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Vivian closed her eyes and breathed deeply. At first, I thought she was going to protest. It wasn’t uncommon for me to receive a great deal of pushback from my clients when they came under my security detail. The people under my care were of a specific demographic, one used to getting what they wanted when they wanted. I was no stranger to their moaning and groaning aboutcramping their lifestyle.
“Alright.”
That was a lot less resistance than I thought. “Good.”
“How much will I owe you?” she asked, totally serious. “Do you offer payment plans? My budget’s kind of tight, but I can probably scrape together the funds to—”
“I’m not charging you.”
“You’re not?” She eyed me suspiciously. “Why?”
The businessman in me told me I was being stupid. Pegasus Star Security was the go-to security firm for the elites, and that, therefore, came with a hefty price tag. It wasn’t just for show, either. Every penny went back into the business for funding training, upgrading equipment, gathering reliable intel. Agreeing to protect someone pro bono wasn’t in my or my company’s best interest. It wasn’t personal, just business.
But the longer I stared at Vivian, the more I couldn’t bring myself to ask her to pay. That’d be a dick move, to be honest. She was scared. She was way in over her head. And the thought of someone nearly getting their hands on her made my blood boil.
“You need help,” I stated. “And I can provide it. It’s as simple as that.”
Wally breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Get some sleep. Both of you.”
“Do you think it’d be possible to stop by my apartment?” she asked. “Just to grab a few things. Clothes and whatnot.”
“Give me your address. I’ll pick them up for you.”
Vivian grimaced. “Can’t I just come with you? You’d count as supervision, right?” And then, under her breath in embarrassment, “I’d rather not have you going through my underwear drawer.”
My mouth was suddenly dry. She had a point. The thought of rummaging through her drawers, sifting through her panties… My pulse raced at the thought.
“I… Yeah, alright. You can come with me. But we leave now. The sooner I get you back, the better.”
She nodded. “Alright. Just give me a few minutes to get dressed.”
Chapter 9
Vivian
The Chicago streets were different at night. I couldn’t see the stars above. The lights of the city were just too bright, but there was still something comforting about the warm golden glow of streetlights as we drew closer to my apartment building.
We drove in silence.
I didn’t know what to say. Jesse was being so incredibly patient and kind, but he was super quiet the whole time. I wondered briefly if I was a burden to him. Of course I was. Suddenly having protection duty thrust upon him must have thrown a wrench in his usual plans. It was almost midnight. He’d probably be asleep and in bed by now if it weren’t for me.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled quietly. The low rumble of the car engine almost drowned me out. “For being such an inconvenience.”
Jesse’s eyes remained on the road, but I couldn’t help but notice the way his grip tightened around the steering wheel. Knuckles white, shoulders tense. “Your safety is never going to be an inconvenience, Vivian.”
I watched him out of the corner of my eye. There was a strength to his presence, a self-assuredness in the way he carried himself. It was his stillness I admired the most. Unwavering. So damn serious. Was he always like this? Or was it because he was on high alert, bodyguard mode?
“I have a few more rules for you,” he said sternly.
“I’m listening.”
“You’re not allowed to go anywhere without me.”
“What if I have to go to the bathroom?”
He huffed. “You can obviously go to the bathroom. You know what I mean.”
