

“I’m not going to last,” I cried, gripping his thighs.